Unknown Reasons
26 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsWe read science-fiction and fantasy as philosophy so you don't have to.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy (1976)
January 13, 2023 17:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBMark and James talk about the feminist sci-fi classic. We cover the utopian ideas in the book and give praise and criticism to its take on gender, parenthood, mental health, nature, and more. Follow James on TikTok at @unknownreasonspodcast Email us at [email protected] Music: Signal to Noise by Scott Buckley
"The Ones Who Stay and Fight" by N.K. Jemisin (2020)
May 02, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 44.8 MBPart 2 of the Omelas series. Nate and I discuss the ambiguous utopia that is Um-Helat. Topics include brainwashing and the dangers of conspiracy theories. Read the story HERE! The documentary about Edward Bernays is The Century of the Self by Adam Curtis Email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music: Scott Buckley "Signal to Noise"
"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin (1973)
March 26, 2022 16:00 - 38 minutes - 26.2 MBNate and James discuss utilitarianism, capitalism, and joy in the context of Le Guin's influential story. Part 1 of a series on the Omelas-verse. Read it here Email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music: Scott Buckley "Signal to Noise"
"I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" by Harlan Ellison (1967)
March 07, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 42 MBNate and James talk about evil AIs, evil gods, and evil billionaires. Read the story Email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod
"The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington" by P. Djèlí Clark (2018)
December 30, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 53.7 MBNate and I get real on the issues of race, slavery, and what you call a group of pirates. (I don't know why I couldn't think of the word crew). The story can be found here: https://firesidefiction.com/the-secret-lives-of-the-nine-negro-teeth-of-george-washington Read the essay Clark wrote on writing the story: https://disgruntledharadrim.com/2018/02/27/on-slavery-magic-and-the-negro-teeth-of-george-washington/ Email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @unk...
"A Song for Lya" by George R.R. Martin
October 24, 2021 13:00 - 51 minutes - 35.4 MBNate and James discuss another short one by George R.R. Martin. We cover topics such as the self and what defines a cult. Email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Next time we'll be reading "The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington" by Phenderson Djèlí Clark which can be found here: https://firesidefiction.com/the-secret-lives-of-the-nine-negro-teeth-of-george-washington
Nightflyers by George R.R. Martin (1981)
July 22, 2021 16:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBJoin Nate and me for a sublime discussion about a dragon-free George R.R. Martin story. The novella is worth reading even if you've seen the show, especially for fans of the Alien series. Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Email - [email protected] Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (1992) with Nate
April 25, 2021 14:00 - 53 minutes - 36.9 MBMemes. Are they propaganda or something worse? Nate and i talk about another Stephenson book as a way of avoiding finishing Anathem. Nate read Snow Crash years ago; I read it for the first time this month. We talk about language, rationality, and the internet. Lisa Swanstrom - "Capsules and Nodes and Ruptures and Flows: Circulating Subjectivity in Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash: [https://www.jstor.org/stable/40649585] Michel Foucault and Noam Chomsky Debate Human Nature & Power on Dutch TV ...
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (2006) with Nate
March 28, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 44.7 MBNate and I discuss the topics from Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem. I explain gravity to Nate who remains a bit skeptical about the whole concept. We talk technology, and as usual, I can't shut up about the communist utopia. Corrections: Bertrand Russell told the story about the intuitivist turkey. A gravitational tug hasn't been tried yet unfortunately. "Four Futures" by Peter Frase Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Email - [email protected] Music is "Signa...
The Parable Series by Octavia Butler (1993/1998) with guest Mark
February 28, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 44 MBFriend and colleague Mark joins me to discuss The Parable of the Sower and The Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler. We analyze Earthseed in terms of it's roots in real-word spirituality. Parable Series - Octavia Butler "'The Only Lasting Truth Is Change': an analysis of Earthseed spirituality: The 'Parables' (1993-1998) by Octavia Butler" by Laura Lievens Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Email - [email protected] Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckle...
