THUNK

264. Computers, Software, and Skookum Tech

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0800

Software companies are keen to Move Fast & Break Things™, & computers are eager to comply, but users want reliable, bulletproof, “skookum” devices.

Video: http://youtu.be/ch_pckgIQxM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2026/01/30/264.-Computers,-Software,-and-Skookum-Tech.html

263. Communication Overload

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0800

We’ve poured tons of resources into computers & the internet, but haven’t seen much in the way of returns. Maybe it’s because they foster bad communication habits.

Video: http://youtu.be/FvsmvOdeEn4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2025/11/28/263.-Communication-Overload.html

262. How to Keep a Secret

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0700

“Andor” is a story about how secrecy kept the Rebellion alive, but it’s hard to imagine anyone in the present day keeping anything to themselves.

Video: http://youtu.be/5FgeQw1XNo4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2025/10/07/262.-How-to-Keep-a-Secret.html

261. Fight the Good Fight

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0700

Is winning everything? Outside the context of a game, what does “winning” even mean?

Video: http://youtu.be/9oq1zjbrjYc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2025/07/19/261.-Fight-the-Good-Fight.html

260. Social Media and Social Irrationality

Sun, 25 May 2025 00:00:00 -0700

A lot of ink has been spilled about the crisis of misinformation, but Henry Farrell thinks we have a much bigger problem: manufactured public opinion.

Video: http://youtu.be/Mjyq9gAqH5g

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2025/05/25/260.-Social-Media-and-Social-Irrationality.html

259. After Virtue

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0700

Alastair MacIntyre thinks we’ve lost something essential at the core of our discussions of right & wrong, & Aristotle has been telling us for 2000 years.

Video: http://youtu.be/CDetc4y7_Gs

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2025/04/15/259.-After-Virtue.html

258. Phronesis - Theory and Practice

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800

What do Aristotle, Carl von Clausewitz, and John Dewey have in common? They’re all better reading than the news right now, and they all stress the importance of prudent action.

Video: http://youtu.be/J8l_kDwiy70

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2025/03/07/258.-Phronesis-Theory-and-Practice.html

257. Orality and Literacy

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0800

Our mental landscape is irrevocably bound up in variations of 26 characters, but we’re historical exceptions.

Video: http://youtu.be/N7Q4yU719FA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2025/01/21/257.-Orality-and-Literacy.html

256. Memory and the Extended Mind Thesis

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0800

We’re accustomed to using technology to remember things on our behalf…but are we losing something important in the process?

Video: http://youtu.be/3WgdHdBxSqk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/11/25/256.-Memory-and-the-Extended-Mind-Thesis.html

255. Rationality and Freedom

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Amartya Sen’s “Rationality and Freedom” clarifies how the two concepts are intimately linked, how we can’t understand one without the other, & why voting is wholly insufficient to create a rational society.

Video: http://youtu.be/YMkzCMkyjtE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/10/15/255.-Rationality-and-Freedom.html

254. Charity and Effective Altruism

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

There are 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the US. Effective Altruists try to direct people towards the good ones, but many don’t agree with their picks - maybe the problem is bigger than “picking a good charity.”

Video: http://youtu.be/0XjGKig1wlk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/09/22/254.-Charity-and-Effective-Altruism.html

253. Organizing Systems

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0700

“Organization” is a technology, and as with many technologies, it embodies a set of values.

Video: http://youtu.be/VTcqt51Io4M

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/08/08/253.-Organizing-Systems.html

252. The Theory of Generations

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Generations are used to explain everything from the state of the economy to attitudes about sexuality, but do they really explain anything?

Video: http://youtu.be/ot5xdqdho4Y

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/06/20/252.-The-Theory-of-Generations.html

251. Safety and Risk Management

Mon, 13 May 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Scaremongers drive many to search frantically for something, anything that will make them feel safe, but safety isn’t a thing you can buy - it’s a feeling you have to build for yourself.

Video: http://youtu.be/ob7XTCtZn6U

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/05/13/251.-Safety-and-Risk-Management.html

250. Angkor Wat and Collapse

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Angkor Wat & the thousand stone temples surrounding it are some of the most impressive structures humanity has produced - what happened to the society that built them?

Video: http://youtu.be/mYu-BBoW9g8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/04/15/250.-Angkor-Wat-and-Collapse.html

249. Information Overload

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800

Why is there something, rather than nothing?

Video: http://youtu.be/-Z9qi41lrK0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/03/06/249.-Information-Overload.html

248. Reductionism

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800

Trying to understand something in terms of its parts is natural…but when is it justified?

Video: http://youtu.be/YHkS4upFy_4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/02/13/248.-Reductionism.html

247. Zombie Sci-Fi Technologies

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0800

Gretchen, stop trying to make Vactrains happen! It’s not going to happen!

Video: http://youtu.be/dp2r1C9LDJQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/01/21/247.-Zombie-Sci-Fi-Technologies.html

246. Against Worldbuilding

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0800

“Worldbuilding” has become a necessity for authors of genre fiction, but sci-fi author M. John Harrison thinks it’s crippling both writers & their audiences.

Video: http://youtu.be/QJHR2NB7Wt4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/12/30/246.-Against-Worldbuilding.html

245. The STEM Shortage

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0800

The 2023 tech sector layoffs have claimed a quarter of a million jobs to date, but this hasn’t seemed to make a dent in the enthusiasm for getting more kids into STEM - what’s going on here?

Video: http://youtu.be/BraS-fMgB5A

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/11/16/245.-The-STEM-Shortage.html

244. The Meaning of Games and Flow

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Many assume that, when a game’s over, there’s nothing more to reflect on besides the fun. Positive psychology’s theory of “Flow” prompts a similar stance. But what if games and Flow are both saying more than we might suppose at first glance?

Video: http://youtu.be/GEl5cbzkD6M

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/10/02/244.-The-Meaning-of-Games-and-Flow.html

243. Maintenance

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Maintenance is often ignored, minimized, or portrayed as being inferior to creative/productive work, but it’s really the most fundamental activity of life itself, & it can teach us a lot about the world.

Video: http://youtu.be/7pFrhsC2I7Q

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/09/07/243.-Maintenance.html

242. The 'Tragedy' of the Commons

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Everyone’s heard of the infamous “Tragedy of the Commons,” but the real tragedy is that Elinor Ostrom’s work refuting it isn’t just as widely-known.

Video: http://youtu.be/9h0iidPzMXE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/08/10/242.-The-'Tragedy'-of-the-Commons.html

241. Mental Speed

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Children can be impressively ingenious when given enough time to work thru a problem, but we tend to judge their mental prowess by how quickly they figure things out - is mental speed really the best yardstick for intelligence?

Video: http://youtu.be/ONpydsGW3Tg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/07/13/241.-Mental-Speed.html

240. Dual Process Theory and The Mythical Number Two

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow” has become a popular reference in public discussions of cognition and the dangers of impulsive decision-making, but many researchers think it might be wrong, or even damaging to the field at large.

Video: http://youtu.be/-UVoAYFYtoM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/06/01/240.-Dual-Process-Theory-and-The-Mythical-Number-Two.html

239. How to Read a Book

Wed, 10 May 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Reading nonfiction can be an enjoyable, leisurely hobby, but sometimes you just need to ASSIMILATE KNOWLEDGE.

Video: http://youtu.be/u7EiDwPCb7M

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/05/10/239.-How-to-Read-a-Book.html

238. Conway's Law and Division of Labor

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Melvin Conway noticed a curious symmetry between the shape of organizations and the technologies they created, an observation that might be invaluable for avoiding disaster.

Video: http://youtu.be/anac2Cdyzi0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/04/24/238.-Conway's-Law-and-Division-of-Labor.html

237. Machine Learning Models and Reification

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Machine learning algorithms are in the spotlight right now, leading some to worry about them remaking the world into something alien, but there’s another, less popular concern: what if they make it into exactly what we think it is?

Video: http://youtu.be/vuyaZtBSV1w

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/03/31/237.-Machine-Learning-Models-and-Reification.html

236. Self-Control, Akrasia, and Multiple Self Theory

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0800

Acting against our better judgment is a bit of a puzzle: if we know what’s “best,” and nothing is preventing us, why don’t we do it? Who is it that’s doing the controlling or being controlled in “self-control?”

Video: http://youtu.be/jHGFlyHnhFQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/02/24/236.-Self-Control,-Akrasia,-and-Multiple-Self-Theory.html

235. Infrastructure and Standards

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0800

As global warming taxes the structures supporting our towns and cities, the technical standards that define the operation of those structures will be tested…but who decides what those standards should be? Are they equal to the task?

Video: http://youtu.be/64sVW1naQN0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/02/06/235.-Infrastructure-and-Standards.html

234. Tidiness

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0800

In the new year, many will try to develop habits of keeping their homes & workspaces tidy, but maybe their longing for uncluttered space is driven more by a set of cultural biases than any sort of practical advantage.

Video: http://youtu.be/V3VoO7Xr2TQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/01/05/234.-Tidiness.html

233. The View from Nowhere and Aliens

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0800

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q is a bit of a puzzle - on the one hand, he’s an incomprehensibly intelligent being from outside time and space. On the other hand, he’s incredibly aggravating and petty. One might say that, with such phenomenal insight, he should be more objective…but what does that mean, exactly?

Video: http://youtu.be/gmJYsgGUAm4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/12/14/233.-The-View-from-Nowhere-and-Aliens.html

232. Repair vs. Design

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0800

Apple has built their brand on a fanatical commitment to design, but their devices can be straight-up hostile when it comes to repair & maintenance. Maybe one leads to the other.

Video: http://youtu.be/8PfDRgEud2s

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/11/24/232.-Repair-vs.-Design.html

231. Self-Bullshit

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0800

Have you ever watched in horror as someone systematically, deliberately makes every wrong decision necessary for disaster? Philosopher Leslie Howe advances a theory that may help to explain the phenomenon: it’s easy to ignore warning signs if you buy your own bullshit.

