The Gray Area with Sean Illing takes a philosophy-minded look at culture, technology, politics, and the world of ideas. Each week, we invite a... more
What just happened? It’s been almost two weeks since the presidential election, and many Americans are still grappling with the result.... more
Philosopher Alexandra Plakias says there are no awkward people, only awkward situations. In her book, Awkwardness: A Theory, Plakias explains the... more
This has been an unusual week. Sean and the TGA team are still sifting through it all and figuring out... more
What does it mean to be "woke"? It's become a catchall term to smear or dismiss anything that has any... more
What can ancient Rome teach us about American democracy? The Roman Republic fell for a lot of reasons: The state became... more
Sean Illing speaks with one of his heroes: Werner Herzog. Herzog is a filmmaker, poet, and author of the memoir Every... more
How important is complexity? At The Gray Area, we value understanding the details. We revel in complexity. But does our desire... more
In part three of our series on creativity, guest host Oshan Jarow speaks with philosopher of neuroscience Mark Miller about how our minds actually... more
Sean revisits his interview with musician Laraaji, a pioneer of new age music who has recorded more than 50 albums since... more
What is the relationship between creativity and artificial intelligence? Creativity feels innately human, but is it? Can a machine be... more