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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. https://linktr.ee/robinsonerhardt

249 episoder

#Science #Robinson Erhardt #Natural Sciences #Princeton University

Robinson's Podcast

65 subscribers

updated for 9 dager siden

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249 episoder

#Science #Robinson Erhardt #Natural Sciences #Princeton University

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1
247 - Garry Nolan: Aliens | The Case They’re Already Here 3:22:24

for 9 dager siden3:22:24

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Dr. Nolan is the Rachford and Carlota A. Harris Professor in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine. He has published over 350 research articles and is the holder of 50 US patents, and has been honored as one of the top 25 inventors at Stanford University. He specializes in groundbreaking cancer and immunotherapy research. Yet Garry is also a world-renowned UAP investigator and Executive Director of the Board at the Sol Foundation, one of whose unofficial mottos is: Science, Policy, and Public Education for a Post-UAP World. In this episode, Robinson and Garry discuss the evidence that aliens exist and have already visited Earth. More particularly, they discuss various hypotheses about what aliens are—interdimensional travelers, visitors from other planets, Boltzmann Brains, and others—the Atacama Mummy, Garry’s own UFO encounter, the relationship between aliens and national security, the Pentagon Videos, the Fermi Paradox, and more. Keep up with Garry through X and the Sol Foundation. Garry’s X Account: https://x.com/GarryPNolan The Sol Foundation: https://thesolfoundation.org OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:23 Garry’s Interest in Aliens 00:05:03 How Garry’s Medical Research Turned into Alien Investigations 00:14:44 The Alien Controversy Around the Atacama Mummy 00:24:08 What Is the Definitive Proof for Aliens? 00:29:34 What Are UAPs 00:32:46 What Are Interdimensional Aliens?? 00:36:03 What Are Ultraterrestrial Aliens? 00:40:01 The Time-Traveling Alien Hypothesis 00:41:13 The Angry-Monkey Alien Hypothesis 00:43:35 The Panspermia Alien Hypothesis 00:48:20 Could Intelligent Aliens Have Come to Earth? 00:54:50 Garry’s Background in Genetics 00:57:13 Does Extraterrestrial Life Need Air and Water to Live? 01:07:16 What Is the Fermi Paradox? 01:15:56 UFOs and Government 01:22:23 Garry’s UAP Experience 01:35:27 On Telepathy and Paranormal Abilities 01:39:31 On the Credibility of Alien Witnesses 01:41:34 Does the Government Suppress UFO Reports? 01:49:11 Why Are Aerospace Companies Hiding UFO Data? 01:51:53 Does the Government Possess Alien Metals? 01:58:29 Is Knowledge of Aliens a National Security Threat? 02:02:15 On Alien Abductions and Animal Mutilations 02:06:28 The Violent Changes to Brains Exposed to UFOs 02:17:56 Garry’s Top Secret Clearance 02:19:15 The Truth About the Tic-Tac UFO Incident 02:37:25 What Is the Skywatcher UAP Contact Program? 02:46:01 The Sol Foundation 02:58:24 Why Alien Research Can Prevent Nuclear War 03:02:03 What Are Transmedium Alien UAPs? 03:04:50 Are UAPs Biological Threats? 03:06:31 On Avi Loeb’s Pioneering UAP Research 03:12:49 Is Jacques Vallee One of the Most Important Alien Researchers? 03:18:17 What Should You Tell Someone Who Doesn’t Believe in Aliens? Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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246 - Tim Maudlin: A Masterclass on General Relativity 4:22:07

