

Philosophers In Space
Aaron Rabinowitz and Callie Wright
Welcome to Philosophers In Space, where the intrepid trekker captain Callie Wright and their questionable Chief Ethics Officer Aaron Rabinowitz explore the weird, gooey world of sci-fi, searching for tantalizing hypotheticals and gear-stripping questions in a space odyssey of meaning and amusement.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 2, 2019 • 45min
0G74: Cloud Dragon Skies and Geoengineering
Those who can't accept the state of reality are doomed to dissatisfaction. Those who can accept the state of reality are doomed to things being as they are. We're reading N.K. Jemisin's short story Cloud Dragon Skies, which I highly recommend you read carefully before the episode and then reread after the episode because we have a very interesting difference of experiences on how we read it that we discuss on the show, and we want to hear your experiences! We also discuss the ethics of geoengineering, in particular some less often cited non-consequentialist arguments. This episode and other stuff we've been doing has me really thinking about how it's even possible to find a balance between acceptance and progress. Ethics of Geoengineering: http://www.homepages.ed.ac.uk/shs/Climatechange/Geo-politics/Preston%20ethics.pdf Cloud Dragon Skies: http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/cloud-dragon-skies/ Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Here's the audio from Aaron's Syndey Moral Luck talk! Sorry the questions are hard to hear. https://voidpod.com/podcasts/2019/9/7/aarons-sydney-skeptics-moral-luck-talk CONTENT PREVIEW: Repo Men and organ markets

Sep 25, 2019 • 40min
0G73: Snowpiercer and Social Contract Theory, Part 2
We live in a train. A train called society. The train is the leviathan, the great beast that keeps us alive by keeping us in chains. Within the train there are many narratives. They may all be lies. The question is, do we keep the train as is, do we try to change it, or do we blow it to bits? This is the history of Western Social Contract Theory, on a train. Social Contract Theory: https://www.iep.utm.edu/soc-cont/ WonkaPiercer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEX52h1TvuA Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Here's the audio from Aaron's Syndey Moral Luck talk! Sorry the questions are hard to hear. https://voidpod.com/podcasts/2019/9/7/aarons-sydney-skeptics-moral-luck-talk CONTENT PREVIEW: Snowpiercer and Social Contact Theory

Sep 18, 2019 • 40min
0G72: Snowpiercer and Environmental Injustice, Part 1
All aboard the endless train of symbolism. We'll be passing through, but not making stops in: locomotive dad jokes, environmental injustice, Plato's Republic, Social Contact Theory, revolutionary change, and various flavors or dooooom! If you can't follow the train of thought, it's cause the podcast is a closed system and we can only be as coherent as the sci-fi vehicle that we're currently hurtling along in. This one goes all over the map and the endings a bit abrupt, because just doing meta-meta-analysis isn't good enough, you've gotta meta-match on pacing too. Really though, we've got a lot of train cars worth of wtf left to go, so grab some kronole and get huffing. Environmental Injustice: http://scholar.google.com.au/scholar_url?url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Henry_Shue/publication/246327954_Global_Environment_and_International_Inequality/links/5bf58e024585150b2bc8bcbb/Global-Environment-and-International-Inequality.pdf&hl=en&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm0GVi6YmGJ1WF5eWY2gAuXD8G8bVQ&nossl=1&oi=scholarr Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Aaron had a great time talking to skeptics in the pub. We'll have the audio and video out soon. If you're a skeptic and you've got a pub nearby you should invite us over! CONTENT PREVIEW: Snowpiercer and Social Contact Theory

Sep 11, 2019 • 42min
0G71: Willy Wonka and The Meritocracy Factory
Oopma loompa do-ba-dee-do We’ve got another topic for you. Oompa loompa do-ba-dee-de If you’ve got merit you’ll listen to me. What you get when you reward the best? Virtue for some and vice for the rest. Aiming for merit with your social policy Careful you don’t land on an oligarchy. Oompa loompa do-ba-dee-da Abandon meritocracy and you will go far. You will live like egalitarian too, Like the oompa loompa do-ba-dee-do The Myth of Meritocracy: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/oct/19/the-myth-of-meritocracy-who-really-gets-what-they-deserve Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Aaron had a great time talking to skeptics in the pub. We'll have the audio and video out soon. If you're a skeptic and you've got a pub nearby you should invite us over! CONTENT PREVIEW: Snowpiercer and Environmental Injustice

Sep 4, 2019 • 41min
Listener Qs 10
It's the 10th iteration of our Listener Thank You Q and As. Thank you all for supporting the show and if you like what you're hearing and have questions you want answered, you know what to do for next time. Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Aaron spoke in Sydney which you would have known if you were a patron. The fact that you didn't see him is your fault. https://www.meetup.com/AustSkeptics/events/262864465/ CONTENT PREVIEW: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Meritocracy! Join us on patreon so you can ask questions for the show.

Aug 28, 2019 • 44min
Listener Qs 9
Hi all! We're back with another round of our interdimensionally renown Listener Thank You Q and As. We've got two episodes of great questions and hilariously mispronounced names with a healthy splash of in jokes. So thank you all for supporting the show and if you like what you're hearing and have questions you want answered, you know what to do for next time. Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Aaron is going to be speaking on August 22nd at Skeptics in the Pub in Sydney. Come hang out and talk moral luck! https://www.meetup.com/AustSkeptics/events/262864465/ CONTENT PREVIEW: Patron thank you Q and A pt2! Join us on patreon so you can ask questions for the show.