Video: http://youtu.be/8CrbNNwirkI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/11/12/231.-Self-Bullshit.html

230. Advertising

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0700

Ads are everywhere, & find their way into more places every day. Companies spend hundreds of billions of dollars shilling for their products. But theres a question we havent answered conclusively: do they work?

Video: http://youtu.be/iln8PuiQ8kk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/10/12/230.-Advertising.html

229. Deep Work

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0700

When you think of “being productive,” you probably imagine some variation of rise-and-grind. But Cal Newport’s theory of Deep Work suggests, if we want to maximize productivity, maybe we should try to cultivate some room for quiet, uninterrupted thinking.

Video: http://youtu.be/uUMl5KtHh4E

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/09/19/229.-Deep-Work.html

228. The Intelligence Trap and Evidence-Based Wisdom

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0700

We often look to intelligent individuals to provide us with insight and guidance, but if you ask science writer David Robson, intelligence isnt just the wrong barometer for good decision-making, it may lead to worse decisions!

Video: http://youtu.be/1K23sO-G0uE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/09/04/228.-The-Intelligence-Trap-and-Evidence-Based-Wisdom.html

227. Minimum Constraint Design

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0700

Mechanical engineering has its own, mathematically-defined version of “less is more,” & once you know about it, you’ll see it everywhere.

Video: http://youtu.be/Akarqe17hFM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/07/25/227.-Minimum-Constraint-Design.html

226. The Ultimatum Game

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0700

The logic of the ultimatum game is simple - something is better than nothing, so you ought to accept any deal where you come out ahead, no matter how unfair that deal is. Why, then, does almost everyone reject unfair deals, even if it means sacrifice?

Video: http://youtu.be/o0MyC54j-SM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/07/03/226.-The-Ultimatum-Game.html

225. Relexicalization - Extraneous Renaming

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0700

Every generation invents its own lingo - language naturally evolves & develops over time. But quietly re-inventing terminology for stuff thats already named (relexicalization) can be a move with far-reaching political & epistemic consequences.

Video: http://youtu.be/F2_m2JVkBY0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/06/10/225.-Relexicalization-Extraneous-Renaming.html

224. Superintelligence Assumptions

Sun, 15 May 2022 00:00:00 -0700

Many of those who are 100% convinced by Nick Bostrom’s arguments about the potential for a runaway superintelligence tend to share certain beliefs about the world - is it possible that his case hits much differently depending on one’s starting assumptions?

Video: http://youtu.be/ZWPsmQxrGY8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/05/15/224.-Superintelligence-Assumptions.html

223. Puzzles vs. Problems

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0700

What walks on 4 legs in the morning, 2 legs at noon, & 3 legs at night? A very peculiar dog! …wait, was that not the answer? Why is it that puzzles are so different from real-life problems?

Video: http://youtu.be/Ky0Ji7AryZs

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/04/18/223.-Puzzles-vs.-Problems.html

222. Powerpoint - Form and Content

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0700

Could certain FORMS of media, the details of how their textual CONTENT is instantiated, reliably affect the MEANING of the messages they convey? Put another way: is PowerPoint making us stupid?

Video: http://youtu.be/_e6BS7wSLpg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/03/28/222.-Powerpoint-Form-and-Content.html

221. Spolsky's Maxim and Starting from Scratch

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0700

Sometimes, it feels like the best way forward on a project is to throw everything out and start over from scratch, but Joel Spolsky is adamant that this is a terrible idea, and theres decent evidence that hes right.

Video: http://youtu.be/3iUySuDkly8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/03/14/221.-Spolsky's-Maxim-and-Starting-from-Scratch.html

220. Peirce's Pragmatism

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0800

Charles Peirce’s ideas were revolutionary, kicking off an entire philosophical movement now called “pragmatism,” but one might argue that his ideas bear little resemblance to the path pragmatism ultimately took…he certainly thought as much.

Video: http://youtu.be/aWrEPmoox_I

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/02/21/220.-Peirce's-Pragmatism.html

219. Clickbait and Sensationalism

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0800

YouTubers HATE him! This ONE WEIRD TRICK has sensationalist media creators ~THINKING DEEPLY~ about the systemic pressures of a RACE TO THE BOTTOM FOR ATTENTION!!! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE!!!!!11!!

Video: http://youtu.be/nwOVZgClUs8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/01/24/219.-Clickbait-and-Sensationalism.html

218. Playing Devil's Advocate

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0800

Research suggests that authentic dissent frequently leads a group to better decisions than a contrarian simply playing Devils Advocate. The question is: why should it matter if someone really disagrees, or is just faking it?

Video: http://youtu.be/lP_2ZaolKxU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/12/22/218.-Playing-Devil's-Advocate.html

217. A Theory of Good CAD

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0800

CAD is hard, but bad modeling habits make it even harder. A theory of what makes for good CAD might make things a little easier for you.

Video: http://youtu.be/wR72zjh39qI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/12/06/217.-A-Theory-of-Good-CAD.html

216. Companions in Guilt

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0800

Are descriptors like “good” and “evil” pointing at real, objective features of the world? Surprisingly, despite the weirdness of moral facts, most philosophers would say “yes.” Why? Well…morality might not be the only thing in those crosshairs…😬

Video: http://youtu.be/lOKw7BceAck

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/11/16/216.-Companions-in-Guilt.html

215. The Theory of Accelerating Change

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Futurists often suggest that technology grows exponentially more powerful over time, but there may be good reasons to doubt this notion, & very good reasons not to wait around for the future tech they promise is imminent.

Video: http://youtu.be/cvzgehavGy0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/10/15/215.-The-Theory-of-Accelerating-Change.html

214. The Myth of the Given

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0700

We normally think of our beliefs as being held up by a structure of supporting evidence & justification, ultimately based in some fundamental, irrefutable, “given” facts, but Wilfred Sellars thinks “givens” are a myth.

Video: http://youtu.be/3uUYeZu1DIQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/09/21/214.-The-Myth-of-the-Given.html

213. Techno-Optimism

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Many think the specific nature of a technology depends on the humans wielding it, but that tech ultimately serves humanitys interests. Philosopher John McDermott challenges this view with a simple question: whose interests does tech serve?

Video: http://youtu.be/riVrcxRs0YM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/08/23/213.-Techno-Optimism.html

212. Vulnerability Theory

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0700

We judge our laws by a yardstick of formal equality - so long as theres no discrimination in how laws are applied, we pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Legal philosopher Martha Fineman thinks we should apply a different yardstick: the immutable nature of human fragility.

Video: http://youtu.be/IopKrghhcPs

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/07/26/212.-Vulnerability-Theory.html

211. The Hermeneutic Circle

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0700

In order to understand this text (as you are doing) you must understand the individual words that make it up…but the overall meaning isn’t contained in the words themselves. It’s almost like you have to consider the whole & its parts simultaneously. Curious.

Video: http://youtu.be/8VhZ76TdMvU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/07/06/211.-The-Hermeneutic-Circle.html

210. Programming and Theory-Building

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Programming in the sense of developing algorithmic instructions isnt just for computers - all rigorously-defined human systems are programmed after a fashion. But what is it that programmers (instruction-writers, legislators, chefs) are doing, exactly?

Video: http://youtu.be/TmXsNV3r6DI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/06/20/210.-Programming-and-Theory-Building.html

209. Intellectual Humility

Fri, 28 May 2021 00:00:00 -0700

It’s hard to imagine two subreddits more different than IAmVerySmart & Change My View, & the difference is clear: intellectual arrogance/humility. But what is that, exactly?

Video: http://youtu.be/WohsIy61-4k

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/05/28/209.-Intellectual-Humility.html

208. How Complex Systems Fail

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Engineering disasters often highlight how bad decisions can wreak havoc, but Dr. Richard Cook’s model of complex systems & how they fail paints a different picture.

Video: http://youtu.be/dPFw2ckWZyY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/04/30/208.-How-Complex-Systems-Fail.html

207. The Anti-Politics of Sci-Fi

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0700

A lot of sci-fi skirts around substantive questions of politics - is this a coincidence, or is there something about the genre that encourages it?

Video: http://youtu.be/zgzoZckSXEQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/04/16/207.-The-Anti-Politics-of-Sci-Fi.html

206. Social Rationality

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Individual humans are demonstrably irrational, & no amount of training or debiasing has been shown to make a dent in that irrationality, which leads us to ask: if I can’t think rationally on my own, why do I think at all?

Video: http://youtu.be/ncylgXtWaRE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/03/29/206.-Social-Rationality.html

205. Expert Advice and Rhetoric

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0700

Sometimes, getting an expert to tell you what they really think is like pulling teeth - if it’s their job to give advice about their field, why are they often cagey about it? In a word: rhetoric.

Video: http://youtu.be/EcQvVI2Gk-A

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/03/18/205.-Expert-Advice-and-Rhetoric.html

204. Ignorance and 'A Thousand Plateaus'

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0800

Deliberate ignorance of subjects that seem useless is a common and self-fulfilling attitude, but for postmodern philosophers Deleuze and Guattari, its not just misguided, its missing the point of thinking.

Video: http://youtu.be/A73sx8p3PKU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/02/09/204.-Ignorance-and-'A-Thousand-Plateaus'.html

203. Bullshit and Truthlikeness

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0800

We expect a certain amount of bullsht in our politics, but little fibs have given way to bewildering, unbelievable fictions. Thankfully, some recent philosophers have insights as to why all bullsht isnt created equal.

Video: http://youtu.be/9VrkFmMkzwc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2021/01/13/203.-Bullshit-and-Truthlikeness.html

202. The McNamara Fallacy

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0800

“I can’t measure it, so it must not be important.” And then: disaster.

