Season 3, Episode 15

Do we hear silence? John Cage certainly thought so, and so does Chaz Firestone, a scientist whose laboratory’s recent study revealed that yes, we do hear silence. In this conversation, we discuss his new findings, what they mean for the fields of perception studies and philosophy, and how science and the humanities can work together to provide new answers to longstanding questions.

Chaz Firestone is Assistant Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Director of the Hopkins Perception & Mind Laboratory.

If you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Firestone (@chazfirestone)’s work, check out:

• “The Perception of Silence,” the 2023 article we discuss in the episode, co-authored with Rui Zhe Goh and Ian B. Phillips
• Auditory illusions for the study: you can try them out yourself!
• A write-up of the study in Scientific American
• A 2023 paper about the relationship between perception as studied in psychology laboratories and philosophy, co-authored with Jorge Morales

Sound Expertise is hosted by Will Robin (@seatedovation), and produced by D. Edward Davis (@warmsilence). Please subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and/or Spotify. Questions or comments? Email soundexpertise00 @ gmail

A written transcript of this episode is available here; thanks to Andrew Dell’Antonio for volunteering to prepare transcripts for the show!