Robinson's Podcast - Robinson Erhardt

Latest Episodes:

171 - Richard Haier: What Is Human Intelligence? Nov 26, 2023

Show notes

Richard Haier is Professor Emeritus in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, where he uses brain imagining and the tools of neuroscience to study learning, memory, and intelligence, and how they relate to brain function and structure. He is the editor-in-chief of the journal Intelligence. In this episode, Robinson and Rich discuss all things human intelligence, ranging from its controversies, the origin and current status of psychometric testing, the relationship between intelligence, brain structure, and function, the predictive power of IQ in career success and other areas, and whether or not it’s possible to increase one’s general intelligence. Rich’s most recent book is the second edition of his guide to neuroscience research and intelligence, The Neuroscience of Intelligence (Cambridge University Press, 2023).

Richard’s Website: https://www.richardhaier.com

The Neuroscience of Intelligence: https://a.co/d/c7aO9aK

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

01:06 Introduction

02:50 Intelligence, Psychometrics, and the Brain

12:01 The Controversy about Race and Intelligence Research

21:09 How Should We Define Human Intelligence?

26:36 On The Origin and Value of IQ Tests

32:16 Intelligence and Brain Structure

46:05 How Accurate Are Contemporary IQ Tests Like?

57:16 Are IQ Tests Racist?

01:03:47 Should We Abolish Standardized Tests?

01:13:34 Do IQ Tests Predict Career Success?

01:17:05 The Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory of Intelligence

01:34:25 Psychometric Tests and Human Intelligence

01:41:10 Group Differences and IQ

01:46:53 Can You Increase Your IQ?

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

170 - Sheldon Goldstein: Pilot Wave Theory and Bohmian Mechanics Nov 24, 2023

Show notes

Sheldon Goldstein is Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University, where he researches mathematical physics, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and Bohmian Mechanics. He is also Board Member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics, founded by fellow Robinson’s Podcast multiverse denizen, Tim Maudlin. In this episode, Robinson and Shelly discuss all things Bohmian mechanics, from the origins of pilot wave theory with de Broglie to its chief theoretical innovations and its relationship to philosophy, including some of the main objections to—and strengths of—the theory. Check out Shelly’s book on the subject, Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Theory: An Appraisal (Springer, 1996). If you’re interested in the foundations of physics—which you absolutely should be—then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.

Shelly’s Website: https://sites.math.rutgers.edu/~oldstein/

Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Theory: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-94-015-8715-0

The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:55 Introduction

06:40 Kripke and Quantum Logic

18:30 De Broglie and Pilot Wave Theory

23:38 What is Bohmian Mechanics?

43:55 Sociology and the Origin of Bohmian Mechanics

52:57 John Bell and Bohmian Mechanics

57:32 Realism and Bohmian Mechanics

01:12:39 Current Work on Bohmian Mechanics

01:22:10 What are the Criticisms of Bohmian Mechanics

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

169 - Michael Graziano: The Attention Schema Theory of Consciousness Nov 19, 2023

Show notes

Michael Graziano is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Princeton University, where he and his lab research the brain basis of consciousness. Naturally, this is precisely what Michael and Robinson discuss in this episode. More particularly, they get into the philosophical question of what consciousness is, the roles of philosophy and science in answering the same, and whether or not there are deep, intractable issues here. Then they turn to Michael’s theory of consciousness—the Attention Schema Theory—in which consciousness is a way in which the brain models attention to better organize and monitor it. Michael’s most recent book is Rethinking Consciousness (W. W. Norton, 2019).

Rethinking Consciousness: https://a.co/d/8euR1EL

Graziano Lab: https://grazianolab.princeton.edu

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:55 Introduction

02:56 Getting Started in Consciousness

07:18 The Dialogue Between Science and Philosophy on Consciousness

13:05 What Are We Talking About When We Talk About Consciousness

25:38 What is Consciousness?

32:25 What Are Cognitive Models?

