Best Reconstruct The Mind Podcasts (2025)

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David J. Helfand, "The Universal Timekeepers: Reconstructing History Atom by Atom" (Columbia UP, 2023) 1:02:13

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37m ago1:02:13

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Atoms are unfathomably tiny. It takes fifteen million trillion of them to make up a single poppy seed—give or take a few billion. And there’s hardly anything to them: atoms are more than 99.9999999999 percent empty space. Yet scientists have learned to count these slivers of near nothingness with precision and to peer into their internal states. In…

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Ben Zweibelson, "Reconceptualizing War" (Helion, 2025) 1:04:18

1h ago1:04:18

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War remains the most chaotic and destructive act our species is capable of. In addition to waging war against those we disagree with, we also battle with which beliefs about war are superior to alternatives. We make war with ideas, beliefs, and mindsets along with bullets, bombs, and missiles. The tactics and technologies matter, but only if societ…

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Zack Cooper, "Tides of Fortune: The Rise and Decline of Great Militaries" (Yale UP, 2025) 40:18

24h ago40:18

40:18

An ambitious look at how the twentieth century's great powers devised their military strategies and what their implications mean for military competition between the United States and China. How will the United States and China evolve militarily in the years ahead? Many experts believe the answer to this question is largely unknowable. But Zack Coo…

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From Addiction to Advocacy: Dr. Nate Harold on Reforming Pharmacy and Restoring Purpose 1:09:43

2d ago1:09:43

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In this eye-opening episode of Living Undeterred, Jeff Johnston sits down with Dr. Nate Harold, Chief Pharmacy Officer at MedOne, for a vulnerable and visionary conversation about family, faith, and the broken state of pharmaceutical care. What starts as a discussion about PBMs and prescription access quickly unfolds into a story of personal trauma…

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Lizzie Wade, "Apocalypse: How Catastrophe Transformed Our World and Can Forge New Futures" (Harper, 2025) 1:29:26

3d ago1:29:26

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A richly imagined new view on the great human tradition of apocalypse, from the rise of Homo sapiens to the climate instability of our present, that defies conventional wisdom and long-held stories about our deep past to reveal how cataclysmic events are not irrevocable endings, but transformations. A drought lasts for decades, a disease rips throu…

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Judith Grisel, "Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction" (Doubleday, 2019) 1:00:13

3d ago1:00:13

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Not a lot of authors go from spending their early twenties homeless and addicted to cocaine to becoming one of the world’s leading researchers on the neuroscience of addiction. But Dr. Judith Grisel, in her new book Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction (Doubleday, 2019), uses her personal story to illuminate the ways in which …

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William Marx, "Libraries of the Mind" (Princeton UP, 2025) 1:05:38

4d ago1:05:38

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Erich Auerbach wrote his classic work Mimesis, a history of narrative from Homer to Proust, based largely on his memory of past reading. Having left his physical library behind when he fled to Istanbul to escape the Nazis, he was forced to rely on the invisible library of his mind. Each of us has such a library—if not as extensive as Auerbach’s—eve…

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Chris Washington, "Nonbinary Jane Austen" (U Minnesota Press, 2025) 1:09:55

6d ago1:09:55

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In Nonbinary Jane Austen, Chris Washington theorizes how Jane Austen envisions a nonbinary future that traverses the two-sex model of gender that we can supposedly see solidifying in the eighteenth century. Arguing that her writing works to abolish gender exclusivity altogether, Washington shows how she establishes a politics that ushers in a futur…

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The Nomadic Origin of the State 1:13:26

8d ago1:13:26

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Contemporary, commonly-accepted understandings of the history of Chinese state formation see the nomadic pastoralists of the Eurasian steppe as peripheral appendages to a centralized, agriculturalist empire. In his work, Lhamsuren Munkh-Erdene argues against what he calls “the Sinocentric paradigm” in favor of an interpretation of nomadic pastorali…

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On Bullshit in AI 20:40

9d ago20:40

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Today we’re continuing our series on Harry Frankfurt’s seminal work, On Bullshit. I have the privilege to speak with Arvind Narayanan co-author of the book AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What it Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference (Princeton University Press, 2024). Arvind is the perfect guest to explore the subject of bullshi…