for 23 dager siden4:22:07

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Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. This is Tim’s seventh appearance on the show. He last appeared on episode 237 for a masterclass on Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity, explaining it from the ground up and elucidating some common misconceptions. In this episode Tim returns for a discussion of another of Einstein’s major impacts on physics: his theory of general relativity. More particularly, Tim and Robinson discuss black holes, time, paradoxes of distance, Penrose diagrams, figures like Leonard Susskind and Richard Feynman, the curvature of space, and more. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, 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 The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org 00:00:42 An Extended Prelude 00:05:08 Naming Names 00:10:02 The Difference Between Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity 00:13:46 Einstein on General Relativity and Metric 00:27:21 More on Coordinates 00:40:26 A Novel Coordinate System 00:46:25 What Is Special Relativity? 00:50:30 The Conflict Between Quantum Theory and Relativity 01:02:00 Doing Physics with Geometry 01:12:38 Geometry and Special Relativity 01:30:20 More on Geometry and Relativity 01:36:19 Lorentz Frames 01:46:56 Simultaneity 02:02:03 John Bell and Special Relativity 02:11:00 Paradoxes of Distance 02:22:12 A Penrose Diagram 02:27:47 Introducing General Relativity 02:32:23 The Most Important Experiment About Gravity 02:45:52 Changing the Geometry of Spacetime 02:55:28 Curvature of Space 03:02:03 Be Careful with Diagrams in Science 03:05:45 The Basic Idea of General Relativity 03:10:23 The Equivalence Principle 03:19:40 Clocks and Gravity 03:28:09 Richard Feynman on General Relativity 03:37:00 The Cosmological Constant 03:41:56 What Are Black Holes? 03:50:45 What Steven Weinberg Got Wrong About General Relativity 04:01:01 Black Holes and the Centrifugal Force Paradox 04:06:32 Curved Black Holes and Gödel Spacetime 04:19:34 The John Bell Institute Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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245 - Leonard Susskind: String Theory and the Black Hole War 2:00:10

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Leonard Susskind is Felix Block Professor of Physics at Stanford University. Along with other accomplishments, he is among the fathers of such revolutionary concepts in physics as string theory, black hole complementarity, the holographic principle, and the string-theoretic landscape. He was also the guest on episode #217, where he and Robinson discussed the fine-tuning problem and the physics of the multiverse. In this episode, Leonard and Robinson get into another topic—black holes and the information paradox. More particularly, they talk about important figures like Stephen Hawking and Gerard ’t Hooft, singularities, chaos, whether the cosmos is a hologram, the end of the universe, and more. For further details, check out Leonard’s book on the title: The Black Hole War (Back Bay Books, 2009). The Black Hole War: https://a.co/d/3eTOHoZ The Theoretical Minimum: https://theoreticalminimum.com OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 05:21 Black Holes and the War Between Relativity and Quantum Mechanics 11:18 Is The Singularity at the Heart of a Black Hole Real? 21:51 Demystifying the Puzzle of Quantum Information 28:27 What Does The Famous Phrase “It From Bit” Mean? 38:47 Can Information Be Stored on the Surface of a Black Hole? 47:11 Was Stephen Hawking a Good Physicist? 56:21 How Will The Universe End? 1:00:49 What Is the Black Hole Information Paradox? 1:10:47 What Is the Holographic Principle? 1:20:01 How Leonard Susskind Won the Black Hole War Against Stephen Hawking 1:25:09 What Is the Infamous AdS/CFT Correspondence? 1:32:29 Is Physics in a Deep Crisis? 1:39:29 Are String and M-Theory Totally Wrong? 1:43:05 Is String Theory the Theory of Everything? 1:47:43 Is String Theory a Failure? 1:50:15 Does Our World Have Extra Dimensions? 1:53:34 Could Our World Be a Hologram? Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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244 - Norman Finkelstein: Donald J. Trump, Mossad Conspiracies in Israel, and the Dying Left 3:42:15

