ScienceNatural Sciences

Robinson's Podcast

Robinson Erhardt

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

https://linktr.ee/robinsonerhardt

Play

Open in

41 episodes
a few times a week
Avg 1 hr 47 min
English

Episodes 41

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Yesterday · 1 hr 58 min
305 - Professor Jiang: They Want the AI Crash | On Altman, Zuckerberg, & Silicon Valley
Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/joinJiang Xueqin, known online as Professor Jiang, is a Chinese-Canadian educator and the creator of Predictive History on YouTube and Substack. In this third and final conversation, Jiang and Robinson discuss artificial intelligence, the AI investment bubble, Silicon Valley, and Jiang’s claims about occult beliefs and the ambitions of technology executives. They talk about Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg, data centers, surveillance, religion, and the limits of current AI systems.Jiang’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PredictiveHistoryJiang’s Substack: https://predictivehistory.substack.com/OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:14 How Does AI Work? 00:13:45 How Will AI Companies Make Money? 00:18:04 Is the AI Boom a Bubble? 00:22:32 Why Does Jiang Think AI Companies Want a Crash? 00:24:31 Could AI Become a Surveillance State? 00:27:06 What Does AI Reveal About the Elites? 00:34:30 Jiang’s Theory of Kabbalah and Freemasonry 00:47:45 Profit—or a New God? 00:52:38 What Does the New Yorker Quote Actually Say? 00:56:37 Can We Disagree Without Being Disrespectful? 01:02:15 Can AI Replace Skilled Workers? 01:08:36 Silicon Valley vs. Wall Street 01:16:07 What Happened at Hugging Face? 01:19:58 Who Bears the Burden of Proof? 01:24:56 Does Jiang Mean Demons Literally? 01:33:35 Are Spirits Real—or Metaphors? 01:38:50 Why Jiang Thinks AI Control Will Fail 01:44:45 Outro 01:45:44 Hume, Miracles, and Testimony 01:49:31 Data Centers: Business or the Occult? 01:51:31 Can We Trust Newspaper Reports? 01:54:38 What I Learned from the Jiang SeriesRobinson’s Website: https://robinsonerhardt.com/Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express. HOW LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS WORK 3Blue1Brown — Large Language Models explained brieflyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPZh9BOjkQs Andrej Karpathy — Intro to Large Language Models https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjkBMFhNj_gSUPPLEMENTARY SOURCES David Hume — Of Miracleshttps://davidhume.org/texts/e/10 Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz — Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted? https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted Hugging Face — Technical timeline of the incident https://huggingface.co/blog/agent-intrusion-technical-timeline OpenAI — The Hugging Face incident and the road aheadhttps://openai.com/index/hugging-face-incident-and-the-road-ahead/ METR — Investigation of the OpenAI/Hugging Face incidenthttps://metr.org/blog/2026-08-26-openai-hugging-face-incident-investigation/
November 7 · 3 hr 16 min
304 - Professor Jiang: Trump Was Never The Real Problem | On Musk, Secret Societies, & Conspiracy Theories
Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/joinJiang Xueqin, known online as Professor Jiang, is a Chinese-Canadian educator and the creator of Predictive History on YouTube and Substack. In this second of three conversations, Jiang and Robinson discuss secret societies, conspiracy theories, and the relationship between money and political power. They talk about Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman, as well as capitalism, the Opium Wars, the Spanish conquest of Mexico, and Sabbatean Frankism. Throughout the conversation, Robinson challenges Jiang on the evidence for his claims, the limits of historical analogies and thought experiments, and what would distinguish a plausible story from an established explanation.Jiang’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PredictiveHistoryJiang’s Substack: https://predictivehistory.substack.com/OUTLINE00:00 Introduction09:10 Who Can Tell the President No?18:50 The Bank of England and the British Empire26:20 Conquistadors and the Opium Wars36:09 What Counts as Historical Evidence?43:33 Elites and Counterelites48:25 Secret Societies and the Rothschilds55:54 Jiang’s Account of the Sabbatean Frankists1:05:35 Sabbatai Zevi and Messianic Movements1:11:18 The Kabbalah1:17:27 Esther, Jacob Frank, and Redemption Through Sin1:27:55 How Would Historians Assess Jiang’s Account?1:35:10 Are Secret Societies Active Today?1:43:05 Can People Coordinate Without Meeting?1:49:49 Could Trump’s Comeback Have Been Predicted?1:58:05 Zuckerberg, Altman, and the Meaning of Genius2:07:24 Facebook’s Investors, Data, and Control2:11:53 Business Success or Conspiracy?2:20:29 Skull and Bones: Existence vs. Influence2:31:06 The Gilded Age and Foreign Capital2:37:29 Which Conspiracy Theories Are Credible?2:47:52 OutroFURTHER READINGThese scholarly histories provide context and alternative accounts of topics raised in the interview. I’m not a specialist in these subjects, and I offer them as starting points for further reading. They do not resolve every claim made in the conversation.Matthew Restall, Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquesthttps://global.oup.com/academic/product/seven-myths-of-the-spanish-conquest-9780197537299Paweł Maciejko, The Mixed Multitude: Jacob Frank and the Frankist Movement, 1755–1816https://www.pennpress.org/9780812204582/the-mixed-multitude/A. B. Bosworth, Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Greathttps://www.cambridge.org/core/books/conquest-and-empire/EBAE6ADF5821A05DA6B3ADE3BC49F356Context from Robinson: Virtually every speculative conclusion Jiang reaches strikes me as unsupported, or less well-supported than a competing explanation. The existence of social connections or a historical movement does not establish that a particular group is secretly coordinating to control institutions. Listening to a guest or granting a premise for the sake of argument does not mean that I accept it.Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson’s. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.Robinson’s Website: https://robinsonerhardt.com/Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#303
October 31 · 3 hr 13 min
303 - Professor Jiang: Trump Picked the Wrong War | On Iran, Israel, and America’s Decline
Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join Jiang Xueqin, known online as Professor Jiang, is an educator and the creator of the YouTube channel Predictive History. In this episode, Jiang and Robinson discuss the war in Iran, the limits of American power, and the economic and political pressures facing China. More particularly, they talk about Trump’s strategy in the Middle East, Israel, the Strait of Hormuz, the Houthis, Saudi Arabia, and Jiang’s predictions about the war’s consequences for the global economy. They also discuss Xi Jinping, Chinese corruption and debt, Richard Wolff and Michael Hudson’s views on China, and how to test Jiang’s approach to history and geopolitical forecasting. Jiang’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PredictiveHistory Jiang’s Substack: https://predictivehistory.substack.com/ OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 05:53 Can the Iran War End America's Empire? 09:20 How America Lost Its Global Appeal 18:55 America's Three Pillars of Soft Power 29:54 Why Jiang Calls China Neoliberal 34:08 From Rural China to Yale and Back 41:05 Jiang's Critique of Wolff on China 51:28 China's Property Bubble and Debt Crisis 58:44 What Unites Trump, Xi, and Putin? 1:08:49 From Mao to Xi: China's Power Struggle 1:17:01 Zero-COVID and China's Economic Crisis 1:24:14 Taiwan, Uyghurs, and Chinese Rule 1:27:53 Criticizing China While Living There 1:32:57 Arendt, Kafka, and Authoritarianism 1:37:12 Why Jiang Calls Canada Authoritarian 1:43:06 How Jiang Predicted the Iran War 1:51:01 Israel and the Clean Break Memo 1:54:44 Trump's Coalition and the Iran War 1:57:18 Jiang's Original Iran War Forecast 2:02:01 Why Regime Change in Iran Is So Hard 2:07:41 Can Drones and Insurgents Beat Empires? 2:12:02 Iran and the Strait of Hormuz 2:14:45 How the Houthis Disrupt Global Trade 2:18:59 Why Saudi Arabia Struggles in Yemen 2:25:36 Could the Iran War Trigger Collapse? 2:31:02 Would Elites Let the System Collapse? 2:36:55 Rat Utopia and Social Collapse 2:41:01 Canada: Breakup or US Annexation? 2:44:52 Could the Iran War Become a World War? 2:49:30 Jiang on Wolff, Hudson, and Collapse 2:53:27 Conspiracies and Testing Jiang's Ideas 3:02:49 The Iran War: What Can't Be Predicted? 3:07:49 What Would Prove Jiang Wrong? Robinson’s Website: https://robinsonerhardt.com/ Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School. Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.
