Philosophers In Space

Grab your poons and crank your toons, we're blasting into the wild world of Snow Crash. With the help of our amazing special guest, Noah Lugeons from the Puzzle in a Thunderstorm crew, we're diving deep into the political symbolism of Stevenson's most famous work, and next week we'll be back to talk the philosophy of language in Snow Crash. Wiki on Anarcho-Capitalism:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Welcome back to our thrilling conclusion of Ex Machina. Since this was a such a heavily requested fan favorite we took suggestions for topics for this part two, so we end up spending a fair bit of time discussing the AI Box problem and male gaze. Don't forget to post quotes for the intro on the patreon thread, and get your hopes up about a special guest for next show! AI Box problem:  https://rati...

You requested, and requested, and requested, and we finally got there! Ex Machina, one of the strongest horror sci-fi movies to come out in the past decade. There is so much wonderful content to this movie we're spreading it out over two episodes. For this first one, we focus on the thought experiment of Mary in the colorless room, and how it relates to the problem of consciousness for AI that we...

Never give up your fandom! Never surrender shipping! Today we're fanning out over the amazing Galaxy Quest, a gem that just keeps getting better with age. We talk about how it was a roadmap for the kinds of fandom that have since gone from fringe to mainstream. Then we discuss some of the textbook features of toxic fandom and practices fans can engage in to enjoy their art without it becoming harm...

Wub a lub a dub dub and other overused catchphrases! What up my squanches? This week we dive into the beating heart of Rick and Morty fandom. We're talking Pickle Rick, arguably the best episode in the best season of one of the best shows in any possible universe. We talk about the whole arc of the show and why some fans who identify strongly with Rick have trouble keeping up with the character's...

As sometimes happens, we've generated a minority report to last episode's majority report. The differences between the short story and the movie are substantial, including a reversal in the outcome. While we have much debate over whether this minority report reflects a flaw in the system or a feature, we're putting it forward in the spirit of transparency and to avoid space fascism. By listening t...

This episode will serve as our majority report on the movie Minority Report. We cover the movie's relationship to Utilitarianism and the common objection that we can't predict the future. Next week we will present our minority report on the short story Minority Report, where we'll cover how the story addresses prescience and determinism. The major difference is that this episodes content is beefed...

Throw off your shackles, sheeple! This is the podcast the gubment doesn't want you to hear. We're discussing the famous short story Harrison Bergeron and why it seems like people so often interpret it in problematic ways. Paper arguing for revising our interpretation of Harrison Bergeron:  http://coffmanenglish1.wikispaces.com/file/view/HB+Criticism.pdf Article on reclaiming Harrison Bergeron:  ht...

Our first ever patron selected episode topic, and suspiciously Thomas's favorite. I'm sure that has nothing to do with it winning the tie vote over Aaron's choice, Minority Report. Kidding! We love all our topics equally. This is a really fun one and we cover several important ethical and philosophical issues relating to genetic programming. Also, we're happy to announce the winners of our book ra...

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 q...

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.fa...

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:/...

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 Parad...

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...

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...

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 Twitt...

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...

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...

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...

Welcome! Everything is fine. You're listening to the good podcast now. You're extremely lucky. Only a tiny portion of the population with high podcasting scores ever get to hear this show. You're here because you earned it. Congrats! Today we'll be discussing the overall concept of the show "The Good Place" (no spoilers) and how it relates to Justice and Mercy. Forking Awesome! Primary source mate...

Do these violent delights really have violent ends? Does the park show you who you really are, or does it shape who you become? Is there any way we can use artificial entities to help humans be better, or is it doomed to make us worse? We'll fail to answer these questions and more in our thrilling conclusion to our Westworld two parter. Primary source material: Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics book...

Within our podcasts exists a maze. It is a maze built for you, to help you achieve your philosophical becoming. Each step in the maze is essential, though it may not always be clear why at the time. At this step in the maze, we discuss the rapey origins of Westworld and why they could never get the park insured. Primary source material: Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics book 2  http://www.perseus.tuf...

The first rule of podcasting is the law of equivalent awesome. To obtain an awesome podcast, something of equal awesomeness must be lost: One paper on the philosophy of death:  https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/death/#ImmMis   One article on the myths of immortality:  http://www.senescence.info/physical_immortality_myths.html   One pop culture survey of reasons not to bring people back from the d...

Podcast genome editing complete. Newly synthesized entity contains: Beta level paper on Genetic Determinism:  https://peh-med.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1747-5341-1-9   Beta Plus level paper on Genetic Engineering and Virtue Theory:  http://cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/element/bwmeta1.element.desklight-c188f72b-ddd2-4f3e-ae0b-552fb8e64aee/c/6_kraj.pdf   Alpha Plus level reminder to offer up intr...

Oh Brave New Podcast, that has such accessible philosophies in it! Solid Animated Synopsis:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raqVySPrDUE   Hilariously bad live action version:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek5vse2_Aq0   There are more things in Heaven and Earth Horatio than are dreamed of in your Utilitarianism. Whether tis nobler to be a pig satisfied or a Socrates dissatisfied. Aye, there's t...