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Dan-el Padilla Peralta, "Classicism and Other Phobias" (Princeton UP, 2025) 50:52

10d ago50:52

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Classicism and Other Phobias (Princeton University Press, 2025) shows how the concept of “classicism” lacks the capacity to affirm the aesthetic value of Black life and asks whether a different kind of classicism—one of insurgence, fugitivity, and emancipation—is possible. Engaging with the work of Sylvia Wynter and other trailblazers in Black stud…

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The Intersection of Health, Wealth & Purpose: Building a Life That Flourishes 21:45

9d ago21:45

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In this deeply personal solo episode, host Jeff Johnston unpacks the foundational pillars that shape both the Brightn app and his personal philosophy on mental wellness: health, wealth, and purpose. Following the emotional groundwork of “The Road to Resilience,” this second segment explores how lived experience, loss, and legacy led to a reimagined…

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Book Talk 67 : The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern Science 1:07:01

11d ago1:07:01

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What is reliable knowledge? Listen to philosopher Michael Strevens, author of The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern Science, to understand how science discovers the truth. At the current moment, when expertise is under attack and the idea of truth is contested from all sides, Strevens explains the remarkable success of science’s “…

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Agathe Demarais, "Backfire: How Sanctions Reshape the World Against U.S. Interests" (Columbia UP, 2022) 1:06:28

16d ago1:06:28

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Sanctions have become the go-to foreign policy tool for the United States. Coercive economic measures such as trade tariffs, financial penalties, and export controls affect large numbers of companies and states across the globe. Some of these penalties target nonstate actors, such as Colombian drug cartels and Islamist terror groups; others apply t…

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Lunar Aligned: Summer 2025 Oracle Reading 22:27

14d ago22:27

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Meliea of Lunar Aligned reads a 6 card spread from the Soul Trees oracle deck by Allyson Williams Yee. Referenced in this Episode: Soul Trees & Soul Seeds | Allyson Williams Yee Interact with Lunar Aligned via: Email | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok SEND US A TEXT Support the Show | Buy Me a Coffee Leave Us A Voicemail | 980.355.9665 Interact with M…

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Redefining Education: How Charter Schools are Saving Kids w/ Dr. Cynthia Knight 48:37

18d ago48:37

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In this powerful episode of The Living Undeterred Podcast, host Jeff Johnston sits down with Dr. Cynthia Knight, founder of Iowa Choice Charter School, for a deeply personal and eye-opening conversation about education, equity, and second chances. After years in special education and with a daughter who struggled in traditional schools, Dr. Knight …

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Adrian Tchaikovsky on Dark Ecology in 'Shroud' 59:55

22d ago59:55

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Send us a text Adrian Tchaikovsky is a bestselling British author whose work has taken the science fiction world by storm since his seminal sci-fi novel Children of Time, which won the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2016. Its sequel Children of Ruin won the equally prestigious British Science Fiction Association or BSFA award in 2019, and after the publ…

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The Road to Resilience: Choosing Hope After Unimaginable Loss 17:48

25d ago17:48

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In this powerful solo episode, Living Undeterred host Jeff Johnston opens up like never before in part one of a new three-part series exploring the core pillars of his journey. Titled The Road to Resilience, this raw and deeply personal episode traces Jeff’s path through devastating tragedy, including the loss of his son to fentanyl poisoning, his …

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On Bullshit in Politics 33:00

29d ago33:00

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Today we’re continuing our series on philosopher Harry Frankfurt’s seminal work, On Bullshit. Our guest is Michael Patrick Lynch, Provost Professor of the Humanities and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut. Michael is the author of the recently published book, On Truth in Politics: Why Democracy …

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Edward Tenner, "Why the Hindenburg Had a Smoking Lounge: Essays in Unintended Consequences" (APS Press, 2025) 57:20

1M ago57:20

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How did the addition of lifeboats after the Titanic shipwreck contribute to another tragedy in Chicago harbor three years later? How efficient are wild animals as investors, and how do dog breeds become national symbols? Why have scientific breakthroughs so often originated in the study of shadows? How did the file card prepare scholarship and comm…

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Genocide Studies International Partners with New Books Network 37:02

1M ago37:02

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Today I’m thrilled to announce a new partnership with Genocide Studies International. GSI is one of the preeminent journals in the field of Genocide Studies. Published by the University of Toronto Press and housed in the Zoryan Institute, GSI is dedicated to “to raising knowledge and awareness among scholars, policy makers, and civil society actors…

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The Truth About Bullshit: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary Edition of On Bullshit with Pamela Hieronymi 36:52

2M ago36:52

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Today I’m thrilled to launch a brand new series for the Princeton UP Ideas Podcast. 20 years ago, Princeton University Press published a short volume with an excellent title: On Bullshit (Princeton UP, 2025). Written by philosopher Harry Frankfurt, On Bullshit was adapted from an essay that explored the meaning, uses, and consequences of bullshit. …

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Bernd Roeck, "The World at First Light: A New History of the Renaissance" (Princeton UP, 2025) 52:00

2M ago52:00

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Today I’m speaking with Bernd Roeck about his book, The World at First Light: A New History of the Renaissance (Princeton University Press, 2025). Bernd is professor of modern history at the University of Zurich and director of the German Centre for Venetian Studies in Venice. Translated by Patrick Baker, The World at First Light is a truly magiste…

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Julius Csotonyi on Dark Ecology in 'Dark Eden' - Part 2 44:08

2M ago44:08

44:08

Send us a text This is the second part of Marty's conversation with Julius Csotonyi about dark ecology in relation to the dark rogue world of Chris Beckett’s book 'Dark Eden'. We discuss the extraordinary existence of anoxygenic autotrophic bacteria that are capable of photosynthesis in the dark of the ocean floor! Julius describes the ecology of t…

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Elizabeth N. Saunders, "The Insiders' Game: How Elites Make War and Peace" (Princeton UP, 2024) 47:01

2M ago47:01

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One of the most widely held views of democratic leaders is that they are cautious about using military force because voters can hold them accountable, ultimately making democracies more peaceful. How, then, are leaders able to wage war in the face of popular opposition, or end conflicts when the public still supports them? The Insiders’ Game (Princ…

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Julius Csotonyi on Dark Ecology in 'Dark Eden' - Part 1 45:49

2M ago45:49

45:49

Send us a text Julius Csotonyi is a thermal vent biologist with expertise on organisms that thrive on geothermal energy in the dark depths of the ocean where there is almost no light from the sun. He is also someone who has spent a lot of time thinking about ‘speculative biology’, imagining various exotic possibilities for the existence of life in …

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Quinn Slobodian and Philip J. Stern on Political Economy 1:03:52

2M ago1:03:52

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• Philip J. Stern, Empire, Incorporated. The Corporations That Built British Colonialism (Belknap Press of Harvard University Press in 2023), by. • Quinn Slobodian, Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy (Penguin, 2023). Adam Smith wrote that, “Political economy belongs to no nation; it is of no country: it …

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Robert Garland, "What to Expect When You're Dead: An Ancient Tour of Death and the Afterlife" (Princeton UP, 2025) 49:49

2M ago49:49

49:49

A lively story of death, What to Expect When You're Dead: An Ancient Tour of Death and the Afterlife (Princeton University Press, 2025) by Dr. Robert Garland explores the fascinating death-related beliefs and practices of a wide range of ancient cultures and traditions—Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Hindu, Jewish, Zoroastrian, Etruscan, Greek, Roman, Earl…

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Design Flaw - The 1st IBLP Principle of Design 12:30

2M ago12:30

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On this episode I'm beginning this series of my story with the Institute in Basic Life Principles or IBLP - which you may recognize from the Amazon documentary featuring the Duggar family from TLC's 19 Kids and Counting. They may have been on a reality tv show, but this is my story of how these teachings played out in my day to day real life. This …

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Peter Allen, "How to Think about Politics: A Guide in Five Parts" (Oxford UP, 2025) 35:53

