Alex O'Connor
Hosted by Alex O'Connor
A British philosopher challenges academics, scientists, and public figures on foundational questions of existence, consciousness, and morality.
This is a long-form interview show where a sharp, skeptical host rigorously questions academic philosophers, scientists, and theologians on their foundational beliefs. The conversations are structured and forensic, often returning to core thought experiments to deconstruct complex ideas like consciousness, metaphysics, and ethics for a lay audience. It's less a casual chat and more a public intellectual sparring match.
“What stands out is the host's combination of youth and deep familiarity with classic and contemporary philosophical arguments, allowing him to confidently challenge seasoned experts. Unlike more conversational podcasts, this one is built on precise, persistent questioning designed to test the logical consistency of a guest's worldview.”
Who hosts this show
Alex O'Connor, also known by his YouTube handle CosmicSkeptic, is an English podcaster and writer. He hosts the "Within Reason" podcast, where he interviews prominent guests like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Neil deGrasse Tyson on philosophy, religion, and science. O'Connor graduated from St John's College, Oxford University, with a degree in philosophy and theology.
Credentials & credits
- BA in Philosophy and Theology, St John's College, Oxford University
Other ventures
- CosmicSkeptic YouTube Channel
- Substack newsletter
- Public speaking and debates
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- uk
When new episodes drop
- 01Aristotle: The World's Greatest Philosopher?Jun 25, 2026 · 1h 25m
- 02Could Consciousness be an Illusion? - Keith FrankishJun 18, 2026 · 2h 07m
- 03How a Blind Man Sees the World - Tommy EdisonJun 8, 2026 · 1h 04m
- 04The Heretics Who Got Too Close to God - What is Mysticism?May 26, 2026 · 1h 18m
- 05William Lane Craig vs Alex O'Connor: God and SufferingMay 21, 2026 · 1h 51m
- 06AI Music is Not Music - Adam NeelyMay 13, 2026 · 1h 58m
Notable episodes
- 01Aristotle: The World's Greatest Philosopher?
A comprehensive and accessible introduction to Aristotle's key concepts, serving as a strong example of the show's educational deep dives.
- 02Could Consciousness be an Illusion? - Keith Frankish
This episode exemplifies the podcast's core format: a rigorous, challenging debate on a fundamental philosophical problem with a leading academic.
- 03How a Blind Man Sees the World - Tommy Edison
Showcases the podcast's ability to explore philosophical concepts through human experience, discussing perception and reality with a guest blind since birth.
- 04William Lane Craig vs Alex O'Connor: God and Suffering
A live debate that puts the host on equal footing with a world-renowned Christian apologist, demonstrating the confrontational but respectful style of the show.
What you'll be asked on this show
The format is a one-on-one remote interview, typically presented as a split-screen video. Host Alex O'Connor is a precise and methodical questioner, often using recurring thought experiments (like the location of an imagined triangle) to probe his guests' positions. The tone is serious and academic, but remains accessible to a curious audience.
Questions Alex O'Connor keeps coming back to
- “What is the thing out there that I'm experiencing?”
- “Where's the triangle that I can see in my head?”
- “Did Aristotle believe in God?”
- “What is virtue? What is a virtuous person?”
- “Am I conscious? Are you conscious?”
- “What's the hype? What's so great about Aristotle?”
- “What does that mean?”
- “What is your concept of 'beautiful' and 'ugly'?”
- “Do you think that a modern understanding of evolutionary biology undermines the teleological causation of Aristotle?”
Signature segments
- · The 'WR' (Within Reason) logo
- · The host's online handle, 'CosmicSkeptic'
- · The recurring thought experiment about an imagined triangle's location
- · Split-screen video format for remote interviews
- · Host-read ads for sponsors like Huel
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show primarily books academic philosophers (Keith Frankish, John Sellars), prominent scientists (Neil deGrasse Tyson), and public intellectuals (William Lane Craig). Guests are typically experts prepared to defend their core theses against sustained, logical scrutiny.
- John Sellarson Aristotle: The World's Greatest Philosopher?
- Keith Frankishon Could Consciousness be an Illusion? - Keith Frankish
- Tommy Edisonon How a Blind Man Sees the World - Tommy Edison
- Simon Critchleyon The Heretics Who Got Too Close to God - What is Mysticism?
- William Lane Craigon William Lane Craig vs Alex O'Connor: God and Suffering
- Adam Neelyon AI Music is Not Music - Adam Neely
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast features host-read ads for direct-to-consumer brands like Huel and services like Ground News. These are presented as personal endorsements, often with a unique URL and discount code for listeners.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name and background?
- The host is Alex O'Connor. He graduated from St John's College, Oxford University, with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and theology.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, the podcast releases episodes on a weekly basis, as of late June 2026.
- What is the podcast's format?
- The show is a long-form, one-on-one interview podcast, usually presented in video. The host interviews experts in fields like philosophy, science, and theology.
- Where can I listen to the 'Within Reason' podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms. Ad-free and early access is available via the host's Substack.
- What is the host's online alias?
- Alex O'Connor is also known by his YouTube channel name and online handle, 'CosmicSkeptic'.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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