Nuclear Barbarians

John and I are back with the first installment of our series on one of Galileo’s masterworks in the history of philosophy and science: Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems. We dive into the historical context in which the work was published and then discuss the book’s dedication to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Film critic and writer Andrew Plimpton returns to the pod to talk about one of the greatest American films of all time—Chinatown—which also happens to be a canonical film about the politics of energy. We dive into the film’s themes, noir as a genre, Jack Nicholson as a writer, and much more. Nuclear Barbarians is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Klavan, an author and editor known for his insights on the intersection of science and faith, discusses fascinating themes from his book, 'Light of the Mind, Light of the World.' He explores the tension between realism and nominalism in Christianity and critiques the trend of specialization in science. Klavan delves into the philosophical implications of quantum physics, the challenges of transhumanism, and the importance of questioning faith in a cynical world, weaving a compelling narrative about humanity's relationship with knowledge and the divine.

One of my favorite things about running this podcast is getting to talk to people with way more experience than me. Dr. Scott Tinker, a geologist and energy expert with decades of experience, joined me to talk about the breadth of his career, how our understanding of energy has changed over time, energy realism, teaching people the energy basics, and more!Check out the Switch Energy Alliance!And Scott’s show, Energy Switch! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I finish up our series on the esoteric origins of the Enlightenment by diving into romanticism, mesmerism, the forgotten aspects of Jung, American New Age stuff, and way more!Next up: Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

In our penultimate Hanegraaff episode, John and I take a look at how “magic,” “superstition,” and the “occult” became epithets divorced from critical reasoning, the uncomfortable overlap between occult and scientific practices, and I deliver a brief monologue on how all of this shows up in the work of HP Lovecraft. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

In our second episode on Hanegraff’s Esotericism and the Academy, John and I dive into the “history of error,” and how Protestantism and refinements in historical practices began to put pressure on the Renaissance conceptions of perennial philosophy and ancient wisdom. John also had some corrections for Hanegraff! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I are back with our new series. This time we’re working through Wouter Hanegraaff’s Esotericism and the Academy: Rejected Knowledge in Western Culture. Hanegraff’s project looks at the debates over the recovery of ancient texts and their impact on Christian life and thought and what that means for us today, especially when it comes to our weird world of scientism on the one hand and woo-woo New Age-y stuff on the other. The material is dense and you might feel a little overwhelmed listening to the podcast—don’t worry! After the first two episodes (the first half of the series) it gets way easier and more fun, but this episode in the next are necessary listening/reading (if you want to follow along in the book) to appreciate the second half. However, if you haven’t listened to our series on Michael Gillespie’s The Theological Origins of Modernity, don’t listen to this one just yet. You can start the Gillespie series here, as it provides great and more accessible background for the Hanegraaff. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I finish up our series on Michael Gillespie’s Theological Origins of Modernity—offering a break down of his final chapter and our closing thoughts. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I spend this, our penultimate episode in the series, discussing Hobbes—his anthropology, his physics, his politics—and the nature of modernity’s “new science.”If you have questions for our final Q&A episode, please leave a comment! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe