Robinson's Podcast

Thomas Hertog is Professor and Head of Theoretical Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at KU Leuven in Belgium. He was a doctoral student and close collaborator of Stephen Hawking. In this episode, Robinson and Thomas discuss his recent book, On the Origin of Time: Stephen Hawking’s Final Theory. More particularly they discuss his collaboration with Stephen Hawking Hawking’s work on black holes, and the three stages of his cosmological research, which culminated in his final theory, which Thomas worked on with him, called Top-Down Cosmology. 

On the Origin of Time: https://a.co/d/ihrMoCZ

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:53 Introduction

04:19 Thomas’s Entry into Physics

05:49 What Was It Like to Work with Stephen Hawking?

09:46 Stephen Hawking and the Death of Philosophy

16:42 What is Cosmological Inflation

23:28 The Big Bang, Fine-Tuning, and the Anthropic Principle

41:15 On Penrose, Hawking, Black Holes, and the Big Bang

01:01:27 Stephen Hawking’s Final Theory of Top-Down Cosmology

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Christopher Capozzola is Professor of History and MacVicar Faculty Fellow at MIT, where he works on the history of citizenship, war, and the military in modern American history. In this episode, Robinson and Chris discuss his first book, Uncle Sam Wants You: World War I and the Making of the Modern American Citizen (Oxford, 2008). More particularly, they talk about the background of the famous Uncle Sam “I Want You!” image and its status as a piece of propaganda, how it functioned in the United States during World War I, the domestic reception and consequences of the draft, and how patriotism resulted in violent vigilante justice. Chris’s latest book is Bound by War: How the United States and the Philippines Built America’s First Pacific Century.

Uncle Sam Wants You: https://a.co/d/gBodfCL

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

01:04 Introduction

03:50 History as Narrative

08:01 Teaching History at MIT

12:21 Chris’s Interest in American History

14:42 The Origin and Purpose of Uncle Sam

32:48 Political Obligation and the Draft in World War I

45:06 History and Unwritten Facts

50:07 Draft Dodgers, Conscientious Objectors, and Vigilantes in WWI

01:04:35 Historians, Philosophers, and Political Obligation

01:16:50 How World War I Was Caused by Bad Leaders

01:23:01 Free Speech During and After the War

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Ian Hutchinson is Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering in he Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering and the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at MIT. He works in both plasma physics and nuclear physics and also writes on the philosophy of science and the compatibility of Christianity and science. In this episode, Ian and Robinson begin by discussing his work in plasma and nuclear physics, touching on space exploration, nuclear fusion, and the containment of superheated plasma. Then they turn to Ian’s religious beliefs and his understanding of how science and christianity are not only compatible, but complementary. Ian’s latest book is Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?: An MIT Professor Answers Questions on God and Science.

Ian’s Website: https://www-internal.psfc.mit.edu/~hutch/

Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?: https://a.co/d/2Vi2wKk

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

01:03 Introduction

06:15 Is There a Crisis in Plasma Physics?

19:19 What Is the Fourth Phase of Matter?

33:24 Plasma, Astrophysics, and Space Exploration

45:49 What Are Nuclear Fission and Fusion?

55:25 How Does Nuclear Fusion Work?

01:02:34 How Viable is Nuclear Fusion as a Clean Power Source?

01:19:03 Why MIT Nuclear Physicist Ian Hutchinson Believes in God

01:34:08 How Can Science be Compatible with Christian Miracles?

01:43:22 How an MIT Physicist Reads the Book of Genesis

01:49:11 The Perils of Scientism

01:58:59 Do Science and Religion Complement Each Other?

02:04:02 How Religion Informs Ian’s Work as a Plasma Physicist

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

Jonathan Shedler is Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco and a faculty member at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis. He is a psychologist and psychotherapist. In this episode, Robinson and Jonathan discuss the clinical side of psychoanalytic theory. They begin by describing just how different contemporary practice is from its beginnings with Freud a hundred years ago, before detailing how psychodynamic therapy compares to other forms of treatment for mental illness.

Jonathan’s Website: https://jonathanshedler.com/

Jonathan’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonathanshedler

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:36 Introduction

04:11 Disambiguating Psychoanalysis

16:22 What Is The Distinction Between Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy?

32:01 Free-Association and Transference in Psychotherapy

49:05 Dream Interpretation in Psychotherapy

59:37 The Five Psychodynamic Theories

01:07:36 Is Psychodynamic Therapy Effective?

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Tal Ben-Shahar did his undergraduate and graduate work at Harvard, where he later lectured on positive psychology and taught the most popular course in the university’s history. He is now a speaker and writer who focuses on happiness. In this episode, Robinson and Tal discuss the field of Happiness Studies, which Tal has been developing for half a decade. They discuss the origin of happiness studies with Aristotle before moving on to how various academic disciplines like philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, and anthropology can teach us about happiness in different ways. They finish with some practical insight on how to improve one’s quality of life.

Tal’s Website: https://talbenshahar.com/

Tal’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/TalBenShahar

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:50 Introduction

02:43 Tal and Happiness Studies

10:26 Aristotle and the Beginning of Happiness Studies

14:02 What is Happiness?

28:58 Different Approaches to Happiness

37:00 What Can Anthropology Teach Us About Happiness?

46:29 Capitalism, Communism, and Happiness

53:04 Advice for Being Happy

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Donald Hoffman is Professor in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine, where he also has joint appointments in the Department of Philosophy, the Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science, and the School of Computer Science. Don has worked on a number of problems in his career, including human facial attractiveness, the mind-body problem, the evolution of perception, and even vehicle lighting. In this episode, Robinson and Don discuss his latest book, The Case Against Reality, which argues that human perception did not evolve to see the world as it really is, but in fact what we perceive is a world of icons that, in analogy to a computer desktop, bears no resemblance to what is going on in the objective space beyond our senses.

The Case Against Reality: https://a.co/d/9kxeOI8

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:19 Introduction

04:03 Why Don Thinks We Don’t Perceive Reality

07:55 Do We Interact with Reality Like an iPhone?

13:28 Vitalism and the Mystery of Consciousness

26:55 An Anecdote About Chomsky

30:00 Consciousness and Cutting the Brain in Half

41:20  Can Science Explain Consciousness?

49:15 How Beauty Disguises Reality

01:02:02 What is Veridical Perception?

01:10:13 The Battle Between Truth, Fitness, and Reality

01:31:16 Exploring the FBT Theorem

01:41:56 What is the Interface Theory of Perception?

01:47:10 Illusory Blue Jeans to Make Your Butt Look Good

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Jeremi Suri holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is Professor of History in the Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Jeremi’s selection of topics in his work is sprawling, but he writes largely on modern and contemporary politics and foreign policy. In this episode, Robinson and Jeremi discuss the American presidency and how it has shifted over the past two hundred and fifty years to become an impossible position with impossible demands and expectations. Their conversation focuses on five presidents—George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy—though they also touch on Barrack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. 

Jeremi’s Website: https://www.jeremisuri.net

The Impossible Presidency: https://a.co/d/1mOgm7Q

Civil War by Other Means: https://a.co/d/19i6Jq1

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode

01:02 Introduction

05:17 What Are the Historian’s Skills?

15:54 Jeremi’s Background

18:58 Did Washington and Trump Have the Same Job?

25:23 How to Measure the Success of a President?

35:11 What Made Washington Great?

55:40 Was Andrew Jackson Actually a Great President?

01:07:29 How Abraham Lincoln Doomed the Presidency

01:17:20 Theodore Roosevelt and Military Imperialism

01:26:38 Was Franklin Roosevelt the Last Great President?

01:37:38 Why Did JFK Fail as President? 

01:42:19 What is Obama’s Legacy?

01:48:08 Was Donald Trump the End of the Presidency?

01:55:06 Jeremi’s Advice for a Future President

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Clara Sousa-Silva is a professor of physics at Bard College, where she is a quantum astrochemist and molecular astrophysicist. The focus of Clara’s work is on investigating the interaction of particular molecules with light so that they can be detected on exoplanets, where, in addition to giving us atmospheric information, these chemicals may indicate the existence of life. In this episode, Robinson and Clara discuss her research on a specific molecule—phosphine—which may play a key role in identifying planets that are home to aliens, including some that may be very close to earth.

Clara’s Website: https://clarasousasilva.com

Clara’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrPhosphine

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

01:15 Introduction

03:46 Clara’s Interest in Astrophysics

14:08 What Is Phosphine?

27:15 A Stinky Gas and the Search for Aliens

38:37 Have We Encountered Aliens?

45:33 Aliens and Phosphine

50:46 The Daily Work of a Quantum Astrophysicist and Astrobiologist

01:00:36 Are There Aliens on Venus?

01:19:26 Finding Life Outside the Solar System

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. In this episode, Robinson and Richard discuss his criticisms of capitalism. They begin with why mainstream economists dismiss Marx and then move on to the basics of economics, the problems of our capitalist system, and the myriad social issues we face today.

Richard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.com

Economic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdate

The Sickness is the System: https://a.co/d/jf5w5wy

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:26 Introduction

02:41 Why Do Economists Ignore Marx?

15:34 What is Economics?

22:50 Capitalism and What’s Wrong With It

56:12 What Are the Main Problems of Capitalism?

01:03:14  Psychoanalysis and Marxism

01:08:25 The Microproblems of Capitalism

01:18:57 The Social Consequences of Capitalism

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

Michael Strevens is Professor of Philosophy at New York University, where he works across the philosophy of science and the philosophical applications of cognitive science. In this episode, Robinson and Michael talk about his recent book, The Knowledge Machine, which explores how irrationality shaped the Scientific Revolution. Along the way, they discuss the great debate over the nature of the scientific method—including appearances from Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn—how explanations function in science, and what roles religion, aesthetics, and other factors distinct from concrete evidence should play in scientific thought.

Michael’s Website: http://www.strevens.org

The Knowledge Machine: https://a.co/d/0hmHDCm

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:51 Introduction

03:42 The Knowledge Machine

14:23 What is the Scientific Method?

21:28 Kuhn and the Scientific Method

30:41 Sociology and the Scientific Method

32:40 Reasoning, Evidence, and Prejudice

47:30 The Iron Rule of Explanation

57:09 The Irrationality of Scientific Thought

01:03:57 Newton, Bacon, and the Scientific Revolution

01:12:13 An Attack on Science?

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.