Robinson's Podcast

Ian Hutchinson is Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering in he Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering and the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at MIT. He works in both plasma physics and nuclear physics and also writes on the philosophy of science and the compatibility of Christianity and science. In this episode, Ian and Robinson begin by discussing his work in plasma and nuclear physics, touching on space exploration, nuclear fusion, and the containment of superheated plasma. Then they turn to Ian’s religious beliefs and his understanding of how science and christianity are not only compatible, but complementary. Ian’s latest book is Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?: An MIT Professor Answers Questions on God and Science. Ian’s Website: https://www-internal.psfc.mit.edu/~hutch/ Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?: https://a.co/d/2Vi2wKk OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 01:03 Introduction 06:15 Is There a Crisis in Plasma Physics? 19:19 What Is the Fourth Phase of Matter? 33:24 Plasma, Astrophysics, and Space Exploration 45:49 What Are Nuclear Fission and Fusion? 55:25 How Does Nuclear Fusion Work? 01:02:34 How Viable is Nuclear Fusion as a Clean Power Source? 01:19:03 Why MIT Nuclear Physicist Ian Hutchinson Believes in God 01:34:08 How Can Science be Compatible with Christian Miracles? 01:43:22 How an MIT Physicist Reads the Book of Genesis 01:49:11 The Perils of Scientism 01:58:59 Do Science and Religion Complement Each Other? 02:04:02 How Religion Informs Ian’s Work as a Plasma Physicist 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.

Jonathan Shedler, Clinical Professor, and Robinson discuss the clinical side of psychoanalytic theory, its evolution, and misconceptions. They explore the distinction between psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, the role of free association and transference, and the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy. They also delve into different theories in psychoanalysis, the concept of two-person psychology, and the contrast between psychodynamic therapies and instruction manual therapies. A fascinating exploration of mental health treatment!

Tal Ben-Shahar, lecturer on positive psychology, discusses happiness studies, Aristotle's teachings on happiness, interdisciplinary approaches to happiness, and practical advice for improving one's quality of life.

Donald Hoffman, a Professor in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine, discusses his book 'The Case Against Reality' on Robinson's Podcast. They explore the disconnect between perception and reality, theories of consciousness, the influence of beauty on perception, and the FBT theorem's implications for sensory systems and evolution.

Jeremi Suri holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is Professor of History in the Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Jeremi’s selection of topics in his work is sprawling, but he writes largely on modern and contemporary politics and foreign policy. In this episode, Robinson and Jeremi discuss the American presidency and how it has shifted over the past two hundred and fifty years to become an impossible position with impossible demands and expectations. Their conversation focuses on five presidents—George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy—though they also touch on Barrack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.  Jeremi’s Website: https://www.jeremisuri.net The Impossible Presidency: https://a.co/d/1mOgm7Q Civil War by Other Means: https://a.co/d/19i6Jq1 OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode 01:02 Introduction 05:17 What Are the Historian’s Skills? 15:54 Jeremi’s Background 18:58 Did Washington and Trump Have the Same Job? 25:23 How to Measure the Success of a President? 35:11 What Made Washington Great? 55:40 Was Andrew Jackson Actually a Great President? 01:07:29 How Abraham Lincoln Doomed the Presidency 01:17:20 Theodore Roosevelt and Military Imperialism 01:26:38 Was Franklin Roosevelt the Last Great President? 01:37:38 Why Did JFK Fail as President?  01:42:19 What is Obama’s Legacy? 01:48:08 Was Donald Trump the End of the Presidency? 01:55:06 Jeremi’s Advice for a Future President 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. 

Clara Sousa-Silva is a professor of physics at Bard College, where she is a quantum astrochemist and molecular astrophysicist. The focus of Clara’s work is on investigating the interaction of particular molecules with light so that they can be detected on exoplanets, where, in addition to giving us atmospheric information, these chemicals may indicate the existence of life. In this episode, Robinson and Clara discuss her research on a specific molecule—phosphine—which may play a key role in identifying planets that are home to aliens, including some that may be very close to earth. Clara’s Website: https://clarasousasilva.com Clara’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrPhosphine OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 01:15 Introduction 03:46 Clara’s Interest in Astrophysics 14:08 What Is Phosphine? 27:15 A Stinky Gas and the Search for Aliens 38:37 Have We Encountered Aliens? 45:33 Aliens and Phosphine 50:46 The Daily Work of a Quantum Astrophysicist and Astrobiologist 01:00:36 Are There Aliens on Venus? 01:19:26 Finding Life Outside the Solar System 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. 

Richard Wolff, Marxist economist, discusses the dismissal of Marx by mainstream economists, the basics of economics, problems of capitalism, and social consequences of capitalism.

Michael Strevens is Professor of Philosophy at New York University, where he works across the philosophy of science and the philosophical applications of cognitive science. In this episode, Robinson and Michael talk about his recent book, The Knowledge Machine, which explores how irrationality shaped the Scientific Revolution. Along the way, they discuss the great debate over the nature of the scientific method—including appearances from Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn—how explanations function in science, and what roles religion, aesthetics, and other factors distinct from concrete evidence should play in scientific thought. Michael’s Website: http://www.strevens.org The Knowledge Machine: https://a.co/d/0hmHDCm OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:51 Introduction 03:42 The Knowledge Machine 14:23 What is the Scientific Method? 21:28 Kuhn and the Scientific Method 30:41 Sociology and the Scientific Method 32:40 Reasoning, Evidence, and Prejudice 47:30 The Iron Rule of Explanation 57:09 The Irrationality of Scientific Thought 01:03:57 Newton, Bacon, and the Scientific Revolution 01:12:13 An Attack on Science? 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. 

Bas van Fraassen is the McCosh Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Princeton University and a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at San Francisco State University. In addition to being one of the most recognized philosophers of science working today—he received the Philosophy of Science Association’s inaugural Hempel Award—he has also worked in epistemology and logic. In this episode, Bas and Robinson discuss a major shift in the philosophy of science in the second half of the twentieth century from the view of the logical positivists, who had a formal, mathematical approach, to philosophers who adopted the semantic approach, which more closely aligned with how working scientists viewed and experienced the field. Some other issues touched on include scientific realism, Thomas Kuhn and The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, and interpretations of quantum mechanics. OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:51 Introduction 03:47 An Interest in the Philosophy of Science 06:44 Logical Positivism 19:56 What is Scientific Realism? 30:56 Kuhn and The Structure of Scientific Revolutions 39:13 The Semantic Approach  54:49 The Quantum Mechanics Interpretation Wars 01:08:12 Mathematical Models 01:12:31 Epistemology 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. 

Jay McClelland is Lucie Stern Professor in the Department of Psychology at Stanford University, where he is also Director of the Center for Mind, Brain, Computation and Technology. Along with other towering figures like Geoffrey Hinton, Jay is considered one of the fathers of artificial intelligence. In this episode, Robinson and Jay discuss some of his main interests in and contributions to the field, including his work on parallel distributed processing with David Rumelhart, the relationship between neural networks and the brain, and just what developments are necessary for artificial intelligence to replicate the thinking of the greatest human scientists and engineers. Parallel Distributed Processing: https://a.co/d/aELzYx2 OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:30 Introduction 02:55 Jay’s Beginnings in Psychology 07:46 What Is Parallel Distributed Processing? 24:21 Cognitive Phenomena and Neural Networks 37:27 Fodor and Pylyshyn on Neural Networks 52:10 Affective Reasoning 55:52 Advancing AI to Compete with Scientists 01:10:02 What Distinguishes AI From Our Greatest Thinkers? 01:14:15 AI and Mathematical Cognition 01:18:47 Macrostructure and Microstructure 01:43:32 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.