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Robinson's Podcast

Robinson's Podcast

By Robinson Erhardt

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.


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32 - Ray Briggs: Transfeminism, Philosophy of Sex, & Queer Science Fiction

Robinson's PodcastDec 05, 2022

00:00
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200 - Sean Carroll, Daniel Dennett, & Steven Pinker: AI, Parapsychology, Panpsychism, & Physics Violations

200 - Sean Carroll, Daniel Dennett, & Steven Pinker: AI, Parapsychology, Panpsychism, & Physics Violations

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Sean Carroll is Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and fractal faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. He is also host of Sean Carroll’s Mindscape, a terrific show (that influenced the birth of Robinson’s Podcast) about science, society, philosophy, culture, arts, and ideas. Daniel Dennett is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Tufts University, where he was co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies and the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy. He is one of the most recognized philosophers today, and has made major contributions to the philosophy of mind and biology, among other areas, and is known as one of the Four Horsemen of Atheism. Steven Pinker is Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He is an experimental cognitive psychologist, prominent public intellectual, and best-selling author who writes on language, mind, and human nature. This is Sean’s third appearance on the show. He was one of the guests—along with David Albert of Columbia University—on episode 106, which covers the Many-Worlds theory of quantum mechanics, entropy and Boltzmann Brains, and the fine-tuned universe. He was also on episode 118 with Slavoj Žižek on quantum physics, the multiverse, time travel, and a whole lot more. This is Dan’s second appearance on the show, as on episode 194 he and Robinson spoke about consciousness, free will, and the evolution of minds. Finally, Steve is returning for another centennial episode, as he and Robinson discussed rationality, enlightenment, and free speech on episode 100. But in this episode of Robinson’s Podcast (the two hundredth!), Sean, Dan, Steve, and Robinson discuss artificial intelligence, large language models, and whether or not they threaten democracy or even civilization itself, parapsychology and the laws of physics, panpsychism and consciousness, some of the philosophical lessons of Darwinian thought, and the relationship between science and philosophy. Dan’s latest book is I’ve Been Thinking (W. W. Norton, 2023), Steve’s latest book is Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters (Penguin, 2022), and Sean’s next book, Quanta and Fields: The Biggest Ideas in the Universe (Penguin, 2024), will be coming out on May 14, 2024. 


Sean’s Website: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com


Sean’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcarroll


Quanta and Fields (The Biggest Ideas in the Universe): https://a.co/d/gfMDLQo


Sean’s Paper on QFT and Supervenience: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.07884.pdf


I’ve Been Thinking: https://a.co/d/ahMEC0G


Steven’s Website: https://stevenpinker.com


Steven’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/sapinker


Rationality: https://a.co/d/9N2uFyr


Robinson’s Podcast #106 - David Albert & Sean Carroll: Quantum Theory, Boltzmann Brains, & The Fine-Tuned Universe: https://youtu.be/U6ZtmGIhIhU


Robinson’s Podcast #118 - Slavoj Žižek & Sean Carroll: Quantum Physics, the Multiverse, and Time Travel


Robinson’s Podcast #194 - Daniel Dennett: Consciousness, Free Will, and the Evolution of Minds: https://youtu.be/9bZcBh0qtKo


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:59 Introduction

6:11 Will Large Language Models End Civilization?

13:42 Are Large Language Models a Threat to Democracy?

22:53 Could AI Destroy the Job Market? 

28:14 On Parapsychology and the Violation of Physics

40:23 The Parable of the Bathtub

01:03:45 Physical Causation and the Law of Sufficient Reason

01:09:23 On Emergence and Real Patterns

01:14:48 Is Consciousness an Illusion?

01:27:13 The Darwinian Lesson

01:31:50 Does Physics Show that the Universe is Conscious?

1:44:36 What is Philosophy?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Mar 24, 202402:00:11
199 - Lawrence Krauss: God, String Theory, and the State of Physics
Mar 17, 202401:24:03
198 - Michael Hudson: Marxism, Economic Parasites, and Debt Cancellation

198 - Michael Hudson: Marxism, Economic Parasites, and Debt Cancellation

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. Michael was also a guest on episode 180, where he and Robinson discussed neoliberalism, industrial capitalism, and the rentier economy. In this episode we continue the discussion, focusing on his book Killing the Host (ISLET, 2015). More particularly, they discuss the rhythm of debt and economic crashes, the role of history in the study of economics, the history of debt cancellation, Marxism, economic parasites, and how to heal ailing economies. Michael’s most recent book is The Collapse of Antiquity (ISLET, 2023).


Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com


The Collapse of Antiquity: https://a.co/d/0TMt9Sh


Killing the Host: https://a.co/d/fG2wD19


OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

02:29 The Rhythm of Debt and Economic Crashes

8:27 The Role of History in Economic Thought

17:09 The Fascinating History of Debt Cancellation 

25:52 Aristotle, Plato, and The Cancellation of Debt

31:49 Ancient Greece and the Cancellation of Debt

41:10 The Problems with Today’s Neoliberal Economics

45:29 On Karl Marx and Marxism

47:21 The Lord’s Prayer, Christianity, and Debt Cancellation

56:34 FIRE and Economic Parasites

1:07:13 How Does Wall Street Parasitize the Government?

1:09:57 Are We Hosts for Economic Parasites?

1:19:32 What’s Wrong With Austerity Measures for Economic Crashes?

1:21:39 Preventing Economic Parasites from Sucking the Country Dry


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Mar 10, 202401:30:21
197 - Martha Nussbaum: Justice for Animals

197 - Martha Nussbaum: Justice for Animals

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Martha Nussbaum is the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, with appointments in the Department of Philosophy and the Law School. Martha is among the most recognized philosophers today. Over the course of her career, she has made numerous major contributions to ancient philosophy, ethics, political philosophy, the philosophy of law, and other areas. Martha’s most recent book is Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility (Simon & Schuster, 2023). In this episode, Robinson and Martha discuss some of her contributions to animal ethics both in philosophy and law. More particularly, they touch on philosophical conceptions of justice, various approaches to animal ethics—such as utilitarianism and Kantianism—the Capabilities Approach to freedom and justice, and how people ought to think about eating meat.


Justice for Animals: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JPHCKLJ


OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

02:08 Martha’s Interest in Justice for Animals

8:15 Justice and Flourishing Lives

16:31 Recognizing Injustice for Animals

29:54 What Is the Scala Naturae?