Video: http://youtu.be/FM7ZxlyH20s

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/12/29/202.-The-McNamara-Fallacy.html

201. Theory of Constructed Emotion

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0800

We experience our emotions as instantaneous reactions to the world around us, but what if fear, happiness, & anxiety arent the result of dedicated, hardwired circuits in our brains? The Theory of Constructed Emotion suggests an alternate explanation.

Video: http://youtu.be/AZrqJiHg38M

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/12/14/201.-Theory-of-Constructed-Emotion.html

200. Retrospective

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0800

A seven-year retrospective on viewer-selected THUNK episodes, MST3K style!

Video: http://youtu.be/Oy7HvWOLxWM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/11/23/200.-Retrospective.html

199. FMEA - Dodging Disaster

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0800

If you’re currently worrying about everything that could possibly go wrong: welcome to the club! Thankfully, engineers have been fretting about catastrophe for a long time, & have a useful tool to do it productively: FMEA.

Video: http://youtu.be/_z2s9Ornp6U

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/11/06/199.-FMEA-Dodging-Disaster.html

198. Pragmatic Ethics

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Many struggle with the seemingly inconsistent & slippery nature of morality - do moral facts exist? What are they? How can we verify them? Pragmatists sidestep many of these issues by bailing on the whole “truth” thing and asking instead: what works?

Video: http://youtu.be/geKt2shs5y8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/10/26/198.-Pragmatic-Ethics.html

197. Cultural Evolution Theory

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0700

“Humans evolved big brains to be better problem-solvers.” is a popular notion, but it has some conspicuous holes. Evolutionary biologist Joseph Henrich has an alternate hypothesis: what if we’re evolved to be culture machines?

Video: http://youtu.be/DMvneRu3imc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/10/04/197.-Cultural-Evolution-Theory.html

196. 'Burnout' is Abuse

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Medical residents & interns work absurd hours in high-stress environments with little time off for comparatively low wages. When they have nothing left to give, it’s called “burnout.” We should call it what it is: abuse.

Video: http://youtu.be/sCK14W1Py8k

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/09/20/196.-'Burnout'-is-Abuse.html

195. Strong Opinions, Weakly Held

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Strong Opinions, Weakly Held is a well-known mantra in tech, intended to quickly guide teams to reasonable predictions. But many have beef with SOWH - might there be a better method?

Video: http://youtu.be/kcAQ94RpDyU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/08/23/195.-Strong-Opinions,-Weakly-Held.html

194. Load Path Analysis

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Why don’t you want your snow shovel’s handle to be long and springy? Why do you push on someone’s back to help them swing, rather than on the swing supports? Engineers & architects have an answer: load paths!

Video: http://youtu.be/kWUfO3Ia8Io

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/08/09/194.-Load-Path-Analysis.html

193. Honing Occam's Razor

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Occam’s Razor urges us not to multiply entities beyond necessity - it seems like a decent rule, but why does it work? And what should we do when it doesn’t?

Video: http://youtu.be/HkgNFG-YLqM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/07/28/193.-Honing-Occam's-Razor.html

192. Three Modes of Inquiry

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Research, Experimentation, Analysis. It’s a simple rhythm, but it’s amazing how often someone will forget one of the beats & waste time instead of making progress on solving the problem.

Video: http://youtu.be/_5m9Cgteung

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/07/12/192.-Three-Modes-of-Inquiry.html

191. Refactoring the Real World

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Programmers routinely “refactor” code, clarifying its purpose & reorganizing its structure without changing how it works. What else can be refactored, I wonder?

Video: http://youtu.be/uARhhLW8FhQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/06/28/191.-Refactoring-the-Real-World.html

190. Scientific Realism

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0700

What if…guys, are you listening? What if the subjects of scientific theories…ACTUALLY EXIST?! OOOOOOH SNAP

Video: http://youtu.be/lTouTijlfhg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/06/15/190.-Scientific-Realism.html

189. The Reference Class Problem

Sun, 31 May 2020 00:00:00 -0700

2 out of 10 people who read this will watch this episode. 1 in 20 subscribers will watch it. …I wonder how many subscribers who read it will watch?

Video: http://youtu.be/vFS66BK9fRQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/05/31/189.-The-Reference-Class-Problem.html

188. Knowledge-How - Knots

Sun, 17 May 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Hey, are you bored being stuck inside? Wanna learn some knots?

Video: http://youtu.be/Y0_j8VdCRJM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/05/17/188.-Knowledge-How-Knots.html

187. F@#$ Nuance

Mon, 04 May 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Calling for more nuance in sociological theories seems unambiguously good, but what if - hear me out here - f@#$ it.

Video: http://youtu.be/oW5p4jcmiqA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/05/04/187.-F@-$-Nuance.html

186. Natural Kinds

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0700

How many legs does a dog have, if you call a tail a leg? Philosophers: “Well…it depends.”

Video: http://youtu.be/bWj15Utv3os

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/04/20/186.-Natural-Kinds.html

185. Bounded Rationality

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Many academic fields assume that maximizing utility is synonymous with rationality (& marvel at how bad humans are at it). But the real world very rarely allows such clean analysis - maybe we’re not so irrational after all?

Video: http://youtu.be/VeMI5Z2cZHM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/04/05/185.-Bounded-Rationality.html

184. Disaster Preparedness

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0700

People are preparing for the worst of COVID-19, & it’s certainly yet to come, but when so much is uncertain, what’s the proper amount of prepping one should do? (Hint: It involves washing your hands a bit more than usual.)

Video: http://youtu.be/vTSfC4JeqGE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/03/22/184.-Disaster-Preparedness.html

183. Indirect Speech

Sat, 07 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0800

Whistles nonchalantly & gestures at episode title

Video: http://youtu.be/fHCfB_e82fU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/03/07/183.-Indirect-Speech.html

182. Lessons From 'The Mythical Man-Month'

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0800

You wouldn’t expect a 45-year-old book on programming to be relevant today, but Fred Brooks’s “The Mythical Man-Month” contains many lessons about project management & design that should resonate with modern coders, problem-solvers, & creators.

Video: http://youtu.be/HuJfEHnjZyY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/02/20/182.-Lessons-From-'The-Mythical-Man-Month'.html

181. Issues of Utilitarian Ethics

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0800

Many shower praise on utilitarianism as The Objectively Correct Ethical System, but is it possible they’re putting the cart before the horse? Do its uncomfortable edge cases give us cause for caution?

Video: http://youtu.be/QA2JwEhJss8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/02/05/181.-Issues-of-Utilitarian-Ethics.html

180. On Chalk and Cognition

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0800

Scribbling on chalkboards is antiquated, pass…and perhaps the most powerful technology we’ve developed to date to discover abstract truths.

Video: http://youtu.be/nLXhqT3PCds

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/01/23/180.-On-Chalk-and-Cognition.html

179. Rationality Without Justification

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0800

Come join the Discord server! https://discord.gg/FaHAjXn

Video: http://youtu.be/4Uz1trCLfww

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2020/01/08/179.-Rationality-Without-Justification.html

178. Multiplication Menagerie

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0800

You probably learned how to do long multiplication by hand in school. Computers used the same algorithm to multiply large numbers together, until computer scientists discovered much, much faster methods, including one published this year that’s “perfect!”

Video: http://youtu.be/UK9XUAfRhCc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/11/20/178.-Multiplication-Menagerie.html

177. A Philosophy on Philosophy

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0800

How is philosophy like fashion? …that’s not a setup for a pun, I promise.

Video: http://youtu.be/kJWmmvLInzo

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/11/06/177.-A-Philosophy-on-Philosophy.html

176. The Lead-Crime Hypothesis

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Violent crime quadrupled in the US between 1970 & 1990, then fell the same amount. What could have caused such a dramatic trend? Economics? Culture? …Lead?

Video: http://youtu.be/lt2yD8RTbrI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/09/25/176.-The-Lead-Crime-Hypothesis.html

175. The Aesthetic of Programming

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Experienced coders can sometimes tell bad code on sight, not from any aspect of its inherent functionality, but from largely aesthetic characteristics. Turns out those principles have some use in other fields.

Video: http://youtu.be/HH8HvHj5eFQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/09/11/175.-The-Aesthetic-of-Programming.html

174. On the Origins of Bookishness

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Although they’re pretty, books are just a kind of product, same as any in your home. So why do nerds like me just lose their minds if someone deigns to mar a text or tome?

Video: http://youtu.be/15iNsNI_PbA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/08/21/174.-On-the-Origins-of-Bookishness.html

173. Against the Three T's

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em, tell ‘em, then UGGGHHHhhhgghh

Video: http://youtu.be/1iHuXZO8fgg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/08/07/173.-Against-the-Three-T's.html

172. 'Engineer's Syndrome' and Learning Techniques

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Engineers (like me) have a nasty reputation for positing laughably over-simplistic solutions to complex problems in other fields. Perhaps studying those fields closely might help.

Video: http://youtu.be/k2PyYJVi4TI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/07/24/172.-'Engineer's-Syndrome'-and-Learning-Techniques.html

171. Echoes of Analytic and Continental Philosophy

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0700

The Enlightenment is often held up as a revolution to which all those who value the power of the human mind should pledge allegiance. But there’s a question many smart people fight over without realizing it: which Enlightenment?

Video: http://youtu.be/m3D50jUFZIY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/07/10/171.-Echoes-of-Analytic-and-Continental-Philosophy.html

170. Moral Foundations Theory

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) has attracted a lot of attention for its very intuitive explanation of where our gut reactions about morality come from, but grand claims about its implications might warrant a healthy dose of skepticism.

Video: http://youtu.be/4FJFZdUQIUs

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/06/12/170.-Moral-Foundations-Theory.html

169. Aesthetic Obligation

Wed, 29 May 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Is there such a thing as aesthetic obligation? Do we have duties that are explicitly aesthetic in character, or are they really just moral obligations? With great beauty comes great responsibility!

