July 29, 2026
David Chalmers on Consciousness, the Hard Problem, and Living in a Simulation
Sean Carroll's Mindscape · David Chalmers · 82 min
Why we chose this episode
David Chalmers coined the term 'the hard problem of consciousness,' and here he and Sean Carroll spend an unhurried hour testing where physicalist explanations of the mind actually break down. The conversation is rigorous without being dense, and it treats simulation theory seriously rather than as a gimmick. Few philosophy-of-mind conversations manage to be both this careful and this fun.
Listen for this question
Can subjective experience ever be fully explained by physical processes in the brain?
Listen to the full episode
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Best way to listen
Listen with headphones somewhere quiet, ideally twice.
After the episode
Notice your own awareness for a moment, then simply let the question go.
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