Patterson in Pursuit

Ep. 15 - Anarchist Intuition | Libertarian Political Philosophy

July 17, 2016 10:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MB

Anarchism is a scary word, but it's a sensible political philosophy. Over the last several years, I've been persuaded by libertarian anarchism, and I think it's important to cover the basic ways of thinking about political issues as an anarchist. In this episode, I want to give you the groundwork for an anarchist's intuition. Note: by "anarchism", I am referring to "market anarchism", not "socialist/communist anarchism." There's a big difference between the two. Get full access to Steve...

Resolving the Liar's Paradox

July 14, 2016 10:00 - 6 minutes - 4.51 MB

This sentence is false. Is that sentence true or false? If it's true, it's false. If it's false, it's true. This is the liar's paradox, and philosophers have been debating it for thousands of years. From what I can tell, it's tricky, but it can be resolved with a little inspection. We don't need to throw out classical logic. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 14 - Understanding Quantum Physics | Dr. Simon Saunders

July 11, 2016 20:52 - 1 hour - 49 MB

A great deal has been written about how "weird" quantum physics is. Many wild and radical ideas are drawn from the field. However, few people seem to understand the basic concepts. Before we evaluate the different theories in quantum physics, we need to grasp the fundamentals - the theories, data, and philosophy surrounding quantum events. I am joined by Dr. Simon Saunders of Oxford University, who is a professor of the philosophy of physics, and he lays out the basic ideas. Get full ac...

Everything is Grounded in Logic

July 06, 2016 23:59 - 7 minutes - 5.39 MB

Logic is the secret to all critical thinking. It is the root of every philosophical tree. When you understand what "necessity" means, you'll start grasping the most fundamental principle in the universe. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 13 - Austrian Economics: Deduction, Logic, and Theory | Dr. Peter Boettke

July 03, 2016 08:30 - 1 hour - 43.6 MB

The Austrian School of economics is outside the mainstream, but I find their arguments compelling. Specifically, their claims about the epistemological status of economic theory - the philosophy of economics. My guest is Dr. Peter Boettke from George Mason University. He is an Austrian School proponent, and we dive into some of the deeper questions surrounding the nature of pure logic in economic theory. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Can You Judge Intelligence by Beliefs?

June 29, 2016 11:19 - 8 minutes - 5.7 MB

Can you judge somebody's intelligence by their beliefs? The polite answer is "No! Of course not!" But my own experiences make me think otherwise. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 12 - Brexit!

June 26, 2016 05:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MB

Coming to you from London, England. Was the Brexit a good idea? As a libertarian, the situation is mixed. On the one hand, decentralizing power is a good thing. On the other hand, a Brexit might lead towards higher tariffs and protectionism. On the whole, I think the pro's outweigh the con's. The principle of self-governance is more important than short-term economic gains. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

From Conservative to Anarchist

June 22, 2016 08:30 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MB

I used to be a conservative, and then I was introduced to the libertarian political philosophy, which slowly turned me into an anarchist. It sounds like a radical conclusion, but it comes from basic principles in economics and ethics. This article covers my personal intellectual journey. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 11 - Contradictions at Columbia | Interview Breakdown

June 19, 2016 20:18 - 44 minutes - 30.3 MB

This week is another breakdown episode, where I focus primarily on the interview about logical contradictions at Columbia. Dr. Justin Clarke-Doane was arguing that logical contradictions can be understood and incorporated into our worldview. I couldn't more strongly disagree, and I wasn't too impressed with his argument. This is why. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

The Logic of Nothing

June 15, 2016 11:13 - 8 minutes - 5.95 MB

When people talk about nothing, what are they really talking about? How can you talk about nothing - unless nothing is actually something? Many Eastern philosophies (Buddhism, in particular) believe that nothing is something, and a few Western philosophies do as well. But they are mistaken. If we value a rational and logically consistent worldview, we have to understand exactly what nothing is - or more precisely, what it isn't. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepat...

Ep. 10 - Christian Beliefs, Experiences | Dr. Bob Murphy

June 12, 2016 14:31 - 51 minutes - 35.4 MB

Religion is too quickly dismissed by modern intellectuals. Religious or spiritual experience is a relatively universal phenomenon, and it deserves the same level of rational analysis as the rest of our worldview. My guest today is Dr. Bob Murphy, who is a professional economist, author, and a self-described "born-again Christian". We talk about his beliefs, justification, and personal experiences with the faith. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com...

Assume Everybody is Wrong

June 08, 2016 08:30 - 7 minutes - 5.44 MB

Everybody is wrong about everything all the time. That's my life motto. You can't simply believe something because somebody told you so. You have to doubt. The deeper you dive into philosophy, the more you realize how important the fundamentals are, and the more you realize how few people understand the fundamentals. Therefore, it's better to simply assume people are wrong about everything from the start. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subs...

Ep. 9 - Logic, Contradictions, and Dialetheism | Dr. Justin Clarke-Doane

June 05, 2016 08:30 - 1 hour - 60 MB

Can something be true at false at the same time? Some philosophers think so. I don't, but my guest does. Questions of logic and epistemology are at the foundation for everyone's philosophy, and the stakes couldn't be higher. If contradictions are possible, that's a big deal. If contradictions aren't possible, that's also a big deal. You have to decide for yourself. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Does the Mind Have Access to Objective Truth?