Video: http://youtu.be/G5_8BxYDxVU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/05/29/169.-Aesthetic-Obligation.html

168. Camp - So Bad, It's Good

Wed, 08 May 2019 00:00:00 -0700

How is it even possible to appreciate art that’s “so bad, it’s good?” What is it that makes hideously awful movies like “The Room” & “Plan 9 from Outer Space” enjoyable? Susan Sontag has a one-word answer: STYLE.

Video: http://youtu.be/JuaclFbpofE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/05/08/168.-Camp-So-Bad,-It's-Good.html

167. False Vacuum

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0700

What does the Heisenberg uncertainty principle have to do with a quantum apocalypse that could unmake the universe at any moment?

Video: http://youtu.be/QDxiQF3CWKk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/04/25/167.-False-Vacuum.html

166. How to Ask Good Questions

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Asking good questions is just as important as finding answers, but we never really learn how to go about doing so. What is it that makes a question “good,” exactly?

Video: http://youtu.be/wnYi1drc_M8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/04/11/166.-How-to-Ask-Good-Questions.html

165. Local Maxima

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Not every peak of a function is its highest value, but without being able to see the whole thing at once, it’s hard to know. This has some interesting implications for…well, all sorts of things!

Video: http://youtu.be/aAs59uFbrZ4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/03/27/165.-Local-Maxima.html

164. Survey Results

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0800

Survey Link - https://goo.gl/forms/RZQSnxPWjh83fZ4J2

Video: http://youtu.be/SsKONP7W2Z0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/03/06/164.-Survey-Results.html

163. Hacking vs. Design

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0800

Creators are familiar with two different types of problem-solving: there’s the careful, deliberate kind…and there’s hacks.

Video: http://youtu.be/dxdcshbE7AU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/02/13/163.-Hacking-vs.-Design.html

162. Minimalism

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 00:00:00 -0800

Minimalism is a philosophy that many find appealing, but what connection does it have to wealth?

Video: http://youtu.be/TG7KyTgH1XA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/01/30/162.-Minimalism.html

161. '13 Reasons Why' and Compatibilism

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 00:00:00 -0800

“13 Reasons Why” attributes suicide to a number of causes, but omits a crucial aspect of the story: free will.

Video: http://youtu.be/ngQ7Dh9-NFM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/01/16/161.-'13-Reasons-Why'-and-Compatibilism.html

160. Theories of Truth, Part 2

Wed, 02 Jan 2019 00:00:00 -0800

We default to correspondence theory to explain how truth works…could that be a relic of Enlightenment values?

Video: http://youtu.be/6ftWQzbxsSY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2019/01/02/160.-Theories-of-Truth,-Part-2.html

159. Theories of Truth, Part 1

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0800

Philosophers aren’t just preoccupied with fundamental truths - they think a fair amount about what truth is.

Video: http://youtu.be/lgDAQw3XJzE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/12/19/159.-Theories-of-Truth,-Part-1.html

158. On the Virtues of Wiggle Room

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0800

Allowing for little bit of “wiggle room” might seem frivolous, but it can have massive implications.

Video: http://youtu.be/2qievobZhCc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/11/28/158.-On-the-Virtues-of-Wiggle-Room.html

157. Issues With Infinity

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0800

Scientists are used to seeing infinity in their equations, but refuse to accept it as an answer to them - why?

Video: http://youtu.be/DmZ3HrZO-gQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/11/21/157.-Issues-With-Infinity.html

156. Less Wrong, Rationality, and Logicbros

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0700

I focus a lot on improving my critical thinking skills & knowledge of bias, but I may just be honing deadly weapons to be wielded by the mad specter that sometimes possesses me.

Video: http://youtu.be/Gtg9tQ4mqLc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/11/01/156.-Less-Wrong,-Rationality,-and-Logicbros.html

155. Combinatorial Explosion and Flu Shots

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Influenza isn’t complex, but it uses the insane growth rate of f(x) = x! , one of the fastest-growing functions out there. The greatest benefit of the #flushot isn’t keeping you healthy, it’s retarding that combinatorial explosion enough to save lives. Get one.

Video: http://youtu.be/s5CLpkTdiLM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/10/17/155.-Combinatorial-Explosion-and-Flu-Shots.html

154. The Ethics of Placebo-Controlled Trials

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0700

“Good” medical trials are placebo-controlled, but when might it be immoral to even perform such an experiment?

Video: http://youtu.be/cpVxiGxs_yE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/10/03/154.-The-Ethics-of-Placebo-Controlled-Trials.html

153. 'The Culture' and Hedonism

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Iain M. Banks’s “Culture” is a techno-utopia of hedonism, a concept much more philosophically complex than sex, drugs, and rock n roll.

Video: http://youtu.be/LD7wdKeMhus

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/09/19/153.-'The-Culture'-and-Hedonism.html

152. Prediction Markets and Superforecasting

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Prediction markets: put your money where your mouth is. (Just don’t bet against the superforecasters.)

Video: http://youtu.be/FVW0rqxX0CE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/09/05/152.-Prediction-Markets-and-Superforecasting.html

151. Systems, Law, Rules and Standards

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Systems (e.g. checklists, plans, and laws) imbue us with positively superhuman capabilities, both for good and ill.

Video: http://youtu.be/Q_wxmZzXGAc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/08/22/151.-Systems,-Law,-Rules-and-Standards.html

150. Mutual and Common Knowledge

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Mutual and common knowledge: because simulating someone else simulating you is confusing…perhaps usefully so….

Video: http://youtu.be/27GIGEygzyo

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/08/08/150.-Mutual-and-Common-Knowledge.html

149. Solution Space and Tiling Trees

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Challenge: Examine enough potential answers to a problem to be confident in one of them. Solution: Tiling trees!

Video: http://youtu.be/SydzpgrKYn4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/07/25/149.-Solution-Space-and-Tiling-Trees.html

148. Aristotle's Infinite Regress and Intuition

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Aristotle found a problem at the foundations of epistemology: an infinite regress of justification.

Video: http://youtu.be/FEwbKkYMCuA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/07/13/148.-Aristotle's-Infinite-Regress-and-Intuition.html

147. Grice's Maxims of Conversation

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0700

How exactly does implication work? Philosopher Paul Grice might have had a couple decent ideas.

Video: http://youtu.be/eGzV8pHO9Vg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/06/27/147.-Grice's-Maxims-of-Conversation.html

146. Mental Illness and Creativity

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Everyone knows you have to be a little bit crazy to be a great artist, right? …right?

Video: http://youtu.be/jq0bf16kiJM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/06/14/146.-Mental-Illness-and-Creativity.html

145. Tit for Tat and Zero Determinant Strategies

Thu, 31 May 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Tit for Tat: the king of Prisoner’s Dilemma strategies. Its simplicity masks its depth…but it can be beaten!

Video: http://youtu.be/HiRb_IJE2zg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/05/31/145.-Tit-for-Tat-and-Zero-Determinant-Strategies.html

144. Thinking Like a Bayesian

Wed, 23 May 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Prediction is a lot like playing poker…so why do we treat it like it was a coin toss? Enter the Bayesians!

Video: http://youtu.be/zXFnwYUPjGA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/05/23/144.-Thinking-Like-a-Bayesian.html

143. Newcomb's Problem - Evidential and Causal Decision Theory

Wed, 09 May 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Newcomb’s Problem: it’s like “Is a hotdog a sandwich?,” but WAY nerdier, with deep implications for rationality.

Video: http://youtu.be/SQw2WmicDYA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/05/09/143.-Newcomb's-Problem-Evidential-and-Causal-Decision-Theory.html

142. 'Rogue AI's' of the Present Day

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Many people are worried about rogue AI’s of the future, but what about the ones that already exist?

Video: http://youtu.be/mI1wIDgxuRg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/04/25/142.-'Rogue-AI's'-of-the-Present-Day.html

141. Von Neumann Probes

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0700

A self-replicating 3D printer might be on the horizon, & with it, the exciting potential of Von Neumann probes!

Video: http://youtu.be/aAPmm0EDhtU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/04/11/141.-Von-Neumann-Probes.html

140. The End of History Illusion and Introspection

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0700

You’ve changed a lot, but you’ve got yourself more or less figured out now, right? You and everyone else.

Video: http://youtu.be/eCeD7VDJCYY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/03/30/140.-The-End-of-History-Illusion-and-Introspection.html

139. Good Faith

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Rhetorical jousting has its place, but so does good faith argumentation.

Video: http://youtu.be/WrzCpqgQ5uE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/03/16/139.-Good-Faith.html

138. Misinformation

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0800

Whats the harm in a little white lie? Well, if you tell enough of them, you may be able to steer an electorate.

Video: http://youtu.be/Z9pyJN6iQG0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/02/27/138.-Misinformation.html

137. Embodied Cognition

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0800

Is a brain all you need to have a functional mind? Is the body just peripheral to cognition? Many researchers think so, but advocates of embodied cognition have different ideas.

Video: http://youtu.be/NDw_1UyNTKI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/02/10/137.-Embodied-Cognition.html

136. Engineering Wisdom - Tolerance and Failing Gracefully

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0800

Engineering is a highly technical field, but it makes use of exceedingly useful and straightforward ideas.

Video: http://youtu.be/9AYuXNz_0Fc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/01/24/136.-Engineering-Wisdom-Tolerance-and-Failing-Gracefully.html

135. Aumann's Agreement Theorem and Arguing to Learn

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0800

Aumanns Agreement Theorem suggests that rational folk shouldnt be able to continuously disagree…so why do we?

Video: http://youtu.be/hR5Bp7oCidI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2018/01/10/135.-Aumann's-Agreement-Theorem-and-Arguing-to-Learn.html

134. The Problem of Universals

Sat, 30 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0800

Is a hot dog a sandwich? Let’s examine one of the hardest problems in metaphysics to find out. Because THUNK.

