Conversations with Peter Boghossian

Philosopher and writer Nina Power is senior editor and columnist at Compact Magazine. She is the author of "One Dimensional Woman" (2009) and "What do Men Want? Masculinity & Its Discontents" (2022). She left her position as Senior Lecturer of Philosophy at Roehampton University after more than a decade in academia. Peter Boghossian spoke with Nina about the current manifestation of the "battle of the sexes," where men have become a socially permitted target of hatred and blame. Nina discusses the curious ideal of a homogenous human being, an aim to un-gender the sexes to make men and women interchangeable. She says it is a mistake that traditional masculine virtues—strength, judgment, responsibility—are being coded as right-wing values that must be dismantled alongside "the patriarchy." Peter and Nina also discuss sex differences, male suicide, Nina's break with the Labour Party, the state of philosophy, Aristotle's categories of friendship, intellectual conformity, Ivan Illich, Rebecca Tuvel, activist attacks, leftism, the beauty of changing one's mind, and more. Nina received a Ph.D. in philosophy from Middlesex University and an MA and BA in philosophy from the University of Warwick. She was a senior lecturer in philosophy at Roehampton University and has taught at various British universities. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the British Philosophical Association. She cohosts the podcast The Lack with Helen Rollins and Benjamin Studebaker. More from Nina: "What do Men Want? Masculinity & Its Discontents" by Nina Power Compact Magazine "The Lack" podcast Nina on X Nina on Substack Watch this episode on YouTube.

Sall Grover is the Founder and CEO of "Giggle," a social networking app "designed by women, for women." She is currently battling a lawsuit from a trans-woman who calls himself "Tickle." Tickle was kicked off the app in 2021 because he is a man. The outcome of this lawsuit (Tickle vs. Giggle) will impact women's rights and protected spaces in Australia. Peter Boghossian spoke with Sall about the fundamental distinction between the sexes, why preferred pronouns must be rejected, free speech and cognitive liberty, the meaning of progress, and the future of the transgender fad. According to Sall, "women are not dickless men" and have the right to exclude men from their sports, prisons, and social apps. Further info on the Tickle vs. Giggle case: fedcourt.gov.au Quillette article Watch this episode on YouTube.

In 2021, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) canceled a high-profile lecture by Dr. Dorian Abbot, a renowned geophysicist from the University of Chicago. The topic of the lecture was not the issue. Rather, Dorian was targeted by Social Justice activists because of his critique of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) ideology. MIT buckled to the demands of a handful of ideologues, inadvertently contributing to discussions about academic censorship. MIT did not expect the blowback it received for hobbling scientific inquiry in favor of ideological conformity. MIT alumni formed the Free Speech Alliance and its faculty overwhelmingly voted to adopt a university statement regarding freedom of expression. Since then, Dorian has become a leading figure in the fight for academic freedom of thought, speech, and inquiry. In this conversation, Peter Boghossian and Dorian discuss the MIT fiasco, the proper aim of academia, the immorality of DEI, speech as "violence," University of Chicago's commitment to academic freedom, finding meaning through religion and naturalism, Dorian's rejection of tyrannical "equality" mandates, and much more. Dorian Abbot is associate professor in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago. He has written more than 90 scientific papers on the climates of Earth and other planets. He is a member of the Council of the Faculty Senate, a co-founder of the faculty group U-Chicago Free, a founding member of the Academic Freedom Alliance, and a co-founder and moderator of the Heterodox Academy STEM Community. Dorian won the 2021 "Hero of Intellectual Freedom Award" from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni and the 2022 "Courage Award" from the Heterodox Academy. Read the MIT Freedom of Expression & Academic Freedom statement. Watch this episode on YouTube.

Author and cultural critic Wilfred Reilly is a gadfly to mainstream narratives concerning race, crime, and gender ideology. His books include "Taboo: 10 Facts You Can't Talk About" and "Hate Crime Hoax: How the Left is Selling a Fake Race War." His upcoming book, "Lies My Liberal Teacher Told Me," will be available in February 2024. Wilfred's writing is also published in the Wall Street Journal, the National Review, USA Today, Commentary Magazine, Tablet, Quillette, and many other outlets. Wilfred is an Assistant Professor of Political Sciences at Kentucky State University. His research interests include international relations and prevention of war, contemporary American race relations, and empirical testing of political claims. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Southern Illinois University and a law degree from the University of Illinois. More from Wilfred: Upcoming book: "Lies My Liberal Teacher Told Me" Books: "Taboo: 10 Facts You Can't Talk About" and "Hate Crime Hoax: How the Left is Selling a Fake Race War" Wilfred on Twitter Watch the episode on YouTube.

Author and activist David Silverman is one of the best-known atheists in the United States. He has been a leading voice in the atheism movement for decades, previously serving as President for American Atheists and Executive Director for Atheist Alliance International. He broke ranks with these organizations when they were captured by the "religion of wokeism." David is now the advisory board chair for Atheists for Liberty, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization promoting secularism, free speech, and enlightenment values. He is the author of "Fighting God: An Atheist Manifesto for a Religious World." He recently published an article in Reality's Last Stand expressing his concerns about atheists aligning with Christians in the fight against woke ideology. More from David: Reality's Last Stand: "Reflections of a Firebrand" by David Silverman YouTube Atheists for Liberty Twitter Watch this episode on YouTube.

