The Lunchtime Special Podcast

In this last episode for 2019, Atish and Spiro farewell the decade with a chat about a fundamental of life. They discuss the Yogic practice of Pranayama and correlation of the benefits found by a German research team on decelerated breathing. The conversation goes deep and even includes a matra sung by Atish. Now take a deep breath and listen. Link to article: https://physicsworld.com/a/can-decelerated-breathing-confer-health-benefits/

What is reality? Does reality need to involve matter, or can it be virtual? In this episode, the team discuss all things virtual. From the digital such as movies and games to the analog like physical books. Join us as we debate the virtues of the virtual. Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality Episode Image by the European Space Agency Intro music by Skincage. https://skincage.bandcamp.com/

In this episode, we discuss the existence of the most famous lost civilisation, the sunken city-state of Atlantis. First introduced by the great Greek philosopher Plato in his dialogues, Atlantis has continued to captivate the minds of historians, archeologists and story writers for over two thousand years. But, did it ever exist or was it a literary construct designed to engage the reader in contemplating different political paradigms and ways of living? Join Spiro, Doug and Ondrej as they debate and explore the history and potential real-world locations of this mythical culture. Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richat_Structure https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timaeus_(dialogue) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critias_(dialogue) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis Intro music by Skincage. https://skincage.bandcamp.com/

Welcome to season 2 of the Lunchtime Special podcast. We're starting off this year with a brief look back on 2018 with our highlights and experiences. We then dive deep into the future of autonomous and electric vehicles, be they on the ground or in the air. Our favourite conspiracy theory on data and privacy makes a comeback as well as cryptocurrencies and Blockchain. Lots of salient points and interesting factoids are presented, so sit back and enjoy the show. Further Info A digital spinal cord that streams your thoughts: https://youtu.be/mmiIz6ZJfq0 Electric cars: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle#Experimentation Blockchain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockchain Google Duplex:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Assistant#Google_Duplex

Do you feel that reality is an illusion? Are we living a fabricated reality? Well, a famous chap called Plato contemplated the same questions over 2,300 years ago. Within his Socratic dialogue the Politeia (The Republic), Plato crafted and wrote the Allegory of the Cave. This short story filled with hidden meaning and symbolism is ripe for the picking in our current day and age. In this episode, Spiro and Atish delve deep into the cave of the noumenon and explore Plato’s ideas of reality and perception. East meets West as we find the correlations between Ancient Greek philosophy and Sanskrit sutras from the subcontinent. So prepare to take a katabatic journey into the subterranean land of shadow, illusion and Maya. Enjoy. Further reading: http://www.math.nus.edu.sg/~matlmc/Allegory_cave.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_(Plato) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(religion)

How does society induce the desired behaviour and how does it punish transgression? Are we responsible for our actions or are they mere reactions to the manipulation of culture and propaganda? Building on the ideas presented in the previous show, we push forward and discuss the idea of the carrot or the stick. This is a free-flowing episode which touches on various ideas and scenarios, including the actions of a well known Hollywood star. As serious as it all sounds, it was a lot of fun to record. We hope you enjoy the show. Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot_and_stick

Hate and compassion and the biases that doom us all. In this weeks episode, we tackle the difficult topic of prejudice. We debate whether cognitive biases and prejudices are innate or conditioned by the tribe we identify with. So strap in for a challenging subject which eerily feels very timely in relation to the current state worldly affairs. Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prejudice https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases

Life in the universe, is it as abundant as the stars in heaven or are humans alone? Are humans the result of a spontaneous eruption of life or were we seeded by passing cosmic travelers like comets and meteors? If we're not alone in the vastness of time and space, then who are our neighbors? Are Greys, Angels and Faery Folk all the same thing? We had a great time debating and exploring these questions, so join us in this interstellar chat as we boldly go where no Luncher has gone before. Further reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_alien https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Enoch

On this weeks episode, we take a journey to the red planet, the home of green Martians and gods of war. We discuss the future of space exploration, colonization and the social and biological implications to humanity. So join us as we take a one-way ticket to Mars and leave it all behind to explore a strange new world. Further readings: https://www.inc.com/kevin-j-ryan/2018-year-tourists-get-to-space-spacex-virgin-galactic-blue-origin.html http://www.spacex.com/hyperloop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWo6LscqSGg Audio samples: http://www.planetary.org/explore/projects/microphones/sounds-on-mars.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sagan_martian_greeting.ogg

