jbowster

Episode 22 – Parliament of World Religions

 

The first weekend of November, I attended the Parliament of World Religions – one of the largest, if not the largest, interfaith conferences in the world. The conference has happened in Chicago, Cape Town, Barcelona, Melbourne, and this year was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

In this episode of my Faith Deficit podcast, I reflect on what it means to gather over 220 distinct religions and thousands of open-minded people together to discuss ecology, women in leadership, Indigenous issues, acts of service, the Golden Rule, faith, love, and much more.

The podcast can be found here, and I’ve taken a number of pictures that I wanted to share below. Enjoy, and thanks for listening!

                    

  

jbowster

Episode 11 – Fara Tabatabai

Our guest today is the wonderful Fara Tabatabai. Fara is counsel in Hughes Hubbard and Reed’s New York office and was one of the youngest lawyers in North America to pass the bar exam. Her practice focuses on complex commercial, products liability, securities, and employment litigation and arbitration.

Ms. Tabatabai is also committed to providing quality pro bono legal services. She has received several awards for her pro bono work, including two Legal Aid Society awards for her role in litigation against New York State to increase housing subsidies for low-income families and a Commitment to Justice Award for her work on an immigration case for Her Justice, an organization that provides legal services to low-income women.

Ms. Tabatabai currently serves as Vice President of the Iranian American Bar Association’s New York Chapter and as a Member of the Corporate Leadership Committee of the New York Women’s Foundation.

In this discussion, we talk about pretending for family, the importance of talking about secretive issues, and the motivation that comes from having a child.

You can download this interview on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Or you can listen here.

 

jbowster

Episode 8 – Dr. Natasha Vita-More

This episode features an interview with internationally-renowned Transhumanist Dr. Natasha Vita-More. Dr. Vita-More is an expert on emerging technology and humanity’s future. She is the author and co-editor of The Transhumanist Reader, innovative designer of Primo Posthuman, and an international speaker.

She is Chair of Humanity+ and faculty at the University of Advancing Technology. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Media Arts, University of Plymouth, UK), Master of Science (School of Engineering, Communication and Technology, University of Plymouth, UK), and a Master of Science in Future Studies (Social Science & Humanities Department, University of Houston, US).

In this episode, Josh and Dr. Vita-More talk about the early days of Transhumanism, how society is catching up to what were once science fiction projections, and “The Singularity.”

You can download this interview on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Or you can listen here.

jbowster

Anusree Roy and Dr. Mark Kingwell: My Inaugural Interviews

Today I am launching my podcast, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the two guests who are joining me for my first two episodes. Playwright and Actor Anusree Roy, and Philosopher, Writer, and Professor Dr. Mark Kingwell.

My first interview is with the brilliant and passionate playwright, Anusree Roy.

Anusree Roy is an Indo-Canadian award-winning playwright, actress and librettist who emigrated to Canada with her family at age 17. You might know her work – Pyaasa, Letters to my Grandma, Roshni, Brothel #9 and her latest play Little Pretty and The Exceptional…or when she starred as Nurse Patel on the TV show Remedy.

Anusree grew up Hindu and her faith has carried her through her early days as a struggling playwright, a deep depression, and her struggles as an immigrant to Canada. We talk about her history and how her faith impacts her work, along with a bit of a detour to discuss race in TV and theatre. You can download her interview on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Or you can listen below:

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My second interview is with the brilliant and insightful professor, Dr. Mark Kingwell.

Dr. Mark Kingwell is a philosopher and writer. He has published multiple books and has delivered countless lectures around the world. He’s a columnist for a variety of publications, including the New York Times, The Globe and Mail, the Walrus, and Utne Reader…to name just a few. He is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto.

We begin the interview discussing whether Dr. Kingwell is a Luddite and atheist, and circle around to Artificial Intelligence, respectful discussion, ethics, and much more. You can download his interview on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Or you can listen below:

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If you like what you hear and find some insights of your own, please rate the podcast 5 stars on iTunes and write a positive review. The first few weeks after launch are, from what I hear, pretty important. Thank you.