Filmmaker Taylor Reece is the director of "Dead Name," a documentary by Broken Hearted Films. "Dead Name" gives voice to parents managing the damage and trauma gender-affirming care has inflicted upon their children. The film was released in December 2022, but Vimeo removed the video from its platform in February this year. Vimeo accused the film of promoting "hate speech" and demeaning "Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE)." Interest in the film by the press and viewers surged following this censorship. Watch "Dead Name": https://www.deadnamedocumentary.com/ Watch this episode on YouTube.

Evolutionary biologist Colin Wright is the founding editor of Reality's Last Stand, a publication dedicated to free speech, science, and reality. His articles on sex and gender have been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Times, New York Post, Newsweek, City Journal, Quillette, and other major news outlets and peer-reviewed journals. Colin is a Manhattan Institute Fellow, an Academic Advisor at the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM), and a member of Genspect's Killarney Group. Colin received a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from UC Santa Barbara in 2018. He left academia in 2020 when the fervor of gender ideology became an obstacle to scientific inquiry and free speech. Connect with Colin: Reality's Last Stand Twitter Further resources: Manhattan Institute Killarney Group (Genspect) Watch this episode on YouTube.

Special thanks to Birch Gold Group for sponsoring today's episode. Text "PETER" to 989898 for your FREE info kit on gold. Writer Rob Henderson coined the term "luxury beliefs," an apt description of empty slogans that signal high status among the elite. Proclaiming "Defund the police!" may confer status on students at Columbia, but do they understand the cost such a policy would inflict on the poor? (Spoiler Alert: No.) Rob attended Yale, earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Cambridge, and served in the Air Force. His research interests include social cognition, prosocial behavior, and moral development and reasoning. He is a writer for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Quillette, and Substack and a Founding Faculty Fellow at the University of Austin, Texas. Rob's memoir will be released in February 2024, titled "Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class." It is available for preorder. Watch this episode on YouTube.

Erec Smith is an Associate Professor of Rhetoric at York College of Pennsylvania. Although he has eclectic scholarly interests, Smith's primary work focuses on the rhetorics of anti-racist activism, theory, and pedagogy. He is the president of the Foundation for Free Black Thought. Smith's recent books include A Critique of Anti-Racism in Rhetoric and Composition: The Semblance of Empowerment (2020) and The Lure of Disempowerment: Reclaiming Agency in the Age of CRT (2022). He tweets here. Documentaries mentioned: "The Woke Reformation" by Travis Brown "The Reformers" by Mike Nayna Watch this episode on YouTube.

Dr. Tabia Lee is a longtime educator, pedagogist, and a founding member of Free Black Thought. In 2021, Tabia was hired at DeAnza College in California as the Faculty Director for the Office of Equity, Social Justice, and Multicultural Education. Tabia attempted to reform the toxic campus atmosphere characterized by many faculty and staff members as "too woke." DEI colleagues at DeAnza rejected Tabia's efforts to promote a "pro-human" approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Tabia, a black woman, was called a white supremacist, a racist, and a right-wing operative, among other accusations. In June this year, Tabia was fired. She is suing DeAnza College for violating her academic freedom and free speech rights. Find more from Tabia: Donate Free Black Thought

Bestselling author and evolutionary psychologist Gad Saad is a pioneer in the application of evolutionary psychology to consumer behavior. He is a Professor of Marketing at Concordia University where he held the Research Chair in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Darwinian Consumption for a decade. As a leading public intellectual, Gad writes and speaks about a wide range of ideas, including "idea pathogens" destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense. He hosts "The Saad Truth" podcast. Gad is the author of the international bestseller, "The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense," "The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption," "The Consuming Instinct, Evolutionary Psychology in the Business Sciences," and numerous scientific papers. His latest book is "The Saad Truth about Happiness: 8 Secrets for Leading the Good Life," published July 2023. Follow Gad Saad: The Saad Truth podcast Website Twitter

Special thanks to Birch Gold Group for sponsoring today's episode. Text "PETER" to 989898 for your FREE info kit on gold. Glenn Loury, one of the leading public intellectuals in the Anglosphere, is known for his astute observations and forthright delivery. He does not disappoint in this conversation with Peter Boghossian during the University of Austin's Forbidden Courses program. Glenn and Peter discuss pressing social, racial, and economic topics of our era, including affirmative action, student debt relief, and criminal justice reform. Glenn explains his distrust of public policy to remedy social ills that should be managed through individual responsibility. He discusses disempowering narratives promoted by progressives and shudders at the "infantile, unserious arguments" of Ibram X. Kendi. Glenn also talks about how he derives meaning in life and his religious ambivalence. He shares his deep love for his wife in spite of political differences between them. When Peter asks Glenn about his hopes for his grandchildren, Glenn shares words of wisdom that reveal his deepest values. He also describes his favorite recent books: "A Certain Ambiguity" by Guarav Suri and "Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth" by Reza Aslan. Author, economist, and social critic Glenn Loury is the Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences and Professor of Economics at Brown University. He is the recipient of many honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Carnegie Scholarship. He hosts The Glenn Show, frequently joined by another friend of the show, linguist John McWhorter. Glenn's publications include, "The Anatomy of Racial Inequality," "Race, Incarceration, and American Values," "One by One from the Inside Out," and "Ethnicity, Social Mobility and Public Policy." His memoir, "Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative," is forthcoming. Glenn's Substack: https://glennloury.substack.com/ Watch this episode on YouTube.

Special thanks to Birch Gold Group for sponsoring today's episode. Text "PETER" to 989898 for your FREE info kit on gold. Luana S. Maroja is a renowned evolutionary biologist, Professor of Biology, and Chair of the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Program at Williams College. She was taken aback when the Society for the Study of Evolution released a statement promoting sex as a spectrum and declaring the validity of "lived experience" in sexual identity. What would inspire such a misguided, conspicuously anti-scientific declaration? In this conversation with Peter, she answers that question. In plain language, Luana explains chromosomal differences in mammals and how the sex binary is expressed in animals. She addresses popular arguments about exceptions to the binary, such as variations in sex chromosomes, hormone receptor failure, and developmental sex disorders. They also discuss: Moralistic and naturalist fallacies, bimodality, being "born in the wrong body," social constructs, clown fish, non-biologists teaching bad biology, and trans racialism. Luana S. Maroja earned her undergraduate and master's degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and her PhD from Cornell University. Her research interests include population ecology, speciation, population genetics, phylogeny, and phylogeography. Luana studies a variety of organisms, including small mammals, insects, and plants, and has published more than 35 scientific papers. Luana co-authored The Ideological Subversion of Biology, the cover article in the July/August 2023 issue of Skeptical Inquirer magazine. "The Ideological Subversion of Biology," Skeptical Inquirer https://skepticalinquirer.org/2023/06/the-ideological-subversion-of-biology/ Watch the episode on YouTube.

Bestselling author John McWhorter is a linguistics professor at Columbia University, host of "Lexicon Valley," and a regular guest on "The Glenn Show" with Glenn Loury. John's writing has been published in many venues, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New Republic, City Journal, Time Magazine, and Forbes. He writes a weekly opinion column for The New York Times. John's most recent book is "Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America." He has authored more than twenty books on language and race relations, including "Nine Nasty Words," "The Language Hoax," and "Talking Back, Talking Black." Woke Racism by John McWhorter Lexicon Valley Substack New York Times articles Watch this episode on YouTube.

Author Michael Lind is co-founder of the New America Foundation and co-author of its manifesto, "The Radical Center." He is a columnist for Tablet and has been an editor or staff writer for The New Yorker, Harper's, The New Republic, and The National Interest. He is a contributor to The New York Times, Politico, The Financial Times, Foreign Policy, Salon, The International Economy, Forbes, UnHerd, and many other publications. Michael has authored nearly 20 books, including "The New Class War: Saving Democracy from the Managerial Elite," "The American Way of Strategy," and "What Lincoln Believed." Michael's latest book is "Hell to Pay: How the Suppression of Wages is Destroying America," published in May 2023. Michael is a professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin, teaching courses on American democracy, political economy, and foreign policy. More about Michael: "Hell to Pay: How the Suppression of Wages is Destroying America" by Michael Lind Tablet MagazineNew America Foundation Watch the episode on YouTube.

Scottish author and critic Will Jordan, aka The Critical Drinker, offers biting, insightful, and often hilarious critiques of modern cinematography. His straightforward analysis of plots, characterization, dialogue, and ideological narrative in modern film has earned him over 1.7 million YouTube subscribers. The Critical Drinker is the author of the "Ryan Drake" novel series and co-authored "Deadly Cargo" with James Patterson. He is also Peter's favorite movie and TV critic. Books by Will Jordan Follow Will on Twitter Watch this episode on YouTube.

