Robinson's Podcast

Rachel Barney is Professor of Classics and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. She received her PhD at Princeton and has taught at the University of Ottawa, Harvard, and the University of Chicago. She has worked widely across ancient philosophy, from the sophists to the Neoplatonists, though her primary focus is on Plato. In this episode, Robinson and Rachel discuss the sophists, beginning with just who they were and why they have been so maligned in contemporary discourse—even the word sophist today has pejorative connotations—and continuing through some of their most important thinkers, like Gorgias and Protagoras. Check out Rachel’s last book, Plato and the Divided Self (Cambridge University Press, 2012). OUTLINE: 00:00 In This Episode... 00:34 Introduction 04:28 Rachel’s Interest in Ancient Philosophy 09:49 Misunderstanding the Sophists 20:04 What Displaced the Sophists’ Philosophical Practices? 26:17 Philosophy and Protophilosophy 29:39 The Main Sophists 33:43 Gorgias and Non-Being 53:37 On Protagoras 1:07:40 Religion and the Sophists 1:12:55 More on Protagoras 1:17:50 Virtue in Homer and Hesiod 1:28:05 Ancient Philosophy and How to Live 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. 

Paul Horwich is Professor Philosophy at NYU. He has worked in a number of areas of philosophy, but is especially well-known for his writing on the philosophy of language, particularly with regard to truth and meaning—naturally, he has books by the same names, Truth (Oxford, 1990) and Meaning (Oxford, 1998). Robinson and Paul discuss the relationship between his work on these topics and the philosophy he started off researching—science and physics—before moving on to the question of philosophical realism across a number of domains before focusing on moral realism and whether there are such things as moral facts.  OUTLINE: 00:00 In This Episode... 00:20 Introduction 03:26 From Physics to Truth 16:55 Truth and the World 35:24 Realism Across Domains 54:42 Moral Facts 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. 

Stephen Yablo is David W. Skinner Professor of Philosophy at MIT. Before MIT, he taught at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Steve works in metaphysics, philosophy of mathematics, and the philosophy of mind and language, though his work extends into other areas of philosophy as well. In this conversation, for instance, Robinson and Steve discuss the nature of philosophy and what distinguishes it from other fields, as well as the philosophy of jokes and humor. They also speak about the philosophy of language, and more particularly how to deal with negative existential statements (sentences of the form “such-and-such does not exist”). Check out Steve’s latest book, Aboutness (Princeton, 2019), which develops a theory of subject matter and its role in meaning. OUTLINE: 00:00 In This Episode... 00:35 Introduction 05:55 The Demarcation Problem for Philosophy 34:32 Final Thoughts on What Is Philosophy? 37:47 Non-Existence Questions 1:19:21 Philosophy and Jokes 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. 

Robinson’s Podcast #76 - Nora Boyd, Siska de Baerdemaeker, & Vera Matarese: The Philosophy of Astrophysics Nora Boyd is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Siena College. Siska de Baerdemaeker is a Researcher at Stockholm University. Vera Matarese is Assistant Professor in Philosophy of Science at the University of Perugia. Both Nora and Siska received their PhDs in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Pittsburgh, while Vera received hers in the Philosophy of Science at the University of Hong Kong. Along with Kevin Heng, Chair Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich (and guest on episode #56), they are the editors of Philosophy of Astrophysics—an anthology on the philosophy of the same and the first of its kind—which will be released open access in early June 2023 (link below). In this episode, Nora, Siska, Vera, and Robinson discuss the origins of the project, as well as many of the topics it covers, such as black holes, dark matter, and whether astrophysics should even be considered a science at all. The Anthology: https://link.springer.com/book/9783031266171 Nora Boyd: https://facultyweb.siena.edu/~nboyd/ Siska de Baerdemaeker: https://www.siskadebaerdemaeker.com Vera Matarese: https://sites.google.com/view/veramatarese/home OUTLINE:  00:00 In This Episode… 00:54 Introduction 7:10 What is Astrophysics? 14:24 What Is the Philosophy of Astrophysics? 25:26 Is Astrophysics Science? 38:29 Astrophysical Models and the Tribunal of Experience 45:33 Data and Theory 1:01:32 Astrophysical Simulations 1:14:17 Fictional Objects  1:20:00 Black Holes and Dark Matter 1:28:01 Processes and Pseudoprocesses 1:34:08 Time 1:47:20 Ethical Issues 1:42:06 Evidence, Theory, and Cold Dark Matter 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. 

