Radius of Reason

Dr. William E. Rees, Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia, delves into humanity's most pressing threat: ecological overshoot. He discusses the alarming effects of technological dependence on cognitive abilities and the paradox of modern progress versus happiness. The podcast explores fertility declines linked to environmental chemicals and the challenges of global cooperation amidst population dynamics. Rees critiques the role of psychopathy in leadership today and wraps up with a hopeful perspective on navigating complexity for a sustainable future.

Anarcho-capitalism is a political philosophy advocating for the replacement of government functions with the private sector; market forces would dictate things like public safety, legal arbitration, and other elements of day-to-day life. Dr. Michael Huemer – Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado at Boulder – joins us to explore if this is a viable model for organizing society to address some of the most pressing issues facing humanity. Specifically, we debate whether free markets can handle coordination problems like Climate Change, if human nature makes or breaks anarcho-capitalism, and whether anarch-capitalism would be preferable to new systems of governance (e.g., a sortition based system). Finally, we discuss how anarcho-capitalist societies might arise and if they would inevitably succumb to centralized powers. GUEST INFO:Michael HuemerProfessor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado at BoulderFake Noûs (Substack)The Problem of Political Authority (Book)KEY TOPICS:Anarcho-capitalism, political philosophy, systems of governance, Metacrisis, libertarianismCREDITS:Intro music based on: https://pixabay.com/users/gregorquendel-19912121/

What will the future of sustainable energy actually look like? Dr. Simon Michaux breaks down his alternative to the Green Transition—the "Purple Transition"—and the major obstacles stopping us from adopting these allegedly superior technologies. We also dive into energy politics, DOGE, government efficiency, global power dynamics, and the future of the human race (among other topics!)GUEST INFO: Simon Michaux Associate Professor at Geological Survey of Finland https://www.simonmichaux.com/

Dr. Simon Michaux joins us to explore the green transition from a metacrisis perspective. We discuss the mineral scarcity challenges he is known for, as well as the broader civilizational shifts needed for a sustainable energy future. Plus, we examine criticisms of his work—including our own—to better understand how he arrived at his conclusions.GUEST INFO: Simon Michaux Associate Professor at Geological Survey of Finland https://www.simonmichaux.com/

Can traditional journalism survive in a world dominated by mega-influencers like Joe Rogan? What happens when AI reshapes how we consume news? And how must the industry evolve to stay relevant in this new technological and cultural era?In this episode, we’re joined by Neil Brown, a veteran journalist, President of the Poynter Institute, and founder of the fact-checking platform PolitiFact. Neil breaks down the market forces shaping today’s media landscape and explores what it will take to bring journalism into the modern age. GUEST INFO: Neil Brown President, Poynter Institute Founder, PolitiFact X / Twitter: @nbrownpoynter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-brown-0711b9151/

Every discussion about the metacrisis ultimately highlights the broader public's lack of awareness about the world's interconnected complexity—and, inevitably, the failures of the education system. A recent study by the National Assessment for Education indicates that American students continue to lag behind in reading and math skills, suggesting that the public school system has not bounced back from pandemic-era disruptions. This is on top of a persistent crisis in recruiting and retaining quality teachers faced by the majority of American school districts. As further cuts to federal education funding loom, Radius of Reason welcomes former teacher and education advocate Connor Nowalk to take stock of this crisis in American public education, and to discuss potential solutions to this integral institution. GUEST INFO: Connor Nowalk

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the world as we know it, including the American justice system. With the advent of advanced algorithms to enhance predictive decision-making for police work and parole hearings, there is a growing debate between factions seeking new efficiencies for these systems and those concerned that human bias will produce machines that will continuously violate civil liberties. Legal scholar Dr. Ryan Copus – who focuses his work on the application of AI to the justice system – joins Radius of Reason to discuss the role of AI in the legal system, whether or not AI can be biased, and if a robot will be sending you to prison sometime soon. GUEST INFO: Dr. Ryan Copus https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Ryan-Copus-2113493761 KEY TOPICS: Algorithmic bias, AI bias, racism, metacrisis, criminal justice system, machine learning algorithms applied to criminal justice, racist AI, woke AI. CREDITS: Intro music: https://pixabay.com/users/gregorquendel-19912121/

Was 2024 the year of the metacrisis? From rising temperatures (climate change), continued unleashing of artificial intelligence onto global markets, and an increasingly complex geopolitical reality, things seems to have escalated the interwoven complexities constituting the so called metacrisis. Andrey and Levon sit down to take stock of these events, and place a pin on where humanity is on the ‘how screwed are we’ spectrum.

The second Donald Trump presidency will be responsible for addressing some of the most complex foreign policy challenges faced by the United States in the 21st century. The War in Ukraine, Israel’s increasingly complex war with Palestine, instability in the Red Sea, and persistent tensions between the United States and China all run the risk devolving into yet another existential threat to humanity. Dr. Mark Kukis joins the show to offer his predictions for what a second Trump foreign policy will look like. Leveraging decades of experience as an academic, foreign policy commentator, and journalist on the frontlines of the Global War on Terror, Dr. Kukis delves into his greatest concerns for global stability as the second Trump administration gears up to again lead American foreign policy and offers his perspective on what can be done to resolve continuous global collective action problems. GUEST INFO: Dr. Mark Kukis https://x.com/markkukis https://www.minerva.edu/people/mark-kukis-ph-d/ Articles by Dr. Kukis: https://aeon.co/users/user-zd39pvswk5r1sq Books by Dr. Kukis: https://tinyurl.com/b5uy9n6e

Jeff Bezos and other billionaires are fixated on grand visions for humanity, from building space colonies to terraforming Mars. Yet their businesses contribute heavily to the environmental and social crisis (or more generally, the metacrisis) they seem determined to leave behind. We explore why their off-world ambitions sidestep urgent issues like climate change, how their "philanthropy" is more control in disguise, and the dangers posed by their media influence. Could the dominance of billionaires in media—like Bezos’ ownership of The Washington Post, which has been criticized for avoiding the endorsement of Kamala Harris because it could disrupt his relationship with Donald Trump—be steering the United States toward a plutocracy?