2M ago35:53

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What part should politics play in our everyday lives? In How to Think About Politics: A Guide in Five Parts (Oxford University Press, 2025) Peter Allen, a professor of Politics and Co-Director of the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Bath, explores this question across a range of practical and philosophical examples. The book direc…

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Chris Beckett on Dark Ecology in 'Dark Eden' 56:01

3M ago56:01

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Send us a text Holly and Marty speak with Chris Beckett about his Dark Eden trilogy, comprised of Dark Eden – which won the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2012, and was followed by Mother of Eden in 2015 and Daughter of Eden in 2016. Dark Eden has been described as “a superior piece of the theologically nuanced science fiction”, and is also a story abou…

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Dennis Ross, "Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Survive in a Multipolar World" (Oxford UP, 2025) 52:54

3M ago52:54

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In a multipolar world where America wields less relative power, the United States can no longer get away with poor statecraft. To understand how the US can approach future national security challenges, I spoke with Dennis Ross, a senior US diplomat and the counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East…

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Rasheedah Phillips, "Dismantling the Master's Clock: On Race, Space, and Time" (AK Press, 2025) 56:11

3M ago56:11

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Why do some processes—like aging, birth, and car crashes—occur in only one direction in time, when by the fundamental symmetry of the universe, we should experience time both forward and backward? Our dominant perception of time owes more to Western history and social order than to a fact of nature, argues writer Rasheedah Phillips, delving into Bl…

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Eric Heinze, "Coming Clean: The Rise of Critical Theory and the Future of the Left" (MIT Press, 2025) 1:11:54

3M ago1:11:54

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What has gone wrong with the left—and what leftists must do if they want to change politics, ethics, and minds. Leftists have long taught that people in the West must take responsibility for centuries of classism, racism, colonialism, patriarchy, and other gross injustices. Of course, right-wingers constantly ridicule this claim for its “wokeness.”…

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Jeanne Sheehan, "American Democracy in Crisis: The Case for Rethinking Madisonian Government Post January 6" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024) 34:13

3M ago34:13

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American Democracy in Crisis: The Case for Rethinking Madisonian Government Post January 6 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024) analyzes the roots of widespread disenchantment with American government. While blame often falls on the individuals in office, they are not operating in isolation. Rather they are working within a system designed by the Framers wit…

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Susan MacKinnon on Ursula K. LeGuin in 'The Left Hand of Darkness' and 'The Dispossessed' 47:29

3M ago47:29

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Send us a text Holly and Marty get together with their friend Susan MacKinnon to discuss the science fiction of Ursula K. LeGuin, literary icon of speculative fiction. We talk about her Hugo and Nebula winning books "The Left Hand of Darkness" and "The Dispossessed", which are among the most celebrated classics in science fiction. The first was a p…

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Sandra Matz, "Mindmasters: The Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior" (HBRP, 2025) 40:31

3M ago40:31

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A fascinating exploration of how algorithms penetrate the most intimate aspects of our psychology—from the pioneering expert on psychological targeting. There are more pieces of digital data than there are stars in the universe. This data helps us monitor our planet, decipher our genetic code, and take a deep dive into our psychology. As algorithms…

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Time to Rethink Democracy: Participatory and More-Than-Human Perspectives 39:25

3M ago39:25

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This is a special episode that features a conversation between Sonia Bussu and Hans Asenbaum on democracy, capitalism, climate and the practices and prospects of participatory, deliberative and more-than-human democracy to transform their relationship. Can we rethink democracy beyond the liberal-democratic institutions that were created as part of …

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Stephen H. Legomsky, "Reimagining the American Union: The Case for Abolishing State Government" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 57:15

3M ago57:15

57:15

Since American president Donald Trump was elected to a second term, it is common to hear citizens, journalists, and public officials distinguish between the laws and leaders of their states and the national government. Those who oppose Trump’s policies with regard to reproductive rights, gun violence, LGBTQ+, education, police, and voting often pre…

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Not So Shiny. Not So Happy. The Duggars & The Downers - My Story with Bill Gothard & The IBLP 8:25

