About Rationally Speaking


Rationally Speaking is a blog maintained by Prof. Massimo Pigliucci, a philosopher at the City University of New York. The blog reflects the Enlightenment figure Marquis de Condorcet's idea of what a public intellectual (yes, we know, that's such a bad word) ought to be: someone who devotes himself to "the tracking down of prejudices in the hiding places where priests, the schools, the government, and all long-established institutions had gathered and protected them." You're welcome. Please notice that the contents of this blog can be reprinted under the standard Creative Commons license.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Rationally Speaking podcast: Zach Weinersmith on His "SMBC" Webcomic

This episode features special guest Zach Weinersmith, author of "Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal," a popular webcomic about philosophy and science.

Zach clarifies his position in the ongoing "philosophy vs. science" fights, poses a question to Julia and Massimo about the ethics of offensive jokes, and discusses BAHFest, his "Bad Ad Hoc Hypotheses" conference lampooning evolutionary psychology, not to mention his movie, "Starpocalype."

Somehow along the way, the three take a detour into discussing an unusual sexual act.

Zach's pick: "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem.
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11 comments:

  1. Disagreeable MeFebruary 24, 2014 1:17 PM

    Enjoyed the podcast very much. Thanks! I'm also a big fan of SMBC.

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  2. GrayzieFebruary 24, 2014 8:49 PM

    Great pick! Love me some Lem :)

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  3. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2014 9:15 PM

    You may want to edit the beginning of the episode synopsis; you spelled his name Weinesmith.
    Anyways, another great episode guys, and keep up the great work.

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  4. KFebruary 25, 2014 5:14 AM

    I've been meaning to read Solaris, it's on my "to read" sci-fi pile alongside Gibson and Vonnegut. It's just easier to watch the film (the Russian one of course!)

    I very much enjoyed the conservation. I'm surprised that he didn't have more of a background in philosophy.

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  5. RobinFebruary 26, 2014 8:55 AM

    Finally got around to listening. Excellent. Maybe I will enter the next BAHFest

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  6. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2014 10:49 PM

    Hi Massimo, sorry a bit off topic, but I was just watching Michio Kaku's interview on the 2/25 episode of the The Daily Show where he discusses his new book The Future of the Mind and speaks about things like uploading our consciousness onto CDs. I'm wondering if you will interview him at some point. :)

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    1. UnknownFebruary 26, 2014 10:59 PM

      Tim, seems to me that Kaku is a bit of a cuckoo. An RS interview ain't very likely...

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    2. AnonymousFebruary 27, 2014 9:01 AM

      Sure, although it seems like exposing cuckoos is not an uncommon theme of your blog. I'm not so sure Tegmark's new book is non-cuckoo either.

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  7. RobinFebruary 27, 2014 3:18 AM

    Uploading - the immortality myth for atheists

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    Replies
    1. UnknownFebruary 27, 2014 7:46 AM

      I have to agree with that one... Though I'm looking forward to the movie with Johnny Depp!

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  8. AndrewFebruary 27, 2014 3:46 AM

    Utility machine from the Zach comic would've been working better if happiness was normalized for each person to unity :-)

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