Patterson in Pursuit
177 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★ - 105 ratingsPhilosophy in the real world. Interviewing intellectuals across the globe. Grappling with the biggest ideas.
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Episodes
Ep. 75 - Do We Perceive Reality? | Dr. Donald Hoffman
September 17, 2017 06:20 - 1 hour - 45.5 MBDo we see reality as it is? Or, are we stuck inside our own mental representations of the world? My guest this week is Dr. Donald Hoffman, who believes that there's a 0% chance that we accurately perceive the world. He believes that mental phenomena - consciousness, experience, qualia - is the real stuff that makes up the world, not physical objects. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
How to Deal with Alien Abductions and Bigfoot Sightings
September 14, 2017 10:00 - 9 minutes - 6.72 MBIt's tempting to dismiss anybody who claims they've been abducted by aliens or seen Bigfoot in the forest. However, simple dismissal might not be the most rational response. Extreme cases can actually help us understand the relationship between the mind and the world? What exactly do these people see/experience, and how can we know? Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 74 - Race and American Politics | T.K. Coleman
September 10, 2017 08:30 - 1 hour - 54.7 MBPart four of my conversation about race with TK Coleman. In this episode, we talk about the intersection of race, politics, and economics in America. It's impossible to understand how the world works without understanding economics, and once you grasp the fundamentals, economics will change your worldview - especially your political theory. TK understands economics and has a political solution that everybody should be able to agree on. We don't have to argue about the extent of racism an...
Unifying the Plural into the Simple
September 07, 2017 10:00 - 6 minutes - 4.74 MBIs the world composed of one thing or many things? Some thinkers believe that the universe is one object that our minds chop up into many pieces. I believe that the universe is many objects that our minds unify into one whole. It might seem abstract, but regardless of your conclusion, it's got big implications. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 73 - Race, Culture, and Judgments | T.K. Coleman
September 03, 2017 20:40 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBIs it racist to notice cultural differences among groups? Can we make judgments about those differences? Without a doubt, race is one of the most taboo subjects to talk about in America. To help me grapple with these sticky questions, I'm talking with T.K. Coleman. We spoke in episodes 40 and 41 about race relations, and we continue the conversation today. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 72 - The Real Story Behind Bitcoin Cash | Ryan X. Charles
August 27, 2017 10:30 - 1 hour - 41.3 MBThis is the craziest time in Bitcoin's history, and it's mired in confusion and misinformation. To help give some context, I'm joined by a long time Bitcoiner and entrepreneur Ryan X. Charles, who is the CEO and co-founder of Yours. He breaks down some of the facts and history surrounding the network split and creation of Bitcoin Cash. If you're interested in Bitcoin at all, you'll want to listen to this episode. If you appreciate the content and want to donate Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash, y...
Ep. 71 - Meditation and the Absence of Self | Oren J. Sofer
August 20, 2017 10:00 - 1 hour - 43.9 MBIn this episode, I'm joined by Oren Sofer to talk about meditation and philosophy. We start by laying out the basics of meditation - what's going on, internally and externally - and then we get into some of the deeper questions in metaphysics like: "What is the mind?","What is the self?", "Do observations require an observer?" Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 70 - Should Feminism and Philosophy Mix? | Interview Breakdown
August 14, 2017 00:32 - 1 hour - 59.3 MBHow well-justified are the insights of feminist philosophy? What is the metaphysical status of the patriarchy? Is there such a thing as a "biological difference" between men and women? This is my interview breakdown of Episode 51 - my conversation with Dr. Michelle Boulous-Walker of the University of Queensland. Let's just say: we disagree. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 69 - Hegel and Paradox | Dr. Donald Verene
August 06, 2017 20:57 - 58 minutes - 40.1 MBHegel is famous for being a difficult and controversial philosopher. His work comes up often in my conversations about paradox and contradiction - from those who argue that paradoxes can exist in the world. Or, even more strongly, from those argue that "the world is paradoxical." I don't know much about Hegel, so I've traveled to Atlanta to interview Dr. Donald Verene of Emory University, who specializes in Hegelian philosophy. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepat...