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Norman Finkelstein received his PhD from the Princeton University Politics Department, and is best known for his research on Israel and Palestine. In this episode, Norman and Robinson sit down for a discussion about Donald Trump, the latest from Israel, Palestine, and Gaza, and the dying Left. Norman also appeared on episode 192, where he and Robinson discussed allegations of genocide and apartheid, Hamas and Hezbollah, and connections between the war and the Holocaust. Norman was also featured on episode 218, where he addressed the facts and fictions generated by the Israel-Hamas War, and episode 228, which was all about October 6th. Norman and Robinson also discuss Mehdi Hassan, Noam Chomsky, Christopher Hitchens, the Holocaust, Apartheid, Joan Peters, Julia Sebutinde, the Mossad, Sheryl Sandberg, Destiny, Lex Fridman, Bill Ackman, Alan Dershowitz, and more. 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 OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:07:25 Mehdi Hassan: The Working Class is Stupid 00:12:59 How Far Will the Supreme Court Go with Donald Trump? 00:21:49 Why Bernie Sanders Appeals to the Common Man 00:38:12 How Did Identity Politics Help Trump Win? 00:46:02 The Joy of Stereotypes 01:01:23 Why the People Loved Bernie Sanders and Trump 01:06:16 Noam Chomsky, Philosopher King 01:11:16 Christopher Hitchens Was Not a Serious Intellectual 01:20:58 Norman’s Parents Hate For Religion After the Holocaust 01:34:06 A Lex Fridman and Destiny Conspiracy 01:37:12 Norman’s Family and the Holocaust 01:45:43 Why Jews Stopped Caring About the Holocaust 01:54:43 Why Norman Never Had a Bar Mitzvah 02:02:52 Why Norman’s Parents Hated Germans and Poles 02:11:22 Comparing Gaza to the Holocaust 02:16:48 Comparing Gaza to Apartheid South Africa 02:24:41 Corruption Over Genocide in Palestine 02:27:05 On the Colossal Joan Peters Palestine Hoax 02:30:16 On Norman’s Time as a Maoist 02:39:35 The Corruption of Julia Sebutinde at the International Court of Justice 02:42:25 Does the Mossad Blackmail Public Figures? 02:52:49 Sheryl Sandberg and the War Crime “Israeli Propaganda Machine” 03:05:19 On Accusations of Sex Crimes on October 6th 03:18:12 On His Mortal Feud With Alan Dershowitz 03:31:19 On Bill Ackman and the Pro-Israel American Billionaire Class Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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243 - Richard Wolff: Donald J. Trump and the End of America 3:40:26

for 8 weeks siden3:40:26

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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 seventh appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In his last appearance, episode #230, he and Robinson discussed Richard’s arguments against electing Donald Trump for president, as well as his analysis of the election. In this episode, Richard and Robinson talk about 2025 and the first weeks of Trump’s presidency, as well as what’s to come. More particularly, they discuss the irrelevance of Donald Trump, his domestic and global policies, China, narratives on the right and left, and the future of the United States. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024). Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalism Class Theory and History (Book): https://a.co/d/ht4trZN Understanding the 2024 Elections (Article): https://asiatimes.com/2024/08/capitalism-mass-anger-and-2024-elections/ Richard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.com Economic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdate OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 05:48 Three Months Later: Why Did Trump Defeat Harris? 08:34 How the Left Can Defeat Donald Trump 12:57 Donald J. Trump Is a Naughty Boy 15:06 Why Kamala Harris Lost the Election 16:27 Why Trump Won the Longshoremen’s Union (Because the Left Failed Them) 25:23 Is Victor Davis Hanson Wrong About the Elites’ War on the Working Class? 36:31 Did West Coast Elites Cause the LA Wildfire Disaster (Is Victor Davis Hanson Wrong?)? 42:26 Why Richard Wolff Enjoys Tucker Carlson 47:02 Can Psychoanalysis and the Subconscious Explain Donald Trump’s Victory? 54:32 Why Unemployment Tanked Harris in the Election 59:45 Deep Seek, The Chinese Phenomenon 1:05:31 The Astonishing Story of How China Came to Dominate Elon Musk Over Electric Cars 1:13:25 Donald Trump’s Huge Misunderstanding About Tariffs 1:17:44 Donald Trump’s Irrational Bluster Tactics 1:20:04 Richard Wolff Exposes Donald Trump’s Contradictions About Immigration 1:34:23 The Marxist Truth About Why Immigrants Are a Gift to the United States 1:41:37 The Weakness of the American Empire 1:44:34 Why Trump’s Policies Will Increase Illegal Mexican Immigration and Drug Trafficking 1:47:58 Should Trump Make Canada the 51st State? 1:51:04 How Elites Rejected Donald Trump and Created the Man He Became 1:54:45 On Larry Summers’s Debacle at Harvard (And How Donald Trump Did It Better) 1:59:25 Why Donald Trump Wants to Take the Panama Canal (And the Actual Best Reason to Control It) 2:02:33 How American Neocons Failed to Stop China From the World Superpower 2:13:29 How the BRICS Are Drastically Outperforming the American Economy 2:20:14 On Europe’s Impending Economic Doom 2:25:18 Is There a Fatal Contradiction in Trump’s Climate Policy? 2:30:03 On Donald Trump’s Anti-Elitist, Anti-DEI Rhetoric 2:33:20 How Will AI Affect China and America’s Economic War? 2:43:19 How Elon Musk is Only an Unsuccessful Bureaucrat 2:45:04 How China’s Communist Government Is More Efficient than the United States’s 2:48:11 Why the United States Is the Aggressor Against China 2:51:10 Why Trump Thinks We Should Conquer Greenland 3:02:18 On China’s Number One Global Priority 3:09:41 What Marxists Learned from the Failure of the Soviet Union 3:15:23 Some Key Lessons from Marx’s Kapital 3:21:56 On How History Will Overwhelm Trump In the Next Four Years 3:26:30 Donald Trump and the Gulf of America 3:28:28 Why We Should Expect More of the Same from Donald Trump 3:32:26 On His Hope For a Brighter Future From the Left Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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242 - Victor Davis Hanson: President Donald J. Trump and the Fate of the United States 1:16:42