#302
October 24 · 3 hr 5 min
302 - Michael Hudson: Trump Is Looting America | On Billionaires, Wall Street, and the Oil Wars
Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join Michael Hudson is an economist, financial historian, and distinguished research professor of economics at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. In this episode, Michael and Robinson discuss how financialization has changed the American economy, why working for a living has become harder, and the growing power of billionaires. More particularly, they talk about Trump and political influence, oil wars involving Iran and Russia, their consequences for fuel and food prices, and Hudson’s argument that China is using the industrial model America abandoned. They also discuss private equity, public banking, de-dollarization, AI, ancient debt jubilees, and the difference between creating wealth and collecting economic rent. Michael’s most recent published book is Temples of Enterprise (2024). Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com/ Temples of Enterprise: https://michael-hudson.com/2024/05/temples-of-enterprise/ OUTLINE 00:00 Highlights 00:39 Inherited Wealth and Earning a Living 07:03 Financialization, Bank Bailouts, and Private Equity 13:05 Industrial Capitalism, Banking, and Colonial Debt 25:39 Public Investment, Technology, and the Managerial Class 33:18 Reagan, Thatcher, and Privatization 46:35 Oil Wars, Fuel Shortages, and Food Prices 54:06 Debt Jubilees and the Rise of Ancient Oligarchies 1:00:42 Empire, Oil, and Economic Dependence 1:06:24 De-Dollarization, BRICS, and Public Money 1:13:08 Economic Rent, Value, and the Cost of Living 1:27:51 Neoliberalism and the Rejection of Classical Economics 1:39:19 Pension Funds and the Financialization of Retirement 1:45:06 China’s Industrialization and Public Banking 1:59:15 China’s Property Bubble and Evergrande 2:11:16 Billionaires and Wealth Concentration 2:15:22 Trump, Political Influence, and Regulatory Capture 2:26:59 AI, Intellectual Property, and Social Costs 2:30:58 Billionaires in China and Russia 2:36:21 Gulf Monarchies, Oil Wealth, and the United States 2:45:45 Democracy, Oligarchy, and US Foreign Policy 2:55:41 Alternatives to the Rentier Economy 3:01:16 Michael’s Outlook for the Next Few Years Robinson’s Website: https://robinsonerhardt.com/ Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School. Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.
#301
October 22 · 1 hr 1 min
301 - Jessica Tarlov: Trump’s Economy Is Pricing You Out | On Fox News, Healthcare, Billionaires, and 2026
Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join Jessica Tarlov is a political strategist and co-host of The Five on Fox News and Raging Moderates with Scott Galloway. She holds a PhD in political science from the London School of Economics. In this episode, Jessica and Robinson discuss Trump’s political vulnerabilities, the Democrats’ prospects in the 2026 midterms, and how to argue across political divides. More particularly, they talk about immigration and ICE, healthcare costs, the debate over billionaire donors, and Jessica’s view that Trump’s corruption is catching up with him. They also discuss Democratic purity tests, criticism of Trump from the right, Jessica’s career on Fox News, and the cases for James Talarico, Abdul El-Sayed, Jon Ossoff, and Mary Peltola. Jessica’s latest book is I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends (Random House, 2026). Jessica on Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/person/t/jessica-tarlov Raging Moderates: https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/raging-moderates I Disagree: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803493/i-disagree-by-jessica-tarlov/ OUTLINE 00:00 Is Immigration Trump’s Greatest Strength? 03:34 Why Admitting You’re Wrong Makes You More Persuasive 06:04 What Do Democrats Stand For? 08:32 How to Disagree Without Losing Friends 10:10 Healthcare, Billionaires, and the Democrats’ Dilemma 12:25 Why Do Billionaires Back Democrats? 17:39 How Jessica Tarlov Found Her Voice on Fox News 26:19 Can Democrats Win Over Conservative Voters? 27:21 Should Voting Be Mandatory? 32:59 Why Talarico Wants to Turn Texas Purple 34:47 How to Win Progressives Without Passing Every Purity Test 39:02 Nick Fuentes, Trump’s Weakness, and the Limits of Debate 42:01 Why Jon Ossoff Is a Democrat to Watch 44:42 Why Jessica Tarlov Is Backing Mary Peltola 47:16 Bobby Pulido, Cait Conley, and the Democrats to Watch 54:42 The Case for El-Sayed and Talarico Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School. Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.
