Robinson's Podcast

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 sixth appearance on the show. On past episodes, including with Richard Wolff, he and Robinson have neoliberalism, industrial capitalism, the rentier economy, Marxism, and the role of economics in political history. In this episode, Michael and Robinson talk about Donald Trump, the war in Iran, Russia and Ukraine, Israel, China, and the possibility of World War III. Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.comTemples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dmOUTLINE00:10 How Oil Controls US Foreign Policy10:44 How American Foreign Policy Is Leading to World War III31:03 Trump’s Neocon War Strategy34:56 Why Does the United States Need Israel for its Iran War?41:26 Does the US Finance Terrorism in Ukraine and Israel?44:16 How the West Provoked Russia’s War in Ukraine52:53 Why Does the US Support Ukraine?56:10 How China Became an Economic Superpower59:49 AI and the Economic War for Global Dominance01:10:21 Oil, Renewable Energy, and the Shifting Global Power Structure01:12:25 The US Economy After WWI01:24:21 Why Europe Fell from WWII to the Present01:36:45 How Trump Ignores the First Amendment01:40:20 The Apex of American Power after WWII01:43:12 Who Will Win the Economic World War?01:49:25 Why Iran Is Crucial to the World’s Future01:53:38 The Dismal Future of the American EmpireRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Sara Imari Walker is Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University, where she is Deputy Director of the Beyond Center. Sara is an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist, with research interests in the origins of life, artificial life, life and detection on other worlds. Lee Cronin is Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. Among his many pursuits are the digitization of chemistry, the discovery of alien life, and the creation of artificial life. In this episode, Robinson, Sara, and Lee discuss the relationship between philosophy and science, quantum physics, time, determinism, AI, and the origin of Life.Life as No One Knows It: https://a.co/d/2fdKa2eLee’s Website: https://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/cronin/Lee’s Twitter: https://x.com/leecroninOUTLINE00:00 Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Philosophy07:57 Philosophy and Science20:58 Is Time an Object?30:00 More on Time44:38 On Time and Entropy51:13 Is the Universe Deterministic?01:08:54 What’s Wrong with Quantum Physics?01:17:08 Contingency, Selection, and Evolution01:29:05 Scientific Temperament01:44:18 Do We Experience ChatGPT as Human?Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. Jacob Barandes is Senior Preceptor in Physics at Harvard University, where he works widely across the philosophy of physics, with focuses on the foundations of quantum mechanics, the philosophy of spacetime, and the metaphysics of laws. In this episode, Robinson, Tim, and Jacob discuss Jacob’s novel approach to quantum mechanics, which he calls the “Indivisible Approach”. More particularly, they discuss the problems at the core of quantum mechanics, the ontology of the theory, causality and quantum phenomena, probability, and more. 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.Tim’s Website: www.tim-maudlin.siteThe John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.orgJacob’s Website: https://www.jacobbarandes.comThe Stochastic-Quantum Correspondence: https://philosophyofphysics.lse.ac.uk/articles/10.31389/pop.186Historical Debates over the Physical Reality of the Wave Function: https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.09397Pilot-Wave Theories as Hidden Markov Models: https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.10569OUTLINE00:21 The Problems at the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics13:00 More on the Problems26:09 Is the Wave Function a Real Thing?32:48 Causation, Correlation, and Quantum Mechanics42:03 Terminological Issues44:34 Causal Models and the Markov Condition01:00:57 Can Time Exist Without Change?01:15:00 On Time and Change01:30:38 Newtonian Mechanics and the Markov Condition1:45:00 More on Newtonian Mechanics2:00:00 More on the Markov Condition02:17:49 Tim’s Response02:28:18 Philosophy and Physics02:32:38 More on Probability02:42:13 Probability and the Double Slit Experiment 02:59:42 Why Tim Remains PuzzledRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Scott Aaronson is the Schlumberger Centennial Chair of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin, and director of its Quantum Information Center. He researches the capabilities and limits of quantum computers, and computational complexity theory more generally. For the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years, he was on leave to work at OpenAI on the theoretical foundations of AI safety. In this episode of Robinson’s Podcast, Scott answers a host of questions about the basics of quantum computing. He and Robinson discuss the physics- and computer science elements of the field, how it connects to the foundations of quantum mechanics, the biggest myths about quantum computing, and whether quantum computers will every actually be built.Scott’s Blog: https://scottaaronson.blogOUTLINE00:00 Scott’s Interest in Quantum Computing07:10 Distinguishing the Physics from the Computer Science14:43 What Is Quantum Computation?39:41 The Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics53:31 Quantum Information55:54 Prime Factorization01:03:19 The Biggest Myths About Quantum Computing01:14:06 Can Quantum Computers Actually Be Built?Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Jeffrey Pfeffer is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University where he has taught since 1979. He is the author or co-author of 16 books. Dr. Pfeffer received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University and his Ph.D. from Stanford. In this episode, Robinson and Jeffrey discuss the field of organizational behavior. More particularly, they talk about the aims and methods of the field, some of its subjects—such as power and influence—and case studies. Jeffrey’s latest book is the 7 Rules of Power (Holt, 2022). 7 Rules of Power: https://a.co/d/58WWhiCOUTLINEOUTLINE00:00 Introduction05:46 Understanding Vs Implementation11:42 The Seven Principles of Influence19:33 Evolutionary Biology20:49 How Self-Interest Rules Organizations29:37 Power and the Prevalence of Conspiracies33:53 Jeffrey Epstein and the Laws of Power42:55 The Administration of Health Benefits49:16 How Jeffrey’s Research Has Influenced His Behavior59:06 The Price of PowerRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Lee Cronin is Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. Among his many pursuits are the digitization of chemistry, the discovery of alien life, and the creation of artificial life. Lee was most recently on the show for episode 264, in which he and Robinson and Lee discussed astrobiology, the chemistry of life as we know it, and the controversies surrounding artificial intelligence. In this follow-up conversation, they focused primarily on artificial intelligence, aliens, and assembly theory.Lee’s Website: https://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/cronin/Lee’s Twitter: https://x.com/leecroninOUTLINE00:00 Introduction01:01 AI or Aliens?02:46 What Is Intelligence?13:57 Are Autonomous Vehicles Intelligent?21:39 Assembly Theory and the Origin of Life28:23 Is ChatGPT Intelligent?34:12 What Would Genuine Artificial Intelligence Really Look Like?41:13 Are “AI Skills” Just Product Placement?49:45 Are AI Actually Intelligent “Agents”?56:21 Concluding Thoughts59:16 Will Aliens Be Biological?01:00:01 How Common Are Aliens in the Universe?01:05:51 How Will Aliens Search for Life on Earth?01:12:58 The Chemistry of Minds01:17:10 The Biggest Myths About AliensRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine. She is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. In this episode, Robinson and Annaka discuss panpsychism and the case that consciousness is fundamental. More particularly, they talk about complexity and emergence, the relationship between consciousness and physics, and artificial intelligence.Lights On: https://a.co/d/cy8YTpdConscious: https://a.co/d/3uFZ2JqAnnaka’s Website: https://annakaharris.comOUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:52 Annaka’s Obsession with Consciousness06:09 How Should We Define Consciousness?13:06 Why the Complexity Might Not Explain Consciousness25:30 Is Consciousness Emergent or Fundamental?29:45 Are Fundamentalia Conscious?45:18 How Can Consciousness Solve Deep Problems of Physics?52:14 Consciousness and Quantum Entanglement01:00:11 Consciousness and the Many Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics01:10:50 What Does an Electron Feel?01:13:41 AI and Consciousness01:22:42 Science and the Fundamentality of ConsciousnessRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Jacob Barandes is Senior Preceptor in Physics at Harvard University, where he works widely across the philosophy of physics, with focuses on the foundations of quantum mechanics, the philosophy of spacetime, and the metaphysics of laws. In this episode, Robinson and Jacob focus on the foundations of quantum mechanics. They discuss the importance of history and philosophy in the same, its connections to mathematics, many of the biggest puzzles in quantum physics, and Jacob’s new approach to the foundations, which he refers to as the “Indivisibility” approach.Jacob's Website: https://www.jacobbarandes.comOUTLINE00:00 Mathematics, Nature, and Physics07:55 The Deep Link Between Math and Physics CLIP15:21 Scrutinizing the History and Philosophy of Physics28:11 A Digression on Achille Varzi36:53 The Etymology of “Matrix”41:17 Learning from the History of Physics52:38 Why Does Quantum Mechanics Need New Foundations?59:04 Does Quantum Gravity Need New Quantum Foundations?01;08:26 What Is a Constructive Physical Theory?01:32:31 Markov Laws and Determinism01:45:30 The Wave Function02:06:53 Inconsistencies in Quantum Mechanics02:12:20 What Is Quantum Decoherence?02:23:10 The Biggest Problems in Quantum Foundations?02:33:49 Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics02:38:57 Quantum Mechanics, Many Worlds, and the Problem of Induction02:50:05 The Indivisibility Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics03:04:42 What Are the Fundamentalia of the Universe?Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Lee Cronin is Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. Among his many pursuits are the digitization of chemistry, the discovery of alien life, and the creation of artificial life. In this episode, Robinson and Lee focus on astrobiology, the chemistry of life as we know it, and the controversies surrounding artificial intelligence.Lee’s Website: https://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/cronin/Lee’s Twitter: https://x.com/leecroninOUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:55 Lee’s Interests in the Origin of Life10:29 Is Life Unique to Earth?18:16 What Is the Self?24:05 Is the Selfish Gene Hypothesis Wrong?30:46  How Does Sand Turn into Cells?44:02 What Is Chemputation?45:41 What Is Assembly Theory?01:11:33 Why Won’t We Find a Mine of Coffee Mugs on an Asteroid?01:25:09 Has AI Become a Cult?01:32:16 Will AI Use Biological Weapons to Wipe Out Humanity?01:55:24 Why AI Can’t Be AgentsRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Sara Imari Walker is Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University, where she is Deputy Director of the Beyond Center. Sara is an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist, with research interests in the origins of life, artificial life, life and detection on other worlds. In this episode, Robinson and Sara discuss the physics that makes life possible. More particularly, they discuss assembly theory, the growing field of astrobiology, the difficulties of defining life, and where we are most likely to find aliens. Sara’s latest book is Life as No One Knows It: The Physics of Life’s Emergence (Riverhead Books, 2024).Life as No One Knows It: https://a.co/d/2fdKa2eOUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:35 The Connection Between Physics and Biology07:15 Philosophy and the Origin of Life10:03 Is the Selfish Gene Theory Wrong?22:17 On Her Work with Lee Cronin38:47 Experiments To Discover the Origin of Life48:52 What Is Assembly Theory?01:00:42 Are Boltzmann Brains Possible?01:05:53 The Paradox of Defining Life01:31:10 Is Life a Vague Concept?01:38:13 Where Are All the Aliens?Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Visit our sponsor, Wealthfront!: wealthfront.com/robinsonSlavoj Žižek is international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London, visiting professor at New York University, and a senior researcher at the University of Ljubljana’s Department of Philosophy. This is Slavoj’s fifth appearance on the show. On episode 109, he and Robinson discussed wokeness and psychoanalysis. On episode 118, he, Sean Carroll, and Robinson discussed quantum physics, the multiverse, and time travel. And on episode 206 he, Lee Smolin, and Robinson discussed quantum physics. In episode 212, Robinson and Slavoj talk about ancient philosophy, god, communism, quantum mechanics, and psychoanalysis. In this episode, they discuss current political events, marxism, quantum mechanics, and artificial intelligence. Slavoj’s upcoming book is Quantum History: A New Materialist Philosophy (Bloomsbury, 2025).Quantum History: https://a.co/d/7WFcAGiVisit our sponsor, Wealthfront!: wealthfront.com/robinsonPromo terms & conditions apply. See our affiliated link for more details.Robinson Erhardt is a Wealthfront client and was compensated for the testimonial and promotion of the Wealthfront Cash Account. This compensation creates a conflict of interest. Experiences may vary among Cash Account clients, and results are not guaranteed. The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of September 26, 2025, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY.If you are eligible for the overall boosted rate of 4.25% offered in connection with this promo, your boosted rate is also subject to change if the base rate decreases during the three-month promotional period.OUTLINE00:00 Introduction01:07 Marxism and Quantum Mechanics07:34 Why We Aren’t Pessimistic Enough16:29 The Wisdom of the First Philosopher29:27 The Assassination of Charlie Kirk38:10 On Curtis Yarvin49:23 The Naivety of Pete Hegseth51:06 The Contradiction in American Fascism57:43 Could a Coup Overthrow Trump?01:04:17 The Utter