Special thanks to Birch Gold Group for sponsoring today's episode. Text "PETER" to 989898 for your FREE info kit on gold. Journalist Andy Ngo has been in the news regarding the conclusion of his civil lawsuit against Rose City Antifa. Members of the Portland "anti-fascist" group assaulted Andy multiple times since 2019, putting him in the hospital with a brain hemorrhage. Despite a plethora of video evidence, the jury cleared the assailants of responsibility on August 8. Andy and one of his lawyers discussed juror intimidation by the defense lawyer and other Antifa members with Laura Ingraham. Peter Boghossian and Andy had this conversation prior to the conclusion of the trial. They have been friends for years, first meeting at Portland State University in 2015 when Peter was a professor and Andy was a graduate student. Peter and Andy share their first-hand experience with the damage Social Justice ideology has inflicted on Portland, Oregon. They discuss the decline in crime prevention by police and citizens, including the national effect of former US Marine Daniel Penny's indictment. Andy explains why left-wing violence is tolerated and even encouraged. Many academics have ties to violent extremists (or are violent extremists themselves) and activist journalists provide narratives that justify vitriol toward their ideological enemies. Andy explains how left-wing radicalization begins as early as elementary school. Andy and Peter were previously involved in secular activism. They consider the consequences of bartering fealty to traditional religions in exchange for Wokism. Peter describes his Pollyanna expectation for a new age of rational flourishing and his surprise at the secular pseudo-religious outcome. Also discussed: moral triaging, identity vs. class, epistemological paralysis, Billboard Chris, trans militancy, preferred pronouns, and the ineffectiveness of anonymity. Andy Ngo is the author of the #1 national bestseller, Unmasked: Inside Antifa's Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy. His articles can be found in The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Quillette, New York Post, Fox News, and other publications. Andy is Senior Editor at The Post Millennial. Website: https://www.andy-ngo.com/ Locals: https://ngolocals.com/ Detailed report: Civil Trial against Rose City Antifa https://townhall.com/tipsheet/miacathell/2023/08/09/andy-ngo-antifa-trial-hacker-testimony-n2626762 Post-Trial Interview with Laura Ingraham https://www.patreon.com/posts/87462476?pr=true Watch this episode on YouTube.

Award-winning author Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and contributing editor of The Atlantic. Jonathan defends objective truth and free inquiry in his latest book, "The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth." He is the author of eight books on public policy, culture, and government, including "Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought" and "Beyond Queer: Challenging Gay Left Orthodoxy." Jonathan's Website: https://www.jonathanrauch.com/ Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/what-we-do/debates/ Articles referenced by Jon: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/15/media/twitter-musk-journalists-hnk-intl/index.html https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/elon-musk-twitter-still-banning-journalists https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-medias-covid-success https://twitter.com/jon_rauch/status/1509752156605276160 Watch this episode on YouTube.

Special thanks to Birch Gold Group for sponsoring today's episode. Text "PETER" to 989898 for your FREE info kit on gold. Kathleen Stock is a British philosopher, author, and gender critical feminist who recently left mainstream academia. She resigned her professorship at Sussex University at the end of 2021 due to ideological censorship and death threats from trans activists. Like Peter Boghossian, Kathleen is a Founding Faculty Fellow at the University of Austin, Texas (UATX). Peter and Kathleen were both participating faculty in UATX's Forbidden Courses program this summer and met for a conversation. Kathleen talks about the strange new world LGBTQ+ activists have created for gay men and lesbians, particularly defining gay identity as "same gender attracted." Kathleen, herself a lesbian, is concerned about the confusing messages young lesbians receive from gender ideologues—like the notion that "lesbians can have penises." Peter and Kathleen also discuss preferred pronouns, cultish qualities in trans activism, the new Virgin Mary (any pregnant trans man), the callow misuse of philosophy, the effect of morally fashionable beliefs on philosophers, ruined academic disciplines, Wittgenstein, women's competitive nature, the Substitution Hypothesis, the ethics of gender transition, backward reasoning, and hope for the next generation. Kathleen Stock's latest book is "Material Girls: Why Reality Matters for Feminism." She is a columnist for UnHerd and recently launched The Lesbian Project with Julie Bindel. Follow Kathleen's work: The Lesbian Project Unheard Twitter Watch this episode on YouTube.

Filmmaker and writer Christopher Rufo is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Chris has produced documentaries for PBS, Netflix, and international television. He's also a contributing editor at "City Journal," where his articles address critical race theory, gender ideology, homelessness, addiction, crime, and the decline of American cities. Chris just published his first book, "America's Cultural Revolution: How the Radical Left Conquered Everything," an instant New York Times bestseller. Find more of Chris's work: City Journal articles Substack The Manhattan Institute Twitter

Cosmologist Dr. Brian Keating a Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of California, San Diego and the Associate Director of the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination. He is the author of "Losing the Nobel Prize: A Story of Cosmology, Ambition, and the Perils of Science's Highest Honor" and "Into the Impossible: Thinking Like a Nobel Prize Winner." Keating hosts the "Into the Impossible" podcast. "Losing the Nobel Prize: A Story of Cosmology, Ambition, and the Perils of Science's Highest Honor" by Brian Keating "Into the Impossible: Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner" by Brian Keating YouTube Podcast "Into the Impossible" Center for Human Imagination Website Twitter Watch this episode on YouTube.

Peter Boghossian has been inspired by the work of preeminent evolutionary biologist, author, and atheist Richard Dawkins for years. In this conversation, they discuss various impingements of delusional thinking on rationality. Richard is unsettled by the substitution hypothesis—the proposal that as one religion fades, another will take its place. Yet, he recognizes the transfer of religious structures into Woke dogma, including the replacements of white privilege for Biblical original sin and trans ideology for Catholic transubstantiation. Richard says he's wasted his life if humans are destined to embrace a default level of delusional thinking from one source or another. Peter and Richard consider whether some delusions are more benign than others and if the lesser of the evils should be accepted. Richard proposes that scientific thinking and evidence-based belief could replace irrationality, saying the wonders of science provide a "nearly spiritual experience." Also discussed: Fermi's paradox, natural selection, extraterrestrial genetics, skeletal gender, Lamarck vs Darwin, the ideological capture of science journals, tribal belief, and two mysteries unanswered by science. Richard Dawkins is a bestselling author and award-winning evolutionary biologist. He is an advocate for scientific literacy and an outspoken critic of creationism. His most notable books are The God Delusion and The Selfish Gene, both selling millions of copies internationally. Richard's latest book is Flights of Fancy: Defying Gravity by Design and Evolution. Richard hosts The Poetry of Reality podcast and is on the board of the Center for Inquiry. Website: https://richarddawkins.com/links Watch this episode on YouTube.

