Tom Cochrane
@doctorcochrane.bsky.social
Philosopher @Flinders University in Adelaide. Author- The Emotional Mind (CUP 2018) & The Aesthetic Value of the World (OUP 2021). Lover of sci-fi & jazz piano.
https://sites.google.com/view/tomcochranephilosophy/
https://sites.google.com/view/tomcochranephilosophy/
I had many interesting conversations at the #ASPP2025 held at Monash University. I gave a talk on happiness and hedonic adaptation and generally tried to promote the control theoretic worldview.
November 25, 2025 at 9:13 AM
I had many interesting conversations at the #ASPP2025 held at Monash University. I gave a talk on happiness and hedonic adaptation and generally tried to promote the control theoretic worldview.
Philosophers disagree more than academics in other fields? False! Or if anything, a product of gerrymandering. Philosophy is where you've put all of *your* disagreements about the basic ideas in your fields. We're the ones trying to resolve them.
November 23, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Philosophers disagree more than academics in other fields? False! Or if anything, a product of gerrymandering. Philosophy is where you've put all of *your* disagreements about the basic ideas in your fields. We're the ones trying to resolve them.
unbelievable. Get your fucking tendrils out of my emails!
You now need to opt-out of letting Google use your G-Mail to train its AI. Go to your general settings and scroll to Smart Features: Unclick it. Done.
November 20, 2025 at 10:53 PM
unbelievable. Get your fucking tendrils out of my emails!
Bryan Frances just dropped one helluva good paper on philpapers (forthcoming in Philosophical Studies). It lists 200 elementary facts from epistemology and on that basis draws interesting conclusions about the nature and progress of philosophy philarchive.org/rec/FRAPAF-2
Bryan Frances, Philosophy as Fact-Based Discipline: 200 Philosophical Facts - PhilArchive
I list 200 straightforward facts directly about philosophical matters that virtually all philosophers know and non-philosophers don’t know. We have seriously underestimated the straightforward epistem...
philarchive.org
November 15, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Bryan Frances just dropped one helluva good paper on philpapers (forthcoming in Philosophical Studies). It lists 200 elementary facts from epistemology and on that basis draws interesting conclusions about the nature and progress of philosophy philarchive.org/rec/FRAPAF-2
May your emails be read by unintended recipients.
- ancient Chinese curse
- ancient Chinese curse
November 14, 2025 at 1:22 AM
May your emails be read by unintended recipients.
- ancient Chinese curse
- ancient Chinese curse
Adelaide folks- I'm having a book launch for my new book 'Identity in Science Fiction' at Dymocks on Wednesday 19th Nov (6.30pm). Dymocks is trying to get everything sorted- so if you're interested please register as soon as possible! I'd love to see you all there. www.dymocks.com.au/events/detai...
www.dymocks.com.au
November 13, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Adelaide folks- I'm having a book launch for my new book 'Identity in Science Fiction' at Dymocks on Wednesday 19th Nov (6.30pm). Dymocks is trying to get everything sorted- so if you're interested please register as soon as possible! I'd love to see you all there. www.dymocks.com.au/events/detai...
Does any language have a word for wanting to be warm? I.e. a word like 'hunger' or 'thirst' but for temperature?
November 4, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Does any language have a word for wanting to be warm? I.e. a word like 'hunger' or 'thirst' but for temperature?
My book 'Identity in Science Fiction' is now available to buy in the UK and USA. You can get it from places like amazon, but if you order direct from Bloomsbury, you can get a 20% discount with the code: GLR BD8 #scifi www.amazon.com/Identity-Sci...
Identity in Science Fiction: Brain Transplants and Other Misadventures
Identity in Science Fiction: Brain Transplants and Other Misadventures [Cochrane, Tom] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Identity in Science Fiction: Brain Transplants and Other Misadventures
www.amazon.com
November 1, 2025 at 1:15 PM
My book 'Identity in Science Fiction' is now available to buy in the UK and USA. You can get it from places like amazon, but if you order direct from Bloomsbury, you can get a 20% discount with the code: GLR BD8 #scifi www.amazon.com/Identity-Sci...
I was interviewed by Imi Lo for the Intense Mind podcast: youtu.be/zlcJK3pgIG8 The basic topic was death but we ranged widely over issues of happiness, aesthetic value, love, ocd and Stoicism.
You can also find it through eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog... and the usual podcast players.
You can also find it through eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog... and the usual podcast players.
