From thought-provoking theories to questions about reality and knowledge, hear how philosophy helps us rethink the world around us.

What can a butterfly, a brain in a vat, a zombie, and a plucked chicken teach us about reality?

Hear about some of philosophy’s most famous thought experiments and curious “philosophical creatures”. From Zhuangzi’s butterfly and Nagel’s bat, to the brain in a vat and the philosophical zombie, this talk takes on the big questions about consciousness, language, knowledge and what it means to be human.

At a time when questions about reality, consciousness, identity and artificial intelligence are increasingly important, we’ll hear how philosophy can help us think more clearly and imaginatively about ourselves and the world around us.

Enjoy an afternoon exploring philosophy’s most strange and playful ideas, and how they can help us understand the human experience.

Important points to note

This event is suitable for age 16+

Event format: This event is a talk and will involve some speakers sharing talking followed by a Q&A. There may be some interactive parts of the event but you can just sit back and enjoy listening.

Filming: Photography may take place at this event. Please let a member of the RSE Public Engagement team know if you do not want to be photographed.

SPEAKER

Dr Ievgeniia Ivanova

Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Stirling and member of the Young Academy of Scotland

Dr Ievgeniia Ivanova is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Stirling and a member of the Young Academy of Scotland. She is a philosopher from Odesa, Ukraine, currently based in Scotland. Her research lies at the intersection of epistemology, philosophy of science, and general systems theory. She is particularly interested in how philosophical methods can help us analyse complex systems, including the deceptively simple questions of what “complexity” and a “system” actually are. Alongside her academic research, she has worked on media projects that introduce philosophical ideas and debates to wider public audiences.

About the Curious festival

The RSE’s free Curious festival of knowledge is back, from Saturday 5 − Sunday 13 September 2026!

Curious is Scotland’s annual festival of knowledge. Across its seven-year history, Curious has welcomed over 10,000 attendees into its yearly programme of talks, workshops, discussions and exhibitions – all covering different topics and subject areas. There’s no need for you to have any prior specialist knowledge before coming along, just bring your curious self! With plenty of events both in person and online, you can take part from anywhere.

You can check out the full programme of events here.

Accessibility

We aim to make events as accessible as possible. If you have any accessibility requirements or have any questions related to how we can support this event, please contact curious@theRSE.org.uk. Accessibility information for the RSE building can be found on our website.

Step-free access: Ramped access for visitors is available via 26 George Street through Lakeland. Upon arrival, please call 0131 240 5000 and a member of staff will meet you and guide you to the event. Please note that the entrance ramp has a steep gradient (1:12).

Smaller lift: This event is on the first floor and the lift’s door has a width of 69cm and a depth of 104cm. This may not be suitable for some wheelchairs. You can find further details and images of the lift on our website.

Wheelchair spaces: If you would like to book a space as a wheelchair user, please select the ticket type 'wheelchair space ticket' during the booking process. If this is sold out, please contact the Curious team on curious@therse.org.uk.

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Description supplied by the event organiser.