#300
October 17 · 2 hr 11 min
300 - Richard Wolff, Cornel West, & Norman Finkelstein: America Is in DENIAL | On Mamdani, Tucker, & Trump
Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and co-founder of Democracy at Work. Cornel West holds the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary. Norman Finkelstein is a political scientist and author who received his PhD in politics from Princeton University. In this episode, Richard, Cornel, Norman, and Robinson discuss the crisis of the American left and whether it can rebuild its political power. More particularly, they discuss Zohran Mamdani’s compromises, Cornel’s warning that he could become another Barack Obama, and their disagreements over working with Tucker Carlson. They also discuss Donald Trump and American decline, Bernie Sanders and class politics, Cornel’s break with Jill Stein and the Green Party, immigration, Gaza, and where to draw moral lines when building political coalitions. Their recent books include Richard’s Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024), Cornel’s Truth Matters, coauthored with Robert P. George (Post Hill Press, 2025), and Norman’s Gaza’s Gravediggers: An Inquiry into Corruption in High Places (OR Books, 2026). Richard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.com/ Understanding Capitalism: https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalism Cornel’s Website: https://www.cornelwest.com/ Truth Matters: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Truth-Matters/Robert-P-George/9798888451700 Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.com/ Gaza’s Gravediggers: https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/gazas-gravediggers/ OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 01:06 What Do Elections Actually Change? 05:47 How Enthusiasm Turned Into Disappointment for Zohran Mamdani 09:36 The Deep Denial in the United States 14:11 Is Another New Deal Still Possible? 17:27 The Repression of American Colonialism 23:49 Is America’s Decline Irreversible? 30:25 Cornel West on Bernie, Mamdani, and Colonialism 42:12 America Fears Socialism—But for How Long? 44:36 Neoliberalism Is a Curse on Socialism 49:06 Jill Stein and Why Cornel West Left the Green Party 52:15 Bernie Sanders and the Holocaust 59:52 Is Tucker Carlson Dangerous for the Left? 1:06:53 Can Immigration Be Fixed? 1:11:04 How Capitalism Destroyed Itself in Germany 1:15:21 Do Blacks Have Legitimate Complaints About Immigrants? 1:19:23 International Relations 1:21:04 Biden, Obama, and Red Lines 1:25:09 What If Our Heroes Were Racist? 1:27:27 Will the Rest of Us Ever Be Prosperous Again? 1:42:29 Who Is Pumping Denial Down America’s Throat? 1:48:55 John Stuart Mill on Truth 1:50:34 Rick’s Biggest Mistake in Life 1:57:00 Cornel’s Biggest Mistake in Life 2:01:49 The Academy Caved to Biden, Trump, and Israel Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#299
October 15 · 1 hr 25 min
299 - Robert Pape: Trump Is Making Iran STRONGER—and America WEAKER
Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join Robert Pape is Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats. In this episode, Robert and Robinson discuss why the Iran war has become an escalation trap for Donald Trump, the United States, and Israel. More particularly, they talk about Pape’s argument that the war has strengthened Iran while weakening America’s regional position, Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, and how cheap drones and precision weapons are changing the balance of military power. They also discuss how the 2026 midterms could prolong escalation, the limits of predicting war, how AI could make political assassinations easier, and the risks of weapons operating without human oversight. Robert’s latest book is Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism (The New Press, 2026). Robert’s Substack (Prof Robert Pape): https://professorrobertpape.substack.com/ Robert’s Substack (Escalation Trap): https://escalationtrap.substack.com/ Robert’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfRobertPape Our Own Worst Enemies: https://thenewpress.org/books/our-own-worst-enemies/ OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Why the Iran War Is Nowhere Near Over 08:08 How Iran Can Defy a Superpower 15:22 How Cheap Drones Changed the Balance of Power 20:31 Is America Building Weapons for the Wrong War? 29:00 Why War Experts Must Risk Being Wrong 40:25 Has Pape Been Wrong About Iran? 45:33 How Time Shifts the Balance of Power 51:23 Why the 2026 Midterms May Prolong the Iran War 55:16 How a Leader’s Health Can Change a War 1:01:40 How Assassinations and Elections Can Upend the World 1:05:28 Is AI Making Iran’s Attacks More Deadly? 1:07:38 Could AI Make Assassinations Easier? 1:13:36 Could Hezbollah Shut Down Israel’s Ports? 1:18:25 When Weapons Act Without Human Control Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#298
October 13 · 1 hr 1 min
298 - Rick Wilson: Trump Killed the Republican Party | On MAGA, Tucker Carlson, and 2028