Shamelessness of Today’s Society01:14:15 The Danger of the Disappearing Left01:18:06 AI Is a Tool of Authoritarian SuppressionRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Go to https://surfshark.com/robinsonerhardt and use code robinsonerhardt at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!Tyler Cowen is the Holbert L. Harris Chair of Economics at George Mason University and serves as chairman and faculty director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. A dedicated writer and communicator of economic ideas, Tyler is the author of several bestselling books and is widely published in academic journals and the popular media. In this episode, Robinson and Tyler discuss the economics of artificial intelligence. More particularly, they touch on whether AI will destroy humanity, how it will affect employment, whether there will no longer be a place for art in the marketplace, and more. Tyler’s latest book is Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World (St. Martin’s Press, 2022).Marginal Revolution: https://marginalrevolution.comTyler’s X: https://x.com/tylercowenTalent: https://a.co/d/ftqNWcnOUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:03 What is State-Capacity Libertarianism?00:04:32 Should Government Regulate AI?00:05:54 Is AI an Existential Threat to Humanity?00:07:33 The Fallacy of Mood Affiliation00:11:11 AI Music and the Velvet Sundown00:15:03 Is AI Ending America’s Great Stagnation?00:19:45 How Will Top-Tier AI Cognition Impact the Labor Market?00:30:17 How Will AI Transform Education?00:42:15 Does AI Doom Human-Generated Research?00:45:21 Why Is AI Taking Off So Slowly?00:48:39 Does AI Mean the End of Lawyers?00:51:41 Is Harvard Just a Dating Hack in the World of AI?00:54:53 Does AI Help or End Social Mobility?00:57:03 How We Should Write When AI Is Reading It All?01:02:24 Will AI Enable Us to Eat All We Want?Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Reid Hoffman is the co-founder of LinkedIn, Manas AI, and Inflection AI. As an investor at Greylock, he is one of the leading figures in the tech industry, working at the forefront of AI development. In this episode, Reid and Robinson talk all about the future of AI. They begin by covering the worst case scenario—doomsday—and why Reid is optimistic about our chances. From there, they turn to how AI could help us cure cancer, replace therapists, enable us to be more powerful agents, and make our lives better. Reid’s most recent book is Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future (2025).Reid’s Website: https://www.reidhoffman.orgSuperagency: https://a.co/d/hdSZeCYOUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:09 Why Won’t AI Destroy Humanity?00:06:39 Will AI Be Good or Bad for Employment?00:08:20 On Optimism00:10:10 It Isn’t Inevitable that AI Will Wipe Out Human Life00:19:03 How to Align AI with Human Interests00:24:40 Reid’s Interest in Friendship00:32:13 Why AI Can’t be Our Friends00:36:33 Could AI Replace Therapists?00:45:18 Using AI to Cure Cancer00:52:04 Will AI Extinguish Humanity with a Virus?01:00:02 How Will AI Make Us More Powerful Agents?01:07:06 Will Academia Be Revolutionized by AI?01:15:10 Are You an AI Native?01:17:36 How to Invest in AIRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Support our sponsor, FarmKind, to fix factory farming: https://www.farmkind.givingThe code “ROBINSON” will increase your donation by 50% with a bump from large donors.Kenneth Roth is the Charles and Marie Robertson Visiting Professor at the Princeton School for Public and International Affairs. Until August 2022, he served for nearly three decades as the executive director of Human Rights Watch. In this episode, Robinson and Ken discuss his work with HRW and what he has been doing since. More particularly, they get into the details of how HRW operated, how shaming tactics can be deployed against figures like Putin, Trump, and Orban, Israel and Palestine, the relationship between genocide and ethnic cleansing, and more. For more, read Ken’s recent book, Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments (Knopf, 2025).Righting Wrongs: https://a.co/d/gHkbmmwOUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:00:53 Why Human Rights?00:08:23 How Does Human Rights Watch Work?00:14:04 Can Putin or Orban Be Shamed?00:21:14 Can Trump Be Shamed into Standing Up to Putin?00:26:53 Libya, Gaddafi, and Forcing the Release of Political Prisoners00:29:14 Fighting the Dreaded M23 Rebel Group in Congo00:31:56 Why Governments Always Violate Human Rights00:33:57 Is Torture Ever Justified?00:38:21 Facts and Investigations00:46:27 Verifying Starvation and Famine in Gaza00:51:29 Can Netanyahu Be Shamed?00:58:24 Genocide vs. Ethnic Cleansing in Palestine01:04:16 The United States’ Biggest Human Rights Violations01:09:24 Sudan: The World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis

Support our sponsor, FarmKind, to fix factory farming: https://www.farmkind.givingThe code “ROBINSON” will increase your donation by 50% with a bump from large donors.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 ninth  appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In this episode, Richard and Robinson discuss the tariffs that President Donald Trump would like to place on goods imported from around the world. More particularly, they cover the real problems America is facing that Trump has to solve, the connection to Russia, China, and the BRICS, Elon Musk and electric vehicles, and more. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024).Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalismRichard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.comEconomic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdateOUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:07 Is Trump’s Tariff Plan Nuts?00:06:31 Is the United States Unsustainable?00:15:33 Can Tariffs Solve America’s Debt Problems?00:19:17 Tesla’s Electric Vehicle Tariff War on China00:25:19 The Declining American Empire00:32:53 Exposing the Myths About Trump’s Tariffs00:44:55 The Empty Promises of American Politics00:53:54 Why DC Doesn’t Have Representation in Congress01:00:22 The Bizarre Alliance Between Israel and the United States01:04:48 Why Russia Is Exempt from Trump’s Tariffs01:13:48 Are Israel and the United States “Winning” Against Gaza?01:24:25 How Wealth Now Controls the United States01:27:52 On The Impending Economic Downturn in the United States01:31:47 How Trump is Turning Allies into Enemies01:37:12 America’s Terrible Healthcare01:42:25 Who Really Rules America?01:57:04 How Should Trump Solve America’s Real Problems?02:04:39 What America Can Learn from Britain’s CollapseRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Carl Hart is Mamie Phipps Clark Professor of Psychology at Columbia University, where he researches the behavioral and neuropharmacological effects of psychoactive drugs in humans. In this wide-ranging conversation, Robinson and Carl discuss drugs from many different angles, touching on the neuroscience of addiction, the opioid crisis, drugs’ connections to poverty, the roles they can play in a creative life, and more. Carl’s most recent book is Drug Use for Grown-Ups (2021, Penguin).Drug Use for Grown-Ups: https://a.co/d/efgXuJKOUTLINE00:00:49 Introduction00:03:14 What Is a Drug?00:14:58 DARE and Drug Education00:26:07 Rodrigo Duterte and the Drug War in the Philippines00:39:25 Studying Drugs in the Lab00:49:07 Does Addiction Change the Brain?00:58:12 On the Opioid Crisis01:10:42 How Should We Solve the Opioid Crisis?01:14:01 What Is the Connection Between Drugs and Poverty?01:18:21 How Do Drugs Affect the Brain?01:28:27 How Can Drugs Improve Your Creativity?01:36:04 Should Science Inform Drug Policy?Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where is also a student in the Law School.

Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. This is Tim’s eighth appearance on the show. His second to  last appeared on episode 246 for a masterclass on Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, explaining it from the ground up and elucidating some common misconceptions. In this episode Tim returns for a discussion of the philosophy of time. More particularly, Tim and Robinson discuss black holes, fundamentality, simultaneity, time’s flow, rate, and limits, connections to physics, time travel, and more. 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.Tim’s Website: www.tim-maudlin.siteThe John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.orgOUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:01 “What Is” Questions00:06:09 Everyday Misconceptions About Simultaneity00:15:12 The Relativity of Duration00:20:19 Is Time Fundamental?00:28:55 Does Time Exist at Quantum Scales?00:40:19 Is Quantum Mechanics Complete?00:50:16 What Is Time-Reversal Invariance?01:01:01 Parity Violations01:11:46 What Is Metaphysics?01:22:16 Does Time Have A Rate of Passage?01:25:02 Does Time Flow?01:27:04 What Does Time Really Measure?01:29:15 Is There a Limit to How Accurately Clocks Can Measure Time?01:33:06 Is Time Continuous or Discrete?01:36:36 On Zeno’s Paradoxes of Motion01:44:08 Is Time Discrete?01:51:14 Did Time Have a Beginning?02:02:41 Stephen Hawking on Time02:05:39 David Albert’s Past Hypothesis02:14:13 The Debate Between Presentism and Eternalism02:23:16 Lee Smolin’s Black Hole Theory02:24:46 A Shortcoming of the Standard Model02:26:05 Arrival Time and Time of Flight02:34:51 Arrival Time Experiments and Bell’s Inequality02:46:07 The Black Hole Information Paradox02:56:27 Is Time Travel Back to the Dinosaurs Possible?02:58:34 A Rant on Aliens03:03:35 The John Bell Institute for the Foundations of PhysicsRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where is also a student in the Law School.