Dr. Benedict Beckeld is a philosopher and author. He explores the denigration of social customs, history, and values in his latest book, "Western Self-Contempt: Oikophobia in the Decline of Civilizations." Beckeld's writing can be found in Quillette, City Journal, The American Conservative, and the Salisbury Review, among other publications. "Western Self-Contempt: Oikophobia in the Decline of Civilizations" by Benedict Beckeld https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501763180 Website http://www.benedictbeckeld.com/ YouTube: / @benedictbeckeld Twitter https://twitter.com/BenedictBeckeld Watch this episode on YouTube.

Stephanie Winn is the host of the You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist Podcast. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Portland, Oregon. She also appears in the upcoming documentary film, "No Way Back: The Reality of Gender Affirming Care". Watch this episode on YouTube.

Mark Goldblatt is an author, essayist, and theologian. In his recent book "I Feel, Therefore I Am: The Triumph of Woke Subjectivism," Goldblatt examines the tension between subjective belief and the inescapable demands of reality. Goldblatt is an education professor at SUNY's Fashion Institute of Technology. His other books include "Might as Well Be Dead," the "Twerp" series, and "Bumper Sticker Liberalism." Goldblatt's essays can be found in The New York Times, Newsday, The New York Post, USA Today, Reason Magazine, and many other publications. Watch the episode on YouTube.

Ed Diehl is an Oregon State Congressman. He has debated the chair of Behavioral Health over the bill HB 2002. This episode can also be watched on YouTube.

James Lindsay is a bestselling author, mathematician, and a leading expert on the ensuing culture war. He is the founder of "New Discourses," a website and podcast analyzing the theory behind, effects of, and solutions to "Woke Marxism". James speaks widely on language, education, and Social Justice ideology. In May, he spoke to the European Union Parliament about this evolved form of Marxism in Western culture. James' books include "Cynical Theories," which he wrote with Helen Pluckrose, "How to Have Impossible Conversations," which he wrote with yours truly, "Race Marxism: The Truth About Critical Race Theory and Praxis", and also his most recent book, "The Marxification of Education: Paulo Freire's Critical Marxism and the Theft of Education." Watch this episode on YouTube.

The world's leading skeptic, author Michael Shermer, explains what it would take for him to believe claims of extraterrestrial visitation. Michael follows Pierre-Simon Laplace's principle, popularized by Carl Sagan: "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." Michael has bet $1,000 that irrefutable evidence of human contact with aliens will not materialize by the end of next year. So far, he has no takers. Peter and Michael discuss the brain as "an engine of belief" and how the human desire for transcendence and moralization leads people to extend their confidence beyond the warrant of the evidence. Education is one antidote to this cognitive malady, and Michael promotes teaching children statistics, probability, and how to "think like scientists". Peter and Michael also discuss organizational splintering (including in the skeptic and atheist movement), fashionable beliefs, why believers in alien visitations aren't interested in SETI, Bayesian reasoning, the deep state, true conspiracies, Dr. Paul Hotez vs. RFK Jr., childhood gender transition, and Michael's forthcoming book, Truth. Dr. Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. Michael wrote a monthly column for Scientific American for 18 years. He is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain. His latest book is Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational. Twitter: @michaelshermer You can watch this conversation on YouTube!

Michael Shellenberger appreciates the challenge skeptics offer regarding the existence of UFOs (also termed UAPs, "Unexplained Aerial Phenomena"). Skeptics, true believers, and everyone in between have taken note of Michael's reporting on the topic. In this conversation with Peter Boghossian, Michael explains his level of confidence about visitations by non-terrestrial spacecraft. (Peter says the verified discovery of alien spacecraft would be a revolution comparable to humanity's domestication of fire—and he wants it to be true but requires evidence.) Peter and Michael also discuss a more down-to-earth possible cover-up regarding the source of COVID-19. They explore free speech, censorship for adults vs. children, the Orwellian "Institute for Strategic Dialogue," levels of societal hate, "crazy-making," the attitudinal disposition to the truth as a basis of friendship, their friendship, and much more. Michael Shellenberger is an author, investigative journalist, and the founder & president of Environmental Progress, a nonprofit research organization. He also co-founded the California Peace Coalition, an alliance of parents of children killed by fentanyl and parents of homeless addicts. Michael is the author of Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility (with Ted Nordhaus), Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All, and most recently, San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities. He also coauthored An EcoModernist Manifesto. Twitter: @shellenberger Skeptic Michael Shermer also spoke with Michael Shellenberger about his reporting on alien spacecraft. Next week, we'll hear Peter's interview with Shermer! Watch this episode on YouTube

