In this final bonus episode (and final episode), reflection is given on the purpose and ending of the podcast.

Recorded June 12, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

In this bonus episode centered on gaming, artist and animator Finnian Hourihan converses about topics spanning from the advent of Chess 2.0 to the shifting economics involved in making profitable multiplayer games and the impact of such changes on player experience.

Recorded June 11, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

The earlier episode with Dr. Kevin Folta alluded to some of the controversies that he has dealt with in scientific communication. In this episode, our second conversation addresses the extent of online and in-person hatred received and its effects on Dr. Folta. Additionally, we discuss how he has managed in light of attacks on his character and scientific claims as well as the forms such attacks can take.

Recorded February 10, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

After the course of a hectic season of recording episodes, making videos, and designing clothes, there was a well-needed opportunity to return to talking to friends on the podcast. That being said, it would be a mistake to assume that this season finale would contain only friendly banter. In this concluding episode of the fourth season, Robert Smith returns with Ohee Syed to talk about the beginnings of their friendship, embracing individuality, and creating art. Also discussed is the reality of luck versus hard work in determining outcomes, the (un)necessity of suffering in order to live a good life, cyberbullying, goal-orientation, the use of violence in response to words, and more. When the recording ended, it was clear that there was no better way to end the season. With the breadth of the discussion in mind, it should be clear that there was more to add to the conversation than time could allow. Each topic can (and should) be explored beyond our own words about it.

Recorded April 9, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

Purely rational or quantitative means can prove unsatisfactory in answering and fully understanding existential questions. In previous episodes of this show, there have been offhanded references to absurdism, the future of the United States' political landscape, and the value of literature in exploring philosophical ideas. In this episode, a conversation with Dr. Esteban Leonardo Santis of the Florida Policy Institute helps to flesh out these concepts, from a discussion on the creation of meaning to one on the ongoing movement away from rationalism and positivism in political discourse. Further discussion centers on the relevance of Albert Camus' The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus as well as Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude to the postmodern world and present-day public administration.

Recorded March 27, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

The world is filled with odd events and strange people who create them. Parsing through these absurd stories to find ones that are both compelling and comical is Oki, a documentary filmmaker and interviewer who entertainingly communicates them in his series, Oki’s Weird Stories. Initially, Oki engaged in a more retrospective approach to documentary-making, gathering old interviews and articles to retell the stories of people like Uwe Boll, Hiroo Onoda, Steve Rocco, and so on. As time went on, he himself began interviewing the subjects of his videos as well as performing investigative journalism. In this lengthy interview, Oki and I talk about the stories he has covered and the process of documenting them. We also converse about cults, the state of the modern news media landscape, mythomania, the reputation of YouTube in Hollywood, censorship on social media, in addition to many other subjects. In talking with Oki, one thing became most apparent: perception is everything.

Recorded March 13, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

To understand the behavior of animals is to understand how the vast variety of behaviors across species develop as well as how they function and change according to different contingencies. In pursuit of such understanding, Dr. Nicole Dorey researches animal behavior and training practices, and among many other topics, has studied mirroring behavior, preference assessments, environmental enrichment in enhancing behavioral welfare, and the sensitivity of dogs to human behavioral cues. Conversation in this episode centers around the benefits of training animals without using positive punishment, instinct versus operant learning in animal behavior, the modern role of zoos, and more.

Recorded February 22, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

In the modern era, especially in light of the current pandemic, there are more examples than ever of distrust and controversy around scientific information. As someone on the transmitting side of scientific communication, Dr. Kevin Folta lays out how scientists and popular figures can do better at conveying important findings to the public. This episode also contains conversations about genetically modified organisms, ethical barriers within human biotechnology, and more.

Recorded February 10, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

It's impossible (at least as of January 21st, 2022) to stop aging, but growing up is something that can be put off indefinitely. In this episode, Jade Long, singer and songwriter for indie band Hotel Fiction, talks about how following her dreams in making music has allowed her to continue to be present and avoid the pitfalls of traditional adulthood. Displaying vulnerability through art, catastrophic thinking, and the pandemic's effects on Hotel Fiction's schedule as well as other topics are discussed within. Beyond this conversation, Jade's musical talent is well-expressed on Soft Focus and at each of Hotel Fiction's live shows throughout the United States.

Recorded January 21, 2022 @ Industry Plant®

Returning to talk about the lackluster status of mathematics education in the United States, Robert McLaughlin converses about insights and historical trends that point to a potential route for its revival. Moreover, the conversation focuses on the first volume of Ludwig Von Mises' Human Action and understanding economic and scientific theories of the past and their relevance to today's world and culture. Once again, Robert understands more than I probably ever could on both main topics and offers a unique perspective on how we might approach the lessons learned from the history of politics and economics.

Recorded January 16, 2022 @ Industry Plant®