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 fifth 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. He has also joined with Richard Wolff. In this episode, Michael and Robinson discuss how the Crusades shaped the future of economics, the role of economics in political history, the current budget of the Republicans, problems with social security, the effects of AI on economics, and more. Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.comTemples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dmOUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:00:37 Why Historians Missed How the Crusades Shapes Economics00:10:39 What Motivated the Crusades?00:20:09 The Problem of Financing Wars00:29:23 How The Roman Catholic Church Invented Financial Interest00:40:08 Importing Jewish Merchants to England00:45:12 The Intolerance of the Catholic Church00:48:51 The Origin of Roman Catholic Indulgences00:58:39 Using Indulgences to Finance the Crusades01:05:54 Neglecting the Role of Economics in Political History01:15:43 Finance as the Central Planning Power of Governments01:18:17 What’s Wrong with the Republicans’ Budget?01:19:48 The Dark Problem with Social Security01:26:40 The Conflict Between Finance and Democracy01:37:19 How the 1 Percent Don’t Contribute to the Economy01:38:40 How Will AI Impact the Future of Economics?01:45:55 How Will AI Affect Unemployment Rates?01:54:18 Will the 1 Percent Need People in an AI Future01:58:32 How Will AI Affect the Future of Academia?02:08:59 Papal Financial Control vs The IMF02:19:37 How the Government Favors the Creditor over the Debtor02:23:42 The Difference Between the Chinese and American Economies02:32:37 Global Warming’s Devastating Effects on the EconomyRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.

In this special episode, Robinson and Karl Zheng Wang co-host at the Yale US-China Forum. Return guests from the show include Slavoj Žižek, Richard Wolff, and Yascha Mounk. Slavoj Žižek is international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London, visiting professor at New York University, and a senior researcher at the University of Ljubljana’s Department of Philosophy. 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. Yascha Mounk is a Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. He is also a Contributing Editor at the Atlantic, a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and the host of The Good Fight podcast. Yannis Varoufakis is a Greek economist and politician, and current Secretary-General of the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. Robin Visser is Professor in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she researches modern Chinese and Sinophone literatures, urban cultural studies, and environmental studies. Pei Wang is Professor in the Chinese History and Culture Program at the University of Hong Kong, where she specializes in comparative philosophy, psychoanalysis, and more. Daniel Mattingly is Professor in the Department of Political Science at Yale University, where he studies the domestic and international politics of authoritarian regimes, with a focus on China.  OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:46 The Future of Europe and China00:10:40 There Is No Such Thing as Trade Wars, They Are All Class Wars00:15:50 How Wall Street’s Failures Fueled the Rise of Tech00:20:02 Why Is There a New Cold War Between the US and China?00:27:18 Why the United States Is Abandoning Democracy and Why China is Yannis Varoufakis’s Only Hope00:29:26 Richard Wolff to Yannis Varoufakis: Are We Heading Toward Nuclear War with China?00:35:58 How Class WARFARE Shaped the World Superpowers CLIP00:41:01 Is China Capitalism’s Final Form?00:52:03 Is There Any Way that China and the United Stated Could Avert Conflict?00:59:16 Varoufakis to Wolff: Is a Tariff Hail Mary Trump’s Only Remaining Option?01:03:39 Daniel Mattingly on China’s Sociopolitical Organization01:08:39 How Does Xi Jinping Talk About Socialism?01:13:47 Yascha Mounk on US-China Competition01:22:36 Philosophy, Socialism, and Capitalism01:48:40 Pei Wang on the Hero and Father in US-China Competition01:54:31 Hero and Father Archetypes in PoliticsRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.

Peter Zeihan is a geopolitical analyst, futurist, and best-selling author who researches and strategizes around demography, economics, energy, politics, technology, and security. In this episode, Peter and Robinson focus on revisiting content from his latest book—The End of the World is Just the Beginning—in the context of today’s developments. More particularly, they discuss, Donald Trump, tariffs, ICE Raids, deportations, how demography and geography will affect the future balance of world powers, the impact of AI on global economics, what the end of the world order could look like, Trump’s immigration policies, and more. You can keep up with Peter through his website or YouTube channel, links to which are below.Peter’s Website: https://zeihan.comPeter’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ZeihanonGeopoliticsThe End of the World is Just the Beginning: https://a.co/d/bZJES4tOUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:09 Trump and the End of the American-Led World Order00:06:49 Does AI Change the Economics of the Future?00:14:39 The 2,000,000,000$ Failure of the F-35 Fighter Jet00:25:00 Why the United States Needs Immigrants00:33:03 Is There Any Strategy Behind Donald Trump?00:41:43 Why Food Will Become Weaponized in the Near Future00:50:39 Why China’s Economy is Doomed to Recession00:53:55 How Do We Prepare For China’s Collapse?01:00:37 Trump’s Tariffs and the Fall of America01:01:54 Was Russia Doomed to Fall Even Before Ukraine?01:05:51 The Biggest Underestimated Global ConflictsRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University.