Helen Joyce is causing a lot of trouble. YouTube recently removed her conversation with Jordan Peterson (due to vague accusations of "hate speech" and "inciting violence") and the BBC doesn't invite her on air anymore. Among her heresies, she is guilty of believing there are two sexes and saying it out loud. Helen, an Irish journalist, bestselling author, and director of advocacy at Sex Matters, spoke to Peter Boghossian about the differences between men and women. In many arenas, the differences don't matter, but they are a matter of consequence regarding women's privacy, vulnerability, and physical competition. Peter and Helen discuss the definition of sex, why trans men should be allowed in women's spaces, the tragedy of the commons, fa'afafine, evolution, the "thought-terminating cliché," the tribal fear of rejection, the cultivation of mental illness, why institutions are losing their North Stars, and much more. Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality by Helen Joyce Helen Joyce on Twitter: @HJoyceGender Watch this conversation on YouTube!

According to journalist and author Kenny Xu, progressives fail to grasp the importance of merit in academic admissions and degree conferral, particularly in medicine. While Xu supports the long-held liberal ideal of equal opportunity through education, he argues that the university is not the place to address group achievement gaps. Instead, educational interventions need to begin much earlier—ideally in kindergarten. In this conversation, Peter Boghossian and Xu discuss holistic admissions vs. merit in medicine, overcoming "diversity statements," calculating competence, the elevation of kindness over data, discrimination against Asian students, what the SAT measures, why merit requires objectivity, the humility of the scientific method, the unsustainability of "kind lies," violence against Asians, and much more. Kenny Xu is a journalist, author, and president of Color Us United, a non-profit organization advocating for a race-blind America. His forthcoming book is School of Woke: How Critical Race Theory Infiltrated American Schools and Why We Must Reclaim Them (August 1, 2023). Xu reported on academic discrimination against Asians in his former book, An Inconvenient Minority: The Harvard Admissions Case and the Attack on Asian American Excellence. Watch this conversation on YouTube!

"Is the trans movement anti-gay?" In honor of Pride Month, Peter Boghossian begins this conversation with an investigation into the increasing rejection of trans ideology by the LGB (without the T) community. Peter's guest is Andrew Doyle, acclaimed author, comedian, and host of Free Speech Nation on GB News. Here's an important piece of information to better understand this conversation: Andrew is gay. Andrew explains the impact the trans movement has inflicted on gay people over the last several years, including the rise of abusive language toward gays he "hasn't seen since the '80s." Lesbians are labelled "sexual racists" or "transphobes" if they reject trans women as partners. (The same is true for gay men rejecting trans men—that is, women—but the abuse is not as pervasive.) Peter and Andrew discuss the incoherence of gender ideology, the nature of sexual attraction, how predators manipulate gender self-ID, and the sterilization of gay youth. Also discussed: Bad woke art, sensitivity readers, primary education, censorship, standpoint epistemology, critical thinking, the long history of human fantasy and folly, and more. Andrew Doyle is a journalist, playwright, satirist, and comedian. He is the creator of Titania McGrath, "a radical intersectionalist poet committed to feminism, social justice and armed peaceful protest." He is the host of Free Speech Nation and an unabashed lover of art and literature. Watch this conversation on YouTube!

Keri Smith says she was in a cult for twenty years. It wasn't NXIVM, Peoples Temple, or Heaven's Gate, but something more widespread and insidious. Keri was a self-described Social Justice Warrior. Peter Boghossian talks to Keri about how Women's Studies classes at Duke University provided the gateway to her conversion through new words, new definitions, and exposure to oft-repeated axioms. Keri describes her former self as a "woke evangelist," spreading newfound truths about the patriarchy and righteous censorship. She became a Wikipedia editor to "correct history" and limited her media consumption to news, books, and speakers approved by the ideology. Keri lost friends and job opportunities when she left the Social Justice tribe, but she emerged with valuable experience. She shares advice about how to help others obtain freedom from illiberal dogma. Spoiler Alert: Facts aren't enough to break the spell. Keri Smith is the host of Deprogrammed with Keri Smith where she interviews notable thinkers like Helen Pluckrose, James Lindsay, William Allen, Samuel Sey, Charles Murray, Barbara Kay, and Dr. Bret Weinstein You can find her writing in Human Events, Fee.org, and The Dissenters Project, a collection of essays on the price of dissent. Keri has been a guest on many podcasts, including Timcast, Nerdrotic, Triggernometry, and Real Talk with Zuby. She recently hosted Mindsfest 2023 in Austin, Texas. Watch this interview on YouTube!