36:45 What Is The Meta-Problem of Consciousness?

48:24 How Does a Neuroscientist Think of Attention?

59:39 The Attention Schema Theory of Consciousness

01:17:46 Neural Correlates of Consciousness

01:28:47 Magical” Theories of Consciousness

01:35:03 Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness

01:43:44 Fiction and Music

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

168 - Una Stojnić: Slurs, Linguistic Conventions, and the Philosophy of Language Nov 17, 2023

Show notes

Una Stojnić is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy at Princeton University, where she works in the philosophy of language, formal semantics and pragmatics of natural language, and philosophical logic. In this episode, Robinson and Una discuss three of her projects. First, they talk about linguistic conventions, and how language consists of more than just the words we might find in a dictionary. Second, they talk abut slurs and pejoratives, and how philosophers have attempted to determine just what it is that makes them offensive. Finally they talk about a problem with word individuation—just how much can our spelling or pronunciation of a word vary from its canonical spelling or pronunciation and still be that same word? Una’s latest book is Context and Coherence: The Logic and Grammar of Prominence (Oxford, 2021).

Una’s Website: https://www.unastojnic.com

Context and Coherence: https://a.co/d/0wjOoaM

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:51 Introduction

03:04 An Interest in Language

07:31 A Problem with Word Individuation

11:52 Context Sensitivity and Linguistic Convention

30:07 Word Individuation and Speaker Intentions

45:30 Slurs and Pejoratives

01:01:55 An Articulation Account of Slurs

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

167 - David Wallace: The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

David Wallace is Mellon Professor in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Before that, he obtained PhDs in both physics and philosophy at Oxford. David works mainly in the philosophy of physics, and is best known for his development and defense of the Everett—or Many-Worlds—interpretation of quantum mechanics. In this episode, Robinson and David talk all about Many-Worlds, including its history, how it relates to the broader question of realism in the philosophy of science, its strong points, and some potential problems, such as how to account for probability in the multiverse. David’s book on the subject is The Emergent Multiverse (Oxford, 2014).

The Emergent Multiverse: https://a.co/d/3GOSC3a

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:18 Introduction

03:38 From Physics to Philosophy

12:54 Realism and the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics

25:14 Hugh Everett and the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

48:56 Bryce DeWitt

51:33 How Does the Many Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics Work?

01:02:22 Are There Problems with the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics?

01:10:58 How Many Worlds Are There in the Multiverse?

01:21:54 How Can We Make Sense of Probability in the Multiverse?

01:43:44 Is The Multiverse Too Absurd to Believe In?

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

166 - Robert Stickgold: Dreams and the Role of Sleep in Memory and Emotional Processing Nov 12, 2023

Show notes

Robert Stickgold is Professor of Pyschiatry at Harvard Medical School, where he researches sleep and dreams from a cognitive neuroscience perspective. In this episode, Bob and Robinson discuss the role of sleep in memory processing and emotional regulation, how sleep deprivation affects performance, and the evolutionary purpose and function of dreams.

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:17 Introduction

03:06 Why Study Sleep?

12:04 How Does the Brain Process Different Types of Memories?

20:45 How Does Sleep Affect Memory Processing?

33:10 How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect Memory Processing?

50:58 What Is The Connection Between Sleep and Emotions

01:09:03 How Do PTSD, Autism, and Schizophrenia Affect Sleep

01:32:00 An Interest in Dreams

01:34:05 Was Freud Wrong About Dreams?

02:03:29 On Hypnogogic Dreams

Robinson’s Website: ⁠http://robinsonerhardt.com⁠

165 - Anubav Vasudevan: The Metaphysics of Charles Sanders Peirce Nov 10, 2023

Show notes

Anubav Vasudevan is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Chicago, where he works in formal epistemology and the history of logic, though he has published in a number of other areas. This is Anubav’s second appearance on the show. In episode #81, he and Robinson discussed mathematics, physics, and the history of logic. In this episode, they talk about the wonderfully bizarre metaphysics of the renowned pragmatist and logician Charles Sanders Peirce.

