

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

Sep 5, 2018 • 37min
OG21: DS9 Dax and Queer Personhood
I have seized the means of pod production and installed Callie Wright as our new leader. Long live Callie Wright! Thomas had a thing this week, so Callie and I recorded on the Deep Space Nine episode "Dax" (ep1.7 or 1.8 depending on service). We talk about queer theory and Star Trek, as well as persistence of personhood after radical changes in personality. And there should actually be new intro quotes this week unlike the lies I told last week that no one read anyway. And! Next week we're doing Gattaca and genetic inequality. Also, we're happy to announce the winners of our book raffle: Robert Kristin Devyn Lennex Thank y'all so much for supporting the show! Decision Making in a Case of Personality change: http://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/2008/03/ccas1-0803.html 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Nothing recently, though a few coming up. Have us on your show, we'll bring the nerd and the funk!

Sep 4, 2018 • 35min
Listener Qs 4
Back again for part two of answering your questions and speaking your unspeakable names. Hope you enjoy! Next week we're back to our regular schedule with another top requested movie: Ex Machina! 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: We haven't been on anything recently, depending on your linear perception of time. In the future we're on some really awesome shows and have great conversations, it's just that none of us know it yet.

Aug 29, 2018 • 37min
Listener Qs 3
We're taking two episodes to say thanks to all the people making this show possible and to answer their excellent questions. This episode is special too. Aaron drops the most radioactive take he has ever dropped on record. Definitely make sure you're on the Facebook group, as the fallout is likely to be Chernobleque. 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: We haven't been on anything recently, depending on your linear perception of time. In the future we're on some really awesome shows and have great conversations, it's just that none of us know it yet.

Aug 29, 2018 • 38min
0G20: Black Mirror, Hang the DJ, Part 2: Predicting Compatibility
Hang the DJ continues. Again and again and again, probably about 1000 times, depending on which number you're fixated on. There is a way you can tell it's a new version, though, cause we got all new intro quotes! Thanks so much for sending those in, such a great selection to choose from, and if you didn't hear yours, don't worry it is in the hopper for future rounds. A breakdown of Newcomb's Paradox: https://brilliant.org/wiki/newcombs-paradox/ Bostrom's Simulation Theory Paper: https://www.simulation-argument.com/simulation.pdf 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Check out Thomas on the most recent episode of Cognitive Dissonance! There is a lot of talk of buttsex. Like, a lot a lot.

Aug 22, 2018 • 35min
0G19: Black Mirror, Hang the DJ, Part 1: Newcomb's Paradox
We've returned to Black Mirror to talk about one of the episodes that started this all, Hand the DJ. Or maybe we're just yet another simulation of that in a test by a marketing brand to see if this show would work. Hard to say, really. Speaking of endless cycles, we're due for a new set of intro quotes so if you're a $5+ patron make sure you head over to the patreon site to submit suggestions and vote for your favorites! And we've got the signed book raffle on July 4 for Hamilton and Philosophy as just another way to say thank! A breakdown of Newcomb's Paradox: https://brilliant.org/wiki/newcombs-paradox/ Bostrom's Simulation Theory Paper: https://www.simulation-argument.com/simulation.pdf 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Check out Thomas on an upcoming episode of Cognitive Dissonance! Should be out soon!

Aug 15, 2018 • 36min
0G18: Dune Part Three, The Cycle of Politics
For the last (or is it?) part of our Dune saga, we look at the political aspects of the universe and dive into the theory that all societies go through cycles of government none of which are stable. Primary Text: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyklos 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: None this week. Contact us to come on your show. We promise not to Borg you...much...

Aug 8, 2018 • 36min
OG17: Dune Part Two, Kwisatz Haderach and Self-Perfection
The time for exposition is over! The one who can be in many places at once has finally arrived, metaphorically. Learn all about Aaron's crackpot theory for how to be the Kwisatz Haderach that you want to see in the world. More useful material on Virtue Theory: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ethics/#VirDefConInc 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Check out Aaron on a recent bonus episode of This Week in News with Kevin and Benedict, where we break down a chapter of a book no human should ever read: http://kevinandbenedict.com/twin-dinesh-dsouza-the-big-lie-review-chapter-8/

Aug 1, 2018 • 41min
OG16: Dune Part One, the Expositioning
For many episodes our people have waited for the poda al Gaib, the pod from the outer world. Finally, the prophecy is fulfilled. Yet many questions remain unanswered. Can we successfully explain the plot of Dune, and thereby avoid the podcast jihad? How many side characters with weird makeup choices do we have to cover before we can actually get to the philosophy? What philosophy are we even going to talk about in this jumbled acid trip of a christ tale? Stay tuned for however many parts this takes, cause the studio wouldn't allow me to do my seven hour "no really, you'll see the truth of everything after this one" version. Cowards. Since we didn't get to the philosophy on this one, here's a great series of youtube videos analyzing the story to help folks fill in the blanks further: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ga4PYMKwQ0 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: None this week. Contact us to come on your show. We promise not to Borg you...much...

Jul 25, 2018 • 40min
OG15: Orville and the Prime Directive
Prepare to have your destiny as a listener reshaped by paternalistic influences! We have on a wonderful guest, David Kyle Johnson of the Great Courses series to talk about the Season 1 Finale of The Orville (available on Hulu) and the ethics of the prime directive, a classic of the Star Trek Universe. Also, does anyone get a Brigadoon vibe from the planet in this episode? Didn't get to bring that up in the show, so easter egg for folks who actually read these. David's Sci-Phi Great Courses Series (we focus on Ep18): https://www.thegreatcourses.com/SciPhi Secondary reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetstemwedel/2015/08/20/the-philosophy-of-star-trek-is-the-prime-directive-ethical/2/#54a06c7776ab Next Week's Material: We're doing Dune finally!!!! I waited 15 whole episodes before subjecting Thomas to the David Lynch version. But now it's here! There's so much to cover it's almost certainly gonna be a two parter, so strap in. 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: None this week. Contact us to come on your show. We promise not to Borg you...much...

Jul 18, 2018 • 33min
Listener Qs 2
We take another week to answer your questions, as sponsored by the super fun game of torturing Aaron by making him say names out loud. Thank you all so so much for supporting the show and we will continue to periodically do these Q and A's, with plenty of heads up so you can all change your patreon names like the monsters that you are. 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 Sibling shows: Serious Inquiries Only: https://seriouspod.com/ Opening Arguments: https://openargs.com/ Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Recent appearances: Check out Aaron on the most recent episode of She Talks Atheism: https://www.facebook.com/She-Talks-Atheism-Podcast-153663348514933/ Have us on your show! We're as much fun as a heavily rebooted Janet.