Robinson's Podcast

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Joyce Carol Oates is the Rogers S. Berlind ’52 Professor Emerita in the Humanities at Princeton University with the Program in Creative Writing. She is among the most widely-recognized and respected writers of our time, and has written in a wide variety of media and genres, from poetry and fiction in the former category to horror and Gothic in the latter. Her work has also been adapted into various other media, from plays to film. Joyce is the recipient of two O. Henry Awards and the National Book Award, among many others. This is Joyce’s second appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In episode 137, she and Robinson discussed craft in fiction and poetry. In this episode, they talk about Joyce’s most recent collection of short stories, Zero-Sum (link in the description), as well as philosophy, Peter Singer, dealing with criticism, translation, and more. Joyce’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoyceCarolOates Joyce’s Substack: https://joycecaroloates.substack.com Zero-Sum: https://a.co/d/0cYh3ndo OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 03:16 On Peter Singer 12:41 On Buddhism 21:50 On Hemingway 25:50 Dealing with Criticism 38:17 On Translation 47:53 Writing Short Stories 58:38 Imagery and Recreating the World 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, and everyone in-between. 

Slavoj Žižek discusses ancient philosophy, god, communism, quantum mechanics, and psychoanalysis with Robinson. They explore Socrates' philosophy, atheism, communism, analytic vs. continental philosophy, quantum mechanics, and AI testing with cursing.

Deborah Gordon, a myrmecologist, discusses ants' behavior, pheromones, fascinating ant species, collective behavior, and the life cycle of an ant colony with Robinson. They delve into the decentralized nature of ant societies and the complexities behind their collective actions.

Jay Chandrasekhar, a versatile director and comic known for "Super Troopers" and collaborations with the Jackass crew, shares insights on creative integrity and the purpose of comedy. He explores the importance of strong beginnings in storytelling, both in film and writing. Jay contrasts meticulous plotting with spontaneous writing, sharing anecdotes from his work. He reflects on maintaining artistic vision in Hollywood and the challenges of crafting comedic narratives, showcasing his journey from comedy to novel writing with humor and depth.

David Albert, a professor of Philosophy at Columbia, and Tim Maudlin, a professor at NYU, discuss the measurement problem, philosophy in physics, Schrödinger's cat, Wigner’s friend, and Niels Bohr's impact on quantum mechanics and science philosophy.

Peter Singer, influential moral philosopher, discusses utilitarianism, animal welfare, and global poverty. Topics include his new podcast, Lives Well Lived, the Journal of Controversial Ideas, and his upcoming books. Exploration of controversial concepts, utilitarianism, animal welfare ethics, effective altruism, intersections of atheism and Buddhism, academic publishing controversies, and writing commitments.

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, Robinson and Victor discuss his latest book, The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation (Basic Book, 2024), which was released on May 7th. More particularly, they cover the historical connection between annihilation and genocide, how we should interpret the past through today’s moral standards, genocides in the present, and the likelihood of World War III. Victor appeared as a guest on episode #112, in which he and Robinson talked about what was at the time Victor’s latest book, The Dying Citizen. He was also a guest on episode #191, which covered Victor’s views on the current crisis in Israel and Palestine. 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 The End of Everything: https://a.co/d/46O0mMB OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 03:41 On Annihilation, Extinction, and Genocide 09:31 What Causes Genocide? 16:38 The Applicability of Military Strategy to Everyday Life 24:00 On Alexander the Great 36:26 Should We Judge the People of the Past by the Moral Standards of the Present? 44:29 Uyghurs, Jews, and Genocides of the Present 50:45 What Are the Biggest Existential Threats to America? 59:28 Is World War III on the Horizon? Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Sean Carroll, a prominent physicist, discusses the philosophy of quantum physics, scientific realism, free will, and the end of physics. Topics include living in a simulation, the intersection of physics and philosophy, scientific and structural realism, challenges in theoretical particle physics, and the interplay of mathematics and physics. The podcast dives into quantum entanglement, the myth of the one electron, and discrete space theories in quantum gravity.

Slavoj Žižek, an iconic philosopher known for his insights into psychoanalysis and critical theory, joins Lee Smolin, a theoretical physicist and author on the foundations of physics. They delve into the interplay between Marxism and quantum mechanics, exploring time, space, and humor in science. Their conversation touches on the philosophical implications of viewing the universe as a game and discusses contemporary issues like language and political correctness. Together, they encourage fresh perspectives on the dynamic nature of scientific inquiry.

Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom discusses AI utopia, the alignment problem, and a post-scarcity world with host Robinson. They explore different types of utopias, philosophical dilemmas of immortality, and the future of technology. Topics include advanced alien civilizations, the purpose of mathematics, and why utopia is not a reality.