Christopher DiCarlo is a philosopher of science and the founder of Critical Thinking Solutions. He and Leslie start by discussing the potential future for Artificial Intelligence (AI); both to help humanity (through DiCarlo’s Onion Skin Theory of Knowledge (OSTOK) project, and how to avoid a robotic apocalypse. But they quickly realize that the most difficult question is: What would we want a perfectly functioning AI to do? This leads to a fascinating conversation about society, philosophy, and politics, before coming back to AI and our ability to integrate new technology into our mindset, outlook, and culture.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca

Eric Schnurer is the author of the essay Democracy Disrupted: Governance in an Increasingly Virtual and Massively Distributed World. In it, Eric argues that the Internet will revolutionize our society on a scale similar to the agricultural and industrial revolutions, but on a timescale of years instead of decades or centuries. Eric and Leslie discuss how Estonia points to how government services of the future may look, the importance (and eventual impotence) of antitrust enforcement, and how to reconcile the fact that most economic sectors are becoming more concentrated (with fewer competitors) with the unbundling and disaggregation that digitization allows.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca.

Brandon K. Gauthier (@bk_gauthier) wrote Before Evil, about the childhoods of six of the twentieth century’s most notorious dictators, to show that even the most vile among us share a basic humanity. We must remember that if we are to avoid becoming like them. Brandon and Leslie discuss the impetus for writing the book and Brandon reads a couple of excerpts. The passionate conversation ranges from the importance of democratic norms and structures in avoiding sliding into autocracy (reminiscent of PfI S01E05 with Miriam Mufti) and the importance of free expression while recognizing the difficulty of determining where its limits lie (echoing a discussion in PfI S01E06 with James Turk). Brandon emphasizes that we are all subject to ideologies that view others as less than human, and implores everyone to approach complex subjects with humility.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca.

John Gleason is known online as the Godless Engineer (@GodlessEngineer Facebook) and has spent the past decade debunking religious apologists and anti-science beliefs. Leslie asks John about his journey to atheism, and whether Jesus was a historical or mythical figure. John describes how he chose the audience he wanted to reach, and how he strives to be both memorable and entertaining. He talks about how his activism has affected his career and relations with his family, and concludes by giving some advice to activists just starting to find their voice.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca

Dr. Allen-Vercoe (@EmmaAllenVercoe) talks with Leslie about how to think of microbe populations across different people, and why they are important for digestion and overall health. They discuss research on the microbiome of the Yanomami, and why it is important. The role of serendipity in scientific progress is often underemphasized, and Emma shares how one such moment led to an enormous grant for colorectal cancer research. She explains her role in improving a disgusting but effective medical intervention. Finally, Emma summarizes her extensive efforts to fight pseudoscience and the need for personalized medicine in the years to come.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca

David Good is the son of an American anthropologist father and a Yanomami mother. David shares with Leslie what it is like to have one foot in two very different worlds, and the experience of meeting his mother in the jungle after twenty years in suburban America. They talk about the Yanomami equivalent of laws and means of settling disputes, and what we can learn from them. Follow David online on Instagram and learn more about his efforts to protect the Yanomami way of life at The Good Project.

Podcast for Inquiry is brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Hosted by Leslie Rosenblood. Produced by Matt Payne. Graphic design by Nikolay Nikitushkin. Music by Anthony Lazaro. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@centreforinquiry.ca