42:28 Utilitarianism

52:28 The Capabilities Approach 

1:15:39 Is Meat-Eating Ever Ethical?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Mar 03, 202401:27:04
196 - Stephen Wolfram: The Fundamental Theory of the Universe

196 - Stephen Wolfram: The Fundamental Theory of the Universe

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Stephen Wolfram is the founder and CEO of Wolfram Research, and the creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and the Wolfram Language. He received his PhD in theoretical physics from Caltech when he was twenty years old. In addition to his work at the helm of Wolfram Research, he writes and researches widely across computer science, physics, mathematics, and more. This is Stephen’s second appearance on the show. In episode 102, he and Robinson discussed artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, and the philosophy of math. In this episode, however, they turn to the Ruliad—the entangled limited of computability—and Stephen’s search for the fundamental theory of physics. Along the way, they talk about the philosophy of science, abstract and concrete objects, and quantum mechanics.


A Project to Find the Fundamental Theory of Physics: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0917YZDNF?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_Z7EPANZC9JVQR0HP2E1D


The Concept of the Ruliad: https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2021/11/the-concept-of-the-ruliad/#:~:text=November%2010%2C%202021-,The%20Entangled%20Limit%20of%20Everything,arisen%20from%20our%20Physics%20Project.


Stephen’s Website: https://www.stephenwolfram.com


Stephen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephen_wolfram


Wolfram Research on YouTube: https://a.co/d/aADrGGh


OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

03:44 How Did Stephen Wolfram Discover the Ruliad? 

34:22 The Axiomatic Revolution in Physics 

46:37 Is the Ruliad a Theory or an Object? 

1:10:01 How Big is the Space of Alien Minds? 

1:18:25 Is the Universe an Abstract Object? 

1:31:43 What Is Quantum Mechanics? 


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Feb 26, 202401:52:55
195 - Brian Keating: Cosmological Inflation and the Universe’s First Light

195 - Brian Keating: Cosmological Inflation and the Universe’s First Light

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Brian Keating is the Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at the Center for Astrophysics & Space Sciences at UC San Diego, host of the Into the Impossible Podcast, an expert on the cosmic microwave background, and the author of a number of books.  Robinson and Brian discuss the expansion and inflation of the universe, the relationship between theory and experiment in cosmology, gravitational waves, Brian’s brainchild the BICEP experiment, and a lot more. Brian’s most recent book is Into the Impossible (2021), which is a distillation of many of his conversations with Nobel Laureates and other brilliant thinkers.


Brian’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 


Into the Impossible Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/into-the-impossible 


Brian’s Mailing List: briankeating.com/list


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

01:02 Introduction

03:30 Brian the Builder

10:59 The Theory of Cosmological Expansion?

27:08 The Origins of Inflation

34:15 On Theory and Experiment in Astrophysics

44:27 On Gravitational Waves and Inflation

1:01:40 BICEP Tech Specs

1:14:54 What Did BICEP Find?

1:29:26 The Simons Array

1:32:50 On Eric Weinstein’s Theory of Everything


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Feb 19, 202401:39:51
194 - Daniel Dennett: Consciousness, Free Will, and the Evolution of Minds

194 - Daniel Dennett: Consciousness, Free Will, and the Evolution of Minds

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Daniel Dennett is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Tufts University, where he was co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies and the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy. He is one of the most recognized philosophers today, and has made major contributions to the philosophy of mind and biology, among other areas, and is known as one of the Four Horsemen of Atheism. Dan’s latest book is I’ve Been Thinking (W. W. Norton, 2023), though much of what he and Robinson discuss comes from his earlier book, From Bacteria to Bach and Back (W. W. Norton, 2017). More particularly, they talk about the origin of life and reasons, the evolution of music, Robert Sapolsky and free will, famous thought experiments in the philosophy of mind, the origin of consciousness, and the relationship between mind and language.


I’ve Been Thinking: https://a.co/d/ahMEC0G


From Bacteria to Bach and Back: https://a.co/d/htcrcn7


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:54 Introduction

3:51 Where Am I? 

11:00 The Origin of Life as the Origin of Reasons 

16:42 On Music and Philosophy

23:13 Is Music Evolved?

26:52 What are Replicators and How Do they Figure in Natural Selection?

33:32 On Robert Sapolsky and Free Will

47:50 On Free Will and the Justice System

59:55 On Sean Carroll, Free Will, and Intuition Pumps

1:09:49 On the Chinese Room

1:13:14 On Mary in the White Room

1:18:18 Why Would Aliens Be Excited to Discover Clam Rakes? 

1:21:58 What Is Homuncular Functionalism?

1:30:11 How Do Brains Make Minds?

1:38:59 Are There Pathological Memes? 

1:47:19 Where Does Consciousness Come From?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 


Feb 12, 202401:50:60
193 - Robert Sapolsky: Determinism, Free Will, & The End of Moral Responsibility

193 - Robert Sapolsky: Determinism, Free Will, & The End of Moral Responsibility

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Robert Sapolsky is John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor and Professor of Biology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery at Stanford University. He’s also a best-selling author and one of the leading voices in the current—and enduring—debate over free will. In this conversation, Robinson and Robert discuss his latest book, Determined (Penguin, 2023), and the many arguments it contains against free will, and how, if we don’t have it, we ought to change many of our social institutions, like the carceral system, that operate on the assumption that people are free, morally responsible agents. 


Determined: https://a.co/d/g7n5fPj


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:34 Introduction

3:08 Turtles and the Illusion of Free Will

9:35 The Neuroscience of Denial

12:55 What Is Free Will and Why Don’t We Have It?

21:08 What Is Physical Determinism?

23:15 Chaos Theory, Complexity, and Free Will

34:08 Quantum Bullshit 

39:53 Quantum Mechanics and Free Will 

47:59 Does Consciousness Give Us Free Will?

58:12 Fear, Disgust, and Free Will

1:05:46 What Primatology Tells Us About Free Will

1:08:09 The Limbic System and Free Will

1:13:14 Does Testosterone Undermine Free Will?

1:19:45 How Does the Womb Determine Who We Are?

1:24:32 How Is Free Will Connected to Weight Loss? 

1:31:05 How Does Skepticism About Free Will Impact Behavior? 

1:36:51 If There Is No Free Will, What Should We Do With Prisons? 