A Door into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski (1986)
February 07, 2021 17:00 - 13 minutes - 9.34 MBA door into A Door into Ocean, an excellent book worth reading. Despite the name, I'd call it solarpunk. Heidegger and Derrida make an appearance. Deconstruction - https://iep.utm.edu/deconst/ A Door into Ocean - https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780312876524 Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Email - [email protected] Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Anathem Parts 3 and 4 with Nate
January 17, 2021 13:00 - 53 minutes - 36.8 MBThe plot is starting to pick up speed but we still have a long way to go. We spend a lot of time talking about boxes and putting things in them, in terms of quantum mechanics and politics. We ask the important questions like "where did Schrodinger get that box?" Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Email - [email protected] Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Anathem Part 2 with Nate
January 03, 2021 13:00 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MBNate returns to talk about part 2 of Neal Stephenson's Anathem. Still lots of descriptions of architecture, but at least we finally get out of the math and into the Secular World. Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Email - [email protected] Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Anathem by Neal Stephenson (2008) with guest Nate
December 12, 2020 13:00 - 57 minutes - 39.7 MBMy guest Nate is a friend and colleague from grad school. We discuss first part of Anathem. We give an overview of the book and explain somethings that come up in part 1 which leads us to talking about Platonism, parallel worlds, and academia. Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Millennium by John Varley (1983)
November 28, 2020 08:00 - 13 minutes - 9.57 MBMillennium is a great time travel book but also a warning about humanity's future. I talk about some fun time travel paradoxes, then I cover some less fun worries about climate change. Millennium - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49848.Millennium Murray Bookchin - https://lmgtfy.app/?q=murray+bookchin Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
6. Millennium by John Varley (1983)
November 28, 2020 08:00 - 13 minutes - 9.57 MBMillennium is a great time travel book but also a warning about humanity's future. I talk about some fun time travel paradoxes, then I cover some less fun worries about climate change. Millennium - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49848.Millennium Murray Bookchin - https://lmgtfy.app/?q=murray+bookchin Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
5. Swastika Night by Katharine Burdekin (1937)
November 07, 2020 03:00 - 11 minutes - 8.02 MBI talk about the best dystopian novel you've never heard of, Swastika Night. Are gender politics the key to fighting fascism? Swastika Night - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/387373.Swastika_Night Luce Irigary - https://iep.utm.edu/irigaray/ Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Swastika Night by Katharine Burdekin (1937)
November 07, 2020 03:00 - 11 minutes - 8.02 MBI talk about the best dystopian novel you've never heard of, Swastika Night. Are gender politics the key to fighting fascism? Swastika Night - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/387373.Swastika_Night Luce Irigary - https://iep.utm.edu/irigaray/ Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
4. The World of Null-A by A.E. van Vogt (1948)
October 14, 2020 06:00 - 11 minutes - 8.12 MBIn this episode, I discuss The World of Null-A and the amazing things you can do with non-Aristotelian logic. The World of Null-A - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/951290.The_World_of_Null_A Alfred Korzybski - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Korzybski Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
The World of Null-A by A.E. van Vogt (1948)
October 14, 2020 06:00 - 11 minutes - 8.12 MBIn this episode, I discuss The World of Null-A and the amazing things you can do with non-Aristotelian logic. The World of Null-A - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/951290.The_World_of_Null_A Alfred Korzybski - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Korzybski Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
The World of Null-A by A.E. van Vogt
October 14, 2020 06:00 - 11 minutes - 8.12 MBI discuss The World of Null-A and the amazing things you can do with non-Aristotelian logic. Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
3. The Golden Space by Pamela Sargent (1982)
September 29, 2020 06:00 - 14 minutes - 9.93 MBImmortality... it sounds great, but the side effects might kill you. Do we really want to live forever? In this episode, I discuss some questions about immortality using Pamela Sargent's The Golden Space as a guide. The Golden Space - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1967582.The_Golden_Space Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
The Golden Space by Pamela Sargent (1982)
September 29, 2020 06:00 - 14 minutes - 9.93 MBImmortality... it sounds great, but the side effects might kill you. Do we really want to live forever? In this episode, I discuss some questions about immortality using Pamela Sargent's The Golden Space as a guide. The Golden Space - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1967582.The_Golden_Space Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Nova by Samuel R. Delany (1968)
September 15, 2020 04:00 - 13 minutes - 9.6 MBThis episode I talk about a fantastic story from the 60s called Nova. Topics include race, labor, and transuranium elements. Nova - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/85863.Nova Follow me on Instagram at @unknownreasonspod Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Nova by Samuel R. Delaney (1968)
September 15, 2020 04:00 - 13 minutes - 9.6 MBThis episode I talk about a fantastic story from the 60s called Nova. Topics include race, labor, and transuranium elements. Music is "Signal to Noise" by Scott Buckley [https://www.free-stock-music.com/scott-buckley-signal-to-noise.html]
Episode 1: Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451
September 03, 2020 05:00 - 11 minutes - 8 MBWelcome to the podcast! This is the first episode so it's very bumpy. I start with introductions then dig a little into Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and end with a word on dystopias.