Robinson's Podcast

Jaksot

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  290 - Nicholas Humphrey: Why Does Beauty Exist? 13.09.2026 1t 17min

  Why Is the World So Beautiful?: https://a.co/d/0d3LsupANicholas 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.ukOUTLINE00:00 Why Is the World So Beautiful?08:48 What Is Rhyme?18:47 The Utility of Beauty24:09 Beauty and Pattern-Recognition34:26 Beauty and Society41:21 The Methodology of Evolutionary Psychology49:20 Creation and Agency56:24 Problem Cases01:02:26 Spirituality and Transcendence01:07:34 Ugly Art
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  289 - Joe Henrich: How Culture Made Humans Weird 06.09.2026 1t 1min

  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.eduThe WEIRDest People in the World: https://amzn.to/3F3wUY7OUTLINE00:00 Tools of Paleoanthropology07:31 Two Hunter-Gatherer Societies13:12 How Culture Enabled Massive Cities19:08 The WEIRDEST People in the World25:59 Dominance Hierarchies35:40 Attractiveness and Prestige46:01 The Evolution of Morality52:33 PunishmentRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  288 - Richard Wrangham: How Humans Caught Fire 30.08.2026 1t 14min

  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.
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  287: Daniel Lieberman: Evolution and the Human Diet 23.08.2026 1t 12min

  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/0593537998OUTLINE00:00 Dan’s Interest in Human Evolution04:43 Why Our Heads Don’t Topple Over When We Run07:41 Human Evolution and “Fed Up”10:40 Understanding the Evolution of the Human Diet19:12 Our Last Common Ancestors with Chimpanzees30:05 Evolutionary Changes in the Gut38:51 Homo Sapiens and the Paleolithic Diet48:18 The Transformative Power of Cooking54:30 The Most Important Diets59:19 Why Are Junk Foods So Appealing?01:03:19 Weight LossRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  286: Adam Mockler: Trump, Newsom, and the Dark Future of American Politics 16.08.2026 1t 2min

  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.comAdam’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adammockler/Adam’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@adammocklerAdam’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adammocklerAdam’s X: https://x.com/adammocklerrOUTLINE00:45 Adam’s Expertise10:53 Adam’s Liberal Values14:30 Why Independent Media Beats Legacy Media18:26 Clipping Is the New Canvassing20:39 The Battle for the Attention Economy26:06 How to Win Elections in 202631:16 What Constraints Are There on Independent Media?38:44 On Charlie Kirk, Conspiracies, and Death Threats41:46 What Is Nick Fuentes Doing Right?47:18 Gavin Newsom’s Media Strategy, Explained52:46 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.
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  285 - Richard Wolff & Michael Hudson: The Destruction of Modern Nations 09.08.2026 1t 59min

  Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s twelfth appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. This is Michael’s eighth appearance on the show. In this episode, Robinson, Richard, and Michael discuss colonialism and the death of modern nations. More particularly, they discuss the evolution of capitalism toward socialism, whether colonialism has officially ended, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Trump, Putin, and the United States. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024). Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalismRichard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.comEconomic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdateMichael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.comTemples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dmOUTLINE00:00 Is Capitalism Evolving into Socialism?07:20 Is Today the Post-Colonial Period?18:10 How Colonialism Divided the World28:54 China and the Revenge of Feudalism41:06 Productive vs Unproductive Labor49:24 Overcoming the “Discipline” of Academia01:01:17 The Danger of Education01:13:19 Will the United States Break Up?01:21:22 Why the EU and NATO Will Break Up01:29:15 Why Michael Believes the US Will Remain United01:38:37 Trump’s Army and the Militarized Police01:46:49 Is the US Turning into a Police State?01:48:49 The Choice Before a Declining EmpireRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  284 - Steve Keen: The Economics of Global Warfare 01.08.2026 2t 2min

  Steve Keen is an economist and was most recently Head of the School of Economics, History and Politics at Kingston University in London. He has done research on a wide variety of topics, including Marxist economics, debt, complexity theory, and systems dynamics. In this episode, Steve and Robinson discuss his economic framework in relation to wars around the globe. More particularly, the discuss the importance of oil in the Iran War, the cold war with China, the war in Ukraine, and more.OUTLINE00:00 The Crucial Importance of Oil in the Iran War08:54 Systems Dynamics and Economics14:22 How Much Inflation Will the Iran War Cause?18:17 Will the Iran War Cause Famine?28:56 Conspiracy and the Iran War30:48 Tariffs and Trade Deficits46:03 Will Trump’s Tariffs Bring Manufacturing Back to the United States52:49 Steve’s Motivation59:25 The Crucial Flaw in Marxism01:12:43 Understanding the War in Ukraine’s Impact on Europe01:16:38 On Putin’s Motivations in Ukraine01:26:32 Understanding Trump through Narcissistic Personality Disorder01:32:52 Trump and the Takeover of Venezuela01:38:11 Economists Misunderstand Everything About China01:53:01 Why Will China Survive Global Warming?01:57:18 AI and the Future Economics of the WorldRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  283 - Timothy Snyder: Donald Trump and the End of America 19.07.2026 1t 5min

  Timothy Snyder holds the inaugural Temerty Chair in Modern European History at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. Snyder’s work has appeared in forty languages and has received a number of prizes, including the Emerson Prize in the Humanities. Snyder was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford, has received the Carnegie and Guggenheim fellowships, and holds state orders from Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland. He is researching a family history of nationalism and finishing a philosophical book about freedom. In this episode, Robinson and Timothy discuss the future of the United States. More particularly, they delve into AI, rebellion, conspiracy theory, our relationship with Russia and Ukraine, Donald Trump, and more. Timothy’s most recent book is On Freedom (Crown, 2024).Timothy’s Website: https://timothysnyder.orgOn Freedom: https://timothysnyder.org/books/OUTLINE00:00 Will the United States Cease to Exist?13:47 Is Trump Breaking the United States Apart?21:09 Will AI Prevent Armed Rebellion Against the Government?30:20 Trump, Conspiracy Theories, and the Politics of Small Numbers39:46 Putin Does Not Think Ukraine Is Real45:57 What Are Trump’s Soft Spots?50:26 How Tim Organizes His Thought57:59 Donald Trump and the SuperloserRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  282 - Richard Wolff: China, Russia, Iran, and World War III 12.07.2026 2t 3min

  Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s eleventh appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In this episode, Richard and Robinson discuss the ongoing war in Iran, as well as the war in Russia and Ukraine, our cold war with China, and the future possibilities of World War III. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024).Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalismRichard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.comEconomic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdateOUTLINE00:00 China, Iran, and the Implosion of the West13:00 The Irreconcilable Gulf Between Russia and the West16:01 Europe’s Hard World War II Lesson21:20 Europe’s Final Collapse Is Coming28:42 How China Is Methodically Conquering the World35:44 Russia’s Siberian Advantage39:15 Marx, War, and Economic Decline52:39 Why Iran Will Always Control the Strait of Hormuz01:02:02 How the United States Already Failed in Iran01:06:37  What the United States Can Learn from the Collapse of the British Empire01:12:19 Why the War in Iran Will Not Lead to Nuclear War01:14:44 John Mearsheimer’s Escalation Ladder and the Threat of Nuclear War in Russia01:29:53 What Would World War Look Like in the 21st Century?01:36:17 Donald Trump, The Isolator01:41:40 The Sad Legacy of the League of Nations01:51:04 Is World War III Inevitable?
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  281 - Michael Hudson: How Debt Destroys Empires 06.07.2026 1t 49min

  Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. This is Michael’s Seventh appearance on the show. On past episodes, including with Richard Wolff, he and Robinson have neoliberalism, industrial capitalism, the rentier economy, Marxism, and the role of economics in political history. In this episode, Michael and Robinson talk about debt and the destruction of empires. Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.comTemples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dmOUTLINE00:00 Keeping Governments Under Control07:01 Understanding the Church17:27 Why Debts Grow Too Fast to Be Paid22:57 Understanding the BRICS26:50 How Can Countries Get Rich?32:47 Where Is the United States’ Debt Dragging Us?46:26 Why Michael Hudson Is Not a Mainstream Economist48:59 The Historical Approach to Economics01:06:01 Controlling Governments Through Tax Policy01:23:55 How Michael Researches01:33:31 The Myth of Economic Rent01:38:47 The United States’ Hereditary Oligarchy01:41:04 Why the United States Can’t Go Bankrupt01:44:42 Closing ThoughtsRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  280 - David Albert & Jacob Barandes: Debating the Foundation of Quantum Mechanics 29.06.2026 2t 32min