1:45:32 What Is Funishment?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Feb 07, 202401:53:33
192 - Norman Finkelstein: Hamas, Hezbollah, and Justice in the Israel-Palestine Conflict

192 - Norman Finkelstein: Hamas, Hezbollah, and Justice in the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Norman Finkelstein received his PhD from the Princeton University Politics Department, and is best known for his indefatigable research on Israel and Palestine, which is what he and Robinson discuss in this episode of the show, marking the culmination of a three-installment mini-series on Israel and Palestine. In particular, they discuss the importance—or distraction—of ideology, whether Israel is ethnically cleansing Palestine, the message that October 7th sent to the Arab world, what Gaza has in common with the concentration camps of the Holocaust, Palestinian and Israeli psychology, and whether this conflict is going to be the end of humanity. Norman’s most recent book is I’ll Burn That Bridge When I Get to It! Heretical Thoughts on Identity Politics, Cancel Culture, and Academic Freedom (Sublation Media, 2023).


Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.com


I’ll Burn That Bridge When I Get to It!: https://a.co/d/hDDj9OK


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:43 Introduction

2:56 Poisonous Ideology and the Israel-Palestine Conflict

14:20 Zionism, Imperialism, and the Conquest of Palestine

24:34 Is Zionist Israeli Policy Ethnically Cleansing Palestine?

42:28 Is Gaza a Concentration Camp? 

52:47 On Israel and the Leader of Hezbollah

1:01:36 Will Israel-Palestine Be the End of Humanity?

1:11:38 Does the Holocaust Justify Israel’s Response in Palestine? 


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Jan 28, 202401:25:16
191 - Victor Davis Hanson: An American’s Case For Israel

191 - Victor Davis Hanson: An American’s Case For Israel

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Victor Davis Hanson is a renowned classicist, military historian, and political commentator. He is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow in Residence in Classics and Military History at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. Among numerous other awards, Victor was presented the National Humanities Medal in 2007. In this episode, which is the second in an installment of three considering different perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Robinson and Victor discuss his appraisal of the situation as a military historian, some of the contentious claims on both sides that are repeated in the media, how the conflict is discussed on college campuses, and how equality ought to be achieved. Victor was also a guest on episode #112, in which he and Robinson talked about Victor’s latest book, The Dying Citizen. Keep up with Victor on Twitter, through his website, and on his podcast, The Victor Davis Hanson Show. 


Victor’s Website: https://victorhanson.com


Victor’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/VDHanson


The Victor Davis Hanson Show: https://art19.com/shows/the-victor-davis-hanson-show 


The Dying Citizen: https://a.co/d/dPocUJg


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:26 Introduction

03:52 An Overview of the Israel-Palestine Conflict

13:40 Who Has the Right to the Territory of Israel-Palestine?

20:01 Do the Jewish People Need a State?

26:08 Israel-Palestine Activism on College Campuses

29:39 DEI on College Campuses

37:05 Is Israel Committing Genocide in Palestine?

51:05 Is Israel an Apartheid State?

55:47 On Equality in Israel versus Palestine


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Jan 21, 202401:02:51
190 - Richard Wolff: A Marxist’s Case For Palestine

190 - Richard Wolff: A Marxist’s Case For Palestine

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s third appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In episode #127, he and Robinson discussed some of the most profound criticisms of capitalism, and in #154 installment, they focused on the myths surrounding Marxism and Marx himself. In this episode, Richard and Robinson talk about the current—and enduring—Israel-Palestine conflict, with particular emphasis on how, with his Marxist training and background, Richard understands it from that perspective. Some particular questions discussed are how class figures into the conflict, whether ideology plays any pernicious roles, whether Israel should be considered a refugee state, why pro-Palestinian views are suppressed in the United States, and how Marx might have attempted to adjudicate the conflict.


Richard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.com


Economic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdate


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:37 Introduction

04:19 Israel-Palestine and the Marxist Perspective 

11:33 Is Israel a Colonial State or a Refugee State? 

16:45 Some Important Marxist Distinctions in Israel and Palestine 

25:09 Israel as a Project of Colonialist Capitalism 

41:50 Ideology and the Perpetuation of the Israel-Palestine Disaster 

01:01:03 Warfare and the Horrors of Israel-Palestine 

01:07:43 The Suppression of Opposition to Israel in the United States 

01:19:15 The Marxist Solution to the Israel-Palestine Conflict?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Jan 17, 202401:38:39
189 - David Albert & Barry Loewer: The Mentaculus (Or, a Probability Map of the Universe)

189 - David Albert & Barry Loewer: The Mentaculus (Or, a Probability Map of the Universe)

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


David Albert is the Frederick E. Woodbridge Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, director of the Philosophical Foundations of Physics program at Columbia, and a faculty member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics, as is the second guest. Barry Loewer is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers. Before that he did his PhD in philosophy at Stanford (!). Barry works largely in the philosophy of physics, the philosophy of science, and metaphysics. This is Barry’s second time on the show—in episode 83 he and Robinson discusses probability and laws of nature, both of which come up in this episode. This is David’s sixth (!) appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. He appeared on episode #23 with Justin Clarke-Doane on metaethics and absolute space, episode #30 on the philosophy of time, episode #67 with Tim Maudlin on the foundations of quantum theory, episode #106 with Sean Carroll on Many-Worlds and fine-tuning, and episode #157 on the metaphysics of quantum mechanics. In this episode, Robinson, Barry, and David talk about the Mentaculus, their joint project on the foundations of statistical mechanics, which provides a guide for how to think of and solve problems involving probability, determinism, free will, cosmology, time, and more. A book Barry, Brad Weslake, and Eric Winsberg have edited on essays concerning David’s book, Time and Chance, called The Probability Map of the Universe (Harvard, 2023), came out around this time last year, and the link is in the description.


The Probability Map of the Universe: https://a.co/d/4XoYTMY


A Guess at the Riddle: https://a.co/d/6qcsidl


The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:41 Introduction

04:23 The Mentaculus

07:08 Chance, Probability, and Determinism

29:52 What Is the Mentaculus?

46:37 The Mentaculus, Thermodynamics, and Time’s Arrows

01:18:51 The Quantum Arrow of Time

01:30:34 On Tim Maudlin and the Arrow of Time

01:36:30 Can We Time Travel to the Future

01:44:22 Free Will and Statistical Mechanics


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 


Jan 12, 202401:54:37
188 - Tim Maudlin & Sheldon Goldstein: The Copenhagen Interpretation and Bohmian Mechanics

188 - Tim Maudlin & Sheldon Goldstein: The Copenhagen Interpretation and Bohmian Mechanics

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. Sheldon Goldstein is Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University, where he researches mathematical physics, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and Bohmian Mechanics. He is also Board Member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics, and this is his second appearance on the show. In episode 170, he and Robinson discussed Bohmian Mechanics. On the other hand, this is Tim’s fifth appearance on the show. Tim was also a guest on episode 46 (laws of nature, space, and free will), episode 67 with David Albert (the foundations of quantum mechanics), episode 115 with Craig Callender (the philosophy of time), and episode 142 on Bell’s inequality and the philosophy of science. In this episode, Robinson, Tim, and Shelly discuss the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, the Many-Worlds theory, spontaneous collapse theories, Bohmian mechanics, and emergent relativity. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics—which you absolutely should be—then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.


