Robinson's Podcast - Robinson Erhardt

Latest Episodes:

229 - Rashid Khalidi: October 7th Revisited | Israel, Palestine, Gaza, Hamas, & The Nakba Oct 13, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Robinson’s Fashion Empire: http://bit.ly/3XBKqO2

Some speakers, like Norman (https://youtu.be/vhFm62msNGc), are whip-smart and all I can do is ask a question before letting them take me along for the ride. Others are just as sharp, but the interview is an entirely different experience. I feel silly being this dramatic, so forgive me; it just seems that what follows is the proper extended metaphor to describe our conversation. Rashid crackles with energy when he talks, just as if he were a fighter. Even if he’s not using his fists, his cadence is like a boxer’s and I had to roll with the punches. This was another great one, and as usual I bear very little responsibility beyond sticking it out in the ring. I’m going to resist the urge to make any more boxing comments and instead finish with this: Thanks for listening.

- Robinson

P.S. In a number of recent episodes I’ve mentioned Maui Nui Venison, which is a company operating out of Hawaii that manages the invasive deer population of Maui that is decimating the landscape. Instead of culling the animals and disposing of their bodies, the meat is butchered and sold. It is the only meat I eat, full-stop, and the ethical reasons are sufficient for this, but it is also the best meat that I have ever eaten. I reached out to Maui Nui and told them that I support what they are doing and would like to be of any help that I can. They gave me this coupon code—ROBINSON—which you can use for 20% off. I am not being paid for this in any way. I believe in what they are doing and I want this model to succeed. People are going to be eating meat for the foreseeable future and I would be happier if it was not factory-farmed meat. So please check Maui Nui out and give them a try!

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Rashid Khalidi is the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University. He was editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies, President of the Middle East Studies Association, and an advisor to the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid and Washington Arab-Israeli peace negotiations from October 1992 until June 1993. In this episode, Rashid and Robinson discuss the history that culminated in October 7th, 2023, what has happened since then, and what might happen in the future. More particularly, they talk about Zionism, the Nakba, how Gaza was created, the war between Israel and Hamas, Egypt’s role in the crisis, the question of genocide, and the future of Palestine. Rashid’s most recent book is The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine (Metropolitan Books, 2021).

The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: https://a.co/d/7Mrwuz9

The Neck and the Sword: https://shorturl.at/N7HRo

A New Abyss (The Guardian Long Read): https://shorturl.at/oVn5j

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

01:07 On His Palestinian Ancestors’ Battle Against Zionism

04:04 Is the Israel-Hamas War an American War?

06:04 How Far Back Must We Go to Understand October 7th?

07:33 The Nakba Versus the Bible

12:42 The Zionist Propaganda War

15:40 Is the War Between Israel and Hamas Fought in the Media?

18:52 Is All Zionist History Propaganda?

22:12 How Did the Nakba Create Gaza?

27:16 How Rashid’s Family Was Scattered by the Nakba

28:45 Has Gaza Become a Concentration Camp?

33:10 Did Hamas Cause the Apocalyptic Blockade on Gaza?

38:04 Did the Election of Hamas Further Doom Gaza?

40:21 Is Israel Committing Genocide in Gaza?

45:17 Were the War Crimes of October 7th Justified?

46:52 Can Israel’s War Crimes Against Gaza Be Justified?

48:48 Can Israel Destroy Hamas?

51:30 Is Egypt Responsible for the Gaza Crisis?

53:30 Who Are the Biggest Players in the Israel-Hamas War?

54:30 Is the Israel-Hamas War Just Beginning?

01:00:07 How Soon Will Israel Conquer Gaza?

01:05:19 Rashid’s Hope for the Future of Israel and Palestine

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

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.

228 - Norman Finkelstein: October 7th Revisited | Israel, Palestine, Hezbollah, & The End of Gaza Oct 06, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Robinson’s Fashion Empire: http://bit.ly/3XBKqO2

Norman Finkelstein received his PhD from the Princeton University Politics Department, and is best known for his research on Israel and Palestine. In this episode, Norman and Robinson sit down for a discussion centered around the anniversary of October 7th, and they speak about the immensity of what has happened in the Israel-Palestine region in the time before and since. Norman also appeared on episode 192, where he and Robinson discussed allegations of genocide and apartheid, Hamas and Hezbollah, and connections between the war and the Holocaust. Norman was also featured on episode 218, where he addressed the facts and fictions generated by the Israel-Hamas War. Norman’s most recent book is I’ll Burn That Bridge When I Get to It! Heretical Thoughts on Identity Politics, Cancel Culture, and Academic Freedom (Sublation Media, 2023).

Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.com

OUTLINE

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:44 Why Norman Couldn’t Have Predicted October 7th

00:04:45 Gaza’s Last Victim

00:07:55 Is the Palestine Question Dead?

00:11:13 What Hamas in Gaza and American Slave Rebellions Have in Common

00:17:22 How the Nakba Created Gaza in 1948

00:21:21 Is Gaza a Concentration Camp?

00:25:20 High-Tech Israeli Killing Sprees in Gaza

00:29:23 The Butcher of Beirut & The Sabra and Shatila Massacre

00:31:20 On the First Intifada and the Silencing of Gaza

00:37:11 On Hassan Nasrallah, Leader of Hezbollah

00:41:59 How Israel Will Destroy Hezbollah

00:42:35 Israel Vs The Party of God

00:45:32 On the Courage of Dying for a Cause

00:48:24 On His Time with Hezbollah and Nasrallah

00:52:41 Noam Chomsky on Hezbollah’s Threat to Israel

00:56:30 On Nasrallah’s Prophetic Speech Before His Assassination

01:02:10 On Martin Luther King Jr’s Final Words

01:04:35 On Nasrallah and the Assassination of Pro-Palestine Leaders

01:07:08 The Parallel Between American Slaves and Gazan Palestinians

01:12:37 Will the Gazans Be Emancipated like American Blacks from Slavery?

01:19:16 Norman’s Big Question for Noam Chomsky

01:21:26 The Question of Gaza as a Concentration Camp

01:23:03 The Crushing Toll of the Holocaust on Norman

01:32:08 On His Mother, Piers Morgan, and Gaza as a Holocaust

01:34:14 On the Rise of Hamas

01:38:49 On Hamas, Nasrallah, and the Sealed Fate of Gaza

01:41:36 Does Israel Have the Right to Commit Genocide?

01:45:48 Does Israel Intentionally Murder Innocent Civilians?

01:50:10 Just How Brutal Are Israel’s High Tech Military Operations?

01:54:09 On Gandhi’s Meditations in Jail

01:56:07 Does Israel Go on Killing Sprees in Palestine?

01:58:43 Are the Leaders of Hamas Rich Billionaires?

02:04:43 Comparing Gaza and the Warsaw Ghetto

02:09:33 The Absurdity of Gaza’s Economy

02:15:11 What Was Hamas’s Intentions on October 7th?

02:18:14 Did Hamas Commit Sexual Violence Against Israelis on October 7th?

02:24:07 On Israel’s Violent Revenge Against Hamas

02:26:50 Has Israel Restored Its Fearsome Reputation in the Middle East?

02:30:34 Has Israel Exterminated Gaza?

02:36:31 The Bottom Line on Israel and the Desolation of Gaza

02:39:39 Will There Be a Ceasefire in Gaza?

02:43:58 Why Does Israel Always Win?

02:52:40 On Philosophy, Chattel Slavery, and Justice in Palestine

02:58:02 On Justice and Norman Finkelstein’s Purpose in Life

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, historians, economists, and everyone in-between.

227 - David Eagleman: Synesthesia, Brain Plasticity, AI, and Conspiracy Theories Sep 29, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Robinson’s Fashion Empire: http://bit.ly/3XBKqO2

David Eagleman is a neuroscientist at Stanford University who works on synesthesia, brain plasticity, and sensory substitution, among other topics. He is also a bestselling author, the host of the Inner Cosmos podcast, and writer and presenter of the international PBS series The Brain with David Eagleman. In this episode, Robinson and David discuss brain plasticity and its optimization, the neuroscience of language-learning, consciousness and animal minds, synesthesia, sensory substitution, artificial intelligence, conspiracy theories, and more. David’s most recent book is Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain (Vintage, 2021).

David’s Website: https://eagleman.com

Livewired: https://a.co/d/67w3TQ3

Inner Cosmos: https://eagleman.com/podcast/

OUTLINE

00:00:53 David’s Interest in the Mind

00:02:52 Solving A Problem of Kant with Modern Neuroscience

00:06:08 On Brain Plasticity and How to Maximize It

00:15:23 Do Children Really Learn Languages Faster than Adults?

00:19:46 Using Neuroscience to Maximize Weight Loss and Improve Diet Outcomes

00:22:09 Was Helen Keller Conscious?

00:24:14 Why Neuroscience Hasn’t Figured Out Consciousness

00:28:32 What Really Is Synesthesia?

00:36:44 On Animal Consciousness and Eating Meat

00:42:56 What Is Intelligence?

00:45:52 What Is the Intelligence Echo Illusion?

00:52:02 Will ChatGPT Surpass Our Greatest Thinkers?

00:55:50 Do We Need to Replace the Turing Test?

01:05:57 Inner Cosmos

01:09:16 Why Does the Brain Love Conspiracy Theories?

01:11:33 Why Does the Brain Fall for Magic Tricks?

01:13:14 Why Can’t We Tickle Ourselves?

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

226 - David Builes: The Metaphysics of Time and Consciousness Sep 22, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

David Builes is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University, where he works in metaphysics and epistemology and has made serious contributions to the philosophies of mind, science, and mathematics. In this episode, Robinson and David discuss the metaphysics of time—including debates about the reality of the past, present, and future—the question of whether science can explain consciousness, and whether numbers exist as abstract objects.

David’s Website: https://davidbuiles.com

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

01:05 David’s Interest in Philosophy

05:47 On the Philosophy of Time

16:01 In Defense of Presentism

24:21 How Long is the Present?

25:58 Humean and Non-Humean Laws

28:02 Can Science Explain Consciousness?

40:25 Does David Believe His Work?

43:32 First-Person Realism

53:18 Is First-Person Realism Correct?

57:42 The Philosophy of Math

01:01:45 Do Numbers Exist?

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

225 - Alexander Nehamas: Nietzsche, Eternal Recurrence, and the Will to Power Sep 14, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Alexander Nehamas is the Edmund N. Carpenter II Class of 1943 Professor in the Humanities, both of philosophy and comparative literature, at Princeton University. He is best known for his work on ancient philosophy, literary theory, the philosophy of art, and his scholarship on Friedrich Nietzsche. In this episode, Robinson and Alexander primarily discuss the latter, though they also delve into some of his other work. More particularly, they discuss Nietzsche’s writings on eternal recurrence, the will to power, and morality, among other topics, as well as the perils of doing history as a philosopher, the infamous Elgin marbles, great works of literature, and personal style. Alexander’s most well-known work on Nietzsche is Nietzsche: Life as Literature (Harvard, 1987).

Nietzsche: Life as Literature: https://a.co/d/7V3MYk0

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

3:07 The Essentials of Nietzsche

11:42 Nietzsche and Eternal Recurrence

14:46 Nietzsche on Free Will

19:06 Nietzsche on Art and the Ideal Life

20:41 Nietzsche on Herd Morality and Mediocrity

23:20 Nietzsche on the Will to Power

27:02 Nietzsche on Our Dominance Over Animals

30:41 Was Nietzsche an Anti-Semite?

33:02 Nietzsche’s Relationship to Animals

36:53 Was Nietzsche an Enemy of Morality?

39:54 Nietzsche and the Worship of Greatness

41:06 Favorite Literature

48:39 Nietzsche and the Perils of the History of Philosophy

1:05:43 The Elgin Marbles

1:13:50 On Plato and Ancient Philosophy

1:22:34 Nietzsche on Animal Agriculture

1:29:10 Nietzsche on Seeing Life as a Literary Work

1:34:10 Nietzsche on the Weak and the Great

1:39:32 Philosophy and Life

1:46:11 On Philosophy and Fashion

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

224 - Peter Woit: String Theory and the Crisis in Physics Sep 08, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Peter Woit is a senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at Columbia University, where he researches quantum field theory and quantum gravity. Peter is one of the most well-known critics of string theory, and in this episode he and Robinson discuss his work and research in the area, which is encapsulated in his book Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory and the Search for Unity in Physical Law (Basic Books, 2007), as well as his website by the same name. More particularly, they talk about the standard model of particle physics, the problem of quantum gravity, the main figures in string theory, the arguments for and against this approach to physics, its many alleged failures, and the future of research in the area.