for 10 weeks siden1:16:42

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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 with the National Humanities Medal in 2007. Victor most recently appeared on episode #231, which came out just before the 2024 election, and where he made a case to vote for Donald Trump. In this episode, Robinson and Victor discuss the results of the election and President Trump’s inauguration. More particularly, they talk about the biggest challenges he will face as president, the class- and culture war in the United States, Trump’s rhetorical abilities, the California wildfires, and geopolitics, including our relationships with China, Canada, Russia, and the Middle East. 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 End of Everything: https://a.co/d/46O0mMB The Case for Trump: https://a.co/d/8Bf0OdC OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:53 Victor’s Biggest Worries For Donald Trump’s Presidency 06:38 Donald Trump, The Troll 10:53 Should Donald Trump and the United States Annex Greenland and Canada? 12:50 Will President Donald Trump Take Over the Panama Canal? 14:57 Why the World Fears Donald Trump 17:53 Are the CIA and FBI More Damaging to the United States than Donald Trump? 25:33 The Ideological Disease that Caused the California Wildfire Disaster 28:33 How Victor’s Life Was Saved by Three Hispanic Women 30:08 Is Donald Trump the Problem with America, or Something Else? 32:13 The Real Reason People Hate Donald Trump 34:04 Victor Davis Hanson’s Rude Awakening at Stanford from University Elites 37:43 How California’s Incompetence Destroyed Its Own Water Supply 45:16 Did California Elites Cause the Los Angeles Wildfire Disaster? 50:48 Why Competence Defeated Ideology in Trump’s 2024 Election Victory 54:41 Does Donald Trump Have an Incompetent Cabinet? 1:04:45 Who’s More Competent? Blue Collar Americans or Bicoastal Elites? 1:07:07 Is China Trump’s Biggest Challenge? 1:11:44 Will the Middle East Finally See Peace Under Trump? Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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241 - Raphael Bousso: The Cold Truth About Quantum Mechanics 1:37:34

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Raphael Bousso is the Chancellor’s Chair in Physics at the Berkeley Center for Theoretical Physics, where he leads the Bousso Group in research on quantum gravity and quantum information. He is a renowned string theorist famous also for his development of the string theoretic landscape and the Bousso bound in holography. In this episode, Robinson and Raphael talk about the foundations of quantum mechanics and whether or not there are any deep mysteries within the theory that remain to be solved, and whether philosophical discussion of these issues is overblown. More particularly, they get into what quantum theories tell us about the world, whether we need different interpretations of quantum mechanics, whether the final theory of the universe will be quantum mechanical, how quantum mechanics connects to cosmology, the multiverse, and quantum gravity, and more. The Bousso Group: https://lightsheet.berkeley.edu OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:58 Raphael’s Interest in the Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics 06:11 What Does Quantum Mechanics Tell Us About the World? 19:43 Just What Is an Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics? 26:17 Are There Serious Holes in Quantum Mechanics? 31:01 Schrödinger’s Cat 45:11 UV Completion 48:57 Will The Final Theory of Physics Be Quantum Mechanical? 58:00 How Cosmology Might Help Answer Questions About Quantum Mechanics 1:13:44 String Theory and the Multiverse 1:20:39 How the Multiverse Can Explain Probability 1:30:01 Will the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics Help Us Solve Quantum Gravity? Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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240 - Peter Godfrey-Smith: Cuttlefish, Octopuses, and the Consciousness of Mysterious Minds 1:31:22

