Aporia Podcast

Latest Episodes:

A polymath discusses professorship, parenthood, polygenic scores, and public discourse | Dr. Steve Hsu Feb 11, 2024

Show notes

Our guest today is Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation. Steve is an entrepreneur and has started successful ventures in embryo selection, forensic genetics and artificial intelligence. Steve Hsu- Steve is a polymath- you can see just how wide his interests are on his blog infoproc. Despite his mathematical chops Steve is great at having conversations- I recommend Aporia listeners check out his podcast Manifold.

During the 2020 racial reckoning, after some controversy, Steve stepped down as Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at Michigan State University. You can see his response to the allegations against him here and his resignation here.

Steve published the first paper showing that polygenic scores can predict phenotype with accuracy- see his paper on height here. Steve and his team also have shown that Genomic Prediction's aneuploidy testing improves pregnancy outcomes. We also talked about my article for Aporia on ethical objections to polygenic screening.

In China, Yousheng, loosely translated as "eugenics" doesn't have a bad connotation- as Steve points out here.

Steve is skeptical about the deleterious effects of polygenic screening or gene editing due to pleiotropy.

Simone Collins, former Aporia guest, was also interviewed on Manifold. She used Genomic Prediction's health index.

We talked about Bryan Caplan's books, The Case Against Education and "Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids"

Race and IQ: Should we discuss it publicly? | Bo Winegard and Noah Carl Feb 04, 2024

Show notes

Expanding upon last week's conversation about the race/IQ taboo, Bo Winegard and Noah Carl discuss the ethics of honesty about race differences in cognitive ability. They both agree that candor is better than silence or dishonesty. But they discuss alternative positions sympathetically before forwarding arguments against them.

The race and IQ taboo: myth or reality? | Bo Winegard and Noah Carl Jan 28, 2024

Show notes

Is there truly a veil of silence in academic circles when it comes to discussing race and IQ? Noah Carl and Bo Weingard unravel this question by dissecting the assertions of Jackson Jr. and Winston, who deny the existence of such a taboo. They argue controversies in intelligence research stem from poor scholarship rather than an aversion to the topic. Our spirited dialogue challenges their viewpoint, as we scrutinize the nature of academic critique and the undeniable presence of a taboo that, we believe, stifles open conversation on this polarizing subject. By examining our intelligence research controversies database, we aim to separate the wheat from the chaff, identifying where legitimate debate ends and where political or racist rhetoric begins.

Consciousness, meat and eugenics | Dr. Walter Veit Jan 21, 2024

Show notes

Join Walter Veit, University of Reading scholar and pioneering author, as we navigate the intriguing and complex world of animal consciousness. Walter's expertise breathes new life into our understanding of how consciousness could have evolved across species, from the depths of the ocean with the octopus to the humble existence of the worm. Our conversation challenges long-standing human-centric views, uncovering the ethical ramifications of our interactions with animals, and sparking debate over the moral intricacies of artificial sentience, animal farming practices, and the future of lab-grown meat.

Links to Dr. Veit's works:

His website: https://walterveit.com/

His podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrWalterVeit
His paper on clean meat: https://philarchive.org/rec/ANOFWB
Can eugenics be defended?: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8321981/
Is humane slaughter possible?: https://philpapers.org/rec/BROIHA-7
Should parents genetically engineer their children?https://philarchive.org/archive/VEISPG
Cognitive enhancement and inequality: https://philarchive.org/rec/VEICEA
Mentioned in the episode: Do video game characters matter morally? https://reducing-suffering.org/do-video-game-characters-matter-morally/
The logic of the larder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replaceability_argument#:~:text=The%20replaceability%20argument%2C%20or%20the,would%20be%20brought%20into%20existence.
Antechinus: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-a-little-mammal-has-so-much-sex-that-it-disintegrates
Octopus teacher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0LTDhqe5A

Most students are just pretending to be intellectuals | Michael Huemer Jan 14, 2024

Show notes

Discover the surprising virtues of holding back in activism with Professor Michael Huemer as we ponder the nuanced realities of political engagement. Our discussion demystifies the often misguided enthusiasm within activism and policy predictions, showcasing how even seasoned experts reveal a humbling track record in forecasting political shifts. Huemer's insights challenge us to reconsider the impact of our actions, comparing societal experimentation to the delicate workings of a living organism, where random tampering can lead to unpredictable outcomes.