Tim’s Website: www.tim-maudlin.site


Shelly’s Website: https://sites.math.rutgers.edu/~oldstein/


The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:22 Introduction

03:04 Is Copenhagen the Dominant Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics?

20:12 On the Most Promising Theories of Quantum Mechanics

34:46 Are There 0-Dimensional Quantum Objects?

41:03 On Spontaneous Wave Function Collapse in Quantum Mechanics

47:56 Bohmian Mechanics and Determinism

51:34 What is Bohmian Mechanics?

1:10:33 Is There a Fundamental Theory of Quantum Mechanics

1:18:45What Is Emergent Relativity?

1:31:01 What Are the Problems with Bohmian Mechanics?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Jan 10, 202401:46:31
187 - Michael Levin: The New Era of Cognitive Biorobotics
Jan 08, 202401:21:25
186 - Jenann Ismael: Determinism and Self-Reference in Classical and Quantum Physics

186 - Jenann Ismael: Determinism and Self-Reference in Classical and Quantum Physics

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Jenann Ismael is the William H. Miller III Professor of Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, where she researches the philosophy of physics, science, mind, and metaphysics. In this episode, Robinson and Jenann discuss the role of self-reference in physics, the arrows of time, interpretations of quantum mechanics, and free will. Jenann’s latest book is Time: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2021).


Jenann’s Website: https://www.jenanni.com


Time: A Very Short Introduction: https://a.co/d/8fRtXFZ


How Physics Makes Us Free: https://a.co/d/9OdFJ12


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode

00:23 Introduction

02:21 Jenann’s Entry into Philosophy of Physics

8:26 Self-Reference and the Universe

21:54 The Real-World Problem of Self-Reference

32:51 The Mentaculus

57:01 Interference and Self-Reference

1:01:55 Interference and Quantum Measurement

1:06:12 On Self-Reference and the Many-Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics

1:17:13 On Determinism and Free Will


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Jan 06, 202401:39:04
185 - Jim Al-Khalili: The Fundamentals of Quantum Biology

185 - Jim Al-Khalili: The Fundamentals of Quantum Biology

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Jim Al-Khalili holds a University of Surrey Distinguished Chair in physics and a university chair in the Public Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey, where he is a theoretical physicist, author, and broadcaster. In this episode, Robinson and Jim talk about the fundamentals of quantum biology, including what it is, how some animals—like Robinson’s namesake, the Robin—take advantage of quantum mechanics, how exotic phenomena like quantum tunneling fit into the biological world, and how quantum mechanics relates to the arrow of time. Jim’s latest book is The Joy of Science (Princeton, 2022).


The Joy of Science: https://amzn.eu/d/hREAipW


Jim’s Website: https://jimal-khalili.com


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode

00:37 Introduction

03:02 What Is Quantum Biology?

17:00 How Do Robins Use Quantum Mechanics?

26:42 Where Does Quantum Tunneling Fit into Biology?

34:16 What is Quantum Decoherence?

40:03 Jim on His Preferred Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

43:18 Quantum Mechanics and the Arrow of Time


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Jan 04, 202458:56
184 - Brian Leiter: Friedrich Nietzsche’s Critique of Morality

184 - Brian Leiter: Friedrich Nietzsche’s Critique of Morality

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7


Brian Leiter is Karl N. Llewellyn Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Chicago Law School, founder and Director of Chicago’s Center for Law, Philosophy & Human Values, and is best known in the philosophical world for his work on Nietzsche and legal philosophy. He is the founding editor of the Routledge Philosophers book series, Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Law, and Philosophical Gourmet Report, which is the canonical—as well as extremely helpful and illuminating—ranking of philosophy departments and PhD programs in the English-speaking world. He also maintains the world’s most popular philosophy blog, Leiter Reports. Brian was also a guest on episode 97, where he and Robinson discussed Karl Marx, ideology, and historical materialism, but in this episode they talk about Friedrich Nietzsche’s moral psychology and his criticism of morality. Among the topics they discuss are The Genealogy of Morals, The Gay Science, moral realism and anti-realism, moral psychology, and Nietzsche’s thoughts on free will. Brian’s latest book is Moral Psychology with Nietzsche (Oxford, 2021).


Brian’s Website: https://www.brianleiter.net


Brian’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLeiter


Leiter Reports: https://leiterreports.typepad.com


Moral Psychology with Nietzsche: https://a.co/d/3dJZBeZ


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:04 Introduction

02:14 Who Was Friedrich Nietzsche?

10:50 Naturalism in Nietzsche’s Moral Psychology

20:24 Nietzsche and the Death of God

28:36 Nietzsche and Moral Anti-Realism

40:32 Did Nietzsche Believe in Free Will?

47:43  Nietzsche and the Genealogy of Morals

01:11:50 The Main Takeaways from Nietzsche’s Moral Philosophy


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Jan 02, 202401:21:25
183 - Neil Shubin: Fins, Limbs, and the Evolutionary Journey from Fish to Human
Dec 31, 202301:02:26
182 - Larry Keith: Conserving Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance Masters’ Artwork
Dec 29, 202301:35:45
181 - Jon Butterworth: The Higgs Boson and the Standard Model of Particle Physics

181 - Jon Butterworth: The Higgs Boson and the Standard Model of Particle Physics

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/robinsonerhardt


Jon Butterworth is Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at University College London, where he works on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland. In this episode, Robinson and Jon discuss his work on the standard model of particle physics, it’s connection to quantum theory, life at the LHC, the search for the Higgs Boson, and its role in physics as we know it and going forward. Jon’s book on the Higgs boson is Most Wanted Particle: The Inside Story of the Hunt for the Higgs, the Heart of the Future of Physics (The Experiment, 2016).


Most Wanted Particle: https://a.co/d/02B0H5C


00:00 Pre-Roll

00:16 Introduction

03:01 Jon’s Interest in Physics

10:02 What Is the Standard Model of Particle Physics?