Rick Wilson is a political strategist, author, and co-founder of The Lincoln Project. After decades working in Republican politics, he became a prominent conservative critic of Donald Trump. In this episode, Rick and Robinson discuss the Republican Party Rick believes Trump has destroyed, America’s changing position in the world, and the struggle to defeat Trumpism. More particularly, they talk about the GOP’s competing factions, Trump’s relationships with Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin, and American policy toward Iran and Venezuela. They also discuss divisions among Democrats, Bernie Sanders and the progressive left, Abdul El-Sayed and James Talarico, the influence of podcasts and social media, and the prospects for the 2026 and 2028 elections. Rick’s books include Running Against the Devil (Forum Books, 2020). Rick’s Website: https://www.therickwilson.com/ Running Against the Devil: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623822/running-against-the-devil-by-rick-wilson/ OUTLINE 00:00 Introduction 00:47 The Best Reasons for Voting Trump 02:16 The Republican Party Is Broken into Three Pieces 09:16 Why Rick Left the Republican Party 13:58 The United States' Fall from Grace 24:27 How Netanyahu Plays Trump 28:21 Deconstructing Trump's Takeover of Venezuela 31:43 Why Democrats Can’t Get Their Act Together 35:35 Why Progressives Struggle to Win the Presidency 39:46 El-Sayed Has 'The Gift' 42:40 Podcasts and Elections 45:06 Nick Fuentes and the Groypers 51:58 Will Trump Be President Forever? 53:33 Talarico and the Republicans' Loss 56:38 Why Trump Could Cost Republicans 2028 Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#297
October 10 · 47 min
297 - Anne Applebaum: Trump Is Building an Autocracy | On Putin, Kushner, and America’s Future
Anne Applebaum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and staff writer at The Atlantic. Her work focuses on authoritarianism, democracy, and the history of Central and Eastern Europe. In this episode, Anne and Robinson discuss corruption, foreign policy, and the threat of autocracy in Donald Trump’s America. More particularly, they talk about Anne’s assessment of unprecedented corruption, Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin, and Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff’s involvement in diplomacy and business negotiations. They also discuss China’s mass surveillance system, the power of tech companies to suppress political campaigns, retaliation against political opponents, and whether the 2026 elections can slow America’s democratic decline. Anne’s recent book is Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World (Doubleday, 2024). Anne’s Website: https://www.anneapplebaum.com/ Autocracy, Inc.: https://www.anneapplebaum.com/book/autocracy/ OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:40 Trump’s Latest Corruption Is Unprecedented07:56 Trump’s Foreign Policy Has No Strategy10:41 Trump Is Anti-Isolationist13:32 Donald Trump’s Greatest Enemies18:57 Trump’s USA Is Becoming an Autocracy26:17 Trump Is Copying China’s Mass Surveillance31:09 How Tech Billionaires Secretly Control Politicians35:46 Are Assassinations Coming to the USA?39:22 The 2026 Elections Will Limit Donald Trump42:41 Will Trump’s USA Become a New Russia? Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#296
October 7 · 2 hr 14 min
296 - Norman Finkelstein: Gaza SHATTERED Israel’s Story | October 7, Three Years Later
Norman Finkelstein is a political scientist and author who received his PhD in politics from Princeton University. His work focuses on political theory, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the Holocaust. In this episode, Norman and Robinson discuss Gaza, Israel, and the Middle East three years after October 7. More particularly, they talk about changing public opinion, free speech on American campuses, Norman’s rejection of the claim that Netanyahu knowingly allowed the attacks, Israel’s goals in Gaza and the wider region, and Iran’s confrontation with Israel and the United States. They also discuss Donald Trump’s political appeal, Bernie Sanders, China’s role in the conflict, Hannah Arendt, Norman’s mother’s testimony at a Nazi war-crimes trial, and his friendship with Noam Chomsky. Norman’s recent book is Gaza’s Gravediggers: An Inquiry into Corruption in High Places (OR Books, 2026). Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.com/ Gaza’s Gravediggers: https://orbooks.com/catalog/gazas-gravediggers/ OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:02 What We’ve Learned Since October 7, 2023 00:06:00 The Sheer Insanity of Israel’s War on Gaza 00:09:06 Why Young People See Themselves in Gaza 00:12:51 Jewish-Muslim Unity 00:14:02 How Free Speech Crumbled Over Gaza 00:24:05 Why Won’t Anyone Review Norman Finkelstein’s New Book? 00:29:04 Did Netanyahu Allow Hamas to Attack on October 7th? 00:35:31 Why Israel Still Backs Netanyahu 00:41:12 Finkelstein: Israel Is a Lunatic Society 00:53:55 How Did Hamas Get Past Israeli Intelligence? 00:59:06 Israel’s Three Goals After October 7 01:07:53 What Hezbollah Lost With Nasrallah 01:09:32 Think Twice Before You Play with Iran 01:11:10 Can Anyone Control Israel? 01:13:36 Israel Underestimated Iran’s 5,000-Year-Old Civilization 01:30:01 The Two Things Trump Really Cares About 01:40:17 Trump Isn’t Media-Savvy—His Opponents Are Phony 01:54:43 Talking About Trump Is a Waste of Time Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#295
October 3 · 2 hr 29 min
295 - Richard Wolff: Trump’s America Is OVER