Aug 21, 2019 • 41min
0G70: The Power and Cyborg Feminism, Part 2
It's post cataclysm now, and we're one of the few "male studies" podcasts remaining in the world. Hannah Marcus (@sligers118 on Twitter) is here to womansplain The Power to us and take credit for our insights. This still feels better than the before time, though. Mass shootings are way down, and having functional paid family leave is pretty great. I'd call it a net win. Cyborg Theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Cyborg_Manifesto Cable Repair peeing story: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cable-tech-dick-cheney-sex-dungeon_n_5c0ea571e4b06484c9fd4c21?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAE5nOCYDTq7Jp7JprkysZv-NNDFoS8oc1zfzUKLtpAVQh-3C7f2HYGw28VwwEQogTgLOlxe-nLbMS8IRAc870TbJ_h_HzeNAC4b-eJNkKOaf6Qc6gstBG3YzzJ1TjtVHyzIr6VjSQo_dhhPRgam3mE4qbSTTJ-MMAuv9seB_88b3 Cat Person Article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/cat-person Sex book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-You-Are-surprising-transform/dp/1925228010 Sex book author's twitter: https://twitter.com/emilynagoski Statues referenced in The Power: https://www.thoughtco.com/the-dancing-girl-of-mohenjo-daro-171329 Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Aaron is going to be speaking in less than a month at Sydney Skeptics in the pub. Come hang out and talk moral luck! https://www.meetup.com/AustSkeptics/events/262864465/ CONTENT PREVIEW: Patron thank you Q and A! Join us on patreon so you can ask questions for the show.

Aug 14, 2019 • 39min
0G69: The Power and Cyborg Theory, Part 1
Finally! We've been waiting so long for this, I almost thought we'd never get here. And by here I mean the collapse of the patriarchy. If only pod notes made it so. No, this week and next we're cover Naomi Alderman's The Power. To keep us from mansplaining our way through a feminist classic, we're joined by our future gender overlord, Hannah Marcus (@sligers118 on Twitter), a MA student in cultural studies who has done work specifically on The Power. We start by covering the feminist Cyborg theory, and then begin to apply that theory to one of the most multifaceted texts we've examined so far. Cyborg Theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Cyborg_Manifesto Cable Repair peeing story: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cable-tech-dick-cheney-sex-dungeon_n_5c0ea571e4b06484c9fd4c21?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAE5nOCYDTq7Jp7JprkysZv-NNDFoS8oc1zfzUKLtpAVQh-3C7f2HYGw28VwwEQogTgLOlxe-nLbMS8IRAc870TbJ_h_HzeNAC4b-eJNkKOaf6Qc6gstBG3YzzJ1TjtVHyzIr6VjSQo_dhhPRgam3mE4qbSTTJ-MMAuv9seB_88b3 Cat Person Article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/cat-person Sex book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-You-Are-surprising-transform/dp/1925228010 Sex book author's twitter: https://twitter.com/emilynagoski Statues referenced in The Power: https://www.thoughtco.com/the-dancing-girl-of-mohenjo-daro-171329 Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Aaron is going to be speaking in less than a month at Sydney Skeptics in the pub. Come hang out and talk moral luck! https://www.meetup.com/AustSkeptics/events/262864465/ CONTENT PREVIEW: Part two of The Power! Also, don't forget to put in questions for the patron thank you Q and A. We're recording on the 12th/13th!

Aug 7, 2019 • 40min
0G68: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Grief
I'm getting a very Groundhog day "already written these show notes" vibe. I guess they didn't go well last time or something, so hopefully this time around will be better. We're joined by an amazing guest, the award eligible Tom from Cog Dis, to discuss Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a movie we all really enjoyed and had largely forgotten. There's a lot to cover so we space it over two episodes, the first one dealing with grief more broadly and the second one incorporating Nietzsche's take on eternal recurrence. Mostly it's a lot of Tom saying clever things and then Thomas saying "seeee!" and glaring at me. Eternal Sunshine and Nietzsche: http://screenprism.com/insights/article/how-does-eternal-sunshine-illustrate-nietzschean-philosophies https://www.the-philosophy.com/eternal-sunshine-spotless-mind-analysis Cognitive Dissonance Podcast: https://dissonancepod.com/ Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Aaron is going to be speaking a month from now in Syndney for Skeptics at the pub. Come hang out and talk moral luck! https://www.meetup.com/AustSkeptics/events/262864465/ CONTENT PREVIEW: We've got a two parter on the book The Power by Naomi Alderman with a special guest all locked and loaded. Definitely read this book first if you can!

Jul 31, 2019 • 38min
0G67: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Grief
I'm getting a very Groundhog day "already written these show notes" vibe. I guess they didn't go well last time or something, so hopefully this time around will be better. We're joined by an amazing guest, the award eligible Tom from Cog Dis, to discuss Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a movie we all really enjoyed and had largely forgotten. There's a lot to cover so we space it over two episodes, the first one dealing with grief more broadly and the second one incorporating Nietzsche's take on eternal recurrence. Mostly it's a lot of Tom saying clever things and then Thomas saying "seeee!" and glaring at me. Eternal Sunshine and Nietzsche: http://screenprism.com/insights/article/how-does-eternal-sunshine-illustrate-nietzschean-philosophies https://www.the-philosophy.com/eternal-sunshine-spotless-mind-analysis Cognitive Dissonance Podcast: https://dissonancepod.com/ Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0gPhilosophy Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Aaron had a blast at NECSS. Definitely want to get to some more conventions so hit us up if there's anything going on in your area. CONTENT PREVIEW: Part 2 of our Eternal Sunshine analysis.