If Nothing Matters

Mohamad Koubeissi, MD is an associate professor of neurology and director of the Epilepsy Center at George Washington University. He's also a Buddhist intimately acquainted with the effects of meditation on the brain. Mohamad brings his expansive interdisciplinary knowledge of medicine, math, poetry, and philosophy to our discussion of meaning, morality, religion, and trauma. The takeaway? Nothing is destroyed, only changed. Go brain plasticity! To find out more about Mohamad and the GW Epilepsy Center, go to: https://www.gwdocs.com/find-a-doctor/mohamad-koubeissi-md/

Thomas Gerkin has studied philosophy and ethics extensively, but that doesn't mean he has all the answers. We talk about his religious journey through two Christian sects, atheism, and agnosticism, and why he believes questions of meaning are beyond logic. Also, we compare a few possible universes, I learn about Simone Weil, and Thomas recommends some excellent Bach tunes.

In this episode, we get our first definitive "No," to the question, "Are you a nihilist?" Data scientist Ethan Beaman says that all we need to do to avoid nihilism is look at the data! Ethan brings his experiences in the worlds of computer science and linguistics together as we talk solipsism, Wittgenstein, a perfect system of ethics (?), and lifeguard philosophizing. Happy New Year! We'll see you in 2020!

This week, artist Sarah Lim visits the pod to talk about if life were a simulation, the human vs. the animal, and Maslow's hierarchy of needs. It turns out that physical needs and need for meaning have a more complicated relationship than one might think... Check out Sarah @opalonics on Instagram.

In this episode, Laura chats with dynamic duo Rita and Peter. Peter claims his spot as the show's first self-avowed nihilist, while Rita says she finds personal meaning through self-expression and art. In the end, though, it all boils down to their mutual love of dogs and hatred of suffering.

Welcome to If Nothing Matters, a podcast about nihilism! In our first episode, Laura interviews Dylan Orshefsky, who tackles nihilism with a 3-part-combo of hedonism, love for the oceanic feeling, and pantheism. Oh, and a bit of onion. Follow the show on Instagram @ifnothingmatters Thumbnail art by Claire Robertson