Richard D. Wolff is Professor of Economics Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor in the Graduate Program in International Affairs at The New School. He is also co-founder of Democracy at Work and host of Economic Update. In this episode, Richard and Robinson discuss Donald Trump, socialism in the United States, and Richard’s disagreements with Victor Davis Hanson. More particularly, they talk about Richard’s case against Trump, his criticisms of Hanson’s understanding of socialism, American power, European colonialism, Russia and NATO, and Israel. They also discuss James Talarico and Abdul El-Sayed, the history of American socialism, the minimum wage, money in politics, Thomas Massie, JD Vance’s relationship with Peter Thiel, and Richard’s experience running for city council. Richard’s books include Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024). Richard’s Website: rdwolff.com Democracy at Work: democracyatwork.info Understanding Capitalism: democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalism OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:03 Republicans Should Vote (About) Trump!!!00:07:05 America Is Getting Weaker!00:11:53 Trump’s America Is Over00:14:14 Trump’s America Has Forgotten Its History00:19:12 Is There Still a Good Case for Trump?00:26:23 Trump’s Promises He Cannot Keep!00:34:53 Recap: Richard Wolff vs Victor Davis Hanson 202600:41:06 The Red Scare in the Cold War00:44:23 Victor Davis Hanson Doesn’t Understand Socialism!00:48:06 Victor Davis Hanson Equates Socialism and Immigrants01:05:01 Trump and Europe’s Colonialism Is Over!01:08:48 Russia Is a Victim of NATO01:11:24 Israel Has Been Bombed01:15:52 Richard Wolff’s Problem with James Talarico01:25:22 Socialists Ruled the United States01:28:28 The Rich Screwed the Poor on the Minimum Wage01:33:08 Why Don’t Socialists Want Trump’s Free $5,000?01:35:18 Why Money Must Get Out of Politics01:44:41 Does Abdul El-Sayed Have “the Gift”?01:48:27 French Socialism vs American Socialism01:54:43 Why Americans Can’t Get into Socialism02:03:16 Richard Wolff Is Struck by Thomas Massie02:04:50 When Richard Wolff Ran for City Council02:09:20 JD Vance Is Funded by Peter Thiel!02:16:53 What Is Democracy at Work? Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#294
September 28 · 2 hr 2 min
294 - Michael Hudson: Iran, Oil, and Global Depression
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, economic history, and the role of debt in shaping economies and societies. In this episode, Michael and Robinson discuss the war in Iran and Michael’s prediction that it will cause a global depression. More particularly, they talk about oil and the Strait of Hormuz, which countries Michael thinks will suffer most, his skepticism about the changes the 2026 elections can deliver, and his criticisms of how economists describe the American economy. They also discuss AI and the future of employment, Donald Trump’s foreign policy, China’s role in the international economic order, instability in Europe, and the future of the United States. Michael’s recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com Temples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dm OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:23 Iran War Will Cause a Global Depression10:57 The 2026 Elections Mean Nothing19:45 2026 Voters Can Do Nothing About AI, Israel, or Iran30:51 Economists Are Lying About the State of the Economy38:02 Different Economic Metrics42:25 AI and an Employment Collapse48:35 Trump Is Choking the World's Oil59:32 The Strait of Hormuz1:04:16 The Iran War Will Destroy These Countries First1:12:27 Trump Wants the World to Pay Tribute1:17:43 Is China the Hero?1:28:16 Destabilization in Europe1:37:32 Anti-Protest Drone1:40:20 What Does Chinese Dominance Look Like?1:46:15 Where Does History Go from Here?1:55:39 Where Does the United States Go from Here? Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#293
September 26 · 1 hr 3 min
293 - Justin Wolfers: AI, Inflation, & The 2026 Elections
Platypus Economics on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PlatypusEconomics Justin Wolfers is Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Michigan, where his research spans macroeconomics, labor economics, political economy, and behavioral economics. He is also affiliated with the Brookings Institution, Peterson Institute for International Economics, and National Bureau of Economic Research, and in 2026 launched Platypus Economics, a new media platform devoted to making economics accessible to a broad audience. In this episode, Robinson and Justin discuss the intersection of economics, technology, and American politics. More particularly, they talk about Elon Musk and the influence of extreme wealth on elections, how artificial intelligence could transform the labor market, whether current economic data accurately reflects Americans’ experiences, and political bias in economics. They also discuss inflation, Justin’s criticisms of the Trump administration’s economic policies, proposed $5,000 checks, and how economic considerations shape political choices. Platypus Economics: https://platypuseconomics.com Justin’s University of Michigan Profile: https://fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/justin-wolfers Justin’s X: https://x.com/JustinWolfers Justin’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/justinwolfers.bsky.social Platypus Economics Newsletter: https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.com 00:00 Introduction 00:25 Elon Musk Can Buy ANY Election He Wants 07:21 AI Could DESTROY Jobs If We Don’t Do This 14:28 Is Current Econ Data Misleading? 19:36 Political Bias in Economics 28:35 Corruption in the Trump Admin 36:33 Understanding Inflation and Cheap Candy 44:58 Is Trump Personally Responsible for Inflation? 51:40 Trump’s 5k Checks Are IDIOTIC LIES 56:50 How to Vote If Trump Were on Ballot Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#292
September 23 · 1 hr 24 min
292 - Jason Stanley: Breaking Down Trump’s Propaganda
