Embrace The Void

My guest this week is Matthew Sheffield, a writer, producer, and media entrepreneur. He hosts The Theory of Change podcast on The Flux network and when he’s not writing about our current political chaos he’s working away at an equally hard problem, that of consciousness in the age of AI.Matt's recent article on AI and consicousness: https://plus.flux.community/p/its-like-this-why-your-perceptionMusic by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Secular Leadership with Darrel Ray

My guest this week is Alex Guerrero, a professor of philosophy at the Rutgers University and author of the book Lottocracy: Democracy without Elections. We talk through the major problems with democracy and how a lottocracy might avoid them, as well as unique concerns of its own.Lottocracy: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/lottocracy-9780198938989Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: AI consciousness with Matthew Sheffield

My returning guest this week is C. Thi Nguyen, a professor of philosophy at the University of Utah, and author of the new book The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else’s Game.  We discuss the nature of games, why it's problematic to build a society based on keeping score, and whether or not the real monster is always capitalism. Enjoy!The Score: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735252/the-score-by-c-thi-nguyen/Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Lottocracy with Alex Guerrero

My guest this week is Matt McManus, an assistant professor in Political Science at Spelman College, and author of The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism. We discuss his new book and why both liberalism and socialism are essential to move towards a flourishing society.The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism: https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Theory-of-Liberal-Socialism/McManus/p/book/9781032647234Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: TBD

My guest this week is anarchist activist William Gillis, author of the book Did the Science Wars Take Place? The Political and Ethical Stakes of Radical Realism. We cover the many flavors of anti-realism Gillis lays out in his book, and which ones seem harmfully prevalent on the left. Enjoy!Did the Science Wars Take Place? https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/william-gillis-did-the-science-wars-take-placeMusic by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Liberal Socialism with Matt McManus

My returning guest this week is the most pleasant of bureaucrats ever to serve the the blood god, associate professor of philosophy at the London school of economics and political science Liam Kofi Bright. Folks might not know this, but when Liam isn’t verifying verification or whatever epistemologists do, he writes some hilarious fanfic about philosophy and logistics in the world of 40k. Since I’m convinced that 40k is somehow central to understanding modern politics, I’ve asked Liam on to help me parse that intuition.The Office for Ceremonial Calculations: https://archiveofourown.org/series/4703680Unjust Deserts: https://sherdenpact.neocities.org/GuestPostLuckMusic by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Did the Science Wars Take Place? with William Gillis

My guest this week is Alastair Lichten (@humanistdad.bsky.social), a humanist organizer who is particularly interested in the intersection of neurodivergence and secularism. We discuss the theory that being autistic or neurodivergent makes one more likely to be non-religious.Alastair's website: https://humanistdad.uk/2025/09/09/professional_update/Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: 40k Philosophy with Liam Kofi Bright

My guest this week is Kevin Bolling, executive director of the Secular Student Alliance, the largest organization in the country representing secular and nonreligious students. We discuss how things are going on the youth secular organizing front, including community moderation and coping with the resurgence of White Christian Nationalism. Enjoy!Secular Student Alliance: https://secularstudents.org/Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Autism and Humanism with Alistair Lichten

My guest this week is Matthew Facciani (@matthewfacciani.bsky.social‬), a social scientist at Notre Dame and author of the recent book Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How it Spreads, and What to Do about It. We discuss all three topics at length! Enjoy!Misguided: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/misguided/9780231555814/Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Secular Student Alliance with Kevin Bolling

My returning guest this week is Jonathan Church (@jondavidchurch.bsky.social‬), a chartered financial analyst, and author of books like Reinventing Racism: Why White Fragility is the Wrong way to think about racial inequality, and Virtue in an age of identity politics: A stoic approach to social justice. He’s also a contributing editor and podcaster with Merion West. When we last we talked he was primarily critical of woke social justice, though also skeptical of some forms of anti-woke overreach. Now he's back to talk about his disillusionment towards the anti-woke movement.Why I have converted to democratic socialism after defending capitalism for years: https://www.sublationmag.com/post/why-i-have-converted-to-democratic-socialism-after-defending-capitalism-for-yearsMusic by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Misguided with Matthew Facciani