Ep. 68 - Corruption in the Silk Road Case | Lyn Ulbricht
July 30, 2017 08:53 - 50 minutes - 34.4 MBThe Silk Road case is filled to the brim with corruption, and the media has done a terrible job getting the facts out. Ross Ulbricht has been painted as a vicious kingpin, when in fact, he has no violence in his background, nor has he been charged with any violent crimes. New evidence keeps emerging that demonstrate Ross has been abused by the American legal system. My guest, Lyn Ulbricht, is the mother of Ross, and she shares some of this new evidence in our conversation. If you want to...
Ep. 67 - Catholicism, the Church, and Faith | Fr. Oscar Martin
July 23, 2017 20:21 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBMy conversation with Oscar Martin, a Catholic priest in Panama City, Panama. We cover many topics - the church, the sacraments, faith, love, hierarchy, and community. I don't know much about Catholicism, so this is my attempt to try to discover some of the basics. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 66 - Ethics, Capitalism, the Meaning of Life, and Social Justice | Dr. Patrick Byrne
July 16, 2017 20:05 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBPatrick Byrne is known as the founder and CEO of Overstock.com. However, few people know that he also has a PhD in Philosophy from Stanford. In this interview, we talk about ethics - both business and personal. He shares some of his most fundamental values in life. We also cover his analysis of the "social justice" phenomenon. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 65 - "Ultra Spiritual" or "Actually Spiritual"? | JP Sears
July 10, 2017 01:03 - 56 minutes - 38.6 MBJP Sears is known for his "ultra-spiritual" satirical videos. However, he's not just a satirist. Turns out, he's actually a serious life-coach with interesting ideas who actually believes many of the things he satirizes. In this interview, we talk about his worldview and ideas about spirituality and religion, and I share some of my thoughts on the subject. If you can sort through the dirt and dogma, there is truth to be found in the spiritual side of life. Get full access to Steve Patte...
Ep. 64 - Science, Peer Review, and Academic Bullshit | Brian Earp
July 02, 2017 21:03 - 1 hour - 48.1 MBScience has flaws. We must discover and acknowledge them if we want to avoid dogmatic thinking. Too many people dismiss skepticism about the rigor of modern science as “anti-intellectual.” They overlook serious problems with the scientific method in practice. I am joined this week by Brian Earp, the author of the excellent article "The Unbearable Asymmetry of Bullshit"
Ep. 64 - Science, Peer Review, and Academic B******t | Brian Earp
July 02, 2017 21:03 - 1 hour - 48.1 MBScience has flaws. We must discover and acknowledge them if we want to avoid dogmatic thinking. Too many people dismiss skepticism about the rigor of modern science as “anti-intellectual.” They overlook serious problems with the scientific method in practice. I am joined this week by Brian Earp, the author of the excellent article "The Unbearable Asymmetry of B******t" Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Can Drugs Lead to Truth?
June 29, 2017 12:30 - 13 minutes - 9.43 MBIt's easy to dismiss any insights while gained in an altered state as "crazy". But there might be more going on. Drugs seem to make people naturally more philosophic; they shake you from your regular framework, which might be what people need in order to grasp the truth from a new direction. But of course, drug use comes with its own risks. I've seen too many people whose wires have crossed after taking a few too many magic mushrooms. Use at your own risk. Get full access to Steve Patte...
Ep. 63 - The Limits of the Non-Aggression Principle | Interview Breakdown
June 25, 2017 09:30 - 30 minutes - 20.6 MBAre there exceptions to the so-called "non-aggression principle," which says that it is never justified to initiate force against a peaceful person? In some circumstances, could it be justified to use physical force on somebody that doesn't consent? What qualifies as "consent" in the first place? This is part 1 of my breakdown of Episode 50 - my conversation with Stephan Kinsella. In the future, I'll release a second breakdown of our conversation about argumentation ethics. Get full acc...
