Episode 46: Anti-Natalism
Were you harmed by coming into existence? Is it unethical to have children? Ellie and David investigate the philosophical position of anti-natalism.
Episode 45: Trees
Trees tower over us and communicate via fungal networks beneath us, but all too often are overlooked. Why was Socrates wrong to say we can’t learn anything from trees? And was Nietzsche right to say it’s a tree-eat-tree world out there?
Episode 44: Heteropessimism
Are straight people OK? Why are women so rampantly dissatisfied in heterosexual relationships with men, and so often expressing feelings of regret about being straight? Feminist philosophy has some clues.
Episode 43: Walking
Why was Rousseau so obsessed with walking while thinking? What can we learn from evolutionary theories about walking? And is the wandering flâneur a symbol of modern life?
Episode 42: Science Fiction (feat. Helen De Cruz)
Would you willingly plug yourself into an experience-simulating machine such as The Matrix? We discuss the value of sci-fi and philosophy with Dr. Helen De Cruz.
Episode 41: Intoxication
Did Plato come up with the idea of Forms while tripping on psychedelics? Do drugs obscure or reveal the true nature of reality?
Episode 40: Christmas-Industrial Complex
From Hallmark movies to Scrooge, David and Ellie apply a critical theory lens to the American obsession with Christmas and its rituals of consumption.
Episode 39: Secrets
When do we have the right to keep secrets? What are the differences between secrecy, lying, and privacy?
Episode 38: Disgust
Is disgust a moral emotion? How and why did it evolve, and do we have the power to change what disgusts us?
Episode 37: Living Your Truth (feat. Tamsin Kimoto)
Just a hashtag, or so much more? Ellie and David discuss the promises and perils of “living your truth” and authenticity, speaking with Dr. Tamsin Kimoto.
Episode 36: Art as Commodity
Philosophers Ellie and David discuss the way that capitalism encourages us to treat artworks as commodities in the global market of the “art world”.
Episode 35: Hooking Up
Professors Ellie and David discuss the ethics and gender politics of hookup culture on college campuses and beyond.
Episode 34: Paradox
Join Ellie and David—plus Zeno and the Olsen twins—in investigating paradoxes. They’re juicier than they seem!
Episode 33: Synesthesia
Have you ever tasted music or experienced numbers as having genders? If so, you might be a synesthete!
Episode 32: Astrology
Astrology. Dangerous pseudoscience? Comforting salve in a cold capitalist world? Subjugated knowledge? David and Ellie assess the history, enduring appeal, and risks of astrology.
Episode 31: Genomics (feat. Joel Michael Reynolds)
From 23andMe to prenatal testing, genetic testing is everywhere these days. The use of these tests raises important concerns about "velvet eugenics" and the value of human life.
Episode 30: Brain in a Vat
Have you considered that you might be a brain in a vat of liquid floating in a laboratory somewhere? David and Ellie unpack this key thought experiment—and throw shade on the Italian neuroscientist who keeps trying to do head transplants.
Episode 29: Alienation
Do you fear the Sunday Scaries and Thank God It's Friday? You might be suffering from a case of what Karl Marx called "alienation." David and Ellie break down this key but often misunderstood concept for the modern workplace.
Episode 28: Cancel Culture
Is cancel culture even a thing--and if so, what are its merits and dangers? This episode unpacks the origins of cancel culture in Black Twitter and debates whether "canceling" people is neoliberal and/or carceral.
Episode 27: From Body Positivity to Fat Feminism (feat. Amelia Hruby)
Guest Amelia Hruby discusses fat feminism, intersectionality, alternatives to the male gaze, and her project #selfiesforselflove. Before the interview, Ellie and David discuss their issues with the "body positivity" movement.