Not Even Wrong (Book): https://a.co/d/iVnPEi1

Not Even Wrong (Website): https://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress/

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

02:29 Peter’s Training in Physics

06:21 What Is the Standard Model of Physics?

10:42 What Is Symmetry?

21:37 Experiment and the Standard Model of Particle Physics

26:15 What’s Wrong with the Standard Model of Particle Physics?

29:36 What Are Grand Unified Theories in Physics?

34:47 What Is Supersymmetry?

40:15 On Ed Witten and the Genius Mind Behind M-Theory

49:08 What Is String Theory?

1:04:56 What Is M-Theory?

1:07:59 On AdS/CFT

1:16:03 On Holography and Quantum Gravity

1:20:27 String Theory and the Sokal Hoax

1:24:09 Peter’s Love of Physics

1:32:13 On the String-Theoretic Landscape and the Multiverse

1:41:51 What’s the Path Forward for Physics?

1:47:52 Is String Theory the Only Game in Time?

1:53:17 How Did String Theory Become Dominant?

1:56:45 String Theory: Not Even Wrong?

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

223 - Michael Graziano: Consciousness, Animal Minds, and the Neuroscience of Suffering Sep 01, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Michael Graziano is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Princeton University, where he and his lab research the brain basis of consciousness. This is Michael’s second appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In episode #169, they discussed Michael’s Attention Schema Theory of consciousness, in which consciousness is a way in which the brain models attention to better organize and monitor itself. In this conversation, Robinson and Michael reexamine the Attention Schema Theory with an eye toward the problem of studying the consciousness not only of humans, but of other animals, and with particular regard to the moral questions surrounding animals’ roles in our lives. 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 Introduction

04:28 Michael’s Interest in Consciousness

07:22 What Is Consciousness?

16:03 Is there a Magical Essence to Consciousness?

28:43 How Did Consciousness Evolve?

35:29 Testing Michael’s Model of Consciousness

44:55 What’s It Like to Be a Human?

48:25 Is Human Suffering an Illusion?

54:07 The Neuroscience of Pain and Suffering

01:00:39 Is There Value to Human Life?

01:10:42 Was Helen Keller Conscious?

01:21:15 The Global Workspace Theory of Consciousness

01:30:20 Do Animals Value Their Own Lives?

01:41:23 Are Shrimp Conscious?

01:52:23 Should Science Inform Morality?

01:54:03 Can Chickens Suffer?

01:57:12 Are Salmon Conscious?

02:09:40 Are Octopuses Conscious?

02:22:43 Are Poultry Conscious?

02:29:43 Are Barnyard Animals Conscious?

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

222 - Richard Wolff: Israel, Ukraine, China, and the End of the American Empire Aug 25, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s fourth appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In episode #127, he and Robinson discussed some of the most profound criticisms of capitalism; in #154, they focused on the myths surrounding Marxism and Marx himself; and in #190 they covered the Israel-Palestine conflict from a Marxist perspective. In this wide-ranging episode, Richard and Robinson talk about the end of the American empire. More particularly they discuss the wars in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine, the rivalry between China and the United States, the global interplay between capitalism and socialism, the distinction between socialism and communism, the conflict between the BRICS and G7 nations, and more. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024).

Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalism

Class Theory and History (Book): https://a.co/d/ht4trZN

Understanding the 2024 Elections (Article): https://asiatimes.com/2024/08/capitalism-mass-anger-and-2024-elections/

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

Economic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdate

OUTLINE

03:10 On the Trauma of His Family Background

10:50 Academia’s War on Marxism

22:45 Economics as the Secret Undercurrent of History

28:01 Will Ukraine Defeat Russia?

31:52 Is China the Empire of the New World?

39:04 The Best American Strategy Against China

45:24 How Trump Won and Lost America

56:22 Is Israel a Colonialist State?