Jody Azzouni is Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University. While Jody is best known for his nominalist stance in the philosophy of mathematics, he is also an author of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Robinson and Jody discuss one of Jody’s poems in detail before moving on to the philosophy of mathematics and logic. They go over the distinction between natural and formal languages, the roles and varieties of proof in mathematics, and whether mathematics can have foundations. This is Jody’s second appearance on Robinson’s podcast. On his first appearance, episode #45, he and Robinson spoke about the debate between nominalists and platonists in the philosophy of mathematics, Jody’s own deflationary stance, and some adjacent concerns about ontological commitment in both formal and informal languages. His latest book is Attributing Knowledge: What it Means to Know Something (Oxford, 2020). Jody’s Website: https://jodyazzouni.com OUTLINE: 00:00 In This Episode… 00:40 Introduction 4:48 “Colored Themes” by Jody Azzouni 36:59 The Difference Between Formal and Natural Languages  1:02:37 The Nature of Mathematical Proof 1:20:36 Can Mathematics Still Have Foundations? 1:26:36 Jody’s Course on Philosophy of Math 1:31:01 Mathematics as a Social Practice 1:37:23 Revolutions in Mathematics  1:40:35 “February” by Giles Goodland 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. 

Stephen Darwall is Andrew Downey Orrick Professor of Philosophy at Yale University and John Dewey Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan. He is a world-renowned moral philosopher who has worked broadly across the ethical landscape, making important contributions to Kant scholarship, legal philosophy, deontology, and countless other areas. In this episode, Robinson and Steve talk about Steve’s strabismus (a visual impairment) and how it affects the way he sees the world, violence and human dignity, second-personal ethics, and Steve’s work on the relationship between philosophy and the heart. This is Steve’s second appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In his first, episode #49, Steve and Robinson discussed the history of modern ethics, beginning with Hugo Grotius and traveling up through Hobbes, Hume, Kant, Bentham, and Smith before ending with Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche’s attack on morality. Check out Steve’s book on second-personal ethics, The Second-Person Standpoint: Morality, Respect, and Accountability (Harvard, 2009). Steve’s Website: https://campuspress.yale.edu/stephendarwall/ OUTLINE: 00:00 In This Episode… 00:35 Introduction 3:57 Creative Pursuits and Strabismus 26:57 Violence and Human Dignity 56:42 Cognitive Science, Violence, and Dignity 1:05:55 What Is Second-Personal Ethics? 1:15:54 Moral Obligation, Recognition, and Second-Personal Ethics 1:27:57 Philosophy of the Heart 1:52:58 Chattel Slavery, Reparations, and the Heart 2:04:22 Steve and the Heart 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. 

Craig Callender is Professor of Philosophy and Co-Director of the Institute for Practical Ethics at UC San Diego. Craig works across the philosophy of science, and has published research on the philosophy of physics, applied ethics, the metaphysics of time, and other related areas. In this episode, Craig and Robinson discuss the content of a course he’s been teaching called Science vs Pseudoscience. More particularly, they talk about the boundary between science and pseudoscience, as well as case studies of science, pseudoscience, and conspiracy theories, including super-string theory, psychoanalysis, astrology, and more. Craig’s most recent book, What Makes Time Special? (Oxford University Press, 2017), won the prestigious Lakatos Award in 2018.  Craig’s Website: https://www.craigcallender.com  OUTLINE: 00:00 In This Episode… 00:26 Introduction 7:15 A Course on Science and Pseudoscience 14:43 Karl Popper’s Demarcation Problem 22:56 Superstring Theory 29:26 Psychoanalysis 32:29 Astrology 36:04 Pseudohistory and Expert Selection 47:02 Flat Earth Theory 51:28 Why Clever People Believe Silly Things  1:01:25 Personality Tests 1:14:12 Quantum Mumbo Jumbo 1:25:59 Replicability 1:29:15 Nutritionism 1:35:11 A Perpetual Motion Machine 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. 

