The synthetic self episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 12, 2026 · 30 MIN

The synthetic self

from Aeon Magazine · host Tony J Prescott

In order to better understand our human nature, we must attempt to build a robot capable of robust subjective experiences. Aeon audio explores the most profound and relevant ideas, told through essays that help us make sense of ourselves and the world. We ask the big, existentially significant questions and find the freshest, most original answers, provided by leading thinkers on philosophy, science, psychology, society and culture. Each episode features a narrated Aeon essay, a journey into expert concepts and stories that provoke, enrich and expand our horizons. Aeon is a nonprofit digital magazine publishing essays and videos that seek to illuminate the big questions of life. Free to read and now free to listen, Aeon’s mission is to share knowledge and insight with everyone, everywhere. Discover essays and videos at aeon.co. Aeon essays are only ever written and edited by human experts. We use AI for audio narration only.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 12, 2026

In order to better understand our human nature, we must attempt to build a robot capable of robust subjective experiences. Aeon audio explores the most profound and relevant ideas, told through essays that help us make sense of ourselves and the world. We ask the big, existentially significant questions and find the freshest, most original answers, provided by leading thinkers on philosophy, science, psychology, society and culture. Each episode features a narrated Aeon essay, a journey into expert concepts and stories that provoke, enrich and expand our horizons. Aeon is a nonprofit digital magazine publishing essays and videos that seek to illuminate the big questions of life. Free to read and now free to listen, Aeon’s mission is to share knowledge and insight with everyone, everywhere. Discover essays and videos at aeon.co. Aeon essays are only ever written and edited by human experts. We use AI for audio narration only.

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The synthetic self

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This episode was published on January 12, 2026.

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In order to better understand our human nature, we must attempt to build a robot capable of robust subjective experiences. Aeon audio explores the most profound and relevant ideas, told through essays that help us make sense of ourselves and the...

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