19:31 How Does Quantum Theory Fit into the Standard Model? 

25:28 How Does the Large Hadron Collider Work? 

44:39 On The Theory Behind the Higgs Boson 

56:45 Is the Higgs Boson the God Particle?

58:50 How Does The Higgs Boson Work (For Dummies)?

01:02:22 Where Does Mass Come From in the Universe? 

01:11:01 The Higgs Boson, Quantum Gravity, and Meta-Stability

01:25:28 Life at the LHC


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Dec 27, 202301:25:28
180 - Michael Hudson: Neoliberalism, Industrial Capitalism, and the Rise of Debt

180 - Michael Hudson: Neoliberalism, Industrial Capitalism, and the Rise of Debt

Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/robinsonerhardt⁠


Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. In this episode, Robinson and Michael discuss this last subject. They begin broadly, with how as an economist Michael even thinks of debt, and move on to questions concerning the rentier class, industrial capitalism usury, and neoliberalism, as well as Michael’s beliefs about what must be done to save the economy. Michael’s most recent book is The Collapse of Antiquity (ISLET, 2023).


Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com


The Collapse of Antiquity: https://a.co/d/0TMt9Sh


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode

00:25 Introduction

02:55 Michael’s Background in Economics

09:48 How Does an Economist Think of Debt?

22:15 Why Are Rent and the “Rentier Class” Crucial to What’s Wrong with the Economy?

30:21 What Is Industrial Capitalism?

40:58 Why Is Usury So Prevalent in the United States?

46:17 What Is Neoliberal Ideology?

01:00:23 Is China A Good Example of Trickle-Down Economics?

01:03:52 How to Save the Economy from the Upper Class


Robinson’s Website: ⁠http://robinsonerhardt.com⁠


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Dec 24, 202301:20:59
179 - Adam Gazzaley: Neuroscience, Therapeutic Video Games, and the Cognition Crisis

179 - Adam Gazzaley: Neuroscience, Therapeutic Video Games, and the Cognition Crisis

Adam Gazzaley is David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology, and Psychiatry in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Adam works on developing new approaches to both assess and optimize human cognition, with particular attention to underutilized but high-potential tools like video games. In this episode, Robinson and Adam discuss the cognition crisis—why our brains seem to be under such duress in the modern age—and the structural features of the brain, as well as its plasticity, and how these things can be modified and optimized to deal with the current environment. Check out Adam’s book, The Distracted Mind (MIT, 2016).


Adam’s Website: https://gazzaley.com


The Distracted Mind: https://a.co/d/aZm8Reg


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:39 Introduction

03:09 Science and Medicine

07:29 What Is Brain Plasticity

11:17 What Is the Cognition Crisis?

31:48 Can Neuroscience Make Us Smarter?

43:17 Can Neuroscience Develop Technological Medicine?

54:45 On Medicinal Video Games

01:04:01 Why Doctors Might Prescribe Video Games For ADHD

01:23:49 Sleep Improvement

01:27:24 The Future of Medicinal Video Game Research

01:43:07 How We Can All Improve Cognitive Function


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Dec 22, 202301:49:51
178 - Chike Jeffers & Lucius Outlaw: African & Africana Philosophy

178 - Chike Jeffers & Lucius Outlaw: African & Africana Philosophy

Chike Jeffers is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Dalhousie University, where he researches Africana philosophy, the philosophy of race, social and political philosophy, and ethics. Lucius Outlaw is Professor of Philosophy Emeritus and W. Alton Jones Chair Emeritus in the Philosophy Department at Vanderbilt University, where he researches African, Africana, continental, social, and political philosophy. Both Chike and Lou have written widely on African and Africana philosophy, which form the subject of this episode. More particularly, Robinson, Chike, and Lou discuss the origin of Africana philosophy in the diaspora, violence in Africana philosophy, and the role of aesthetics in the tradition. For background, check out Lou’s article on Africana Philosophy in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and Chike’s work with Peter Adamson and Jonardon Ganeri on the History of Indian and Africana Philosophy Podcast.


History of Indian and Africana Philosophy Podcast: https://historyofphilosophy.net/series/africana-philosophy


Africana Philosophy on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/africana/


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode

00:52 Introduction

03:14 What Is Africana Philosophy?

30:16 Distinguishing African and Africana Philosophy

37:16 Violence in Africana Philosophy

01:04:44 Aesthetics and Africana Philosophy

01:28:17 Final Thoughts


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Dec 20, 202301:36:47
177 - Juan Maldacena: Quantum Gravity, String Theory, and the AdS/CFT Correspondence

177 - Juan Maldacena: Quantum Gravity, String Theory, and the AdS/CFT Correspondence

Juan Maldacena is Carl P. Feinberg Professor in the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study, where his work focuses on quantum gravity, string theory, and quantum field theories. In this episode, Robinson and Juan discuss the relationship between string theory and black holes, the holographic principle, and Juan’s groundbreaking paper on the AdS/CFT Correspondence.


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:48 Introduction

04:04 What Is the Purpose of String Theory?

16:35 Working at the IAS

17:55 String Theory and The Black Hole Information Paradox

41:19 Is Space Curved?

47:00 What is Conformal Field Theory?

50:24 String Theory and the AdS/CFT Correspondence

01:27:00 Quantizing Gravity

01:40:20 De Sitter Space Correspondences

01:56:36 Fine-Tuning and String Theory


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

Dec 17, 202302:02:26
176 - Brian Little: Personality Psychology and the Big Five Traits

176 - Brian Little: Personality Psychology and the Big Five Traits

Brian Little is Research Professor in the Department of Psychology at Cambridge University, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at Carleton, and a Senior Fellow at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is well known for his work on personality psychology and his development of personal project analysis. In this episode, Brian and Robinson discuss the Big Five personality traits, how psychologists measure them, what their predictive power is, and how personal projects give us a new dimension for understanding ourselves. Brian’s latest book is Who Are You, Really? The Surprising Puzzle of Personality (Simon & Schuster, 2017).


Who Are You, Really?: https://a.co/d/cp4QRuE


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:57 Introduction

02:53 An Interest in Personality

10:30 The Origin of The Big Five Personality Traits

20:51 What Are The Big Five Traits?

44:37 How Do Psychologists Measure Personality?

58:06 Is Personality Inherited?

01:07:13 What Is the Ideogenic Self?

01:16:09 What Are Personal Projects in Psychology?

01:31:14 Can We Change Our Personalities?