Video: http://youtu.be/WE4mXY42OBM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/12/30/134.-The-Problem-of-Universals.html

133. Game Theory and Power Structures

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0800

Power structures: Hobbes thought we’d murder each other w/o ‘em, but there’s a great game-theoretic reason, too!

Video: http://youtu.be/HlA0xzm4XaM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/12/14/133.-Game-Theory-and-Power-Structures.html

132. On Understanding Others

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0800

I will never understand why people X. Oh really? Lets turn that dial up to 11 and see what happens.

Video: http://youtu.be/wxO2FVh18a8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/11/30/132.-On-Understanding-Others.html

131. Puzzles of Epistemology

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0800

Gettier problems, radical skepticism, the closure principle - knowledge is one hell of a rabbit hole. Let’s take a look at some fun epistemology!

Video: http://youtu.be/mxxOanHdpGk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/11/15/131.-Puzzles-of-Epistemology.html

130. Bayesian Epistemology and Predictive Processing

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Bayesian statistics - what are they? Do I want them? What do they have to do with epistemology, rationality, and prediction? Is it possible theyre happening inside me RIGHT NOW?

Video: http://youtu.be/pLcIT3kjsW0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/11/01/130.-Bayesian-Epistemology-and-Predictive-Processing.html

129. Immortality

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Coping with the knowledge of our own mortality is often tricky – what if we just tried a different angle? #YOLO

Video: http://youtu.be/KqhJnbI7DnE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/10/18/129.-Immortality.html

128. Boredom

Wed, 04 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Boredom isn’t just murderously frustrating, it’s a psychological trait with surprisingly far-reaching effects.

Video: http://youtu.be/AIuME_wu_Gk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/10/04/128.-Boredom.html

127. Overfitting and Reference Class Forecasting

Wed, 20 Sep 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Predicting the future is hard. Weirdly enough, you can sometimes do better with less information!

Video: http://youtu.be/jsYf7vz6fMI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/09/20/127.-Overfitting-and-Reference-Class-Forecasting.html

126. Debiasing - How to Change Your Mind

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Critical thinking is well and good, but it only really helps if you’re willing & able to change your mind!

Video: http://youtu.be/dfLWnbEI59w

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/09/06/126.-Debiasing-How-to-Change-Your-Mind.html

125. What Is Consciousness

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 00:00:00 -0700

There’s much ado about “consciousness,” but what even is it? What’s the big deal? How hard could it be? @_@ (At least as hard as FOCUSING THE CAMERA GAH)

Video: http://youtu.be/2ZN3BiRV_Xc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/08/23/125.-What-Is-Consciousness.html

124. Play Theory

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 00:00:00 -0700

All work & no play make Jack not only dull, but also evolutionarily disadvantaged…

Video: http://youtu.be/NQ0j-gOLNUk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/08/09/124.-Play-Theory.html

123. Personal Identity and the Transporter Paradox

Wed, 26 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0700

What makes me “me?” How can I still be me, even though I change over time? Is Starfleet taking applications yet?

Video: http://youtu.be/Bbp_e9UT2mk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/07/26/123.-Personal-Identity-and-the-Transporter-Paradox.html

122. The Stochastic Model of Scientific Discovery

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Is discovery the work of genius, or an inevitable social process? The data suggest neither; maybe its chance!

Video: http://youtu.be/yuezK1FpuR8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/07/13/122.-The-Stochastic-Model-of-Scientific-Discovery.html

121. Teleological Bias

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Teleology: explaining things via their intended purpose. Turns out we’ve a tendency to use it everywhere.

Video: http://youtu.be/A1fKXub-SiI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/06/28/121.-Teleological-Bias.html

120. Business Networking

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Networking is an essential part of career advancement in business today, but should it be?

Video: http://youtu.be/qHU-kucCxMk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/06/14/120.-Business-Networking.html

119. The Limits of Order and Harmony

Wed, 31 May 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Un/satisfying gif albums are scratching a very human itch. Where does it come from, and does it mean anything?

Video: http://youtu.be/hSjp46Pmcdc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/05/31/119.-The-Limits-of-Order-and-Harmony.html

118. The Antikythera Mechanism

Wed, 17 May 2017 00:00:00 -0700

The Antikythera Mechanism: ancient mechanical astrological calendar, & reminder of the fragility of knowledge.

Video: http://youtu.be/zM3BDiKQdc4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/05/17/118.-The-Antikythera-Mechanism.html

117. SETI and Dyson Spheres

Wed, 03 May 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Why are so many smart people interested in finding alien intelligence…and where should we look for them?

Video: http://youtu.be/lzRXKrxavm8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/05/03/117.-SETI-and-Dyson-Spheres.html

116. The War on Science

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 00:00:00 -0700

The so-called “War on Science” isn’t about hostility, it’s a simple case of forgetting how science is different.

Video: http://youtu.be/UfXxhu5CbPk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/04/20/116.-The-War-on-Science.html

115. The Motte and Bailey Fallacy

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 00:00:00 -0700

HI THERE, QUILLETTE READERS! Holly seems to have used my video (without my permission) to explain the Motte-and-Bailey fallacy, in an article defending some half-baked TERF ideology. I invite you to think critically about why it’s so important for TERFs that the legal protections afforded to women are never extended to trans women, why TERFs (at best) insist on separate-but-equal treatment, and why it’s so important for them to deny a tiny minority of people the right to live as they choose.

Video: http://youtu.be/hu2mT1KIOHM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/04/05/115.-The-Motte-and-Bailey-Fallacy.html

114. Shades of Skepticism

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 00:00:00 -0700

Skepticism is an essential tool for rational thought, but knowing when & how to use it is hard…I think???

Video: http://youtu.be/N5fQo2k6CFs

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/03/22/114.-Shades-of-Skepticism.html

113. Memetics and Punching Nazis

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 00:00:00 -0800

In the constant struggle between memes, the punching of Nazis barely scratches the surface of the conflict.

Video: http://youtu.be/whX5P7V-H78

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/03/08/113.-Memetics-and-Punching-Nazis.html

112. Quantum Entanglement and the Cosmic Bell Test

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0800

Quantum physics is weird as hell, but this entanglement experiment using stars is simply beautiful.

Video: http://youtu.be/OGPJKJWY-7o

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/02/22/112.-Quantum-Entanglement-and-the-Cosmic-Bell-Test.html

111. Populism

Wed, 08 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0800

Donald Trump’s election is another victory for a worldwide trend of populism…what is it & why is it happening?

Video: http://youtu.be/F0imwBfI3DI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/02/08/111.-Populism.html

110. Physicalism and Decoding Minds

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0800

Even if the mind is totally entailed by the physics of the brain, we’ve got a long way to go to understand it.

Video: http://youtu.be/IasBfYOnxcY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/01/26/110.-Physicalism-and-Decoding-Minds.html

109. Psychology, Transparency, and Journalism

Wed, 11 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0800

Some say that transparency is the ideological future of journalism, but our brains might not be up to the task.

Video: http://youtu.be/Sa_wktKBdNQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2017/01/11/109.-Psychology,-Transparency,-and-Journalism.html

108. Statistical vs. Clinical Significance

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Scientists excel at finding patterns, but statistical significance isn’t always enough to create policy.

Video: http://youtu.be/MEr-gEWXJxM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/12/28/108.-Statistical-vs.-Clinical-Significance.html

107. Graham's Number and Number Sense

Wed, 14 Dec 2016 00:00:00 -0800

NOTE: My description of parsing up-arrow notation is incorrect; please see my correction here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN-MpWNsXw0

Video: http://youtu.be/qqudsTimGzI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/12/14/107.-Graham's-Number-and-Number-Sense.html

106. The Toulmin Method of Argumentation

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Think you may get into some arguments during the holidays? Steven Toulmin & Reddit can help.

Video: http://youtu.be/1vArfwlX04I

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/11/30/106.-The-Toulmin-Method-of-Argumentation.html

105. Why Elections Suck

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0800

The most recent presidential election has spawned mass protests, & not just because many are dissatisfied with the results - the process itself is being called into question.

Video: http://youtu.be/41seuPIA9yI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/11/16/105.-Why-Elections-Suck.html

104. Ethics Overview and Moral Voting

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Some believe that voting a certain way this election is right/wrong. Let’s look at some ethics and see why.

Video: http://youtu.be/VcFyef0eUXM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/11/02/104.-Ethics-Overview-and-Moral-Voting.html

103. Dimensional Analysis

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Dimensional analysis is awesome, but human brains are depressingly easy to distract with number-crunching.

Video: http://youtu.be/Z9lBig8Hs2U

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/10/19/103.-Dimensional-Analysis.html

102. On Rand-Bashing (Please Read Video Description)

Wed, 05 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0700

NOTE: The purpose of this video is to explain why Rand’s ideas are mocked & rarely taken seriously, NOT why they are wrong. If you are looking for a systematic analysis of her work, please examine the SEP link below.

Video: http://youtu.be/UN7_eCxsuUU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/10/05/102.-On-Rand-Bashing-(Please-Read-Video-Description).html

101. 'The Martian' and Problem-Solving

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Problem-solving? Well I’m no Mark Watney, but if you’re looking for answers, I do have a few tricks. #potato

Video: http://youtu.be/oskXOEqkPeo

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/09/21/101.-'The-Martian'-and-Problem-Solving.html

100. Q and A

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0700

THUNK viewers have questions, I have answers…or at least some pretty terrible puns.

Video: http://youtu.be/Vh_8jJNSucI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/09/07/100.-Q-and-A.html

99. Braitenberg's 'Vehicles' and the Chinese Room

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Braitenbergs Vehicles, Searles Chinese room, and Coles Virtual Minds” - some thoughts on thinking machines.

Video: http://youtu.be/m7K7LZbSXwE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/08/24/99.-Braitenberg's-'Vehicles'-and-the-Chinese-Room.html

98. Mixed Reality and 'Game' Design

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Maybe VR isn’t a specific thing, but part of a continuum of physical/virtual experience called “mixed reality.” Regardless of how you think about it, the virtual already plays a significant role in your life, and game designers (as terrible a name as that is) are the ones building your future.