for 12 weeks siden1:31:22

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Robinson’s Podcast #240 - Peter Godfrey-Smith: Cuttlefish, Octopuses, and the Consciousness of Mysterious Minds Peter Godfrey-Smith is a professor in the School of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney. He has also taught at Stanford University and Harvard University. Among other topics, he has researched the philosophy of biology and mind, and is very well-known for his book Other Minds: The Octopus, The Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness (FSG, 2016). In this episode, Peter and Robinson discuss that book, as well as his latest, Living on Earth (William Collins, 2024). More particularly, they discuss cuttlefish, octopuses, consciousness, metaethics, and animal welfare. Peter’s Website: https://petergodfreysmith.com Living on Earth: https://a.co/d/9MvUFHV OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:10 Scuba Diving with Cuttlefish and Octopuses 09:43 Why Did Creatures Evolve Nervous Systems? 16:18 Why Did Conscious Minds Evolve? 27:23 Why Do We Believe that Other Animals Have Minds? 36:49 Do Shrimp or Fish Feel Pain? 47:01 What’s It Like to Be an Octopus? 57:32 What Is Metaethics? 1:04:57 First-Order Ethics 1:08:12 Is It Morally Acceptable to Eat Animals? 1:16:04 What Does Peter Eat? 1:29:49 Future Work…

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239 - Ned Block: Consciousness, Artificial Intelligence, and the Philosophy of Mind 1:35:12

for 14 weeks siden1:35:12

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Ned Block is Silver Professor at New York University in the Departments of Philosophy and Psychology, where he works on the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of neuroscience, and cognitive science. In this episode, Robinson and Ned discuss some of the titans he studied under, ChatGPT and the nature of artificial intelligence, the Turing Test, androids, consciousness, the connection between seeing and thinking, blindsight, change blindness, and more. Ned’s most recent book is The Border Between Seeing and Thinking (OUP, 2023). Ned’s Website: https://www.nedblock.us The Border Between Seeing and Thinking: https://a.co/d/fqVb7gj OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:53 Ned’s Entry into Philosophy of Mind 02:08 On Hilary Putnam, John Rawls, and Philippa Foot 08:10 Can ChatGPT Do Multiplication? 10:57 Does Noam Chomsky Understand ChatGPT? 13:11 Is the Turing Test Completely Wrong? 17:52 On Daniel Dennett 23:46 On Michael Graziano and the Attention Schema Theory of Consciousness 26:03 Are Animals Conscious? 30:51 Does ChatGPT Pass the Turing Test? 36:53 Mary in the White Room 41:16 The Blockhead Thought Experiment 45:53 How to Show that ChatGPT Is Dumb 48:51 Why Can’t ChatGPT Reason About Images? 51:48 How to Create an Android 55:10 What Is Thought? 1:00:13 Susan Carey 1:03:19 Are There Different Kinds of Consciousness? 1:05:10 On Psychoanalysis 1:06:08 What Are Blindsight and Change Blindness? 1:11:38 The Difference Between Seeing and Thinking 1:16:03 Was Helen Keller Conscious? 1:18:39 Are Salmon Conscious? 1:20:58 What Are the Dominant Theories of Consciousness? 1:27:35 Do We Know What Consciousness Is? 1:31:25 Functionalism and Mental Properties Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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238 - Barry Loewer: What Is The Philosophy of Science? 2:01:01

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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 third appearance on the show. He was last on episode 189 with David Albert, in which Robinson, David, and Barry discussed David and Barry’s joint program known as “The Mentaculus”, which they use to solve many problems in the foundations of physics, from probability to the direction of time. In this episode, Barry and Robinson discuss the philosophical foundations of science, touching on the relationship between science and pseudoscience, Karl Popper, string theory, scientific realism, and many other important debates and figures. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, then please check out the the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics, 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 Probability Map of the Universe: https://a.co/d/4XoYTMY The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 7:53 On Pseudoscience and Astrology 11:40 Falsification as a Criterion of Science 16:40 Is String Theory Pseudoscience? 20:14 On Marxism 24:45 What Is Scientific Realism? 34:35 On Hilary Putnam 42:16 Science Vs Metaphysics 48:32 Time in Science and Metaphysics 52:38 On Fundamentalia 56:01 On Reductionism 1:00:04 On Consciousness and Emergence 1:04:56 On Causation 1:25:52 On Time Travel 1:28:29 On Explanation and Thermodynamics 1:39:23 On Free Will 1:47:00 The Laws of Nature Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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237 - Tim Maudlin: A Masterclass on Special Relativity 2:03:40