  David Albert is the Frederick E. Woodbridge Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, director of the Philosophical Foundations of Physics program at Columbia, and a faculty member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. Jacob Barandes is Senior Preceptor in Physics at Harvard University, where he works widely across the philosophy of physics, with focuses on the foundations of quantum mechanics, the philosophy of spacetime, and the metaphysics of laws. In this episode, Robinson, Jacob, and David discuss Jacob’s novel Indivisibility Approach to quantum mechanics. After beginning with an introduction from David, the conversation touches on the measurement problem, completeness, scientific realism, the purpose of physics, and more. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.Jacob’s Website: https://www.jacobbarandes.comA Guess at the Riddle: https://a.co/d/6qcsidlThe John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.orgOUTLINE00:00 The Problem with the Wave Function05:30 The Indivisibility Approach17:28 What Is Indivisibility?25:13 The Measurement Problem32:18 The Incompleteness of Jacob’s Theory42:20 Completing the Theory47:12 Realism in Quantum Mechanics01:03:13 The Fundamental Task of Physics01:10:57 The Structure of the Indivisibility Theory01;22:26 Summarizing and Calculating01:40:01 The Game of Fundamental Physics01:46:31 Can Bohmian Mechanics Work?01:56:26 A Version Including David’s Theory02:04:49 What Is the Wave Function?02:15:33 Where We’ve Ended UpRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  279 - Paul Davies: The Second Quantum Mechanics Revolution 14.06.2026 1t 20min

  Paul Davies is a theoretical physicist and Regents’ Professor at Arizona State University. Paul works on quantum mechanics, astrophysics, and cosmology, with emphasis on the origin and early stages of the universe, the quantum properties of black holes and the nature of time. He is interested in the nature and origin of life – including extraterrestrial life – beyond Earth, and in complex systems. In this episode of Robinson’s Podcast, Paul and Robinson discuss the second revolution in quantum mechanics. Among other things, they dig into the origin of quantum theory, how we should interpret it, various quarks of quantum physics, such as teleportation and entanglement, quantum computing, and more. Paul’s recent book is Quantum 2.0 (Pelican, 2025).Quantum 2.0: https://a.co/d/0ckzsWavOUTLINE00:00 Why Quantum Mechanics?11:59 How Should We Interpret Quantum Mechanics?22:22 Complexity and Quantum Theory30:59 What Will Be the Next Quantum Revolution?39:59 The Next Generation of Quantum Technology?49:47 Can Quantum Teleportation Move Macroscopic Objects?52:47 Supercomputers vs Quantum Computers01:04:16 The Fine-Tuning Problem?01:12:37 Do We Have a Scientific Theory of Life?Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  278 - Priyamvada Natarajan: The Mystery of Dark Matter 31.05.2026 1t 30min

  Priyamvada Natarajan is the Joseph S. and Sophia S. Fruton Professor of Astronomy and Professor of Physics at Yale University, where she is also the Chair of Astronomy. Priya researches broadly across astrophysics and cosmology; some topics she has worked on include gravitational lensing, black hole physics, the philosophy of science, and dark matter. In this conversation, Priya and Robinson largely stick to the latter. They discuss her interest in cosmology writ large, as well as how the scientific community tackles the unknown. Priya’s most recent book is Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas that Reveal the Cosmos (Yale, 2016).Mapping the Heavens: https://a.co/d/02HPcMB1OUTLINE00:00 A Paradox of Cosmology06:16 Investigating Invisibilia11:25 The Sociology of Astrophysics16:52 Phenomenology in Physics19:47 What Is the Mystery of Dark Matter?29:07 The Problem of Dark Energy36:38 Models and Simulations46:17 Modifying the Standard Model to Explain Dark Matter58:20 The Crisis in Dark Matter01:12:22 Alternative Explanations of Dark Matter01:19:51 Fine-Tuning and the Multiverse01:25:24 Black HolesRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  277 - Tim Maudlin: What Is Philosophy? 17.05.2026 2t

  Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. In this episode, Robinson and Tim discuss the nature of philosophy. More particularly, they discuss philosophy’s origin, its connections to physics, what characterizes some of its well-known sub disciplines, and some of its biggest problems. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.Tim’s Website: www.tim-maudlin.siteThe John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.orgOUTLINE00:00 The Beginning of Philosophy06:53 Where Physics and Philosophy Diverged14:07 Quantum Gravity18:30 Physicists and Philosophers on Space and Time23:10 Is Metaphysics Different From Physics?34:54 Why Don’t Universities Have Departments of Metaphysics?49:27 Are Numbers Real?01:07:50 What Are Continental and Analytic Philosophy?01:14:58 The Age-Old Puzzle of the Statue and the Clay01:28:05 What Is Epistemology?01:38:57 Is the World Around Us an Illusion?01:49:13 What Are the Biggest Open Problems in Philosophy?01:57:00 A John Bell Institute UpdateRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  276 - Craig Callender: Lab-Grown Meat, De-Extinction, and the Tolman-Ehrenfest Effect 03.05.2026 1t 31min

  Craig Callender is Professor of Philosophy and Co-Director of the Institute for Practical Ethics at UC San Diego, where he is a leading philosopher of science and physics. Craig also appeared on episode 73, in which he and Robinson discussed pseudoscience and conspiracy theories, and epidote 114, where he, Robinson, and Tim Maudlin discussed the philosophy of time, including the reality of the past, present, and future, the direction of time, its relationship to relativity and quantum mechanics, and time travel. In this episode, Robinson and Craig turn to a different assortment of topics. They talk about disinformation, lab-grown meat, de-extinction, scientific communication, quantum mechanics, and the Tolman-Ehrenfest Effect.Craig’s Website: https://www.craigcallender.comOUTLINE00:00 Craig’s Interest in Lab-Grown Meat04:25 Disinformation and the Philosophy of Science18:18 The Root of the Error23:43 The Importance of Science Communication31:12 What Is De-Extinction?47:28 What Is the Tolman-Ehrenfest Effect?1:00:00 Tolman-Ehrenfest, Continued01:15:07 A Philosopher’s Perspective01:23:05 What Is The Problem with Quantum Mechanics?01:24:56 What’s the Best Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics?Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  275 - Nate Soares: AI Will Kill Us All If We Don’t Change Course 19.04.2026 2t 3min

  Nate Soares is the President of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, and plays a central role in setting MIRI’s vision and strategy. Soares has been working in the field for over a decade, and is the author of a large body of technical and semi-technical writing on AI alignment, including foundational work on value learning, decision theory, and power-seeking incentives in smarter-than-human AIs. Prior to MIRI, Soares worked as an engineer at Google and Microsoft, as a research associate at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and as a contractor for the US Department of Defense. In this episode, Nate and Robinson discuss the problems of AI from the ground up. They touch on how AI is trained, why it will surpass human intelligence, why this is dangerous, how it could wipe out humankind, and more. Nate’s recent book, co-written with Eliezer Yudkowsky, is If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies (Little, Brown and Company, 2025).If Anyone Builds It, Everyone DiesNate’s X: https://x.com/So8resMIRI: https://intelligence.orgOUTLINE00:00 Nate’s Existential Dread07:11 What’s the REAL Problem with Artificial Intelligence?11:39 How Is AI Trained?17:15 The Vital Importance of Interpreting AI20:53 Why AI Will Soon Surpass Human Intelligence32:58 Why Solving the AI Alignment Problem is Crucial to Human Survival38:40 Will AI Render Human Software Engineers Obsolete?48:03 Does It Make Sense to Say AI Has Goals?01:00:02 Why AI Consciousness Is Unimportant01:11:33 How, Realistically, Could AI Wipe Out Humanity?01:35:27 A Sci-Fi (But Realistic) AI Doomsday Scenario01:44:34 Is There Hope that Humans Will Survive AI?
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  274 - Norman Finkelstein: Trump, Netanyahu, Putin, and the War in Iran 29.03.2026 1t 35min