Video: http://youtu.be/HkiGKdOHPTE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/08/10/98.-Mixed-Reality-and-'Game'-Design.html

97. Autonomous Vehicle Ethics

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 00:00:00 -0700

There’s a lot of talk about the ethics of autonomous vehicles…but maybe it’s not as big a deal as people are making it.

Video: http://youtu.be/qyGZ35OF4to

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/07/27/97.-Autonomous-Vehicle-Ethics.html

96. The Replication Crisis and Belief Perseverance

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 00:00:00 -0700

The sciences are dealing with a crisis of replication…and that’s a good thing. How might we learn from them?

Video: http://youtu.be/DeGMHK300I8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/07/13/96.-The-Replication-Crisis-and-Belief-Perseverance.html

95. Duverger's Law and Ingroup Bias

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0700

This election is divisive, both in and between parties. Unfortunately, our brains don’t work too well in groups.

Video: http://youtu.be/K1v8zK39MIY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/06/29/95.-Duverger's-Law-and-Ingroup-Bias.html

94. Parsimonygate and Occam's Razor

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Occam’s Razor is an important philosophical tool, and it played a central role in the #parsimonygate kerfuffle on Twitter. Learn exactly how it works!

Video: http://youtu.be/2TszS9CyK_8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/06/15/94.-Parsimonygate-and-Occam's-Razor.html

93. Math - Discovered or Invented

Wed, 01 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Is mathematics discovered or invented? Is it the language which encodes the cosmos, or an imaginary human tool? Does mathematics, in its pure abstraction, tap the inherent nature of the universe…or is it just our imagination? In the longest THUNK video yet, we dive into the metaphysics of mathematics, & the seemingly unanswerable questions therein.

Video: http://youtu.be/Jwrf59L-xsM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/06/01/93.-Math-Discovered-or-Invented.html

92. Fermat's Last Theorem

Wed, 18 May 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Fermat’s Last Theorem: a fairy tale of dramatic mathematics.

Video: http://youtu.be/q1wjWlJ53nc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/05/18/92.-Fermat's-Last-Theorem.html

91. Spanking and Anecdotal Evidence

Wed, 04 May 2016 00:00:00 -0700

A recent study shows spanking probably isn’t a good idea, but almost everyone has a story that says otherwise. Learn where anecdotal evidence is useful, and (perhaps more importantly), where it isn’t.

Video: http://youtu.be/-hlGKudCCnc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/05/04/91.-Spanking-and-Anecdotal-Evidence.html

90. Science vs. Philosophy - An Ancient (Non-)Debate

Wed, 20 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Many scientists call philosophy pointless pondering. They may not know they’re reading a very old script. Learn about the empiric & rationalist schools of medicine from ancient Greece, & how their ideologies play into thought in the modern world.

Video: http://youtu.be/8CGQrt_5n60

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/04/20/90.-Science-vs.-Philosophy-An-Ancient-(Non-)Debate.html

89. The Just World Fallacy

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0700

The Just World Fallacy: your brain’s irrational attempt to make sense of a world where Firefly got cancelled.

Video: http://youtu.be/-f2eU8t9IOE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/04/06/89.-The-Just-World-Fallacy.html

88. Hume's Guillotine and Rational Morality

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0700

Hume saw problems using facts to justify morals. Learn about Hume’s Guillotine and where reason fits in morality!

Video: http://youtu.be/UwkSA8nqmdI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/03/23/88.-Hume's-Guillotine-and-Rational-Morality.html

87. Encryption and Quantum Computing

Wed, 09 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0800

The FBI is asking Apple to help them crack an iPhone’s encryption, but that’s not the whole story. Learn how encryption and code signing work, and how quantum computers might pose a threat to both!

Video: http://youtu.be/crT3CI8Eg5s

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/03/09/87.-Encryption-and-Quantum-Computing.html

86. Cognitive Biases and the Socratic Method

Wed, 24 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Human thought has hundreds of hard-wired bugs. The Socratic Method gives us a fighting chance to overcome them.

Video: http://youtu.be/ZO-CGN78gdY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/02/24/86.-Cognitive-Biases-and-the-Socratic-Method.html

85. Evolution and the Purple Sock

Wed, 10 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0800

A newly-discovered creature called “the purple sock” reveals and confirms some of the inner workings of evolution!

Video: http://youtu.be/eNBxHlHBpag

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/02/10/85.-Evolution-and-the-Purple-Sock.html

84. Why Prejudice is Impractical

Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Most agree that prejudice is wrong, but it’s not just an ethical problem; it’s a practical one, for everyone.

Video: http://youtu.be/UO8hgsNXAPw

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/01/27/84.-Why-Prejudice-is-Impractical.html

83. CRISPR and Genetic Engineering

Wed, 13 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0800

CRISPR is making big waves in biology, and for good reason; the doors to genetic engineering are now wide open.

Video: http://youtu.be/r_yqbrETO4U

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2016/01/13/83.-CRISPR-and-Genetic-Engineering.html

82. Special Relativity

Wed, 30 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0800

Many people think special relativity is just for astrophysics majors, but its basic assumptions are pretty easy!

Video: http://youtu.be/p8ddpqm_S3s

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/12/30/82.-Special-Relativity.html

81. Optimism Bias, Anticipation, and STAR WARS (Now with fixed audio!)

Thu, 17 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0800

Cynics assume everything sucks until proven otherwise…should we use that approach for the new Star Wars movie?

Video: http://youtu.be/2X8LB3bTaVc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/12/17/81.-Optimism-Bias,-Anticipation,-and-STAR-WARS-(Now-with-fixed-audio!).html

80. Political Correctness

Wed, 02 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0800

Why do anti-PC advocates claim that political correctness is pointless? Why do PC advocates argue among themselves?

Video: http://youtu.be/ZxcdNvxCdbw

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/12/02/80.-Political-Correctness.html

79. Science, Pseudoscience, and the Demarcation Problem

Wed, 18 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0800

Science rules, and pseudoscience drools…but which is which? Learn about Kuhn, Popper, and the demarcation problem!

Video: http://youtu.be/8dmOmprI0v4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/11/18/79.-Science,-Pseudoscience,-and-the-Demarcation-Problem.html

78. Steampunk, Babbage, and Lovelace

Wed, 04 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0800

Steampunk is cool, but what’s cooler is how it almost happened! Learn about Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace!

Video: http://youtu.be/g17dqIoK-0I

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/11/04/78.-Steampunk,-Babbage,-and-Lovelace.html

77. Why Go to Space

Wed, 21 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0700

NASA fans are often asked to justify spending on space. Learn about the Overview Effect, & other good reasons.

Video: http://youtu.be/f_jwKDJaoHw

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/10/21/77.-Why-Go-to-Space.html

76. The Copernican Principle

Wed, 07 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0700

The Copernican Principle uses the idea that we aren’t the center of the cosmos as a guideline for…everything! Learn an interesting method for estimating the remaining lifespan of just about anything!

Video: http://youtu.be/na5wD0cWsVg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/10/07/76.-The-Copernican-Principle.html

75. The Problem of Evil

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0700

The Problem of Evil is the single most persistent issue in theology. Learn 2 of its formulations, & 1 response.

Video: http://youtu.be/sNHQuCNmlbY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/09/23/75.-The-Problem-of-Evil.html

74. What Reason is For (Critical Thinking,

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0700

Is logic cold & impersonal? Are rational answers boring ones? Take a detour thru the Renaissance & find out.

Video: http://youtu.be/1-ozUrg7HnU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/09/10/74.-What-Reason-is-For-(Critical-Thinking,.html

73. Rigor (Critical Thinking, Part 2)

Wed, 26 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0700

We rarely give the “critical” part of “critical thinking” its due. Rigor in thought is hard, but so important.

Video: http://youtu.be/l3uDwNUVieQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/08/26/73.-Rigor-(Critical-Thinking,-Part-2).html

72. Logic (Critical Thinking, Part 1)

Wed, 12 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0700

“Logic” isn’t just being reasonable; it’s a formal system of finding truth, like math. Why did nobody tell me?!

Video: http://youtu.be/_P5AkmnMf4E

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/08/12/72.-Logic-(Critical-Thinking,-Part-1).html

71. Memory Palaces

Wed, 29 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0700

“Sherlock” features a real mnemonic technique called a memory palace. But you don’t need to be Holmes to use it!

Video: http://youtu.be/f5zYrN7wt4Y

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/07/29/71.-Memory-Palaces.html

70. Hume's Fork, Logical Positivism, and Quine

Wed, 15 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0700

Logical positivism ran with Hume’s analytic/synthetic distinction…turns out running with forks is a bad idea.

Video: http://youtu.be/3EebMeEo91c

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/07/15/70.-Hume's-Fork,-Logical-Positivism,-and-Quine.html

68. Star Wars, Canonicity, and John Dewey

Wed, 17 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0700

The Star Wars Expanded Universe recently lost its canonicity; what does that really mean? Does John Dewey know?

Video: http://youtu.be/J3TR6qmFV-c

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/06/17/68.-Star-Wars,-Canonicity,-and-John-Dewey.html

67. Good Guys, Bad Guys, and Fallacies

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0700

What do gun control and police brutality have in common? Some arguments for both contain the same logical fallacy.

Video: http://youtu.be/uHXc6RJO9cc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/06/03/67.-Good-Guys,-Bad-Guys,-and-Fallacies.html

66. Lockpicking and Security

Wed, 20 May 2015 00:00:00 -0700

Many believe locks = safety. Learn how they work, how they’re picked, and why security is more about deterrence.

Video: http://youtu.be/k72dPdmlC9s

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/05/20/66.-Lockpicking-and-Security.html

65. The Real Dangers of AI

Wed, 06 May 2015 00:00:00 -0700

There are many absurd fictional AI-gone-haywire stories, but the real potential of general AI is unsettling.