for 17 weeks siden2:03:40

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Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. This is Tim’s seventh appearance on the show. He last appeared on episode 210 with David Albert for a discussion of the measurement problem in quantum mechanics. In this episode, Tim and Robinson talk about Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity, explaining it from the ground up and elucidating some common misconceptions. More particularly, they get into Einstein’s magnificent mind, how special relativity displaced the theory of the ether, absolute and relative space, the speed and nature of light, the possibility of time travel, relativistic quantum mechanics, and more. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, 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 The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:59 The Amazing Fertility of Einstein's Mind 08:50 The Mysterious Ether and Why It Isn't All Around Us 25:01 Einstein Versus Relative and Absolute Space 29:58 The Single Most Important Experiment in Physics 45:23 Special Relativity and Absolute Space 53:56 The Conceptual Clarity of Genius Physicists 1:01:05 A Thought Experiment to Explain Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity 1:13:48 Is the Speed of Light an Illusion? 1:23:33 Richard Feynman's Big Mistake About Einstein 1:34:23 On Einstein and the Possibility of Time Travel 1:42:53 Is Special Relativity Compatible with Quantum Mechanics? 1:49:55 Relativistic Bohmian Mechanics 1:57:00 Does Anything Move Faster than Light? 1:59:03 The John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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236 - David Albert: A Masterclass on Time’s Arrow 2:02:11

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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. This is David’s ninth appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. He last appeared on episode 221 to discuss the measurement problem of quantum mechanics. In this episode, David gives a pedagogical and introductory overview of the problem of time’s arrow, which is one of the most enduring of all physical and philosophical puzzles. David’s most recent book is A Guess at the Riddle (2023). If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, 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 00:58 The Tension Between Past and Future in Physics 8:56 The Arrow of Time in Life and Physics 12:26 The Three Arrows of Time 18:12 Entropy and the Direction of Time 29:12 Thermodynamics and the Problem of the Past 38:26 Why Do We Remember the Past But Not the Future? 48:46 Two Ways to Understand the Past 1:04:21 Why Can We Affect the Future But Not the Past 1:17:51 Why Can Agents Control the Future but not the Past? 1:26:57 Can the Laws of Quantum Physics Be Run Backward? 1:33:11 The Connection Between the Foundations of Quantum Physics and Statistical Mechanics 1:41:53 Cosmology and the Past Hypothesis 1:44:25 Why are Left and Right Different from Past and Future? 1:49:28 The Difference Between Space and Time 1:57:14 Is Time a Fundamental Part of Reality? 1:59:14 Future Work Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University…

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235 - Janna Levin: How to Survive a Black Hole 2:04:23

for 20 weeks siden2:04:23

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Janna Levin is the Claire Tow Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University. She is also the Chair and Founding Director of the Science Studios at Pioneer Works. In this episode, Robinson and Janna talk all about black holes and how to survive them. More particularly, they discuss how black holes were discovered both theoretically and empirically, common misconceptions about black holes, their role in theories of quantum gravity, and how they do and will contribute to both the life and death of the universe. If you’d like to learn more about black holes, read Janna’s latest book, Black Hole Survival Guide (Anchor, 2022). Janna’s Website: https://jannalevin.com Black Hole Survival Guide: https://a.co/d/biGGqZc Pioneer Works: https://pioneerworks.org OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 06:10 The Original Theory of Black Holes 14:45 Is There Gravity in Space? 20:40 Just What IS a Black Hole? 38:47 Why Physicists Resisted the Possibility of Black Holes 50:44 What’s at the Center of a Black Hole? 55:34 What Happens When Something Falls into a Black Hole? 1:03:23 Is Leonard Susskind a Genius Physicist? 1:12:07 What Is the Fine-Tuning Problem? 1:17:52 How Close Can You Get to a Black Hole and Still Survive? 1:25:10 Why Are Black Holes Perfect Objects? 1:32:12 How Do Black Holes Form? 1:41:31 What Will Happen to the Sun When It Dies? 1:50:38 Black Holes, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe 1:54:45 The Heat Death of the Universe 1:59:18 Pioneer Works Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.…