In this weeks episode, our fellow Luncher Atish takes us on a journey of discovery. We delve in to the bottomless abyss of abstraction and attempt to ride the wave out with absolute perception. How close to the enlightenment of Gautama Buddha do we get? Well have a listen and you decide. We all enjoyed the conversation and were left thirsty for more insights into the true nature of reality. Further Reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_in_Buddhism http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/philosophy1.htm Eastern Thought Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Hello my fellow truth seekers. In this episode the Lunchtime Special crew discuss, debunk and debate all things conspiratorial. We touch on flat earth, reptilian overlords, Scientology, Area 51 and the insane conspiracy that the country of Australia does not exist. The powers that be clearly didn't want us to record this show as we were plagued with technical issues, but we persevered and delivered. Also a general warning, we didn't hold back our thoughts regarding the sanity of conspiracy nuts out there, flat-earthers we're looking at you. So grab your tin-foil hats, sit back and enjoy the show. Further Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Parsons_(rocket_engineer) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MKUltra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/government-poison-10000-americans/

With the soccer world cup in full swing, we examine whether the national pride that stems from sporting tournaments are a force for good, or a danger to us all. From the archives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHlsIy812kU

Welcome back fellow Lunchers. On this episode the Lunchtime Special team tackle the topic of reincarnation. Reincarnation is the philosophical or religious concept that an aspect of a living being starts a new life in a different physical body or form after each biological death. In recent times this ancient theory has been attracting scientific research and attention. Scientific studies have been attributing birthmarks as physical examples of trauma from previous lives. Other examples of 'proof' pepper the internet. We had a great time discussing this topic and we hope you'll enjoy it as well. Further Reading: Prince of Bhutan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigme_Namgyel_Wangchuck Birthmarks and reincarnation: http://opensciences.org/blogs/open-sciences-blog/228-birthmarks-and-reincarnation Music by: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Manuel_Senfft/

Yo, pump up the jam and bring the noise. This week on the Lunchtime Special podcast, our panel of cool cats discuss the effects of music on one's self and society. From Grunge to Pop and Metal to Hip Hop, we rap and rhyme and have a good time. So come as you are and enjoy episode number five. Bonus Reading: http://blog.sonicbids.com/what-kind-of-impact-does-our-music-really-make-on-society https://theunboundedspirit.com/the-harmful-effects-of-music-on-body-and-mind/

The year is 2018. The year of the rise of the machines. But on a positive note, our artificially intelligent assistant knows our favourite playlist and tells us the weather. In this week's episode the team discusses the ethics, virtues and pitfalls of our dependency on AI, from the convenience aspect to the cancer-like grip it has on the modern world. We tackle the big questions like which people will robots prefer to kill and other hilarious dystopian scenarios. Lots of fun for all. Bonus reading Asimov's Laws of Robotics - https://robotrepublic.org/1261-2/ Google Keynote - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeF0zpT4gNE Automation and job loss - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-09/artificial-intelligence-automation-jobs-of-the-future/8786962

The Avengers have assembled and they are fighting evil once again. This trope has been around for decades, lapped up by young (and not so young) minds around the world. But is that a good thing? The team at The Lunchtime Special explore some of our favourite superhero characters, and whether these ultimately flawed characters are actually positive role models for kids. Extra Reading: https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19990308-doordarshan-cuts-short-popular-serial-shaktimaan-to-avoid-children-imitate-risky-stunts-780349-1999-03-08

On this weeks episode we tackle the spine-tingling subject of the supernatural. Our panelists describe their own creepy experiences and encounters with the dearly departed. We really enjoyed the chat and it's a subject that will be revisited in the future. Further Reading: For those playing at home, we have linked below to a great article which influenced this episode. https://theconversation.com/how-the-god-you-worship-influences-the-ghosts-you-see-84163

In this weeks lunchtime episode we discuss the effects of nature vs nurture on identity, personality and the human soul. Can it all be described in a materialist framework or is it something metaphysical? Show Notes A twin in space: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-twins-study-confirms-preliminary-findings Birth and the soul: https://www.ananda.org/prayers/articles-on-healing/when-does-the-soul-enter-the-body/