Eric Trexler received his PhD in Human Movement Science from the medical school at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is a professional body builder and a sports nutrition researcher, and the co-owner of Stronger By Science, MASS Research Review, and the MacroFactor nutrition app, as well as the co-host of the terrific Stronger By Science podcast. Robinson and Eric discuss some philosophical concerns in sports science, including methodological limitations in study design and human error in scientific reasoning. Among other topics, they address the ecological validity of mechanistic research, ways in which funding and practical constraints guide experimentation, and ethical considerations that factor into the study of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. Eric’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trexlerfitness Eric’s Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/erictrexler Stronger By Science: https://www.strongerbyscience.com MASS Research Review:  https://www.strongerbyscience.com/mass/ The MacroFactor Nutrition App: https://www.macrofactorapp.com OUTLINE: 00:00 In This Episode… 00:50 Introduction 3:28 Human Movement Science 8:02 Performance Effects of Citrulline Malate and Beetroot Juice Supplementation 16:06 Interpreting Mechanistic Research 26:40 Reductive Reasoning and the Carbohydrate-Insulin Model of Obesity 55:59 Limitations of Study Design 01:16:56 Ethical Constraints on Researching Performance-Enhancing Drugs 01:25:40 MacroFactor 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. 

Peter Adamson is Professor of Late Ancient and Arabic Philosophy at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at King's College London. He’s also the host of the podcast History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps and the author of the book series by the same name. Robinson and Peter talk about Neoplatonism—a philosophical movement in late antiquity—and its great thinkers, including Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, and Proclus, as well as the many issues they thought and wrote about, such as evil, theology, logic, and vegetarianism.  OUTLINE: 02:14 Introduction 7:30 What’s Interesting About Neoplatonism? 5:35 The Etymology of “Neoplatonism” 11:36 Where was Neoplatonism? 19:48 The Great Plotinus 23:56 Plotinus’ Metaphysics  32:30 Plotinus and Theology  39:46 Plotinus on Evil 1:00:15 Porphyry, His Logic, and Arguments for Vegetarianism CLIP 1:18:31 Iamblichus 1:24:02 Proclus 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. 

Elisabeth Camp is Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers, where she works on the philosophy of language, mind, and aesthetics. As she puts it, her research “focuses on thoughts and utterances that don’t fit standard propositional models.” Liz and Robinson spend the first third of their conversation discussing the poetry of Emily Dickinson and its connections to philosophy. They then move on to the substantial corpus of Liz’s work, touching on frames—or representational devices—various difficult-to-analyze speech acts and devices like insinuation and metaphor, and the semantics of maps. Keep up with Liz and her research at http://www.elisabethcamp.org. OUTLINE: 00:00 Introduction 3:30 Liz’s Interest in Figurative Language 12:03 Emily Dickinson’s “The first Day’s Night had come” 29:03 Emily Dickinson’s “This World is not Conclusion” 42:36 Mary’s Room as a Literary Creation 49:46 Imaginative Resistance 58:44 Frames as Representational Devices 1:07:34 Liz’s Taste in Problems 1:11:23 Speech Acts 1:16:41 John Searle 1:23:54 Insinuation 1:47:42 Sarcasm 1:51:00 Metaphors 2:19:42 Slurs 2:32:42 Metaphors in Science 2:40:53 Maps and Sentences 2:57:53 Animal Minds and Mental Language 3:05:37 Cognitive Science at Rutgers 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.