01:42:21 Managing Our Personal Projects


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

Dec 13, 202301:48:13
175 - Robert Plomin: Behavioral Genetics and the Blueprint of Human Behavior

175 - Robert Plomin: Behavioral Genetics and the Blueprint of Human Behavior

Robert Plomin is MRC Research Professor of Behavioral Genetics at King’s College London. He has published over 800 papers, is among the hundred most cited psychologists of the twentieth century, and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his research, the best known of which is on twin studies and behavioral genetics. In this episode, Robinson and Robert discuss the distinction between molecular and quantitative genetics, how one researches the question of nature vs nurture, the extent to which genetics determines human behavior, the controversies about these lines of research, and what to expect in the next ten years of behavioral genetics. Robert’s most recent book is Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are (MIT, 2018).


Blueprint: https://a.co/d/eqpK5dB


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

01:06 Introduction

03:22 An Interest in Behavioral Genetics

12:46 The Distinction Between Quantitative and Molecular Genetics

26:12 How Impactful is Genetics on Behavior?

33:25 Twins, Adoption, and Nature Versus Nurture

41:07 Some Remarkable Consequences of DNA Sequencing

50:43 Nazis, Intelligence, and the Controversy of Genetics Research

01:02:16 Is Intelligence Heritable?

01:15:51 The Generalist and Modular Models of Genes

01:21:50 Is Depression Genetically Determined?

01:31:22 What Is The Role of Nurture in Human Behavior?

01:39:08 What Behaviors and Traits are Heritable?

01:44:53 The Next Ten Years

01:52:47 Is Socioeconomic Status Heritable?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Dec 12, 202302:03:45
174 - Rebecca Goldstein: Spinoza, Atheism, and the Philosophy of Literature

174 - Rebecca Goldstein: Spinoza, Atheism, and the Philosophy of Literature

Rebecca Goldstein is a philosopher and novelist. She received her Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University and studied with Thomas Nagel. She is a MacArthur Follow and was awarded the National Humanities Medal by Barack Obama. Rebecca is also an expert on Spinoza and Gödel, and has a whole bevy of other wide-ranging interests. In this episode, Robinson and Rebecca discuss her novel the Mind-Body Problem, atheism, Spinoza, and what makes life meaningful in a godless world. Rebecca’s most recent book is Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won’t Go Away (Pantheon, 2014).


Rebecca’s Website: https://www.rebeccagoldstein.com


Thirty-Six Arguments for the Existence of God: https://a.co/d/dAoDqbU


Plato at the Googleplex: https://a.co/d/c1vvVaw


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:45 Introduction

02:40 Publishing a First Novel

14:01 Philosophy and Literature

22:11 From Judaism to Atheism

42:36 Arguments Against the Existence of God

01:02:45 On Spinoza

01:16:14 Mattering


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Dec 06, 202301:24:41
173 - Ken Olum: What Are Cosmic Strings?
Dec 02, 202301:04:16
172 - Joseph LeDoux: Neuroscience and The Four Realms of Human Existence
Nov 29, 202301:31:37
171 - Richard Haier: What Is Human Intelligence?

171 - Richard Haier: What Is Human Intelligence?

Richard Haier is Professor Emeritus in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, where he uses brain imagining and the tools of neuroscience to study learning, memory, and intelligence, and how they relate to brain function and structure. He is the editor-in-chief of the journal Intelligence. In this episode, Robinson and Rich discuss all things human intelligence, ranging from its controversies, the origin and current status of psychometric testing, the relationship between intelligence, brain structure, and function, the predictive power of IQ in career success and other areas, and whether or not it’s possible to increase one’s general intelligence. Rich’s most recent book is the second edition of his guide to neuroscience research and intelligence, The Neuroscience of Intelligence (Cambridge University Press, 2023).


Richard’s Website: https://www.richardhaier.com


The Neuroscience of Intelligence: https://a.co/d/c7aO9aK


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

01:06 Introduction

02:50 Intelligence, Psychometrics, and the Brain 

12:01 The Controversy about Race and Intelligence Research

21:09 How Should We Define Human Intelligence?

26:36 On The Origin and Value of IQ Tests

32:16 Intelligence and Brain Structure

46:05 How Accurate Are Contemporary IQ Tests Like?

57:16 Are IQ Tests Racist?

01:03:47 Should We Abolish Standardized Tests?

01:13:34 Do IQ Tests Predict Career Success?

01:17:05 The Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory of Intelligence

01:34:25 Psychometric Tests and Human Intelligence

01:41:10 Group Differences and IQ

01:46:53 Can You Increase Your IQ? 


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Nov 26, 202301:52:04
170 - Sheldon Goldstein: Pilot Wave Theory and Bohmian Mechanics

170 - Sheldon Goldstein: Pilot Wave Theory and Bohmian Mechanics


Sheldon Goldstein is Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University, where he researches mathematical physics, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and Bohmian Mechanics. He is also Board Member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics, founded by fellow Robinson’s Podcast multiverse denizen, Tim Maudlin. In this episode, Robinson and Shelly discuss all things Bohmian mechanics, from the origins of pilot wave theory with de Broglie to its chief theoretical innovations and its relationship to philosophy, including some of the main objections to—and strengths of—the theory. Check out Shelly’s book on the subject, Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Theory: An Appraisal (Springer, 1996). If you’re interested in the foundations of physics—which you absolutely should be—then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.


Shelly’s Website: https://sites.math.rutgers.edu/~oldstein/


Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Theory: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-94-015-8715-0


The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:55 Introduction

06:40 Kripke and Quantum Logic

18:30 De Broglie and Pilot Wave Theory

23:38 What is Bohmian Mechanics?

43:55 Sociology and the Origin of Bohmian Mechanics

52:57 John Bell and Bohmian Mechanics

57:32 Realism and Bohmian Mechanics

01:12:39 Current Work on Bohmian Mechanics

01:22:10 What are the Criticisms of Bohmian Mechanics


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Nov 24, 202301:31:11
169 - Michael Graziano: The Attention Schema Theory of Consciousness

169 - Michael Graziano: The Attention Schema Theory of Consciousness

Michael Graziano is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Princeton University, where he and his lab research the brain basis of consciousness. Naturally, this is precisely what Michael and Robinson discuss in this episode. More particularly, they get into the philosophical question of what consciousness is, the roles of philosophy and science in answering the same, and whether or not there are deep, intractable issues here. Then they turn to Michael’s theory of consciousness—the Attention Schema Theory—in which consciousness is a way in which the brain models attention to better organize and monitor it. Michael’s most recent book is Rethinking Consciousness (W. W. Norton, 2019).