June 01, 2016 10:30 - 8 minutes - 5.67 MB

Do our minds have access to objective reality, or are we stuck inside our own heads? Do we need to "get outside our minds" to verify whether our claims about the world are true? These questions have enormous implications for our entire philosophy. They are about the fundamental relationship between the mind and the world. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 8 - Completed Infinities: Possible or Not? | Dr. Gary McGuire

May 29, 2016 08:00 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MB

"Completed infinities" are at the center of modern mathematics. Their existence is taken as a foundational axiom. I must admit: I think this is an error - a logical mistake. Infinity, by definition, cannot be completed, right? I am joined by Dr. Gary McGuire, the head of Mathematics and Statistics at the University College Dublin. To my surprise, Gary also expresses skepticism about completed infinities. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Against "Doing the Right Thing"

May 25, 2016 08:00 - 7 minutes - 4.88 MB

Most ethical questions are framed incorrectly. Morality isn't about actions and consequences. It is about intention. Thinking this way avoids a number of popular ethical dilemmas, like the infamous trolley problems. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 7 - Egoism, Religion, Ayn Rand | Michael Malice

May 22, 2016 08:00 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MB

Selfish or simply honest? Egoist philosophy doesn't win popularity contents, but it does claim to be intellectually consistent. The self, they claim, is at the center of all moral values. I am joined by Michael Malice, who is a best-selling author and self-described egoist. We talk about the philosophy, his thoughts on atheism, and some problems with Ayn Rand's Objectivism. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Chairs Do Not Exist

May 18, 2016 08:00 - 17 minutes - 11.7 MB

The physical world is made up of particles, not objects. Objects are abstractions - they are conceptual boundaries we put around clumps of matter. Without the mind, those boundaries wouldn't exist. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 6 - Interview Breakdown: Pragmatism, Objective Truth, and Anarchism

May 15, 2016 08:00 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MB

My analysis of the philosophies presented so far - covering pragmatism, anarchist legal systems, objective truth, the philosophy of mind, and autodidacticism. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Democracy Fail: Trump versus Sanders

May 11, 2016 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.14 MB

It's taboo to criticize democracy. However, if we want to have clear political philosophies, we need to look at both the theory and the practice of democracy. Voters in New Hampshire freely chose a self-described socialist and a thinly-veiled fascist as their #1 picks. That should trouble us. With a little effort, we might be able to construct a superior political system that doesn't allow foolish politicians to enact foolish policies. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at ste...

Ep. 5 - American Pragmatism | Dr. John Stuhr

May 08, 2016 08:00 - 1 hour - 51.2 MB

American Pragmatism is a philosophy that's been around for more than a century. It's recently seen a renaissance in the last few decades, and I'm talking this week with Dr. John Stuhr, who has written several books on the topic. We cover pragmatism from the basics to more advanced concepts, and I get to ask Dr. Stuhr a ton of questions in my own pursuit of understanding the philosophy. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

The Sliding Scale of Certainty

May 04, 2016 08:00 - 5 minutes - 3.6 MB

A central question in philosophy is "Can we know anything with perfect certainty?" Either way you answer - yes or no - has big implications. Here's my answer in five minutes. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 4 - Irrational Voters, Law without Government, and the Case Against Education | Dr. Bryan Caplan

May 01, 2016 08:00 - 37 minutes - 25.7 MB

Do democracies really make the best decisions? Should we encourage everyone to vote, even if they don't understand the issues? I am joined today by Dr. Bryan Caplan, who is a professor of economics at George Mason University. He's also the author of "The Myth of the Rational Voter" (http://amzn.to/1Wn9xi4), which takes a skeptical look at the reliability of voting. We also discuss the educational establishment, from K-12 to Higher Ed, and Dr. Caplan proposes what he calls the "signaling mo...

The Death of Skepticism

April 26, 2016 08:00 - 7 minutes - 5.42 MB

Skepticism used to be a way of thinking, but nowadays, it's turned into a fashionable clique. Calling yourself a "skeptic" today means you identify with three core ideas - atheism, physicalism, and empiricism. The "skeptics movement" has crowded out people who dissent, and in the process, they've become more dogmatic than those they criticize. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 3 - Consciousness and Subjectivity | Dr. Emrys Westacott

April 21, 2016 04:29 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MB

Consciousness remains a metaphysical mystery. Scientists don't understand it, philosophers don't understand it, and neither does anybody else. Is everything in the universe fundamentally physical, or is there something more? Is the physicalist worldview incomplete? Why should first-person experience exist in the first place? Dr. Emrys Westacott is a professor of philosophy at Alfred University. You can read his great introductory book here: http://amzn.to/242NO1B Get full access to ...

Ep. 2 - Is There Objective Truth? | Dr. Emrys Westacott

April 21, 2016 04:15 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MB

Is there objective truth, or is everything ultimately subjective? Can we know with certainty? These questions are central in philosophy, and it's where we begin the series. Dr. Emrys Westacott is a professor of philosophy at Alfred University. You can get his excellent introductory book Thinking Through Philosophy here: http://amzn.to/242NO1B Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

Ep. 1 - Introduction

April 20, 2016 18:30 - 4 minutes - 2.86 MB

Introduction to the show. Who I am and what the show is about. Philosophy and interviews across the world. Talking with intellectuals and professors about big ideas. Covering philosophy, science, religion, politics, economics, mathematics, libertarian theory, and much more. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe