Jean-François Lyotard on postmodernity, science, and kitschy art.

Should we even keep reading this book—with its criticisms of books?

What did Plato actually argue two and a half millennia ago?

An overview of Season 8: a book (and movie!) club devoted to the canon (as we define it!) for technology and ethics.

An interview with author and editor (and our friend) about his new book!

Chris and Stephen talk about an interesting article… and then pivot to the nature of this podcast and some of their healthy differences—about the show, and in approach to these questions in general.

Sustainable long-distance transportation, or really great virtual reality? Fight!

“Go Do Earth Things”, or, How 80 Years of Non-Technocratic Thinking Might Improve Phoenix, AZ

What will the world be like 80 years from now if we avoid technocratic thinking? We discuss the far future of ecologies, urban planning, and… open-source code economy. Listen all the way through for the closing note about the next episode and one of the most incredible bloopers we've ever produced.

Press pause on the dystopias. Set aside interventions. Dream a little of a non-technocratic world.

We’ve mostly been in the weeds of thinking about specific interventions around technologism this season. Today, we press pause and just spend some time imagining—dare we say, dreaming—of what a non-technocratic world might look and feel like.

Can adding a little friction back to user interfaces save us?

We talk about the currently-trendy concept of (design) friction and how it is necessary but not sufficient for right action on the Internet.