Rethinking Consciousness: https://a.co/d/8euR1EL


Graziano Lab: https://grazianolab.princeton.edu


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:55 Introduction

02:56 Getting Started in Consciousness

07:18 The Dialogue Between Science and Philosophy on Consciousness

13:05 What Are We Talking About When We Talk About Consciousness

25:38 What is Consciousness?

32:25 What Are Cognitive Models?

36:45 What Is The Meta-Problem of Consciousness?

48:24 How Does a Neuroscientist Think of Attention?

59:39 The Attention Schema Theory of Consciousness

01:17:46 Neural Correlates of Consciousness 

01:28:47 Magical” Theories of Consciousness

01:35:03 Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness

01:43:44 Fiction and Music

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Nov 19, 202301:56:28
168 - Una Stojnić: Slurs, Linguistic Conventions, and the Philosophy of Language

168 - Una Stojnić: Slurs, Linguistic Conventions, and the Philosophy of Language

Nov 17, 202301:13:07
167 - David Wallace: The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

167 - David Wallace: The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

David Wallace is Mellon Professor in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Before that, he obtained PhDs in both physics and philosophy at Oxford. David works mainly in the philosophy of physics, and is best known for his development and defense of the Everett—or Many-Worlds—interpretation of quantum mechanics. In this episode, Robinson and David talk all about Many-Worlds, including its history, how it relates to the broader question of realism in the philosophy of science, its strong points, and some potential problems, such as how to account for probability in the multiverse. David’s book on the subject is The Emergent Multiverse (Oxford, 2014).


The Emergent Multiverse: https://a.co/d/3GOSC3a


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:18 Introduction

03:38 From Physics to Philosophy

12:54 Realism and the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics

25:14 Hugh Everett and the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

48:56 Bryce DeWitt

51:33 How Does the Many Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics Work?

01:02:22 Are There Problems with the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics? 

01:10:58 How Many Worlds Are There in the Multiverse?

01:21:54 How Can We Make Sense of Probability in the Multiverse?

01:43:44 Is The Multiverse Too Absurd to Believe In?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Nov 15, 202301:51:32
166 - Robert Stickgold: Dreams and the Role of Sleep in Memory and Emotional Processing
Nov 12, 202302:24:57
165 - Anubav Vasudevan: The Metaphysics of Charles Sanders Peirce
Nov 10, 202301:45:04
164 - Geoffrey West: Complexity Theory and The Scaling Laws of Biology
Nov 08, 202302:08:50
163 - Daniel Levitin: Songwriting and the Neuroscience of Music

163 - Daniel Levitin: Songwriting and the Neuroscience of Music

Daniel Levitin is Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Neuroscience at McGill University and Founding Dean of Arts & Humanities at Minerva University. He is also a record producer, musician, and writer. In this episode, Robinson and Daniel discuss one of his best-selling books, This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession (Penguin, 2006), as well as some of the songs on his two albums, Turnaround (2020) and Sex & Math (2021). More particularly, they talk about whether a neurological understanding of the mind and music reduces or increases one’s appreciation for music, how the brain processes complex music, whether music is evolved, why we get songs stuck in our head, and why some sounds are more pleasing than others.


Daniel’s Website: https://www.daniellevitin.com


This Is Your Brain On Music: https://a.co/d/fDxIvxd


Sex & Math: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/daniellevitin/sex--math


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:56 Introduction

03:05 Music, Awe, and Neuroscience

11:12 Neuroscience and Songwriting

17:10 Why Can the Brain Easily Process Complex Music?

34:59 Why Do We Get Songs Stuck in Our Heads?

41:12 Why Do We Prefer Some Musical Time Signatures and Sounds to Others?

58:02 What Gives Some Musicians the IT Factor?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Nov 05, 202301:08:43
162 - Tim Palmer: Chaos Theory, Probabilistic Forecasting, and Climate Change

162 - Tim Palmer: Chaos Theory, Probabilistic Forecasting, and Climate Change

Nov 03, 202301:56:47
161 - James Owen Weatherall: Nothingness and the Physics of the Void

161 - James Owen Weatherall: Nothingness and the Physics of the Void

James Owen Weatherall is Professor of Logic and the Philosophy of Science and Department Chair at the University of California, Irvine, where he is also a member of the Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Science, the Center for Cosmology, and the Jack W. Peltason Center for the Study of Democracy. Jim is a physicist, mathematician, and philosopher, and works broadly on  the mathematical and conceptual foundations of classical and quantum field theories, as well as the philosophy of science more generally, though he has plenty of other interests, such as model building in finance. In this episode, Robinson and Jim discuss nothingness and the physics of the void, beginning with the debate between Leibniz and Newton on the nature of space, moving through the revolution ushered in by Einstein’s special and general relativity, and ending with the quantum vacuum state.


Jim’s Website: http://jamesowenweatherall.com


Void: https://a.co/d/eEwbGCh


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:49 Introduction

03:04 MFA, PhD, PhD

06:04 Physics and Metaphysics

16:00 Newton, Leibniz, and the Debate Over Absolute Space

39:32 How Did Einstein Change Our Understanding of Space?

01:03:28 How Does Quantum Theory Change Our Classical Picture of the World

01:14:15 Fields and the Quantum Mechanics of the Void


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Nov 01, 202301:27:46
160 - David Friedman: What is Anarcho-Capitalism?

160 - David Friedman: What is Anarcho-Capitalism?

David Friedman is Professor Emeritus at the Santa Clara University School of Law. While he was trained as a physicist, David is best known for his work in economics, and particularly his defense of anarcho-capitalism, a political philosophy that advocates for a free-market system unhampered by government. In this episode, Robinson and David discuss some criticisms of current economic systems, the varieties of anarchism, David’s arguments for anarcho-capitalism, and one of his fascinating hobbies, anachronism.


David’s Website: http://www.daviddfriedman.com


David’s Substack: https://daviddfriedman.substack.com


The Machinery of Freedom: https://a.co/d/iKpTQYK


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:17 Introduction

02:55 Physics to Economics

09:35 What is Anarchism?

16:09 Is Government an Agency of Legitimized Coercion?

27:41 Could Anarchy Be More Efficient than Government?

37:52 What Are Moral Facts?

44:46 Was John Rawls a Quack?

48:44 What Are Moral Facts?

56:07 How Much Should We Trust the Government?

01:02:05 Can Governments Prevent Climate Change?

01:13:18 Could We Privatize Police?