Death Anxiety and the Will to Live: Finding Beauty as a Mortal Being- Tom Cochrane, Imi Lo - Eggshell Therapy and Coaching
I spoke with philosopher Tom Cochrane to explore death anxiety, happiness, and how we cope when existential dread surfaces. Tom has been developing a comprehensive philosophy for over 20 years, addres...
eggshelltherapy.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I was interviewed by Imi Lo for the Intense Mind podcast: youtu.be/zlcJK3pgIG8 The basic topic was death but we ranged widely over issues of happiness, aesthetic value, love, ocd and Stoicism.
You can also find it through eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog... and the usual podcast players.
You can also find it through eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog... and the usual podcast players.
A journal rejection is a kick in the balls, but the follow up 'support email' from the publisher recommending their other (shitter) journals really takes a cheese grater to them.
October 28, 2025 at 12:00 PM
A journal rejection is a kick in the balls, but the follow up 'support email' from the publisher recommending their other (shitter) journals really takes a cheese grater to them.
Ted Chiang: "In the here and now, a philosophical question might be strictly theoretical, but in the world of a science fiction story, it could have practical consequences. That means there could be inhabitants of that world for whom the answer to that question is hugely important."
Ted Chiang is one of the most insightful science fiction writers of our time.
This volume, which includes a foreword by Chiang and twenty-one short essays by philosophers, analyzes the philosophical significance of Chiang’s popular science fiction.
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
#PhilSky
This volume, which includes a foreword by Chiang and twenty-one short essays by philosophers, analyzes the philosophical significance of Chiang’s popular science fiction.
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
#PhilSky
October 10, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Ted Chiang: "In the here and now, a philosophical question might be strictly theoretical, but in the world of a science fiction story, it could have practical consequences. That means there could be inhabitants of that world for whom the answer to that question is hugely important."
I'm a co-author on a paper led by Ange Weinrabe, who is a recent PhD from Sydney Uni. It's mostly about a program that she's run for many years with collaborators in Pakistan to improve youth mental health through arts interventions. www.frontiersin.org/journals/edu...
Frontiers | Reframing culture in youth mental health: introducing a neurocultural framework through participatory arts and emotional scaffolding
IntroductionYoung people are experiencing an escalating global mental health crisis, intensified by the effects of COVID-19, cultural disconnection, and the ...
www.frontiersin.org
September 28, 2025 at 7:56 AM
I'm a co-author on a paper led by Ange Weinrabe, who is a recent PhD from Sydney Uni. It's mostly about a program that she's run for many years with collaborators in Pakistan to improve youth mental health through arts interventions. www.frontiersin.org/journals/edu...
Jason Chen interviewed me for his podcast series The Ethical Frontier. We began by discussing a recent paper of mine on the fear of death, and branched out from there. Fascinating stuff! www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynjg...
The Fear of Death | Tom Cochrane | Ep. 74
YouTube video by Jason Chen
www.youtube.com
September 5, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Jason Chen interviewed me for his podcast series The Ethical Frontier. We began by discussing a recent paper of mine on the fear of death, and branched out from there. Fascinating stuff! www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynjg...
I feel bad for my friends at Adelaide University. Philosophy has been reduced to 8 generic topics that every student must now take. And because it's all laid down as recorded lectures, topics will be harder to update in the future to reflect new ideas or relevant issues.
People who haven't been in a classroom for a decade making a pretence of pedagogical innovation when it's just cynical cost cutting in the domain of teaching and learning. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Adelaide University students and staff to stage sit-in over ‘travesty’ of fewer in-person lectures
Students unhappy about lack of course choice and flexibility, as they await clarification about which subjects will move online
www.theguardian.com
August 24, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I feel bad for my friends at Adelaide University. Philosophy has been reduced to 8 generic topics that every student must now take. And because it's all laid down as recorded lectures, topics will be harder to update in the future to reflect new ideas or relevant issues.
quote-skeeting because this is an issue I've worked on a lot. Moods/emotions can be distinguished in a way that is in retrospect obvious. It comes down to the fact that most emotional episodes involve both a cognitive appraisal and a pattern of bodily responses... 1/6
What's the difference between emotions & moods?
While old (1994), this book dives into it.
Richard Davidson suggests a functional difference, whereby emotions bias action and moods bias cognition. (Hmmm... the action/cognition distinction is a tricky one).
psycnet.apa.org/record/1995-...
While old (1994), this book dives into it.
Richard Davidson suggests a functional difference, whereby emotions bias action and moods bias cognition. (Hmmm... the action/cognition distinction is a tricky one).
psycnet.apa.org/record/1995-...
