How does life work? In conversation with Philip Ball

About this episode

Nick speaks to Philip Ball about the evolving understanding of life and the role of genes.

Recent decades have seen the gene as supreme in all discussions of what life is and how it works. Whether selfish, co-operative or eternal, it's genes that matter. But that picture is changing, in favour of a much subtler, more complex and more layered understanding. Life, it seems, goes all the way down (and up). So what role do genes play in life? Where, if anywhere, does agency reside? Are human beings more than mere propagation vehicles? How, in effect, does life work? This week, Nick speaks to Philip Ball about his book 'How Life Works: A User’s Guide to the New Biology'. Purchase a copy of Philip's book here .

People in this episode

Host: Nick

Guest: Philip Ball

Topics covered

• biology
• genes
• agency
• life
• complexity
• philosophy

Keywords

• life
• genes
• biology
• agency
• complexity
• Philip Ball
• How Life Works

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: How Life Works: A User’s Guide to the New Biology

More episodes of Reading Our Times

• Is this the end of woke? In conversation with Andrew Doyle · June 9, 2026 · 47 min
• How does the Far Right weaponise the Bible? In conversation with Hannah Strømmen · June 2, 2026 · 42 min
• How is Buddhist nationalism transforming Asia? In conversation with Sonia Faleiro · May 26, 2026 · 51 min
• How do politicians weaponise Christianity? In conversation with Tobias Cremer · May 19, 2026 · 38 min
• What is (American) Christian nationalism? In conversation with Andrew Whitehead · May 12, 2026 · 44 min
• What can the history of nationalism tell us about its future? In conversation with Eric Storm · May 5, 2026 · 41 min