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234 - Richard Wolff & Michael Hudson: Karl Marx and the Fall of the West 3:36:49

for 21 weeks siden3:36:49

3:36:49

This episode came on the heels of a traumatic, eight-interview sprint in NYC. As you’ll see, this one was particularly chaotic, but the stars aligned to make it happen. Camera switches, bathroom breaks, health concerns, equipment malfunctions, and even a robbery didn’t prevent the conversation from coming together. With this in mind, I hope you’ll forgive how crazy and inconsistent the video is; the fact that it even got put together is courtesy of my friend and editor Yu Guo (a philosopher who got his PhD from NYU with past guest Paul Boghossian). Given that there’s some new intro music, and you’re already getting an abundance of distracting production nuggets, I decided to show the soup being made. My thanks go to Richard, who met with me twice in three days (not to mention his wife, who allowed it), and Michael, who put up with me for over four hours. - Robinson P.S. Toward the end of the episode Michael eats a jerky stick from Maui Nui Venison, which is a company operating out of Hawaii that manages the invasive deer population of Maui that is decimating the landscape. Instead of culling the animals and disposing of their bodies, the meat is butchered and sold. It is the only meat I eat, full-stop, and the ethical reasons are sufficient for this, but it is also the best meat that I have ever had. I reached out to Maui Nui and told them that I support what they are doing and would like to be of any help that I can. They gave me this coupon code—ROBINSON—which you can use for 15% off. I am not being paid for this in any way. I believe in what they are doing and I want this model to succeed. People are going to be eating meat for the foreseeable future and I would be happier if it was not factory-farmed meat. So please check Maui Nui out and give them a try! 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. 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. OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:51 Michael and Rick's Histories with Marx 16:50 A Marxless Education 29:42 Marxism and the West 35:18 Marx and the Emergence of Capitalism 43:59 Socialism Vs State Capitalism 49:21 The Culmination of Economics in Marx 57:16 The Crucial Features of Marxism 1:12:15 Marx, China, and the BRICS 1:25:57 The Laws of Motion of Finance Capitalism 1:28:58 Why Won't Mainstream Media Interview Michael Hudson and Richard Wolff? 1:42:16 Why is the American Empire Crumbling? 1:54:51 Is the Dollar Destroying the United States? 2:01:38 Marx as the Culmination of Classical Economics 2:10:19 Will Trump's China Tariff Policy Spell Disaster for America? 2:22:43 Is Trump's Policy on Russia Idiotic? 2:27:23 Does It Matter for America Who Wins the Election? 2:37:13 Michael's Rhetorical Abilities 2:43:54 How Can We Use Economics to Forecast the Future? 2:54:48 Does Paul Krugman Know Anything About Economics? 2:57:57 How Michael Got His PhD 3:04:59 What's Wrong With the Nobel Prize in Economics? 3:10:04 The Long and Short of Marx's Kapital 3:17:20 Capitalism and Labor 3:31:51 The Biggest Myth About Karl Marx…

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233 - Judith Butler: Trump & Harris | Israel & Palestine | Sex & Gender 1:23:00

for 22 weeks siden1:23:00

1:23:00

Judith Butler is Distinguished Professor in the Graduate School and formerly the Maxine Elliot Chair in the Department of Comparative Literature and the Program of Critical Theory at the University of California, Berkeley. In this episode, Robinson and Judith discuss three broad topics. First, they talk about Judith’s latest book, Who’s Afraid of Gender? (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2024). In particular, they touch on the dynamics of sex and gender, as well as their political dimensions. Second, the conversation turns to the 2024 presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Finally, they broach the topic of Israel and Palestine, with particular attention to the questions of genocide and anti-semitism. Who’s Afraid of Gender?: https://a.co/d/beDcQ1S OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:03 Judith’s Introduction to Philosophy and Gender Studies 11:00 Who’s Afraid of Gender? 22:11 On Trans and Intersex Olympics Controversies 26:09 Is the Man/Woman Binary a Fantasy? 35:17 Are Putin and Orban Transphobic? 41:49 How to Change One’s Gender 47:25 Language and Gender 52:16 On Psychoanalysis 58:49 On Gender Issues and the 2024 Election 1:04:30 On Trump 2024 1:06:14 On Harris 2024 1:10:39 Is Anti-Zionism Anti-Semitism? 1:18:51 Is Gaza a Concentration Camp? 1:20:49 How Will the War in Israel and Palestine End? 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, historians, economists, and everyone in-between.…

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