Jason Stanley is the Bissell-Heyd-Associates Chair in American Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto, where he is also Professor of Philosophy. Before moving to Toronto in 2025, he was the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University. Jason’s work focuses on propaganda, authoritarianism, democracy, free speech, and political language. In this episode, Robinson and Jason discuss Jason’s account of how political propaganda has changed during the Trump era. More particularly, they talk about soft and hard propaganda, social media and political bots, Trump’s political communication, Jason’s decision to leave Twitter and later the United States, and the effects of online attacks. They also discuss artificial intelligence and democracy, the political influence of tech billionaires, Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, and Jason’s transition toward the philosophy of propaganda. Jason’s most recent book is Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future (Atria/One Signal, 2024). Jason’s Website: https://jasonstanley.org How Propaganda Works: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Jason+Stanley+How+Propaganda+Works Erasing History: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Jason+Stanley+Erasing+History OUTLINE 00:00 How Propaganda Has Changed with Donald Trump 10:42 Soft and Hard Propaganda 13:56 Defining Propaganda 25:01 Is Trump Trying to Broaden Popular Support? 30:12 Trump Is Ruining Democracy 33:15 Social Media is Political Theater for BOTS 45:39 Why Jason Left Twitter 49:54 Attacks Against Jason on Twitter 53:20 The Terrible Cost of Leaving the US 01:04:56 How AI Threatens Democracy 01:08:26 Tech Billionaires Want to Wipe Out Humanity 01:12:02 Elon Musk's Secret Plans 01:14:30 Does Peter Thiel Want All Humans Dead? 01:17:37 Jason's Transition to Philosophy of Propaganda Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#291
September 20 · 1 hr
291 - Daron Acemoglu: AI Is Destroying American Democracy
Daron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor of Economics at MIT and a recipient of the 2024 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, which he shared with Simon Johnson and James Robinson for research on how institutions shape prosperity. He is also the bestselling co-author of Why Nations Fail, The Narrow Corridor, and Power and Progress. In this episode, Robinson and Daron discuss the future of liberal democracy in an age of artificial intelligence. More particularly, they talk about how AI could undermine democratic institutions, whether tech billionaires have accumulated too much power, and why Daron believes current approaches to AI could produce an increasingly unequal, two-tier American society. They also discuss the importance of the 2026 elections, Zohran Mamdani, disagreements between the center and far left, and Daron’s proposal for a renewed “working-class liberalism.” Daron’s latest book is What Happened to Liberal Democracy?: Remaking a Politics of Shared Prosperity (Dutton, 2026). Daron’s Website: https://www.daronacemoglu.com What Happened to Liberal Democracy?: https://a.co/d/0f0qGMxt OUTLINE 00:00 What Is Liberal Democracy? 09:30 How Does AI Undermine Democracy? 18:30 Are the Tech Billionaires Out of Control? 24:50 AI Is an Existential Threat 27:18 How AI Will Turn the USA into a Two-Tier Dystopia 35:17 Other Views on AI 38:19 Why the 2026 Elections Are So Important for the Left 42:30 What Makes Mamdani a Great Politician? 45:58 The Far Left vs the Center Left: Who Should Win? 52:00 Working Class Liberalism
#290
September 13 · 1 hr 17 min
290 - Nicholas Humphrey: Why Does Beauty Exist?
Why Is the World So Beautiful?: https://a.co/d/0d3LsupA Nicholas Humphrey is a theoretical psychologist and Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the London School of Economics, where his work has focused on the evolution of intelligence and consciousness. Among his many contributions, he was the first to demonstrate “blindsight” in monkeys, studied mountain gorillas with Dian Fossey, and developed influential theories about the social evolution of intelligence. In this episode, Robinson and Nicholas discuss the evolutionary origins of beauty and why human beings are so drawn to it. More particularly, they talk about rhyme, pattern-recognition, the adaptive value of aesthetic experience, the relationship between beauty and social life, and the methodology of evolutionary psychology. They also discuss whether beauty implies agency or creation, difficult cases for an evolutionary theory of aesthetics, spirituality and transcendence, and why some art is deliberately ugly. Nicholas’s upcoming book is Why Is the World So Beautiful? Our Minds in Search of Nature’s Rhymes (MIT Press, 2026). Nicholas’s Website: https://humphrey.org.uk OUTLINE 00:00 Why Is the World So Beautiful? 08:48 What Is Rhyme? 18:47 The Utility of Beauty 24:09 Beauty and Pattern-Recognition 34:26 Beauty and Society 41:21 The Methodology of Evolutionary Psychology 49:20 Creation and Agency 56:24 Problem Cases 01:02:26 Spirituality and Transcendence 01:07:34 Ugly Art
#289
September 6 · 1 hr 1 min
289 - Joe Henrich: How Culture Made Humans Weird