Language is Inherently Ambiguous
June 22, 2017 17:24 - 7 minutes - 5.33 MBAmbiguity is part of language. Words do not have objective definitions; they mean whatever you want them to mean. You don't hear or see words - you hear sounds and see blobs of color that qualify as "words" by your own conceptual criteria. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 62 - Bitcoin, OpenBazaar, and Political Power | Sam Patterson
June 17, 2017 06:49 - 53 minutes - 36.8 MBWhat if a technology existed that allowed anybody in the world to trade with anybody else in the world - whatever they want, whenever they want, and without permission from anybody else. What would the world look like? What would the political and economic implications be? That technology is currently being created, and my very own brother has co-founded a company to develop it. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Is Space Mental?
June 15, 2017 08:30 - 8 minutes - 5.87 MB100% of the space that we experience is space within our representation of the world. Does that imply space is only in our heads? Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 61 - Ayn Rand's Objectivism | Dr. David Kelley
June 11, 2017 04:09 - 1 hour - 44.3 MBShould Ayn Rand be taken seriously? She created a philosophy called "Objectivism", but until recent years, it hasn't been gotten much attention from professional philosophers. How does Objectivism answer basic questions in epistemology and metaphysics? To help me learn, I've invited Dr. David Kelley to come on the show. He's the founder of the Atlas Society and has been promoting Objectivism for more than 25 years. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substac...
You Live in Your Mind
June 08, 2017 15:39 - 6 minutes - 4.6 MBDo you see the world, or do you see your representation of the world? Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 60 - Dialogue with a Buddhist Monk | Phra Maha Chanomkorn Prakai
June 04, 2017 07:35 - 58 minutes - 39.9 MBWhat's the purpose of meditation? What is the nature of the mind? What is the nature of the self? I got to ask these questions to a Buddhist monk while in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 59 - Can You Approach Infinity? | Dr. Michael Huemer
May 28, 2017 04:00 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBThe most popular resolution to Zeno's paradoxes is to say, "Calculus solves it!" But, as I've written and spoken about before, the logic of calculus might be dubious. Can we really complete an infinite series? My guest this week is Dr. Michael Huemer, who has recently written a book called Approaching Infinity, where he claims that the modern theory of infinities do need to be revised - that calculus does not solve Zeno's paradoxes - and that we have to distinguish between completable and ...
Is the World Blurry? | The Modernist Fallacy
May 26, 2017 20:53 - 6 minutes - 4.24 MBWhat's more likely: a precise description of an ambiguous world, or an ambiguous description of a precise world? This is the modernist fallacy: to think that conceptual blurriness correctly describes a blurry world. To me, this is silly and irrational. Ambiguous theories are flawed; they aren't positive arguments for "true ambiguity". Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 58 - The Psychology of Postmodernism | Dr. Stephen Hicks
May 20, 2017 21:07 - 58 minutes - 40.1 MBPostmodernist philosophy is famous for being paradoxical. Claims like "the truth is that there is no truth" or "everything is relative" are popular - especially among academics. Many proponents are even OK with explicit contradictions in their worldview. To me, a contradiction is a demonstration of error, and not caring about intellectual consistency is a sign of dogmatism and irrationalism. But according to Dr. Stephen Hicks, that's because I have a certain psychological response to contr...