3M ago8:25

8:25

On this episode I'm presenting the prologue of my story with the Institute in Basic Life Principles or IBLP - which you may recognize from the Amazon documentary featuring the Duggar family from TLC's 19 Kids and Counting. They may have been on a reality tv show, but this is my story of how these teachings played out in my day to day real life. Thi…

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Laura Spinney, "Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 53:44

4M ago53:44

53:44

Star. Stjarna. Setareh. Thousands of miles apart, humans look up at the night sky and use the same word to describe what they see. Listen to these English, Icelandic, and Iranian words, and you can hear echoes of one of history's most unlikely, miraculous journeys. For all of these languages – and hundreds more – share a single ancient source. In a…

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How to Found A College: A Conversation with University of Austin President Pano Kanelos 37:27

4M ago37:27

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Today I’m speaking with Pano Kanelos, founding president of the University of Austin. A scholar and professor of Shakespeare studies, Panos’ advocacy for the liberal arts eventually lead him to become president of St. John’s College in Annapolis. In the past few years, Pano has found himself at the center of an academic project that seemed rather u…

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Douglas Phillips on Extra Dimensions in 'Quantum Void' and 'Quantum Time' 42:55

4M ago42:55

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Send us a text This is part 2 of Marty's conversation with Douglas Phillips about his 'Quantum' Series of hard science fiction novels. In our last episode we talked about 'Quantum Space', and this time we discuss the next two books in the series, 'Quantum Void' and 'Quantum Time'. As before, today’s exchange focusses on the unifying theme of extra …

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Philip V. McHarris, "Beyond Policing" (Legacy Lit, 2024) 44:19

4M ago44:19

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What would happen if policing disappeared? Would we be safe? This book imagines a world without police. It's evident that policing is a problem. But what is the best way forward? In Beyond Policing, distinguished scholar and writer Philip V. McHarris reimagines the world without police to find answers and reveal how we can make police departments o…

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Will AI Transform What it Means to be Human in the Next Ten Years? 59:16

4M ago59:16

59:16

It’s the UConn Popcast, and what impact will AI have on being human in the next decade? Elon University’s Center for Imagining the Digital Future just released a big report on this question, based on a survey of nearly 300 global tech experts. These insiders predict major changes in the very near future to the way we think about work, life, and our…

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Don't Stop Things Are Changing 13:19

4M ago13:19

13:19

Send us a text It is counter-intuitive to hold still when you feel under attack, but sometimes holding your vibration high is more important. Dr. Anita discusses the need to monitor yourself, keep your vibration high, because no matter what it looks like, things are changing. Darkness can never overcome light! Support the show Instagram: dranitamc,…

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David Wiles, "Democracy, Theatre and Performance: From the Greeks to Gandhi" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 1:08:24

4M ago1:08:24

1:08:24

Democracy, argues David Wiles, is actually a form of theatre. In making his case, the author deftly investigates orators at the foundational moments of ancient and modern democracy, demonstrating how their performative skills were used to try to create a better world. People often complain about demagogues, or wish that politicians might be more si…

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Single-Minded Service (Part 2) 30:54

4M ago30:54

30:54

In this episode, we continue to delve into the often overlooked topic of singleness within the church. We discuss cultural perceptions, theological perspectives, and the importance of empowering singles in leadership roles. The conversation emphasizes that singles are not less loved or blessed by God compared to married individuals, highlights the …

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Keith J. Hayward, "Infantilised: How Our Culture Killed Adulthood" (Constable & Robinson, 2025) 40:15

4M ago40:15

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Have you ever noticed that in areas of everyday life, rather than being addressed like a mature adult, you're increasingly treated like an irresponsible child in constant need of instruction and protection? Noticing society's creeping descent into infantilisation is one thing, however understanding the roots and causes of the phenomenon is not quit…

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Christopher Key Chapple, "The SāṃKhya System: Accounting for the Real" (SUNY Press, 2024) 54:21

4M ago54:21

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The SāṃKhya System: Accounting for the Real (SUNY Press, 2024) brings new life to an ancient Hindu system of thought. Sāṃkhya spans the fields of philosophy, physics, metaphysics, psychology, and ethics. Although notably not theological, its key premises can be found in virtually all religious traditions that originate from India. Sāṃkhya espouses …