There is an epidemic of primarily white people—and white women in particular—who are pretending to be Native Americans for professional gain. Dubbed "Pretendians," these individuals are predominantly active in academia and hold tenured faculty positions or even department chairs. To help make sense of this institutionally supported fraud, Peter Boghossian spoke with Jacqueline Keeler, a Native American author and journalist who's an expert on the phenomena of Pretendians. Keeler names names and pulls no punches in this conversation. In light of Peter's experience at Portland State University (PSU), he was only mildly surprised to hear Keeler's report that three of its leading Indigenous Nations faculty are Pretendians: Ted Van Alst, Grace Dillon, and Judy Bluehorse Skelton. Jacqueline Keeler: https://linktr.ee/jfkeeler Watch this conversation on YouTube!

You can watch this episode on YouTube! Billboard Chris is a child protection advocate who travels the world talking to people about gender ideology. When Chris came to Oregon, Peter Boghossian joined him for street conversations at Portland State University (PSU) and the University of Oregon. The night before their visit to PSU, Peter hosted a meeting with Chris, journalists Andy Ngo and Savanah Hernandez, author Matt Thornton, and activist Honey Badger. Videographer Reid Nicewonder filmed the discussion. Peter's guests have experienced public violence from far-left activists. They discuss the decline of civil discourse and the rise of speech suppression, particularly on university campuses. They consider possible explanations for how police respond to violence by trans activists—often ignoring it or arresting victims to appease the mob. Billboard Chris explains his moral and philosophical opposition to the life-long medicalization of children through "gender affirming" puberty blockers, hormones, and surgery. He argues that while gender ideology permeates many institutions and dominates corporate messaging, public opposition is widespread and bipartisan. Don't miss this conversation. You'll hear stories from the trenches about the struggle to shine light on one of the most contentious issues of our time.

This conversation can be viewed on YouTube When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives is the latest book by bestselling author Heather Mac Donald. Mac Donald sounds an alarm about the erosion of meritocracy through "disparate-impact" ideology in science, medicine, jurisprudence, and art. While concerns about civilizational decline are not a laughing matter, Peter Boghossian injects a playful element to this interview by taking on the role of a progressive and challenging Mac Donald to defend her claims. Mac Donald shares her research and views on equity, the scientific method, credentials in medicine and law, colorblind meritocracy, classical music, crime, and the skills gap, all while affably referring to Peter as "Mr. Lefty." Heather Mac Donald is the Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her writing has appeared in various publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, and The New Criterion. Her numerous honors include the Integrity in Journalism Award, the Eugene Katz Award, and the 2005 Bradley Prize.

This conversation can also be viewed on YouTube! Peter Boghossian had the good fortune to be in Australia in March, the same time Kellie-Jay Keen brought her Let Women Speak (LWS) tour to Australia and New Zealand. They were scheduled to meet, but Kellie-Jay's tour was cut short when a violent mob of TRAs (trans rights activists) threatened her life. On March 25, Kellie-Jay was at Albert Park in Auckland for a planned LWS event. These gatherings have a very simple structure: women are invited to speak about women's issues. Men are also allowed to speak, but they must wait until the end. Hundreds of TRAs came to Albert Park to protest Kellie-Jay, turning violent before the speakers even got started. The mob toppled metal barriers, dumped tomato sauce and water on Kellie-Jay, and one (a man) punched an elderly woman multiple times in the face, cracking her skull. The mob attacked Kellie-Jay, and according to police, she was lucky to have survived. (Andrew Doyle provides a solid assessment of the situation with clips from the event here.) Obviously, the event was canceled, as was the event planned in Wellington the following day. New Zealand police put Kellie-Jay under protection and advised her to leave the country immediately due to credible threats on her life. Peter didn't meet with Kellie-Jay in Sydney as planned. But they did have an extended conversation following this authoritarian display of speech suppression and violence against women. In this conversation, we hear about what happened in Auckland, how she was defamed by Australian media before she arrived, why she's not "anti-trans" (or a Nazi), why she rejects the idea of gender, what we should do about activist educators, why voting for truth takes precedence over other political issues, and how we can overcome this illogical, authoritarian, and increasingly violent ideology.

Associate Professor of Psychology Charles Negy was canceled by an online mob for "offensive" speech on Twitter in June 2020. Within weeks, the University of Central Florida (UCF) launched an investigation, firing him six months later. In 2022, an arbitrator ruled that UCF did not have just cause for the termination and Negy was reinstated. In this interview with Peter Boghossian, Negy details his experience with university officials throughout the 2-year ordeal and considers how universities can be saved from illiberal ideology. Peter also introduces Negy to Hanna, a UCF student who was part of the mob that canceled him. Hanna explains her experience of indoctrination in the Social Justice movement and how she became a free speech advocate. Negy has filed a lawsuit against UCF's board of trustees for violating the First and Fourteenth Amendments, negligence, abuse of process, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. You can watch this interview on YouTube. Follow Peter Boghossian Substack YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook Donate to National Progress Alliance

In this episode, Peter Boghossian interviews Carl Benjamin. This is what Peter said about the discussion: Carl Benjamin, AKA "Sargon of Akkad," is best described as a free-speech activist, staunch critic of identity politics, and champion of English Liberalism. When YouTube and Google shadowbanned his channel in 2019 for wrongthink, Carl continued creating content on Akkad Daily. In November 2020, he launched a new media venture: Lotuseaters.com. Carl and I have fundamental differences about our core principles, but we are able to explore these differences constructively. Carl challenged my views and I find his take on social and cultural issues to be insightful, refreshing, and unhindered by moral fashions. We discussed myriad topics over more than two hours; I'm sharing the most interesting segment, where the issue of national sovereignty sparks a deep inquiry into the value of rationality, the possibility of "moral facts," the attainment of objective universal principles, and the possible pitfall of a doctrine of human rights. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For further reading on ideas discussed, check out Michael Oakeshott, John Rawls, Richard Rorty, J. L. Mackie, Jürgen Habermas, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Michael Shermer. You can watch this conversation on YouTube.

