We take on the harrowing topic of existential risk and examine the many ways that things could go very badly for humanity. On the bright side, Nick Bostrom is always an enjoyable read.

27 | Hyperbolic Discounting

Oct 7th, 2020 45m 18s

It’s widely known that humans tend to sacrifice long term rewards for smaller, more immediate gains. We tackle a less widely disseminated model of behavior called hyperbolic discounting that implies our impulsive decisions have some very surpri

26 | Death and Cryonics

Sep 29th, 2020 46m 4s

We’re back! Today we tackle cryonics, the movement that suggests cryo-preserving the body moments after legal death will enable humanity to one day greatly extend our lifespans.

25 | Roko’s Basilisk

Feb 16th, 2020 31m 51s

We have a wacky one for you today! Roko’s Basilisk, a thought experiment grounded in decision theory, suggests that a future AI could be incentivized to punish most of humanity for not helping bring it into existence.

24 | All About Jazz

Feb 9th, 2020 33m 52s

We take a break from heavy philosophy to discuss a fun topic: Jazz! This serves as a good introduction to the genre for any novice jazz listener or player.

Is Possibility Impossible?: Op-Ed 05

Jan 26th, 2020 36m 18s

Today we have an informal discussion about free will, possibility, and what it means to have agency. This was a fascinating conversation for us and we hope it encourages you to think critically about these topics!

Is Possibility Impossible?: Op-Ed 05

Jan 26th, 2020 36m 18s

23 | The Doomsday Argument

Jan 19th, 2020 29m 32s

We continue our discussion of anthropic reasoning from last episode by examining a very troubling thought experiment. Can we logically deduce that humanity is doomed?

22 | Anthropic Reasoning

Jan 12th, 2020 26m 56s

We return from our hiatus to discuss the Anthropic Principle and its applications to statistical reasoning. How should we think about probability when our own existence is correlated with an events occurrence?

21 | The Philosophy of John Rawls

Oct 7th, 2019 31m 38s

Today we take a look at the political philosophy of one of the 20th century’s most influential thinkers: John Rawls. We discuss his notion of an ideal society and his interpretations of justice.

20 | Microexpressions

Sep 29th, 2019 34m 8s

We discuss the fascinating interaction between voluntary facial expression and involuntary, fleeting movements known as microexpressions.

The Ethics of Lying: Op-Ed 04

Sep 22nd, 2019 39m 40s

Today we have an impromptu conversation/debate about the ethical implications of lying. We had a great time recording this one, so we hope you enjoy our thoughts.

19 | Integrated Information Theory

Sep 15th, 2019 50m 40s

How does consciousness arise in physical substrates? Today we explore a revolutionary and controversial theory that uses mathematics and physics to explain the emergence of conscious experience. This is a long one but we think its worth the lis

18 | Solipsism Examined

Jul 29th, 2019 39m 51s

Solipsism, the view that the self is all that can be known to exist, is a relatively simple theory with a long history of criticism. Today we look at the argument and examine the body of thought that has emerged around disproving the theory.

17 | Jeremy England’s Theory of Life’s Emergence

Jul 15th, 2019 34m 26s

How did life emerge? Today we discuss a new theory about the physics of the universe that may be the beginnings of an answer to this question.

16 | Biohack Your Life!

Jul 8th, 2019 38m 17s

We discuss the emerging culture and science of biohacking: simple experiments and DIY techniques used to improve our bodies and minds.

15 | Fun, Fun, Fun!

Jun 2nd, 2019 38m 4s

What is “fun”, really? We dive into the evolutionary psychology behind the phenomenon, its role in our personal development, and its place in the modern world.

14 | The World of Venture Capital

May 12th, 2019 45m 54s

Today we look at the Venture Capital financing industry, explore its nuances and history, and discuss its important role in the fueling tech innovation that drives our society forward.

Underappreciated Sports: Op-Ed 03

May 12th, 2019 43m 48s

On today’s show, we discuss a variety of sports we feel are underrated in North American culture and why we wish they were more commonly watched or played.

13 | Interview with Dr. James G. Kahn (Healthcare Pt. 2)

May 5th, 2019 46m 14s

Dr. James G. Kahn is a professor at the Institute for Health Policy Studies at UC San Francisco. In this interview, we discuss his research and ideas regarding single payer healthcare in the United States.

12 | Healthcare Pt. 1

Apr 28th, 2019 39m 20s

We explore the complicated United States healthcare system, its flaws and inefficiencies, and its nuanced historical background.

The Future of Entertainment: Op-Ed 02

Apr 25th, 2019 42m 3s

In our second Op-Ed, we examine the history of change in the entertainment industry, the impact of the internet on entertainment consumption, and what the future may hold.

11 | Universal Basic Income

Apr 7th, 2019 42m 4s

As a more serious public discussion of Universal Basic Income Plans begins ahead of 2020, we take an objective look at the proposals, the philosophy behind them, and the economics that will ultimately define their outcome (or outright rejection

10 | Are We Living in a Simulation?

Apr 4th, 2019 40m 52s

Is reality as we know it a computer simulation? Today we discuss Nick Boström’s influential paper that first proposed the Simulation Hypothesis.

Social Media: Op-Ed 01

Mar 24th, 2019 52m 26s

A new kind of episode today: we have a casual, free-form discussion about the role of social media in our lives, its erosion of social structures, and the divisiveness that begins online and has become deeply rooted in our culture.