01:30:11 Would Anarchy Lead to Wealth Inequality?

01:40:08 Will the United States Ever Become Anarchic?

01:46:26 Anachronism


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Oct 29, 202301:59:30
159 - Erik Verlinde: Entropic Gravity, Black Holes, and the Holographic Principle
Oct 27, 202301:51:54
158 - Sheldon Solomon: Terror Management Theory and the Denial of Death

158 - Sheldon Solomon: Terror Management Theory and the Denial of Death

Sheldon Solomon is Professor of Psychology at Skidmore College. He is best known for developing terror management theory with Tom Pyszczynski and Jeff Greenberg, which explores human psychology and mortality. In this episode, Robinson and Sheldon discuss Ernest Becker’s groundbreaking book The Denial of Death, how it influenced him and his collaborators, and how they have studied—with the tools of contemporary social psychology—how humans are affected by their sense of mortality.


The Worm at the Core: https://a.co/d/7p05yA6


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:51 Introduction

03:33 Discovering Ernest Becker

08:29 What Is Self-Esteem?

19:04 Freud and the Denial of Death

27:20 Man and the Heroic Journey

46:41 Where Was Becker Wrong?

54:44 What Is Terror Management Theory?

01:06:26 Children’s Fear of Death

01:10:23 A History of Death Denial

01:14:19 Possible Criticisms

01:18:00 A Prescriptive Dimension to Death Denial


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Oct 25, 202301:22:59
157 - David Albert: The Metaphysics of Quantum Mechanics

157 - David Albert: The Metaphysics of Quantum Mechanics

David Albert is the Frederick E. Woodbridge Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University and one of the world’s most respected philosophers of physics. He is also the director of the Philosophical Foundations of Physics program at Columbia and a faculty member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. This is David’s fifth (!) appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. He appeared on episode #23 with Justin Clarke-Doane on metaethics and absolute space, episode #30 on the philosophy of time, episode #67 with Tim Maudlin on the foundations of quantum theory, and episode #106 with Sean Carroll on Many-Worlds and fine-tuning. In this episode, Robinson and David discuss his new book, A Guess at the Riddle: Essays on the Physical Underpinnings of Quantum Mechanics (Harvard, 2023), and the metaphysics of quantum mechanics. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics—which you absolutely should be—then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.


A Guess at the Riddle: https://a.co/d/6qcsidl


The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:56 Introduction

05:12 On The Metaphysics of Quantum Mechanics

30:24 The Complex Origins of Antirealism in Quantum Physics

37:29 Instrumentalism and String Theory 

45:31 The Amazing History of Locality in Physics

01:22:38 Quantum Mechanics as Experimental Metaphysics

01:26:27 What Is Wave-Function Realism in the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics?


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Oct 22, 202301:54:50
156 - Fay Dowker: Wormholes, Quantum Gravity, and Causal Set Theory

156 - Fay Dowker: Wormholes, Quantum Gravity, and Causal Set Theory

Fay Dowker is Professor of Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London, where she works broadly on quantum gravity, and more particularly on an approach called causal set theory that takes the most basic pieces of the universe to be atoms of spacetime. In this episode, Robinson and Fay begin by discussing her studies with Stephen Hawking and their work on wormholes before turning to quantum gravity and causal set theory. Fay is also a faculty member at the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics—which you absolutely should be—then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.


The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:50 Introduction

04:49 How Do Physicists Think of Wormholes?

15:56 Stephen Hawking, Philosophy, and Quantum Gravity

26:00 Causal Set Theory and The Problem of Quantum Gravity

43:45 What is the Path Integral?

54:43 Is Spacetime Discrete?

57:40 Causal Set Theory and Black Holes

01:14:27 Lorentz Symmetry, Non-Locality, and Phenomenology in Causal Set Theory


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Oct 20, 202301:40:14
155 - Tony Padilla: Mathematical Platonism, Intergalactic Doppelgängers, and Gigantic Numbers
Oct 18, 202301:12:37
154 - Richard Wolff: Karl Marx and the Myths of Marxism

154 - Richard Wolff: Karl Marx and the Myths of Marxism

Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s second appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In episode #127, he and Robinson discussed some of the most profound criticisms of capitalism. In this installment, they focus on Marx himself, including Karl Marx’s background, his most important views, what he wrote and didn’t write, and some of the common—and potentially devastating—criticisms of Marxism.


Richard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.com


Economic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdate


The Sickness is the System: https://a.co/d/jf5w5wy


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:22 Introduction

03:55 Who Was Karl Marx?

32:15 Karl Marx, Armchair Intellectual?

37:40 Answering Karl Marx’s Critics

50:38 Is Karl Marx Responsible for the Communist Genocides?

01:14:09 Marxism and The World Economy of Today

01:17:53 Is Socialism a Monolith? Does Marxism Evolve?

01:25:13 On Marxism and Mass Death


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Oct 15, 202301:41:33
153 - Alan Stern: New Horizons and Mankind’s First Mission to Pluto
Oct 13, 202301:01:39
152 - Geraint F. Lewis: Is The Universe Fine-Tuned For Life?

152 - Geraint F. Lewis: Is The Universe Fine-Tuned For Life?

Geraint F. Lewis is Professor of Astrophysics at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy in the University of Sydney’s School of Physics. While the focus of his research is on dark matter and energy, Geraint has written about and worked on many topics in cosmology and astrophysics more generally. In this episode, Robinson and Geraint discuss the question of fine-tuning: Our universe seems extremely well-suited for life, and with just the slightest variations in physics life as we know it would not exist. In what ways does the universe appear finely tuned, and how should we account for this?


Geraint’s Website: https://www.geraintflewis.com


A Fortunate Universe: https://a.co/d/aLKIcG5


OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:34 Introduction

2:59 The Bigger Questions

05:40 Was the Earth Designed for Humans?

10:33 Fine-Tuning and the Standard Model of Particle Physics

18:40 What Is the Anthropic Principle?

28:46 Is the Weak Nuclear Force Necessary For Life?

36:36 Are The Strong and Electromagnetic Forces Necessary for Life?

52:52 The Higgs Boson and Fine-Tuning

59:23 Is Gravity Necessary for Life?

01:03:10 Fine-Tuning and the Multiverse

01:14:03 Entropy and Fine-Tuning

01:37:54 Dark Energy, Dark Matter, and Fine-Tuning


Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com


Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Oct 11, 202301:52:60
151 - Michael Levin: Synthetic Life, Collective Intelligence, and Morphogenesis
Oct 08, 202301:33:09