Video: http://youtu.be/3X-9sCYEO3s

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/05/06/65.-The-Real-Dangers-of-AI.html

64. The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason

Wed, 22 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0700

If humans evolved reason to find truth, it’s weirdly flawed. But what if it evolved for the purpose of argument?

Video: http://youtu.be/Cduyyif7BVY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/04/22/64.-The-Argumentative-Theory-of-Human-Reason.html

63. Metaethics - Moral Realism and Antirealism

Wed, 08 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0700

Metaethics investigates where morals supposedly come from and how they might (or might not!) be real. Fascinating!

Video: http://youtu.be/krOBdYnWKNk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/04/08/63.-Metaethics-Moral-Realism-and-Antirealism.html

62. Lo-Fi Sci-Fi and the Future

Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0700

Sci-fi really defines our future, but when sci-fi writers eschew big questions, we still need to ask them!

Video: http://youtu.be/BaRWyRFLj10

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/03/25/62.-Lo-Fi-Sci-Fi-and-the-Future.html

61. On Nonconformity

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0700

Unity is strength, but sometimes it leads to mobs or worse. Learn how to fight your brain’s urge to conform!

Video: http://youtu.be/zX5wN_rNRZU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/03/11/61.-On-Nonconformity.html

60. Blind Empiricism - When Thinking Sucks

Wed, 25 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0800

Reason is a fantastic tool & great fun…but sometimes, it can get in the way of simple (statistical) methods.

Video: http://youtu.be/6Oba23HOzM8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/02/25/60.-Blind-Empiricism-When-Thinking-Sucks.html

59. Anti-Vax and Conspiracies

Wed, 11 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0800

The anti-vax movement persists despite scientific consensus - what makes it such a convincing conspiracy theory?

Video: http://youtu.be/atb4Kl73afI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/02/11/59.-Anti-Vax-and-Conspiracies.html

58. The Problem of Induction

Wed, 28 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0800

NOTE TO COMMENTERS: This video does not assert that, because the assumptions of science are arbitrary, a person is justified in choosing not to believe scientific theories, or that its predictions are somehow invalid. THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS VIDEO CLAIMS. This video claims that, DESPITE making assumptions which are arbitrary, SCIENCE IS STILL THE BEST METHOD TO DATE FOR ACCESSING TRUTH, BECAUSE IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE SUCCESSFUL AT MAKING ACCURATE PREDICTIONS THAN OTHERS.

Video: http://youtu.be/xu6kkLJ58Z0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/01/28/58.-The-Problem-of-Induction.html

57. Free Speech and Nuance

Wed, 14 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0800

When the context of someone’s speech is corrupted by extremism, it gets much harder to say anything detailed.

Video: http://youtu.be/XyeoWAOmuNE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2015/01/14/57.-Free-Speech-and-Nuance.html

56. Attention, Nerd Sniping, and Flow

Wed, 31 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0800

Doot de doo, browsing the web…oooo! A THUNK video! I wonder what it’s about???

Video: http://youtu.be/7l4iDtzaz3A

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/12/31/56.-Attention,-Nerd-Sniping,-and-Flow.html

55. 'Turn Down for What' and Buddhism

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0800

“Turn Down for What” is the party anthem of 2014, and a great backdrop for meditating on Buddhist philosophy.

Video: http://youtu.be/pkqz7il2U7w

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/12/17/55.-'Turn-Down-for-What'-and-Buddhism.html

54. Shark Attacks, Red Shirts, and Statistics

Wed, 03 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0800

What do shark attacks have to do with Star Trek: TOS and misleading news stories? Statisti-HEY COME BACK!

Video: http://youtu.be/9_tS7Qe5x4o

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/12/03/54.-Shark-Attacks,-Red-Shirts,-and-Statistics.html

53. Christmas Creep and Wars of Attrition

Wed, 19 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0800

It seems the Christmas season comes earlier every year…and there’s actually a decent reason why: game theory!

Video: http://youtu.be/AffNY9jEWTA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/11/19/53.-Christmas-Creep-and-Wars-of-Attrition.html

52. One Year Anniversary

Wed, 05 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0800

Happy anniversary to my THUNK viewers! Let’s talk about where we came from & where we’re going!

Video: http://youtu.be/TkgRfNutQu8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/11/05/52.-One-Year-Anniversary.html

51. What's in a Workweek

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0700

The eight-hour workday has been a standard for centuries. Have you ever wondered why?

Video: http://youtu.be/wuvgUevoleA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/10/29/51.-What's-in-a-Workweek.html

50. Settlers of Catan and Social Capital

Wed, 22 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0700

How do allied players in Settlers of Catan always come out ahead? I’ll trade two sheep for some social capital.

Video: http://youtu.be/pnHpdRPLZTw

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/10/22/50.-Settlers-of-Catan-and-Social-Capital.html

49. Theism, Atheism, and Culture

Wed, 15 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Some argue that faith or lack thereof indicates intelligence, but it’s really more indicative of culture.

Video: http://youtu.be/oQoMphCo6lk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/10/15/49.-Theism,-Atheism,-and-Culture.html

48. Is Trolling Anti-Geek

Wed, 08 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Is it possible that the act of trolling, by any definition, is fundamentally corrosive to geeks?

Video: http://youtu.be/d4Pn0CozboY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/10/08/48.-Is-Trolling-Anti-Geek.html

47. Economics is Hard

Wed, 01 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Economists readily admit their models can’t dictate the best economic system - I wonder how so many people can?

Video: http://youtu.be/BH354QmTOO8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/10/01/47.-Economics-is-Hard.html

46. Fiction Lag - Becoming a Character

Wed, 24 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Have you ever realized you’re acting a little like a fictional character? It’s not just you - “fiction lag” is normal & powerful!

Video: http://youtu.be/29jdsQnijE0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/09/24/46.-Fiction-Lag-Becoming-a-Character.html

45. You Should be Making

Wed, 17 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Everybody’s had an idea for something cool, but some think that it would be beyond them to make it real. Wrong.

Video: http://youtu.be/pPMXL14V-s0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/09/17/45.-You-Should-be-Making.html

44. Thinking Clearly and the Origins of Analytic Philosophy

Wed, 10 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0700

NOTE: I fumble a few definitions and facts in this video (perhaps appropriately) - please be sure to check out some of the links below for a better understanding than I can provide here!

Video: http://youtu.be/reSApZ0TK_s

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/09/10/44.-Thinking-Clearly-and-the-Origins-of-Analytic-Philosophy.html

43. You Don't Suck at Math

Wed, 03 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0700

You might believe that you suck at math…but it’s probably something (fun) you’ve never actually tried before.

Video: http://youtu.be/BNqVvH2jqzI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/09/03/43.-You-Don't-Suck-at-Math.html

42. The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything

Wed, 27 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0700

What does life, the universe, or anything mean? The most likely answer is both daunting and emboldening at once. (Be sure to check the description for related material!)

Video: http://youtu.be/aqjZqzM3rqg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/08/27/42.-The-Meaning-of-Life,-the-Universe,-and-Everything.html

41. Emotions and Rationality

Wed, 20 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0700

We frequently think of “emotional” as the opposite of “rational,” but research suggests that feelings might make us think more clearly.

Video: http://youtu.be/x8OJnVCbbzw

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/08/20/41.-Emotions-and-Rationality.html

40. Why Does Feminism Turn on Itself

Wed, 13 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0700

There’s a lot of vitriol for feminists…sometimes from other feminists. Why do cultural movements advocating acceptance and egalitarian principles breed so much infighting?

Video: http://youtu.be/xEiG5p8MM_g

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/08/13/40.-Why-Does-Feminism-Turn-on-Itself.html

39. When is Ignorance Better than Knowledge

Wed, 06 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Nerds like me have an itch to learn new things, but can scratching it be harmful? When is it better to not know?

Video: http://youtu.be/beRAhGGzrnU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/08/06/39.-When-is-Ignorance-Better-than-Knowledge.html

38. Superstition and Mindfulness

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Many things are supposed to be good or bad luck, but are we gaining or losing something by playing along?

Video: http://youtu.be/e_hqP_ARjIM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/07/30/38.-Superstition-and-Mindfulness.html

37. Fermi's Paradox and Avoiding Apocalypse

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Enrico Fermi thought we should have heard from aliens by now…did they all suffer some disastrous fate? If so, how might we avoid it?

Video: http://youtu.be/pcV4nrzs1SU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/07/23/37.-Fermi's-Paradox-and-Avoiding-Apocalypse.html

36. Morality and Choice in Video Games

Wed, 16 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Video games generally aren’t great at representing morality as complexly as other media, but there’s surprising depth to the medium itself.

Video: http://youtu.be/xmRkuBCPrfk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/07/16/36.-Morality-and-Choice-in-Video-Games.html

35. Health Care Rhetoric

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0700

The debate about health care is a complex & important one. Maybe we shouldn’t complicate it with nont-sequiturs & rhetoric.

Video: http://youtu.be/filvEYpLawY

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/07/09/35.-Health-Care-Rhetoric.html

34. Should Big Data Run the Country

Wed, 02 Jul 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Big data is finding weird correlations in everything, but how would you like it running something like government?

Video: http://youtu.be/MweJfor3Q6I

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/07/02/34.-Should-Big-Data-Run-the-Country.html

33. Does Philosophy Matter

Wed, 25 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0700

It’s a common sentiment that philosophy is for academics & people who don’t know how to party…maybe, maybe not.

Video: http://youtu.be/znlmOlu9mTk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/06/25/33.-Does-Philosophy-Matter.html

32. Assassin's Creed and Serendipity

Wed, 18 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0700

A dream of utopia might not sound so bad, but the chaos and disorder in the world might actually be a good thing.

