Episodes

SeriesEpisodeTitleFirst
Broadcast
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01Let There Be Dark20131216

When journalist Rupert Goodwins started losing his sight, he wasn't expecting a journey to the back of his eyeballs that would take him 500 million years through time with stops for the evolution of modern philosophy, the nature of experience and the curious nature of sight itself. The surprise began in the night sky when the stars started going out...

Rupert Goodwins on what going blind suddenly taught him about science, culture and life.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

02Behind the Eyes20131217

Even perfect eyesight is nothing of the sort- it just looks the part. As the world changed and darkened around him, Rupert Goodwins found that not only did the real nature of sight became clearer, the revelations led to realisations about philosophy and reality that are too easily lost in the dazzle of daylight.

Writer Rupert Goodwins describes unexpected insights he gained as he lost his sight.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

03Doctoring the Evidence20131218

The experience of being a patient in modern medicine is little discussed by doctors and often badly handled by the media. Through months of investigation as the medics tried to find the why behind the what, Rupert Goodwins finds much has changed in what it means to be a patient, and old assumptions are not a good guide for what will happen next.

Rupert Goodwins reflects on the medical experience of losing his sight.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

04Long, Slow Journey through the Night20131219

Disability isn't limited to the physical fact of what it does to mind and body - the isolation it brings has compounded its cruelty throughout history. As a technology journalist who started off building computers, Rupert Goodwins decided to find out if he could use some of the tools of his trade to change that situation, and make our hyper-connected modern environment solve some very old problems.

Rupert Goodwins tries to find if technology can limit his isolation from blindness.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

05Seeing the Future20131220

There's never been a better time to go blind. The digital world transforms the way information can be appreciated, doing great things for the the sighted as well as the blind - breaking down barriers to absorbing, manipulating, and transmitting culture. But access can be denied by considerations of politics and trade, rooted in the history of copyright. Visually impaired people sometimes end up as collateral damage in the war on digital piracy. Rupert Goodwins looks into how the future could be brighter for blindness.

Rupert Goodwins on the potential of the internet to improve the future for blind people.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.