Tai Chi Meets Reality
May 18, 2017 08:30 - 8 minutes - 5.71 MBTai Chi master gets beat up by an MMA fighter; Chinese think it was "disrespectful" to demonstrate the truth - the Tai Chi master's "expertise" was a sham. This kind of thing happens all the time in the martial arts and in the world of ideas. "Masters" and "experts" are frequently convinced of their own knowledge and superiority - allthewhile being deluded about the basics of their own subject matter. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 57 - Are Some Objects Mind-Dependent? | Interview Breakdown
May 15, 2017 03:37 - 52 minutes - 36.3 MBThis is my interview breakdown of Episode 33 - my conversation with Dr. Jody Azzouni about the metaphysics of mathematics. The first half of our conversation was about existence, the nature of language, and whether we can say true things about objects that don't exist. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Puerto Rico Has Gone Bankrupt
May 12, 2017 15:12 - 7 minutes - 5.32 MBThe economic principle is clear: you cannot borrow money indefinitely to pay your bills. Eventually, the bills come due. You can only delay the inevitable. This is a law of economics, and it applies to every country on earth, including the United States. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 56 - Zen Buddhism | Keiho Nishigaki
May 09, 2017 22:09 - 33 minutes - 22.8 MBWhat are the fundamentals of Zen Buddhism? What is the purpose of meditation, or zazen? Is the philosophy or the practice of Buddhism more important? I asked these questions to Keiho Nishigaki, the head monk at the Nan'yoji temple outside of Osaka, Japan. He was kind enough to work me through the basics, in addition to giving me a guided Zen meditation session. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 55 - Are Science and Religion Incompatible? | Dr. Peter Harrison
April 30, 2017 20:35 - 55 minutes - 38 MBHow fundamental is the conflict between science and religion? Is it true that the history of the church is filled with anti-intellectualism and the suppression of scientific inquiry? Is religious fundamentalism to blame for the tension between science and religion? I've got my own suspicions about these questions, but I decided to ask Dr. Peter Harrison, who teaches History at the University of Queensland. He specializes in the topic of "Science versus Religion". Get full access to Steve ...
Data versus Anecdotes: From Ghosts to Levaquin
April 28, 2017 23:07 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBRationalists are far too quick to dismiss anecdotes as being "non-scientific." They are also too quick to accept all official-looking "data" that comes from scientists - when, in fact, anecdotes might sometimes be more trustworthy than scientific data. On the other hand, many people are far too likely to accept the theoretical claims of anecdotal evidence - rather than accepting the data while remaining skeptical of any theoretical claims. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at...
Ep. 54 - Psychedelic Experience: Ayahuasca | The World Wanderers
April 23, 2017 21:34 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBFor thousands of years, people have ingested psychedelic drugs in order to alter their consciousness. They report having profound experiences - many of which are life-changing. But is this just simple delusion? Can you really learn important truths while on drugs? I think it's a grave mistake to dismiss the possibility out of hand. To help me answer, I'm joined by the World Wanderers: Ryan Ferguson and Amanda Kingsmith, who have traveled to more than 45 countries together. While in Peru, t...
The Social Hierarchy
April 20, 2017 10:30 - 10 minutes - 6.97 MBContinuing the commentary on hierarchy from last week. Seeking status, wealth, and prestige - for their own sake - is not a recipe for happiness or human flourishing. It's a recipe for pettiness and division. Playing power games within a social pecking order is an attempt to compensate for a lack of self-confidence. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 53 - One Year, 10 Countries | What I've Learned
April 15, 2017 16:03 - 42 minutes - 28.9 MBA year ago, I started Patterson in Pursuit. Ten countries later, I want to share some thoughts about what I've learned. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
People Love Hierarchy
April 13, 2017 06:18 - 8 minutes - 5.76 MBRegardless of where people fall on the social hierarchy, they like and reinforce the system. They seek camaraderie with other people in social classes - even if they're in the bottom class. This is a difficult part of human psychology for me to deal with. For those of us who don't like this system, it can be difficult to opt-out. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 52 - Are Some Infinities Bigger Than Others? | Dr. Toby Meadows
April 09, 2017 12:31 - 1 hour - 44.9 MBDoes infinity really come in multiple sizes? According to mathematical orthodoxy, some infinities are bigger than others - but that's awfully hard to wrap your mind around. So, I've asked Dr. Toby Meadows from the University of Queensland to help me out. He specializes in the philosophy of mathematics and set theory. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 51 - Feminist Philosophy | Dr. Michelle Boulous-Walker
April 02, 2017 08:56 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBWhy is the history of ideas dominated by male thinkers? Is it because women are discouraged from intellectual life - or is it because women tend to choose other careers? If we go even deeper: why do women (and men) make the choices they do? Is it because they are influenced by overwhelming societal pressures - or are they acting freely? These are the questions I've asked Dr. Michelle Boulous-Walker, who teaches at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Get full access to S...