My guest this week is James Kimmel Jr., a Yale Psychiatry lecturer, lawyer, and founder of the Yale Collaborative for Motive Control Studies. He has a new book out, The Science of Revenge, that overlaps heavily with my own work on luckpilling, so I was excited to have him on to discuss the problem of revenge addiction.The Science of Revenge: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739999/the-science-of-revenge-by-james-kimmel-jr-jd/Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Anti-woke skepticism with Jonathan Church

My returning guest this week is William Paris, an Assistant Professor in the department of philosophy at University of Toronto, as well as one of the cohosts on the wonderful What’s Left of Philosophy Podcast. He’s got a wonderful new book out called Race, Time and Utopia: Critical Theory and the Process of Emancipation and he is very much my guy for all things Utopian so I was very excited to read and discuss.Race, Time, and Utopia: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/race-time-and-utopia-9780197698877What's Left of Philosophy: https://www.leftofphilosophy.com/Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: The Science of Revenge with James Kimmel Jr.

My returning guest this week is Will Gervais (@willgervais.com‬), a professor who studies evolutionary and cultural psychology at the Centre for Culture and Evolution at Brunel University London. He recently published a book called Disbelief: The Origins of Atheism in a Religious Species and it’s genuinely a must read for anyone who either believes in god or doesn’t, so I’ve brought him on to pick his brain on what makes some people theists and others atheists.Disbelief: https://www.prometheusbooks.com/9781633889248/disbelief/Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Race, Time, and Utopia with William Paris

My guest this week is Arden Hart (@theardenhart.bsky.social), host, producer, and editor of The Line on YouTube, a call-in show that focuses on issues around atheism and social justice. She recently gave an excellent talk about transphobia in atheism and skepticism at the American Atheist Conference which we discuss along with her broader work.Arden's American Atheists talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxOAh20qo84The Line: https://www.youtube.com/@qnalineMusic by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Disbelief with Will Gervais

My guest this week is Mark Marveggio (@unluckywanderer.bsky.social), a PhD candidate in Psychology at the University of Adelaide and co-lead author on a paper called Fatalism, Evolution, and Interpersonal Attractiveness: Psychological Theories and Emotions in Incels’ Constructions of Ingroup Identity and Outgroup Hate. We discuss the three major identity discourses they observed in their study, and how we see those playing out in our current social landscape, and the important difference between redpilled and blackpilled.Mark et al.'s Incel paper: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2025-76338-001Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: TBD

My guest this week is Jonathan Jarry (@jonathanjarry.bsky.social), a science communicator at McGill Office for Science and Society. We discuss his recent expose on how Joe Mercola, millionaire friend of RFK Jr., is completely enthralled to a man claiming to channel a higher dimensional being. It's a wild ride so buckle up!Jonathan’s Expose Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRps3VQ-0BEMusic by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Incel psychology with Mark Marveggio.

My guest this week is Sarah Tulien (@sarahtulien.bsky.social), executive director of the Creator Accountability Network and together we tackle all the best questions and patron names a show could possibly hope for.Music by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: The spiral of Joe Mercola with Jonathan Jarry.

My guest this week is Ursa Wright, my giant C Captain and co-host from Philosophers in Space. We discuss the sophisticated masterpiece that is Shorsey and how it can help us work through the current discourse around meaning making for men in the modern world.Shorsey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ShoresyMusic by GW RodriguezEditing by Adam WikSibling Pod:Philosophers in Space: https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/Support us at Patreon.com/EmbraceTheVoidIf you enjoy the show, please Like and Review us on your pod app, especially iTunes. It really helps!This show is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.Next Episode: Luckpilled Thanks Q and A!