How America brain drained Britian | Peter Hitchens Jan 06, 2024

Show notes

Are we truly nurturing Britain's bright young minds, or are we letting them slip through the cracks of an outdated education system? We sat down with the formidable Peter Hitchens, whose insights into the role of grammar schools and academic selection are as sharp as they are provocative. Together, we traverse the shifting landscape of the UK's educational standards, where Peter champions grammar schools as essential for social mobility and intellectual development, particularly for the working class. He recounts his own educational path with refreshing honesty, revealing the gaps in his learning journey and challenging the intellectual decline he perceives in today's society.

Are multicultural societies doomed? | Charles Murray & Helmuth Nyborg Jan 01, 2024

Show notes

Aporia sat down with two giants in the field of intelligence research, Charles Murray and Helmuth Nyborg.

We spoke for nearly an hour about a variety of topics, including:

Intelligence research, its past, present, and future.
The smartest intelligence researchers and people Charles and Helmuth have met.
Nationalism and white supremacy
How societies are “coming apart”
Whether America was a doomed project
Whether multi-ethnic societies can be successful

The IQ Wars | Richard Haier Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

Unlock the mysteries of the mind with our esteemed guest, Richard Haier, the editor-in-chief of the journal Intelligence. This episode promises to dismantle and dissect the concept of intelligence, bringing you a step closer to understanding the intricate workings of the human brain. We dare to venture into the labyrinth of the mind, tackling controversial discussions surrounding intelligence and its measurement.

The Transformation of Immigration Attitudes in Britain | Matt Goodwin Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

We're thrilled to have Matt Goodwin, renowned writer, pollster, and professor of politics as our guest for a thought-provoking analysis of Britain's evolving attitudes towards immigration. Matt offers an in-depth look into the public's liberal shift in opinion over the past two decades, juxtaposed against a growing disquiet about the rapidity and magnitude of immigration. Yet, as he astutely notes, these concerns often don't echo within the elite echelons, potentially burdening the upcoming general election with its effects. With contentious policies like the Rwanda plan and border control under the spotlight, we're inviting you to join in on this insightful dialogue.
Timestamps:
(00:30 - 02:39) British Attitudes Towards Immigration and Politics

(05:51 - 07:04) Immigration's Public View and Elite Influence

(10:52 - 11:56) Immigration and Lack of Integration

(20:44 - 22:26) Housing, Immigration, and Medical School Places

(27:59 - 30:20) The Battle for British Conservatism

(32:12 - 34:40) Opinions on Swela Braverman's Political Career

(36:49 - 39:16) Boris Johnson's Migration Policy Backfire

(41:02 - 42:08) Conservative Immigration Policies and Brexit Effects

(46:09 - 47:28) Reforming British Politics

(56:52 - 59:24) Cultural Diversity and Integration Challenges

Immigration and the Welfare State | Jan Van De Beek Dec 02, 2023

Show notes

How does immigration impact public finances? That's the question we'll be tackling, alongside our guest for this episode, independent researcher Jan van de Beek. With insights from his controversial report, "Borderless Welfare State: The Consequences of Immigration for Public Finances," Jan brings to our discussion an in-depth understanding of the subject's intricacies. This episode is packed with thought-provoking discourses, tackling the methodology behind calculating the net fiscal effect of immigration and the academic struggles Jan encountered due to his interests.

Timestamps
(03:28 - 04:53) Dissident Economists and Immigration Research (85 Seconds)

(07:57 - 11:31) Dutch Government Analyzes Borderless Welfare State (214 Seconds)

(15:32 - 19:41) Analyze Data Sets, Calculate Fiscal Effect (249 Seconds)

(23:59 - 31:20) Impact of Immigrants' Education and Origin (441 Seconds)

(35:30 - 38:27) Welfare State's Effects on Immigration (177 Seconds)

(51:20 - 58:06) Reducing Education and Labor Disparities (405 Seconds)

(01:02:12 - 01:03:41) Migration Patterns in European Countries (89 Seconds)