  Norman's Upcoming Book, Gaza's Gravediggers: https://orbooks.com/catalog/gazas-gravediggers/Norman Finkelstein received his PhD from the Princeton University Politics Department, and is best known for his research on Israel and Palestine.  Norman also appeared on episodes 192, 218, 228, 244, and 250, where he addressed the facts and fictions generated by the Israel-Hamas War, October 6th, allegations of genocide and apartheid, Hezbollah, the Holocaust, and more. In this episode, Robinson and Norman discuss Trump, Netanyahu, Putin, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, and more. Norman’s new book is Gaza’s Gravediggers: An Inquiry into Corruption in High Places (OR Books, 2026).Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.comOUTLINE00:00 No Investigation, No Right to Speak02:15 Why the War with Iran is Unjustified09:07 Israel Violated Article II of the UN Charter13:44 Will the Iran War the End the World in Nuclear War?21:03 Why Trump Is Underestimating Iran30:55 How Israel and the United States Tried to Deceive the World About Iran38:27 Is Israel’s Mentality “Homicidal”?44:43 What’s Less Justified: Putin’s War on Ukraine or Netanyahu’s on Iran?01:00:00 More on Ukraine01:12:31 What Should We Make of Joe Kent?01:21:00 More on KentRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  273 - Richard Wolff: Iran, Israel, and the End of the American Empire 22.03.2026 2t 4min

  Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s tenth  appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In this episode, Richard and Robinson discuss the ongoing war in Iran. More particularly, they discuss whether it was predictable, how it will affect the United States, Israel, and Europe, what really motivated the war, and more. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024).Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalismRichard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.comEconomic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdateOUTLINE00:00 Was the Iran War Predictable?05:43 How History Made Trump’s War with Iran Inevitable15:00 The Historical Perspective24:45 The War in Iran Is a Catastrophic Mistake for Israel32:03 Will Europe Survive the War in Iran?46:32 Is the Iran War the Last Straw for Donald Trump?53:48 Why China Is Obliterating American Companies01:03:17 How Trump and Israel Are Ending the American Empire01:08:35 Is the United States Turning on Donald Trump?01:13:54 Why Mamdani Is Winning Over New Yorkers01:17:20 The Iran War Is Really About Oil01:28:20 What Happens When The People of Iran Say “No More”?01:39:13 Does AI Mean the End of Capitalism?01:50:55 Will the United States Lose the War in Iran?Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  272 - Michael Hudson: Iran, Israel, and World War III 15.03.2026 1t 56min

  Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. This is Michael’s sixth appearance on the show. On past episodes, including with Richard Wolff, he and Robinson have neoliberalism, industrial capitalism, the rentier economy, Marxism, and the role of economics in political history. In this episode, Michael and Robinson talk about Donald Trump, the war in Iran, Russia and Ukraine, Israel, China, and the possibility of World War III. Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.comTemples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dmOUTLINE00:10 How Oil Controls US Foreign Policy10:44 How American Foreign Policy Is Leading to World War III31:03 Trump’s Neocon War Strategy34:56 Why Does the United States Need Israel for its Iran War?41:26 Does the US Finance Terrorism in Ukraine and Israel?44:16 How the West Provoked Russia’s War in Ukraine52:53 Why Does the US Support Ukraine?56:10 How China Became an Economic Superpower59:49 AI and the Economic War for Global Dominance01:10:21 Oil, Renewable Energy, and the Shifting Global Power Structure01:12:25 The US Economy After WWI01:24:21 Why Europe Fell from WWII to the Present01:36:45 How Trump Ignores the First Amendment01:40:20 The Apex of American Power after WWII01:43:12 Who Will Win the Economic World War?01:49:25 Why Iran Is Crucial to the World’s Future01:53:38 The Dismal Future of the American EmpireRobinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.comRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.
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  271 - Sara Imari Walker & Lee Cronin: Quantum Physics, Time, and the Origin of Life 01.03.2026 1t 58min

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