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:18 Introduction

04:54 The History of Logic

19:39 Who Was Charles Sanders Peirce?

37:04 The Problem of the Single Trial

48:35 Finding Our Coherent Philosophical Selves

54:32 Charles Peirce’s Bizarre Metaphysics

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

164 - Geoffrey West: Complexity Theory and The Scaling Laws of Biology Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

Geoffrey West is Shannan Distinguished Professor and Past President at the Santa Fe Institute. He is a theoretical physicist who has worked broadly on topics related to elementary particles and their cosmological implications. Among other topics, he has also worked on complexity theory, scaling laws in biology, and how they can be applied in other areas, such as cities and problems involving global sustainability. This is precisely what Robinson and Geoffrey discuss in this episode, with particular reference to his recent book, Scale: The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies (Penguin, 2017).

Scale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ05syiaUxg

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:25 Introduction

02:21 Complexity and the Santa Fe Institute

22:14 What Are Emergent Phenomena?

34:18 What is Complexity Theory?

45:51 Why Do All Animals Have the Same Number of Heartbeats in a Lifetime

01:11:43 Does Complexity Theory Tell Us How to Live Longer

01:22:49 Why Don’t Cities Die Like Organisms Do?

01:59:40 The Pandemic and the Increasing Pace of Life

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

163 - Daniel Levitin: Songwriting and the Neuroscience of Music Nov 05, 2023

Show notes

Daniel Levitin is Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Neuroscience at McGill University and Founding Dean of Arts & Humanities at Minerva University. He is also a record producer, musician, and writer. In this episode, Robinson and Daniel discuss one of his best-selling books, This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession (Penguin, 2006), as well as some of the songs on his two albums, Turnaround (2020) and Sex & Math (2021). More particularly, they talk about whether a neurological understanding of the mind and music reduces or increases one’s appreciation for music, how the brain processes complex music, whether music is evolved, why we get songs stuck in our head, and why some sounds are more pleasing than others.

Daniel’s Website: https://www.daniellevitin.com

This Is Your Brain On Music: https://a.co/d/fDxIvxd

Sex & Math: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/daniellevitin/sex--math

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:56 Introduction

03:05 Music, Awe, and Neuroscience

11:12 Neuroscience and Songwriting

17:10 Why Can the Brain Easily Process Complex Music?

34:59 Why Do We Get Songs Stuck in Our Heads?

41:12 Why Do We Prefer Some Musical Time Signatures and Sounds to Others?

58:02 What Gives Some Musicians the IT Factor?

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

162 - Tim Palmer: Chaos Theory, Probabilistic Forecasting, and Climate Change Nov 03, 2023

Show notes

Tim Palmer is Royal Society Research Professor in Climate Physics at the University of Oxford, where he is a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Martin Institute and a Professorial Fellow at Jesus College. Tim works on the predictability and dynamics of weather and climate, including extreme events, and is well known within the field for developing probabilistic ensemble forecasting techniques. In this episode, Robinson and Tim discuss his recent book, The Primacy of Doubt: From Quantum Physics to Climate Change, How the Science of Uncertainty Can Help Us Understand Our Chaotic World (2022). More particularly, they talk about black holes and the holographic principle, the foundations of quantum mechanics, meteorology and probabilistic forecasting, chaos theory and consciousness, and the problem of climate change.

The Primacy of Doubt: https://a.co/d/dL8JfTn

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:37 Introduction

02:37 From Physics to Meteorology

13:17 Black Holes and the Holographic Principle

35:09 What Is the Butterfly Effect?

43:31 Why Is Weather Chaotic and What Can We Do About It?

01:09:34 Can Principles of Meteorology Be Applied to the Problems of Consciousness and Free Will?

01:30:55 Chaos Theory and Climate Change

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com