August 22, 2025 at 11:49 PM
quote-skeeting because this is an issue I've worked on a lot. Moods/emotions can be distinguished in a way that is in retrospect obvious. It comes down to the fact that most emotional episodes involve both a cognitive appraisal and a pattern of bodily responses... 1/6
How literally can we take the idea that we have a psychological immune system and that depression is a dysfunction of it?
August 18, 2025 at 1:29 AM
How literally can we take the idea that we have a psychological immune system and that depression is a dysfunction of it?
Please help me out! Best examples in film where the music moves from non-diagetic to diagetic or vice versa? Youtube clips if possible 🙏 Here's one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfJc...
The Truman Show (6/9) Movie CLIP - Father Son Reunion (1998) HD
YouTube video by Movieclips
www.youtube.com
August 17, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Please help me out! Best examples in film where the music moves from non-diagetic to diagetic or vice versa? Youtube clips if possible 🙏 Here's one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfJc...
Exciting news! I just learned that @levgrossman.com is going to be the 2025 Flinders writer in residence. This new book of his is going straight to the top of the pile events.flinders.edu.au/events/lev-g...
Lev Grossman: “King Arthur: The Future of Old Stories” - Events at Flinders
Lev Grossman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eight novels including The Bright Sword, which was a Times Notable Book of 2024, and the […]
events.flinders.edu.au
August 4, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Exciting news! I just learned that @levgrossman.com is going to be the 2025 Flinders writer in residence. This new book of his is going straight to the top of the pile events.flinders.edu.au/events/lev-g...
A proposed measure for happiness: Amount of time either 1) experiencing the final value of things or .5) instrumentally nurturing things, multiplied by how much one loves/endorses them, minus the time spent in conflict with one’s attachment to things multiplied by how much one loves/endorses them.
August 2, 2025 at 12:46 PM
A proposed measure for happiness: Amount of time either 1) experiencing the final value of things or .5) instrumentally nurturing things, multiplied by how much one loves/endorses them, minus the time spent in conflict with one’s attachment to things multiplied by how much one loves/endorses them.
I did not expect a performance of Bach's Air to be such a blatant thirst trap. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvgl...
HAUSER - Air on the G String (J. S. Bach)
YouTube video by HAUSER
www.youtube.com
August 1, 2025 at 4:25 AM
I did not expect a performance of Bach's Air to be such a blatant thirst trap. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvgl...
Where can you find Pope Leo XIV next to Bruce Lee? On this poster I made of famous people who studied philosophy! (I hear Leo XIV is also wicked on the nun-chucks) #philosophy #philsky
July 21, 2025 at 6:26 AM
Where can you find Pope Leo XIV next to Bruce Lee? On this poster I made of famous people who studied philosophy! (I hear Leo XIV is also wicked on the nun-chucks) #philosophy #philsky
@lindsaybrainard.bsky.social has written a beautiful short paper about the harms to a student who uses AI for a creative assignment. Since it is around 4000 words however, I fear that no student considering cheating will read it. philpapers.org/rec/BRASAF-4
Lindsay Brainard, Step Away from the Chatbot: a Letter to a Student about AI and Creativity - PhilPapers
philpapers.org
July 20, 2025 at 6:24 AM
@lindsaybrainard.bsky.social has written a beautiful short paper about the harms to a student who uses AI for a creative assignment. Since it is around 4000 words however, I fear that no student considering cheating will read it. philpapers.org/rec/BRASAF-4
If you know an Australian teenager, please encourage them to enter the Flinders Thought Experiment Competition. All they need is a short description up to 300 words. Deadline is 7th July. The winning entry will be animated! For details and last years winner see: www.flinders.edu.au/study/humani...
Thought Experiment Competition - Flinders University - Flinders University
www.flinders.edu.au
June 30, 2025 at 5:49 AM
If you know an Australian teenager, please encourage them to enter the Flinders Thought Experiment Competition. All they need is a short description up to 300 words. Deadline is 7th July. The winning entry will be animated! For details and last years winner see: www.flinders.edu.au/study/humani...
I no longer believe in clouds.
June 30, 2025 at 12:55 AM
I no longer believe in clouds.
I gave a talk at the University of the Third Age. A hundred people enthusiastic to hear and talk about metaphysics. A significant contrast from my usual teaching experience.
June 18, 2025 at 11:25 PM
I gave a talk at the University of the Third Age. A hundred people enthusiastic to hear and talk about metaphysics. A significant contrast from my usual teaching experience.