01:03:23 On the Expulsion of the Palestinians from Israel

01:10:49 Israel as America’s Economic Baby

01:18:08 Global Capitalism as the Enemy of the Islamic World

01:23:00 Why You Should Distrust Wartime Propaganda

01:33:03 Zelensky and the Ukrainian Chess Match

01:42:53 The Economic Conspiracy Behind the American Pick-Up Truck

01:49:31 Israel, Ukraine, and the New Cold War

01:54:20 The Many Taboos of Socialism and Communism

01:58:54 The War Between Socialism and Capitalism

02:07:51 Is Socialism More Efficient than Capitalism?

02:16:58 World War I and the Rise of Socialism

02:22:58 The Failed American Attempt to Destroy Russian Communism

02:27:26 Why Did Russia Choose Communism over Socialism?

02:38:06 Communism, Socialism, and the War for the Workplace

02:43:00 Is China Secretly Capitalist?

02:53:18 America’s Choice Between Equality or Subservience to China

02:58:45 Europe’s Hidden Economic Apocalypse

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

221 - David Albert: The Measurement Problem of Quantum Mechanics Aug 18, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

David Albert is the Frederick E. Woodbridge Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, director of the Philosophical Foundations of Physics program at Columbia, and a faculty member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. This is David’s eighth appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. He last appeared on episode 210 with Tim Maudlin, which was a more advanced episode on Niels Bohr and the foundations of quantum mechanics. In this episode, David gives a pedagogical and introductory overview of the measurement problem, which is the issue at the core of many discussions about the foundations of quantum mechanics. David’s most recent book is A Guess at the Riddle (2023). If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, 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.

Note: Unfortunately, the cameras turned off in the middle of the episode. For twenty minutes there is no video, and for most of the episode only the camera focusing on David is recording.

A Guess at the Riddle: https://a.co/d/6qcsidl

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

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

04:54 On Philosophy and the Foundations of Physics

15:35 The Bizarreness of the Quantum World

19:16 What Is the World of Classical Physics?

24:00 How Quantum Mechanics Destroyed the Classical World

29:19 What Is Quantum Mechanical Superposition?

32:18 How Quantum Mechanics Became the Theory of Reality

39:53 What Is the Measurement Problem of Quantum Mechanics?

51:05 Niels Bohr and the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

01:01:14 Niels Bohr and the EPR Paper

01:08:45 Was Niels Bohr the Most Charming Physicist of All Time?

01:15:59 Is the Measurement Problem a Scientific Problem?

01:21:24 Is String Theory Pseudoscience?

01:31:03 Why Don’t Many Philosophers Work on String Theory?

01:34:08 The Wave Function and the Measurement Problem

01:37:57 Quantum Measurement and Wave Function Collapse

01:41:34 Hidden Variable Theories of Quantum Mechanics

01:44:54 Quantum Mechanics and the Multiverse

01:48:47 Solving the Measurement Problem with Experiment

01:56:41 Quantum Mechanics and the Scientific Project

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

220 - Michael Hudson: Debt, Economic Collapse, and the End of Civilization Aug 11, 2024

Show notes

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. This is Michael’s third appearance on the show. He was also a guest on episode 180, where he and Robinson discussed neoliberalism, industrial capitalism, and the rentier economy, and on episode 198, where they discussed Marxism, economic parasites, and contemporary debt cancellation. In this episode, Michael and Robinson talk about the history of debt cancellation in the ancient world—including Babylon, Greece, and Rome—how they helped to stave off economic collapse, how the failure to implement them contributed to the demise of these civilizations, and how they might be used in today’s economies. Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). This episode was recorded at Austin’s Ale House in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York, and comes highly recommended.

Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com

Temples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dm

Austin’s Ale House: https://www.austinsteakandalehouse.com/

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

03:08 Michael’s Interest in Debt

08:23 Why Countries Can’t Pay Their Debts

12:14 Debt Cancellations in the Ancient World

16:51 Can Society Survive Forgiving Everyone’s Debts?

21:30 The Brilliance of Bronze Age Economics

29:19 What Happened When Ancient Harvests Failed?

32:04 The Timeless War of Creditors Against Debtors