Join us as we journey beyond the birth of the universe to unravel the mysteries of what might have preceded the Big Bang—and whether time itself had a beginning.

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Credits:
Before the Big Bang - What Came Before Time?
Episode 738; July 20, 2025
Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur
Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images 
Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator
0:00 Intro Asking the Impossible
2:08 The Limits of Time and Spacetime
7:45 Beyond the Big Bang: Alternate Beginnings
14:38 Other Realities: Higher Dimensions and Shadow Universes
18:28 Emergent Time
22:38 Bubble Collisions and Multiverse Scars
24:44 Conclusion: What Came Before Time?

Before the Big Bang - What Came Before Time? (Narration Only)

A visceral descent into cosmic inevitability, The End fuses bone-rattling and hard heavy bass, fragmented glitch percussion, with both heavy and warped synths with eerie, processed vocal samples that echo the voices of long-dead physicists pondering the universe's final fate. With peaks of panic and dread balanced by awe and philosophical wonder, the track explores the Big Rip theory—where even atoms are torn asunder. It’s a sonic eulogy for existence itself, both terrifying and beautiful in its scale and potential end.

The End [ShadeFade]

Rogue planets wander the cosmos without stars, but could we still call them home? This episode dives into how humanity might transform these frozen giants into thriving outposts of civilization.

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Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net
Join Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur
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Support us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthur
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Credits:
Colonizing Rogue Planets
Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur
Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images 
Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator

Colonizing Rogue Planets

Matt and Jamie dive headfirst into the cosmic foam to explore the Bubble Universe, the mind-bending idea that our universe might be just one of countless “bubbles” in a vast multiverse. From the physics of cosmic inflation and the mysteries of the cosmic microwave background, to the philosophical head-scratchers of infinite realities, they mix hard science, playful analogies, and a touch of pop culture chaos.

#319 Bubble Universe

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient philosopher and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero's work, On The Nature Of The Gods, which critically examines Epicurean, Stoic, and Skeptic perspectives on matters of theology and cosmology

Specifically it focuses upon  the presentation of Stoic cosmology and theology by Quintus Lucilius Balbus in book 2, in particular one of the arguments for the existence of the gods presented by Balbus, which we can call the argument from degrees of being. This type of argument doesn't fit neatly into the modern conventional classification of ontological, cosmological, and teleological arguments for the existence of the divine. It works by noting that there are different degrees (gradus) of being, going from bare being through plants, animals, humans, and other higher rational beings (gods), arguing that the top grade of being cannot be empty or non-existent.

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Purchase Cicero's On The Nature Of Gods - amzn.to/3JITSZc

Cicero On The Nature Of The Gods book 2 - Argument From Degress Of Being - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient philosopher and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero's work, On The Nature Of The Gods, which critically examines Epicurean, Stoic, and Skeptic perspectives on matters of theology and cosmology

Specifically it focuses upon the presentation of Stoic cosmology and theology by Quintus Lucilius Balbus in book 2, and in particular on the sequence of arguments that he provides, drawing from the works of earlier Stoic authors, intended to make the case for the world itself being God.

To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler

If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM

You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler

Purchase Cicero's On The Nature Of Gods - amzn.to/3JITSZc

Cicero On The Nature Of The Gods book 2 - Arguments That The World Is God - Sadler's Lectures

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient philosopher and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero's work, On The Nature Of The Gods, which critically examines Epicurean, Stoic, and Skeptic perspectives on matters of theology and cosmology

Specifically it focuses upon the presentation of Stoic cosmology and theology by Quintus Lucilius Balbus in book 2, and in particular on his discussion of the perfection and beauty of the super-lunary realm, which includes the planets, the sun and moon, and the fixed stars. The ancients thought that these heavenly bodies exhibited perfect order and regularity in their motions, which are either the rotation of the sphere of the heavens, or the circular orbits of the planets, sun, and moon.

To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler

If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM

You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler

Purchase Cicero's On The Nature Of Gods - amzn.to/3JITSZc

Cicero On The Nature Of The Gods book 2 - Perfection Of Earth And Stars - Sadler's Lectures

In this powerful conversation, Jennifer Jenkins, director of the Southwest Center, speaks with Don Unger, recent PhD and environmental historian, about his groundbreaking research on uranium mining reclamation on the Navajo Nation. Unger discusses the ethics of storytelling, the balance between technical and spiritual approaches to healing the land, and his concept of Critical Reclamation Studies, a framework grounded in both Western policy and Navajo cosmology.
Together, they explore the lived realities of land restoration, long drives and “cabin conversations,” and the wisdom of community leaders like Mr. Melvin Yazzie and Mr. Ernest Greyeyes.
This episode opens a window into environmental justice, language, and the ongoing legacy of Cold War uranium mining in the Southwest.


Don Unger - Critical Reclamation: Uranium, Storytelling, and Healing on the Navajo Nation

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient philosopher and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero's work, On The Nature Of The Gods, which critically examines Epicurean, Stoic, and Skeptic perspectives on matters of theology and cosmology

Specifically it focuses upon the presentation of Stoic cosmology and theology by Quintus Lucilius Balbus in book 2, and in particular on his discussion of the stability and coherence of the world itself and of the larger cosmos. These features are used by Balbus to argue for the existence of some intelligent, providentially ordering divine being. He also discusses a controversial Stoic doctrine, that of the universal conflagration, in which the matter of the world is gradually converted into aether or fire, and then the world is recreated by the divine being.

To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler

If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM

You can find over 3,500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler

Purchase Cicero's On The Nature Of Gods - amzn.to/3JITSZc

Cicero On The Nature Of The Gods book 2 - Stability Of World And Cosmos - Sadler's Lectures

im working on a lot of stuff right now, hopefully it will be finished soon

sublunary sphere (wip)

Putting The Ace Back Into Space.
Host Matthew Russell's critically acclaimed fun and factual show about all things SPACE. 
New episode every week with a deep dive into the latest hot space topics.  
With regular Interviews and discussions with the worlds top space experts.
From how rockets fly to how blackholes work and everything in-between.

I'm that YouTube Philosophy Guy! Find more than 3,000 videos in my main channel.  Support my video and podcast work!  https://www.patreon.com/sadler or https://www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM

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Due to popular demand - and with the work underwritten by my Patreon supporters - I have been converting my videos into MP3 files listeners can listen to anywhere they want!

I have a second podcast, Mind & Desire, publishing original episodes on a variety of topics in philosophy, which you can find here - https://gregorybsadler.substack.com/podcast

The Journal of the Southwest Radio Hour brings the voices of researchers, educators, activists and community members working to better understand the region’s past and envision possible new futures.

New tracks tagged #cosmology