Video: http://youtu.be/kNEMGylk5GA

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/06/18/32.-Assassin's-Creed-and-Serendipity.html

31. Pascal's Wager

Wed, 11 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Pascal was a brilliant guy who developed a proof of probability for the Christian faith…with a few problems. Learn why you shouldn’t jump to take Pascal’s Wager.

Video: http://youtu.be/H_ATC2y5PRI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/06/11/31.-Pascal's-Wager.html

30. War and Game Theory

Wed, 04 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0700

There’s a branch of mathematics that is intimately related to the interplay of diplomacy and warfare. Learn what game theory is and how it sways nations!

Video: http://youtu.be/1nFMqlL73po

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/06/04/30.-War-and-Game-Theory.html

29. In Defense of Imperial Units

Wed, 28 May 2014 00:00:00 -0700

The metric system is pretty cool, but Imperial units aren’t the devil!

Video: http://youtu.be/LaSdNOiwcSM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/05/28/29.-In-Defense-of-Imperial-Units.html

28. You are a Designer

Wed, 21 May 2014 00:00:00 -0700

“Design” isn’t just something that developers and architects do, it’s part of everything you make and everything you own. Learn how to make it work for you!

Video: http://youtu.be/hWucVcFdaiE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/05/21/28.-You-are-a-Designer.html

27. Gdel and the Black Hole of Mathematics

Wed, 14 May 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Kurt Gödel proved that math has an incurable flaw that will plague it, and us, forever. Learn what it is, and why it has to do with everything from your computer to your brain!

Video: http://youtu.be/CLda7zSmLa8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/05/14/27.-G%C3%B6del-and-the-Black-Hole-of-Mathematics.html

26. How Dollars Become Votes

Wed, 07 May 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Two recently-published political science papers make one thing clear: money in politics is killing democracy. Find out how wealth has become more important than votes for representatives, and why it shouldn’t be.

Video: http://youtu.be/W9OgWwnJwOk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/05/07/26.-How-Dollars-Become-Votes.html

25. Mailbag!

Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0700

It’s been half a year of amazing discussion & interesting topics. Here’s some of your comments, my favorites!

Video: http://youtu.be/C_7DQXIJS7g

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/04/30/25.-Mailbag!.html

24. What the Bleep We Do Know (about Quantum Physics)

Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0700

What the Bleep Do We Know? Quite a bit, actually. Including how observation alters particle interactions. Spoiler: electrons don’t actually get stage fright!

Video: http://youtu.be/cXDkGUCVxl4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/04/23/24.-What-the-Bleep-We-Do-Know-(about-Quantum-Physics).html

23. Concerts and Consent

Wed, 16 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0700

April is the start of concert season, as well as sexual assault awareness month. Find out how sex and physical intimacy should be like a good rock concert.

Video: http://youtu.be/hzgsGGDQx3w

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/04/16/23.-Concerts-and-Consent.html

22. Do You Have Free Will

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0700

The question of free will has been long-debated in philosophy, but do we have an adequate answer? Is it even a real question?

Video: http://youtu.be/xdfiRfvH10k

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/04/09/22.-Do-You-Have-Free-Will.html

21. Simplicity, Complexity, and Democracy

Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0700

It’s very easy to extrapolate large systems of thought from a few facts…and often dangerously wrong, especially for people who live in democracies. Find out why you should be wary of the Dunning-Kruger effect and its implications for how you think about complicated issues.

Video: http://youtu.be/IxFZPwdhxIg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/04/02/21.-Simplicity,-Complexity,-and-Democracy.html

20. The Matrix and Artificial Reality

Wed, 26 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Plot twist: the robots didn’t put us into the Matrix…we did. Find out why Cypher might have been right, and how video games might be our future.

Video: http://youtu.be/kAqZNbyJJ48

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/03/26/20.-The-Matrix-and-Artificial-Reality.html

19. Cosmic Inflation Theory

Wed, 19 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0700

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics just announced how the universe started. (It’s really blowing up.) Let me try to explain it to you.

Video: http://youtu.be/Vd2mPID1q7k

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/03/19/19.-Cosmic-Inflation-Theory.html

18. Skepticism and Empiricism

Wed, 12 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0700

Feynman’s first principle is: “you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” Thankfully, there’s some philosophy that can help us do precisely that. This week, I show how the human brain is primed to fool itself, how some interesting guys from ancient Greece combated that tendency, and why it matters.

Video: http://youtu.be/Y78EScMnTsk

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/03/12/18.-Skepticism-and-Empiricism.html

17. Ender's Game

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0800

Ender Wiggin might be a compelling protagonist, but he’s also problematic. This week, I investigate how Ender’s Game can make you dumb.

Video: http://youtu.be/oheEl_WW774

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/03/05/17.-Ender's-Game.html

16. Culture and Bias

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0800

It’s very easy to dismiss systemic cultural bias, because it’s almost invisible if you’re not aware of it. This week, however, I argue that it exists, that it’s pervasive, and that you can and should work to combat it.

Video: http://youtu.be/7ypRxx50Z9Q

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/02/26/16.-Culture-and-Bias.html

15. Speedrunning

Wed, 19 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0800

3, 2, 1, go. This week, I look at two groups who compete at insane levels of performance: Olympians and video game speedrunners.

Video: http://youtu.be/vzCtEUFmPXU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/02/19/15.-Speedrunning.html

14. Google Glass and Augmented Reality

Wed, 12 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0800

Okay, Glass, record and edit this week’s THUNK! . …nuts. This week, I show off my cool new toy from Google and discuss the potential future relationship between humans and machines.

Video: http://youtu.be/wu5Mbk9FSbw

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/02/12/14.-Google-Glass-and-Augmented-Reality.html

13. Time Travel

Wed, 05 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0800

When this video hits 88 miles per hour…you’re going to understand some serious science. This week, I talk about how time travel works in fiction, how it might work in reality, and how it probably doesn’t work.

Video: http://youtu.be/Uc3buSJd6HI

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/02/05/13.-Time-Travel.html

12. Language

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0800

Have you ever wanted to learn how to CONTROL THE MINDS OF OTHERS?!? In this short how-to video, I will show you that you’re already doing it, and you’re better than you think!

Video: http://youtu.be/wdEivAXZ28I

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/01/29/12.-Language.html

11. Geek Culture

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0800

So-called “geek culture” has exploded in the last decade or so. Comic book movies are making millions of dollars, nobody isn’t watching Doctor Who - the world is a very different place. This week, we look at where that change might have started, why some people aren’t happy about it, and what the future might hold.

Video: http://youtu.be/JQi5JSDlKGc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/01/22/11.-Geek-Culture.html

10. Social Darwinism (and Star Wars)

Thu, 16 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0800

What do robber barons in the 19th century have in common with Anakin Skywalker? More than you might think! This week, we take a look at one of the most reviled social/political philosophies through the lens of one of my most loved franchises, Star Wars.

Video: http://youtu.be/5TtZUmXmbVM

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/01/16/10.-Social-Darwinism-(and-Star-Wars).html

9. The Appeal to Nature Fallacy

Wed, 08 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0800

The “Appeal to Nature” fallacy is a pretty widespread and insidious bit of flawed logic. This week, I show you how it works & how to spot it.

Video: http://youtu.be/jwcCrqCiwsE

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/01/08/9.-The-Appeal-to-Nature-Fallacy.html

8. New Year's Resolutions and Daoism (Taoism)

Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0800

Pura vida! This week’s video comes to you from Costa Rica, where I give a run-down of the history of new year’s resolutions and the Chinese philosophy of Daoism.

Video: http://youtu.be/xFqHuFs22cw

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2014/01/01/8.-New-Year's-Resolutions-and-Daoism-(Taoism).html

7. Game Design and the Hedonic Treadmill

Mon, 23 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0800

This week, I give you an absolutely awesome last-minute gift idea, and talk a little about the future of the human race.

Video: http://youtu.be/F1vTp4XiVBc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2013/12/23/7.-Game-Design-and-the-Hedonic-Treadmill.html

6. Genetic Engineering

Wed, 18 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0800

This week, we spare no expense as we explore some of the genuine ethical concerns with genetic engineering!

Video: http://youtu.be/YNsm9vLERr0

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2013/12/18/6.-Genetic-Engineering.html

5. Patents and Open Source

Thu, 12 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0800

This week, it’s frickin’ cold in NY, but we’re looking at the history of intellectual property law (and its recent abuses in the tech industry), as well as open-source software!

Video: http://youtu.be/XCrhtG69AFc

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2013/12/12/5.-Patents-and-Open-Source.html

4. Privacy and Surveillance

Thu, 05 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0800

This week, we bust out the tinfoil hats to talk about the history of privacy as a human right, and why it’s important for more than just keeping your parents from knowing what kind of dirty pictures you look at.

Video: http://youtu.be/KXgujkdX_4g

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2013/12/05/4.-Privacy-and-Surveillance.html

3. Sci Fi and A.I.

Wed, 27 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

This week, we’re going to look at the history of science fiction, the introduction of computers into popular media, the possibility of creating a truly conscious artificial intelligence, and more hats! (Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!)

Video: http://youtu.be/-mtSfq7R4BU

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2013/11/27/3.-Sci-Fi-and-A.I.html

2. Cartesian Dualism and the Mind

Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

This week, we get into the “mind/body problem,” Descartes making everyone look bad with his giant brain, and what the mind actually is.

Video: http://youtu.be/TGDBBT6LI_4

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2013/11/21/2.-Cartesian-Dualism-and-the-Mind.html

1. Argumentation

Wed, 13 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

Don’t you hate internet arguments? This week, we cover how to reduce opinions to simple logical statements, how to effectively respond to those statements, and how to construct your own opinions so they’re bulletproof.

Video: http://youtu.be/FEvLwjYTelg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2013/11/13/1.-Argumentation.html

0. Metavideo

Wed, 06 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

In which I detail what THUNK is to be about, and why.

Video: http://youtu.be/jr6UBGiejVQ

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2013/11/06/0.-Metavideo.html