Robinson's Podcast

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Philip Goff is a professor of philosophy at Durham University in the United Kingdom, where he researches consciousness and the philosophy of mind. He is the best known proponent of a view about consciousness known as panpsychism, which takes mentality to be fundamental in the world rather than something that either emerges out of complex structures or exists parallel to physical objects (as an immaterial property of things like souls). In this episode, Robinson and Philip discuss the major camps in the debate over consciousness, including physicalism, dualism, and panpsychism, touching on both their strengths and weaknesses. They then turn to a few questions raised in Philip’s most recent book, Why? The Purpose of the Universe (Oxford, 2023), in which he seeks to find a middle ground between atheism and deism. Why? The Purpose of the Universe: https://a.co/d/2cqj5Us Philip’s Website: https://philipgoffphilosophy.com OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 04:41 Philip’s Interest in Consciousness 8:11 What Is Consciousness? 14:36 Is Consciousness a Spectrum?  19:42 On Dualism About Consciousness 31:37 On Physicalism and the Mind 46:56 What Is Panpsychism? 53:27 The Best Arguments for Panpsychism 57:11 Panpsychism and the Combination Problem 1:02:20 On Panpsychism and Parapsychology 1:07:06 On Panpsychism and Free Will 1:13:04 On the Fine-Tuning Problem 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. 

Historian and journalist Vijay Prashad and Robinson delve into the Israel-Palestine conflict, discussing anti-semitism and colonialism, the legitimacy of Palestine, Noam Chomsky's views, dreams of utopia, and practical solutions for Gaza.

Jeffrey Sachs, a University Professor at Columbia University, talks with Robinson about practical solutions to the war in Gaza, geopolitics in Israel and Palestine, allegations of anti-semitism in American universities, the JFK assassination, and conspiracy theories.

Professor Emeritus Benny Morris offers insights on the Israel-Palestine conflict, discussing the refugee crisis, legitimacy of Israel, Egyptian responsibility in Gaza, propaganda, and the role of historians in shaping narratives. The conversation also delves into Muscular Judaism, the Nakba, Zionism, military tactics, and the Gaza siege, providing a historical perspective on contentious issues.

Sean Carroll, Daniel Dennett, and Steven Pinker discuss AI, parapsychology, panpsychism, and physics violations. They delve into debunking claims of parapsychology, explore artificial intelligence, discuss the ethical implications of counterfeit individuals created by large language models, and contemplate the evolution of jobs in the technological age. The conversation touches on the intersection of AI, creativity, and physics, evolution, chaos, decision-making, teleonomy, and emergence in consciousness.

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Lawrence Krauss is a theoretical physicist who has taught at Yale, Arizona State University, and Case Western, and is the founder of ASU’s Origins Project. He is a prominent public intellectual and best-selling author, and has written about the origins of the universe, atheism, and many other topics. He is also the host of the Origins Podcast. In this episode, Robinson and Lawrence have a wide-ranging conversation about the current state of physics—and whether or not there is a crisis—the potential shortcomings of string theory, whether or not the world is a hologram, arguments for the existence of god, and the role of science in ethics. Lawrence’s most recent book is The Edge of Knowledge (Post Hill Press, 2023). Lawrence’s Website: https://lawrencemkrauss.com The Edge of Knowledge: https://a.co/d/6tIrJzy OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 04:04 Theory versus Experiment 10:13 Is There a Crisis in Physics?  22:43 On the State of Quantum Gravity 25:40 What’s Wrong with String Theory? 40:58 Cormac McCarthy 50:22 Is the World a Hologram? 1:02:14 God and the Fine-Tuned Universe 1:19:33 Does Science Help Us with Morality? 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.

This podcast delves into topics like debt cancellation in ancient civilizations, the role of history in economic thought, Karl Marx and Marxism, economic parasites, and the rhythm of debt and economic crashes. It also touches on the Lord's Prayer, Christianity, and debt cancellation, as well as the problems with today's neoliberal economics. Overall, a fascinating discussion on economic trends and strategies for healing ailing economies.

Martha Nussbaum, a leading philosopher and law professor at the University of Chicago, dives into the intricate world of animal ethics. She discusses her Capabilities Approach, emphasizing justice for all animals and the moral implications of meat-eating. The conversation contrasts utilitarianism and how emotions can drive awareness of animal suffering. Nussbaum advocates for tailored legal protections that respect animal rights while inspiring activism for change, underscoring our collective responsibility toward animal welfare.

Stephen Wolfram, founder of Wolfram Research and creator of groundbreaking computational tools, dives deep into the intricacies of the Ruliad. He shares his visionary ideas on the fundamental theory of physics and explores the implications of quantum mechanics. Wolfram discusses the concept of computational irreducibility and how it shapes our understanding of the universe. He also tackles the philosophical underpinnings of science, questioning the nature of reality and the role of observers in this elaborate computational framework.

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.