In "The New Puritans: How the Religion of Social Justice Captured the Western World," Andrew Doyle reveals the similarities between the destructive irrationality of 17th-century witch trials (and executions) in Salem and the illiberal collective mania afflicting modern society. Peter Boghossian interviews Doyle about themes explored, including the sly use of progressive language by Social Justice activists, the infection of major institutions, new segregation, "academic shibboleths," gender stereotypes, trans medical scandals, whistleblowers, the meaning of "left" and "right" ideology, the instinct for authoritarianism and much more. Buy Andrew Doyle's book Andrew Doyle on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewdoyle_com Titania McGrath: https://twitter.com/TitaniaMcGrath

Watch the video of this conversation here. Now that the first season of All Things Re-Considered has concluded, Peter Boghossian and Matt Thornton met to discuss viewer feedback. The vast majority of feedback has been positive, but a few criticisms are addressed: why Peter and Matt used Rachel Levine's preferred pronouns, the "Kazoo Dilemma" (who is responsible for its inclusion and who performed the devil's instrument), why we chose to examine NPR, if/how NPR could be fixed, the possibility that NPR "has always been this way," what news we can trust, and the future of All Things Re-Considered. We received several requests to release excerpts from the episodes that would be easier to share with friends than full videos. We think that's a great idea, so individual show segments will be available over the next few weeks—just in time for lively discussions with friends and family throughout the holiday season.

Fat identity/justice/liberation, intersectionality, saving public radio, interracial violence, George Floyd, Waukesha, Tony Timpa, Buffalo, data data data, qualified immunity and much more. This is our final episode of All Things Re-Considered for the season. We will release a conversation about what we learned next week. This is a great time to leave feedback about the show and suggest other topics for re-consideration (besides NPR)! Watch the series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYNjnJFU-62s5cNuqeB-D-7QPymF6myk_

Gina, host of "Morning Sedition" on All Things Re-Considered, shares an update regarding the dinosaur emoji story from Episode 3 (https://youtu.be/Latb4tOUG-0) All Things Re-Considered received an interesting critique about the trans dinosaur emoji story we analyzed in Episode 3. We criticized the story for failing to include events explaining why feminists (so-called T*RFs) used the dinosaur emoji in September 2021. YouTube user "Fake Chuck" claimed NPR's story DID​ provide the background information and he shared a link to prove it. Unfortunately for Fake Chuck, the link he provided was not to the story NPR ran, but to a former version of the story. While this former version does mention David Lammy's dinosaur insult and feminists' subsequent embrace of dinosaur emojis, NPR chose to redact this information when it released the story on its website and to public radio stations for broadcast. Knowing this is quite enlightening. You can view this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABiQYnlRpB4&t=27s

Topics include NPR vs. Public Radio, Trump trigger warning, cultivating fragility, holding powerful people accountable, not holding Rachel Levine accountable, ideology vs. science, divisive training, and much more. View this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHnGHhWnTP0

Welcome to Episode 3 of All Things Re-Considered: Dinosaur Emojis & NPR's Compassionate Look at Antifa. We learn about T*RF demands, trans dinosaurs, bad journalism, objectivity, nonbinary alligators, the hyper-morality of Antifa, and much more. We also hear from three more former listeners (one masked) about their departure from NPR and public radio. Enjoy!

Episode 2 of All Things Re-Considered explores the dangers of free speech, James Damore, academic harassment, where NPR gets its "experts," how Ira Glass broke a woman's heart, how the ACLU is breaking Ira Glasser's heart, similarities between NPR and Fox News, and much more. A former public media journalist explains how NPR's fashionable ideology facilitates bad journalism and former listeners share the stories that pushed them over the edge. This podcast is taken directly from the video released on YouTube. To watch: https://youtu.be/U2RsN9g6huo. Connect with Peter Boghossian and the team at https://boghossian.substack.com/

Welcome to the first episode of All Things Re-Considered! This 5-episode series is an analysis of NPR journalism. In this episode, we hear from former NPR listeners about falling out of love with NPR, insights from a former public media journalist, and conversation between Peter Boghossian and Matt Thornton about NPR's coverage of Kyle Rittenhouse and Ibram X. Kendi. This podcast is taken from the original YouTube video. To watch, visit https://youtu.be/PPvNucxB7TI Episode 2 will be released Wednesday, October 19, so stay tuned!