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PODCAST

Patterson in Pursuit

Steve Patterson

Philosophy in the real world. Interviewing intellectuals across the globe. Grappling with the biggest ideas. stevepatterson.substack.com

society & culture philosophy

All Episodes

44:04

Ep. 11 - Contradictions at Columbia | Interview...

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/06/19

This week is another breakdown episode, where I focus primarily on the interview about logical contradictions at Columbia. Dr. Justin Clarke-Doane was arguing that logical contradictions can be understood and incorporated into our worldview. I couldn't more strongly disagree, and I wasn't too impressed with his argument. This is why. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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8:39

The Logic of Nothing

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/06/15

When people talk about nothing, what are they really talking about? How can you talk about nothing - unless nothing is actually something? Many Eastern philosophies (Buddhism, in particular) believe that nothing is something, and a few Western philosophies do as well. But they are mistaken. If we value a rational and logically consistent worldview, we have to understand exactly what nothing is - or more precisely, what it isn't. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at

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51:37

Ep. 10 - Christian Beliefs, Experiences | Dr. Bob Murphy

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/06/12

Religion is too quickly dismissed by modern intellectuals. Religious or spiritual experience is a relatively universal phenomenon, and it deserves the same level of rational analysis as the rest of our worldview. My guest today is Dr. Bob Murphy, who is a professional economist, author, and a self-described "born-again Christian". We talk about his beliefs, justification, and personal experiences with the faith. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at

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7:55

Assume Everybody is Wrong

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/06/08

Everybody is wrong about everything all the time. That's my life motto. You can't simply believe something because somebody told you so. You have to doubt. The deeper you dive into philosophy, the more you realize how important the fundamentals are, and the more you realize how few people understand the fundamentals. Therefore, it's better to simply assume people are wrong about everything from the start. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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87:25

Ep. 9 - Logic, Contradictions, and Dialetheism | Dr....

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/06/05

Can something be true at false at the same time? Some philosophers think so. I don't, but my guest does. Questions of logic and epistemology are at the foundation for everyone's philosophy, and the stakes couldn't be higher. If contradictions are possible, that's a big deal. If contradictions aren't possible, that's also a big deal. You have to decide for yourself. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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8:15

Does the Mind Have Access to Objective Truth?

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/06/01

Do our minds have access to objective reality, or are we stuck inside our own heads? Do we need to "get outside our minds" to verify whether our claims about the world are true? These questions have enormous implications for our entire philosophy. They are about the fundamental relationship between the mind and the world. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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44:51

Ep. 8 - Completed Infinities: Possible or Not? | Dr....

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/29

"Completed infinities" are at the center of modern mathematics. Their existence is taken as a foundational axiom. I must admit: I think this is an error - a logical mistake. Infinity, by definition, cannot be completed, right? I am joined by Dr. Gary McGuire, the head of Mathematics and Statistics at the University College Dublin. To my surprise, Gary also expresses skepticism about completed infinities. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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7:06

Against "Doing the Right Thing"

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/25

Most ethical questions are framed incorrectly. Morality isn't about actions and consequences. It is about intention. Thinking this way avoids a number of popular ethical dilemmas, like the infamous trolley problems. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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56:43

Ep. 7 - Egoism, Religion, Ayn Rand | Michael Malice

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/22

Selfish or simply honest? Egoist philosophy doesn't win popularity contents, but it does claim to be intellectually consistent. The self, they claim, is at the center of all moral values. I am joined by Michael Malice, who is a best-selling author and self-described egoist. We talk about the philosophy, his thoughts on atheism, and some problems with Ayn Rand's Objectivism. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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17:04

Chairs Do Not Exist

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/18

The physical world is made up of particles, not objects. Objects are abstractions - they are conceptual boundaries we put around clumps of matter. Without the mind, those boundaries wouldn't exist. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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36:51

Ep. 6 - Interview Breakdown: Pragmatism, Objective...

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/15

My analysis of the philosophies presented so far - covering pragmatism, anarchist legal systems, objective truth, the philosophy of mind, and autodidacticism. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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7:29

Democracy Fail: Trump versus Sanders

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/11

It's taboo to criticize democracy. However, if we want to have clear political philosophies, we need to look at both the theory and the practice of democracy. Voters in New Hampshire freely chose a self-described socialist and a thinly-veiled fascist as their #1 picks. That should trouble us. With a little effort, we might be able to construct a superior political system that doesn't allow foolish politicians to enact foolish policies. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at

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74:32

Ep. 5 - American Pragmatism | Dr. John Stuhr

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/08

American Pragmatism is a philosophy that's been around for morethan a century. It's recently seen a renaissance in the last fewdecades, and I'm talking this week with Dr. John Stuhr, who haswritten several books on the topic.We cover pragmatism from the basics to more advanced concepts,and I get to ask Dr. Stuhr a ton of questions in my own pursuit ofunderstanding the philosophy. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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5:14

The Sliding Scale of Certainty

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/04

A central question in philosophy is "Can we know anything with perfect certainty?" Either way you answer - yes or no - has big implications. Here's my answer in five minutes. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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37:21

Ep. 4 - Irrational Voters, Law without Government,...

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/05/01

Do democracies really make the best decisions? Should weencourage everyone to vote, even if they don't understand theissues?I am joined today by Dr. Bryan Caplan, who is a professor ofeconomics at George Mason University. He's also the author of "TheMyth of the Rational Voter" (http://amzn.to/1Wn9xi4), which takes askeptical look at the reliability of voting.We also discuss the educational establishment, from K-12 toHigher Ed, and Dr. Caplan proposes what he calls the "signalingmodel" of education.

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7:54

The Death of Skepticism

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/04/26

Skepticism used to be a way of thinking, but nowadays, it's turned into a fashionable clique. Calling yourself a "skeptic" today means you identify with three core ideas - atheism, physicalism, and empiricism. The "skeptics movement" has crowded out people who dissent, and in the process, they've become more dogmatic than those they criticize. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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36:14

Ep. 3 - Consciousness and Subjectivity | Dr. Emrys...

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/04/21

Consciousness remains a metaphysical mystery. Scientists don't understand it, philosophers don't understand it, and neither does anybody else. Is everything in the universe fundamentally physical, or is there something more? Is the physicalist worldview incomplete? Why should first-person experience exist in the first place? Dr. Emrys Westacott is a professor of philosophy at Alfred University. You can read his great introductory book here: http://amzn.to/242NO1B Get full access to Steve

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33:37

Ep. 2 - Is There Objective Truth? | Dr. Emrys Westacott

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/04/21

Is there objective truth, or is everything ultimately subjective? Can we know with certainty? These questions are central in philosophy, and it's where we begin the series. Dr. Emrys Westacott is a professor of philosophy at Alfred University. You can get his excellent introductory book Thinking Through Philosophy here: http://amzn.to/242NO1B Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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4:10

Ep. 1 - Introduction

Patterson in Pursuit ·

2016/04/20

Introduction to the show. Who I am and what the show is about. Philosophy and interviews across the world. Talking with intellectuals and professors about big ideas. Covering philosophy, science, religion, politics, economics, mathematics, libertarian theory, and much more. Get full access to Steve Patterson's Substack at stevepatterson.substack.com/subscribe

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