Joe Henrich is the Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology and Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. His research focuses on cultural evolution, human psychology, sociality, prestige, cooperation, and the emergence of complex societies. In this episode, Robinson and Joe discuss how culture transformed human evolution and enabled our species to build increasingly large and complex societies. More particularly, they talk about the tools of paleoanthropology, hunter-gatherer societies, the rise of massive cities, and why Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic—or WEIRD—people are psychologically unusual. They also discuss dominance hierarchies, attractiveness and prestige, the evolution of morality, and the importance of punishment in human societies. Joe’s most recent popular book is The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020). Joe’s Website: https://henrich.fas.harvard.edu The WEIRDest People in the World: https://amzn.to/3F3wUY7 OUTLINE 00:00 Tools of Paleoanthropology 07:31 Two Hunter-Gatherer Societies 13:12 How Culture Enabled Massive Cities 19:08 The WEIRDEST People in the World 25:59 Dominance Hierarchies 35:40 Attractiveness and Prestige 46:01 The Evolution of Morality 52:33 Punishment Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#288
August 30 · 1 hr 14 min
288 - Richard Wrangham: How Humans Caught Fire
Richard Wrangham is the Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology, Emeritus, at Harvard University. A primatologist and biological anthropologist, he has studied wild chimpanzees in Uganda since 1987 and is known for his work on human evolution, the origins of violence, and the role of cooking in shaping our species. In this episode, Robinson and Richard discuss how humans diverged from our primate ancestors and the evolutionary importance of learning to control fire. More particularly, they talk about Richard’s cooking hypothesis, how cooking may have transformed the human brain and body, the relationship between fire and culture, and what chimpanzee behavior can teach us about the origins of human violence. Richard’s books include Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human, Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence, and The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution.Richard’s Harvard Profile: https://heb.fas.harvard.edu/people/richard-w-wranghamCatching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human: https://a.co/d/0iaxEBhyOUTLINE00:00 Puzzles Posed by Human Beings09:32 The Cooking Hypothesis17:54 Cooking and the Brain22:12 Diverging From Our Ancestors28:27 Playing with Fire35:19 How Cooking Shaped Culture51:29 What Does Chimpanzee Warfare Look Like?01:04:50 Chimpanzee vs Human ViolenceRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#287
August 23 · 1 hr 12 min
287: Daniel Lieberman: Evolution and the Human Diet
Daniel Lieberman is the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, where he studies the evolution of the human body and its relevance to health. In this episode, Robinson and Dan discuss the evolution of the human diet. More particularly, they talk about our last common ancestors with chimpanzees, how changes in the gut shaped human evolution, what Homo sapiens actually ate during the Paleolithic, and the transformative role of cooking. They also discuss whether there is such a thing as a natural human diet, why junk food is so appealing, and what an evolutionary perspective can teach us about weight loss and eating well. Dan’s latest book is Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health, and Eating Well (Knopf, 2026). Fed Up: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593537998 OUTLINE 00:00 Dan’s Interest in Human Evolution 04:43 Why Our Heads Don’t Topple Over When We Run 07:41 Human Evolution and “Fed Up” 10:40 Understanding the Evolution of the Human Diet 19:12 Our Last Common Ancestors with Chimpanzees 30:05 Evolutionary Changes in the Gut 38:51 Homo Sapiens and the Paleolithic Diet 48:18 The Transformative Power of Cooking 54:30 The Most Important Diets 59:19 Why Are Junk Foods So Appealing? 01:03:19 Weight Loss Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
#286
August 16 · 1 hr 2 min
286: Adam Mockler: Trump, Newsom, and the Dark Future of American Politics
Adam Mockler is a liberal political commentator, YouTube host, and digital media creator who has become one of the most prominent Gen Z voices in American political media. He hosts The Adam Mockler Show and has built an audience of more than two million subscribers on YouTube, where he produces daily political commentary and reporting. In this episode, Robinson and Adam discuss the changing relationship between politics, media, and the internet. More particularly, they talk about Adam’s liberal values, why independent media can outperform legacy media, the battle for attention online, how clipping has become a new form of political canvassing, and what Democrats need to do to win elections in 2026. They also discuss Charlie Kirk, political conspiracy theories and death threats, what Nick Fuentes is doing effectively as a communicator, Gavin Newsom’s media strategy, and whether Generation Alpha speaks a fundamentally different political language. Adam’s Website: https://www.adammockler.com Adam’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adammockler/ Adam’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@adammockler Adam’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adammockler Adam’s X: https://x.com/adammocklerr OUTLINE 00:45 Adam’s Expertise 10:53 Adam’s Liberal Values 14:30 Why Independent Media Beats Legacy Media 18:26 Clipping Is the New Canvassing 20:39 The Battle for the Attention Economy 26:06 How to Win Elections in 2026 31:16 What Constraints Are There on Independent Media? 38:44 On Charlie Kirk, Conspiracies, and Death Threats 41:46 What Is Nick Fuentes Doing Right? 47:18 Gavin Newsom’s Media Strategy, Explained 52:46 Does Gen Alpha Speak a New Political Language? Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Showing 1–20 of 41 episodes