The Metaphysics of Fiction
March 31, 2017 01:02 - 7 minutes - 4.92 MBCan we say true and false things about Harry Potter? If so, does that mean he exists? If not, then how can we talk about a non-existing thing? I've gotten different answers to these questions in my interviews so far. Here are some of my thoughts on the topic. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 50 - Argumentation Ethics | Stephan Kinsella
March 26, 2017 07:52 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBIf we choose to argue, have we presupposed an ethical framework? Is "self-ownership" a concept that cannot coherently be doubted? To help me answer these questions, I'm joined by Stephan Kinsella, who is one of the most prominent supporters of "argumentation ethics." He claims that ownership is inescapable. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Experts and Incompetence
March 24, 2017 01:04 - 23 minutes - 15.9 MBDon't take my word for it, but the experts might not be so expert... Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 49 - Is Consciousness "Emergent"? | Dr. David Braddon-Mitchell
March 18, 2017 11:24 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MBDoes consciousness "emerge" from physical phenomena? What does "emerge" even mean? If we grant that consciousness emerges, and that it has a distinct ontological status, doesn't that imply dualism? To help me answer these questions, I spoke with Dr. Braddon-Mitchell at the University of Sydney. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
My Experience with Christian Evangelicalism
March 16, 2017 02:32 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBI grew up in a Christian Evangelical household. This is my experience with religious fundamentalism. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 48 - Skepticism of Infinity in Mathematics | Dr. Norman Wildberger
March 12, 2017 05:12 - 51 minutes - 35.6 MBAre the foundations of mathematics rock-solid? Are we allowed to doubt them? How central is the concept of "infinity" to modern mathematics - and has the logic of infinity been fully worked out? To help me answer these questions, I've traveled to Sydney, Australia to interview an unorthodox mathematician on the topic. Dr. Norman Wildberger is also skeptical of the modern foundations of mathematics - even though he's a teaching professor at the University of New South Wales - and he has a...
Infinite Things Do Not Exist
March 09, 2017 05:30 - 14 minutes - 10.2 MBThere are no infinite things - no infinite sets, magnitudes, densities, shapes, distances, or anything else. Every thing is exactly the way it is. It has boundaries and is therefore finite. If this is true, then we have a great amount of work ahead of us, re-founding modern mathematics on a more solid logical ground. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 47 - Problems with Paraconsistent Logic | Interview Breakdown
March 05, 2017 15:22 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBBreakdown of the interview I had with Dr. Patrick Girard about paraconsistent logic. Nothing is both true and false at the same time. Any logical theory that suggests otherwise is catastrophically flawed. There are no true logical contradictions, and if we get this wrong, we eliminate any chance of internal incoherence in our theories. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
3 Steps for Changing a Paradigm
March 03, 2017 04:01 - 5 minutes - 3.89 MBHow to replace one theory with another. You must accomplish three things: 1) Explain where the dominant theory is wrong. 2) Explain why your theory solves the problem in #1, while preserving its explanatory power. 3) Explain why the incorrect theory still had predictive power. Do those three, and you've made a compelling case for a paradigm shift. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 46 - Buddhism and Boundaries | Interview Breakdown
February 26, 2017 01:36 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MBAre all boundaries artificial? Is "the self" a real thing, or is it just an illusion? Does anything have essence? These are the questions I'm breaking down from my interview with Dr. Janet Gyatso from Harvard. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
A Requirement for True Love
February 24, 2017 07:53 - 14 minutes - 10.2 MBThis is the most personal article I've written. It's about love - but it's not meant to make you feel fuzzy. I believe love is the highest state of human existence, but getting to a loving state of mind is incredibly hard, and it comes coupled with a great deal of pain. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe
Ep. 45 - Infinite Sets: Understanding the Basics | Dr. Gareth
February 19, 2017 05:30 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MBResting at the heart of modern mathematics is the concept of infinite sets. It's a notoriously difficult concept, and in my own evaluation, it strikes me as logically contradictory. So, I accept an invitation to talk with an ex-mathematician who specializes in set theory - perhaps he can set me straight and help me understand the basic ways of thinking about these "completed infinities." Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe