The Rational View podcast with Dr. Al Scott

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An evidence based rational viewpoint and discussion on science and society, focusing on important current issues. I hope to provide a clear voice for the quiet moderate majority on highly polarized issues such as climate change, social inequity, and the g

Al Scott

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    • May 31, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 42m AVG DURATION
    • 238 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Rational View podcast with Dr. Al Scott

    Are we as rich as we think if money isn't real?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2025 25:50


    In this episode I look at the economic system we find ourselves in, and try to peel away some of the fictions that we've bought into.  If money isn't linked to a gold standard, is it worth what we think it is? Is the GDP an accurate representation of productivity? Are we being played by the financial system? Look me up on Instagram and YouTube. Give me your feedback on Facebook.

    Dr. David Thesmar models social justice as an economic system

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 43:54


    In this episode, have you ever felt that there is too much injustice in the world and you just can't respond to it all? Have you ever found yourself making a compromise with your ethics just to make it through the day? I think we all have. My guest today has written a book looking at these tradeoffs. Hopefully it will help us all to be able to make moral choices and address the guilt we feel at not being able to help everyone. David Thesmar is the Franco Modigliani Professor of Financial Economics and professor of finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management. In 2007, he was named “France's Best Young Economist” by Le Monde. With Augustin Landier, he writes a regular column for the French daily newspaper Les Echos. He just co-authored a book, ‘The Price of our Values: the economic limits of a moral life'. Come find me on Facebook and YouTube

    Don Weatherbee of Regenx is mining catalytic convertors for precious metals

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 26:52


    In this episode I'm digging into a growing industrial segment that mines waste for precious metals. Often discarded systems contain higher precious metals fractions than the original ore they are mined from. Discarded computers and electronics, and in this case, catalytic converters can be recycled and thereby mitigate new mining operations and their environmental impact. Don Weatherbee, CEO of Regenx Tech, is a visionary in the clean tech sector, driving innovation in sustainable precious metal recovery. Under his leadership, Regenx Tech has transitioned from pilot projects to full-scale operations, including the opening of the flagship facility in Greeneville, Tennessee. Don's collaborative approach and strategic partnerships, such as with Davis Recycling, have propelled Regenx as a leader in environmentally friendly extraction of platinum and palladium. A passionate advocate for the circular economy, Don champions recycling innovation and sustainable practices in the mining industry. His work exemplifies a commitment to reducing environmental impact, advancing industry ESG standards, and shaping a greener future. Smash the LIKE button. Look for The Rational View on Youtube and Facebook.

    Dr. Joe Romm says the hydrogen economy is a pipedream

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 63:07


    In this episode I'm discussing energy, specifically hydrogen and nuclear with a leading environmentalist author. His recent book the Hype about Hydrogen (revised) highlights the seemingly intractable problems with a Hydrogen economy. He's also publishing a whitepaper highlighting the high costs of SMRs and touting renewables as the cheapest solution. He suggests nuclear is uniquely dangerous in his assessment. I agree that any new SMRs will be costly, but the evidence suggests that nuclear is the safest energy form in lives lost per kilowatt hour. I'm looking forward to a lively discussion. A physicist who studied physical oceanography, Dr. Joe Romm is a senior research fellow at the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media, and writes the blog climateprogress.org. In 2009, Rolling Stone magazine named Romm to its list of "100 People Who Are Changing America", and Time magazine named him one of its "Heroes of the Environment (2009)", calling him "The Web's most influential climate-change blogger. Before that, he served at the Department of Energy in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, a $1 billion program responsible for much of the US' clean energy and greenhouse gas research and development. Look for me on Facebook and Instagram

    A look at the parties and leaders in Canada's federal election

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2025 34:36


    Welcome to my Canadian election review podcast. As of the time of this episode Canada is just a couple weeks away and the Rational View is here to provide you with a rundown on the major parties.  In Canada we have two major parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives who are the only parties who have ever won elections, plus a third party, the New Democrats (NDP) who usually manage to capture a smattering of seats. The last two terms were won by the Liberals under Justin Trudeau.  The most recent term has been a minority government propped up by the NDP for concessions to social programs. The Conservatives are like Canada's Republicans: Pro Oligarch and Pro Oil.  The Liberals are like Canada's Democrats: Pro Corporatocracy (Status Quo) and Pro Environment. The NDP are Pro Worker and Pro Environment. Trudeau, who's popularity has been low after 10 years in government, has recently stepped down to be replaced by Mark Carney, former governor of the bank of Canada and the Bank of England. Carney has re-invigorated Liberal polling numbers, and is currently leading Pierre Pollievre's Conservatives at 43% vs 39%. This was a major surprise to Conservatives who were a shoe-in until Carney announced his candidacy and flipped the script on them. All three major parties have been putting out ads.  The Conservative ads have been trying to smear the new Liberal leader, Mark Carney, as a rich outsider who is going to bring in a carbon tax. There have been AI-generated fake pictures on social media showing Carney with Epstein and Maxwell. The Liberal ads have been comparing the Conservative Leader to Donald Trump due to sharing similar rhetoric on making Canada great again. I'm going to go through what the candidates have said about actual policies in case you are interested in that. It's time for a Rational View. Look me up on Facebook and Youtube!

    Why am I me and not you? An exploration of physicalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 26:05


    Life is chaotic right now, people are worried, all you hear on social media is conflict and crazy. Time to step back, relax, and go on a journey with me into philosophy of the mind. Let's meditate a bit and disconnect from the reset of modern civilization. Why am I seeing the world only from within Al Scott's head? Why am I me and not you?  Why do you wake up in the morning as you and not as someone else? Is it because you are a soul that lives in your body?  Look me up on YouTube and Facebook!

    Why did adventurer Miles Spencer retrace the journey of Lawrence of Arabia?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2025 33:51


    Miles Spencer is a father and a mentor of tech founders. He says the similarities in those jobs are remarkable. He founded, financed, built and exited three digital media companies. Prior to that, he was a Venture Principal at Capital Express, and hosted MoneyHunt on PBS. In his spare time he is a painter and an adventurer who has hiked through the Saudi desert and lived to write a book about.  A Line in the Sand ended up an Amazon Bestseller in the Middle East. Come join me on Facebook--let me know what you think! Find me on Instagram and Youtube

    Is Trump responding to unfair Canadian tariffs?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 30:59


    Donald Trump has fawned over authoritarians and dictators and strives to emulate them. What do dictators do? They expoit weaker countries and expand their territory. Hitler had the Aunschlus where he annexed Austria, Putin has Ukraine, and Trump wants Canada and Greenland. The international community allowed Putin to take Crimea with little repercussions. Could Trump be interested in doing the same thing to Canada? What is the evidence? Do I have Trump Derangement Syndrome? Is he just joking? Is this a negotiation tactic?  There has been a lot of fear mongering going around on social media. Canadians are hearing about leaked maps from the US showing invasion plans of Canada. US audiences are hearing horror stories about Canada's drugs and tariffs hurting Americans. What are the facts? This is a job for The Rational View! Come find me on Youtube and Instagram.  Send me your opinions on Facebook

    Professor David Bernstein discusses attacks on civil liberties

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 65:40


    In this episode I'm following up on a tip from a listener who suggested that I should speak with David Bernstein. David was on Michael Shermer's podcast discussing civil liberty, free speech, and constitutional law issues. In the current situation of highly polarized public debate it is critical that we listen to both sides of the argument and don't fall victim to bias. This is a job for The Rational View! David E. Bernstein holds a University Professor Chair at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School. He is the author or co-author of seven books including, most recently, Classified: The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America. Find my on Facebook, LInkedIn, and Instagram

    Juliana Tafur discusses bridging polarizing gaps and connecting Americans

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 49:58


    In this episode I'm interviewing a thoughtful kindred spirit to the Rational View. Someone who has made it her mission to bridge polarizing gaps in society and work for the greater good. Please excuse my deep bass FM radio voice as I'm getting over a nasty virus. Juliana Tafur is the director of the Greater Good Science Center's Bridging Differences program at UC Berkeley. She is now leading a Campaign for Connection to bridge political and cultural divides using resources rooted in science. She's spent more than a decade creating spaces–through film and mediated dialogue–to bridge differences of race/culture, politics, socioeconomic status, and more. An Obama Foundation Scholar at Columbia University, Juliana's work combines research on the science of human connection with lived experience, making her insights both practical and deeply personal. Come find me on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube

    An update on Project 2025 implementation and what it means for democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 48:03


    This episode is providing a rational review of events to the south in the new republican administration. There is a lot of concern on the left over the activities of Musk and Trump. There is a huge pile of propaganda that both sides are producing. What are the facts? Should we be worried? Appearing in the Oval Office and addressing the nation whilst Trump looks on bored and confused, Musk hoists his young son on his shoulders. Lately he has not been out in public without a human shield after the recent assassination of elite health-insurance CEO Brian Thompson. What is Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE up to? Is it legal for a department to have access to the private data of citizens held by other departments? Why are Americans allowing this? Why would Musk  donate $290 million dollars of his own money to re-elect Trump? What deal was made? Why do they love Putin and Xi? Why are they abandoning Ukraine and Taiwan? Follow the money.

    Dr. Anton Van Der Merwe on dangerous left wing anti-science dogmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2025 73:56


    In this episode I'm going to play devil's advocate and look at the flaws on the left of the political spectrum. I am always trying to challenge my biases and poke holes in my positions by listening to opposing opinions. I have been butting heads with a UK professor over social media on several issues recently as he has been posting what I would consider biased right wing positions and I have been challenging him. We are both in agreement on many issues, however, that may come as a surprise to those people on the left. This is a job for The Rational View. Dr. Anton Van Der Merwe is a Professor of Molecular Immunology at the University of Oxford. He has been on the left his entire life from membership of the ANC, while in South Africa, to membership of the Labour Party since living in the U.K. He is also a passionate environmentalist. He has recently expressed  dismay at how the left and environmental groups have abandoned science and replaced it with dogma. Look for me on Youtube and Instagram or join the discussion on Facebook.

    Economist Dean Baker says the wage-productivity gap is real

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2025 49:40


    In this episode I am exploring the divergence between productivity and wages in western economies since 1970.  This was covered in one of my first podcasts and is a striking failure of society that has derailed post-war successes and led to the current situation of inequity and unrest. It puts us in the strange position that robotics and AI are going to make the vast majority of the world poorer and further behind. Dean Baker is the co-founder and a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. He has written numerous books and articles. His most recent book is Rigged: How Globalization and the Rules of the Modern Economy Were Structured to Make the Rich Richer. Join The Rational View on Facebook Follow me on YouTube

    Just how dangerous are the new mRNA vaccines?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 33:49


    In this episode I'm reviewing the scientific evidence on the safety of new mRNA vaccines. There has been a flurry of misunderstandings and misinformation posted online with the result being spreading vaccine hesitancy and a growing public health emergency.  The WHO highlighted vaccine hesitancy as a major global health risk. Just this morning I heard announcements of Measles outbreaks. Vaccines have saved millions of lives. They've eliminated smallpox and we are on the brink of eliminating polio. Measles no longer needs to hospitalize thousands of children unless we let it.  That being said, there is risk associated with vaccines. Can we have a frank talk about the actual risks? Look me up on YouTube and Facebook! Patron dot podbean dot com slash THERATIONALVIEW

    Dr. Nilanjana Dasgupta on how biases are like wallpaper

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 51:18


    In this episode I am continuing to cast a lens into the presence of inequity in society. The Rational View is about using evidence-based practices to promote justice for all. Over the years we, as a society, have made great progress in addressing inequality, but unscientific biases still abound. Many folks would say that we've already equalized opportunities. Many would say great gulfs remain to be bridged. What does the data say? Nilanjana Dasgupta is Provost Professor of Psychology and founding Director of the Institute of Diversity Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She received her Bachelor's degree in psychology and neuroscience from Smith College and a Master's degree and PhD in social psychology from Yale University. She is a leader in research on implicit bias and diversity science, applying it to complex social problems. Her award winning research has been featured widely in print and broadcast media. She is the author of Change the Wallpaper: Transforming Cultural Patterns to Build More Just Communities Find me on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWU2V-SviNZV7mXd6VB0dAA

    Siri Chilazi uses evidence to address diversity, inequity, and inclusion

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2025 48:59


    In this episode I'm interviewing a researcher who studies equality in the workplace.  Her work stands out as being heavily influenced by quantitative studies on the effectiveness of various interventions aimed at leveling the gender gap in the workplace. I hope we can gain some insights into what is good and what does not work to promote fairness in the workplace. Siri Chilazi is a senior researcher at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School whose life's work is to advance gender equality in the workplace. As a keynote speaker and strategic advisor, Siri collaborates with a wide range of organizations around the world. Her work regularly appears in leading media outlets. Siri has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master's in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College. Her most recent book, with co-author Iris Bohnet, is called “Make Work Fair”. Support the podcast at patron dot podbean dot com slash TheRationalView Join the Facebook discussion at TheRationalView

    Does grounding reduce inflammation and speed healing?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2025 27:12


    Happy New Year. Welcome to 2025! You made it! I'm glad to be able to share this with you. Today I want to talk about a health fad called Earthing, or Grounding. You've probably heard of it. Is it supported by science or is it snake oil? This calls for The Rational View. If you like my program please send money to patron dot podbean dot com slash THERATIONALVIEW If you don't like my program come to my RationalView Facebook group and give me your best counter argument

    Planetary scientist Dr. John Moores takes readers to the farthest reaches of the solar system

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2024 32:31


    In this episode I'm interviewing a scientist turned science fiction author who has written a book that takes the reader on a journey around the solar system to the many remote places we've visited with our space probes. I'm eager to learn what he thinks about space exploration. Dr John Moores is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science at York University. He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists, a recipient of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute's McCurdy Award and served as the Science Advisor to the President of the Canadian Space Agency from 2022-2024. John holds a BASc in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto and a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in Planetary Science. An author on over 100 articles in planetary science, John has also been a member of five NASA and ESA-led space mission teams. Support the podcast at patron dot podbean dot com slash TheRationalView Come chat on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Former Hungarian MP, Dr. Gabor Scheiring compares Trump to authoritarian leader Viktor Orban

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2024 48:34


    In this episode I'm interviewing someone with firsthand knowledge of the replacement of democracy with an authoritarian populist regime.  What does this mean? Take, for example, the case of Hungary under the leadership of Viktor Orbán, the populist prime minister of Hungary since 2010. In 2022, European parliament declared that Hungary could no longer be considered a democracy. MEPs are concerned about several political areas concerning democracy and fundamental rights in Hungary. Some of the main areas are the functioning of its constitutional and electoral system, the independence of the judiciary, corruption and conflicts of interest and freedom of expression, including media pluralism. Academic freedom, freedom of religion, freedom of association, the right to equal treatment, including LGBTIQ rights, the rights of minorities, as well as those of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, are also problematic. What do these first steps towards authoritarianism look like and what can we do to avoid following the same path? Why do people want to go away from democracy? Are they racist bigots? Gábor Scheiring is a former member of the Hungarian parliament having served from 2010-2014 and an assistant professor of comparative politics at Georgetown University Qatar. He previously served as a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University's Center for European Studies. His research explores the political economy and lived experiences of contemporary economic transformations through quantitative, qualitative, and comparative methods. He focuses on how economic shocks create precarity, leading to mental and physical suffering, and how these processes impact democratic stability. His book, The Retreat of Liberal Democracy, which won the BASEES 2021 Book Award, examines how working-class dislocation and elite co-optation foster illiberalism in Hungary. Do you like the podcast? Share the love at patron dot podbean dot com slash TheRationalView Do you hate the podcast? Join TheRationalView Facebook group and let's talk it out.

    Richard Ford chats about the outrage-industrial complex

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 33:51


    In this episode, I'm exploring the topic of the Outrage Industry. Who else is growing inured to over-the-top tirades of outrage and offense? This seems to be a relatively new phenomenon whereby click-bait memes generating outrage are monetized by social media networks into clicks. Let's explore how this impacts society and what we can do to counter it. Richard Thompson Ford is a Professor at Stanford Law School. He has written about law, social and cultural issues and race relations for The New York Times, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and Slate, and has appeared on The Colbert Report and The Rachel Maddow Show. He is the author of the New York Times notable books The Race Card and Rights Gone Wrong: How Law Corrupts the Struggle for Equality. He lives in San Francisco. Come on by TheRationalView Facebook group or support the podcast at patron dot podbean dot com slash TheRationalView, or do both!

    Dr. Rob Howarth says natural gas is worse than coal for the environment

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2024 33:57


    In this episode I'm interviewing a researcher who has been studying the impacts of methane on the greenhouse effect, and trying to assess whether burning natural gas is helping or hurting the climate. His most recent paper suggests that it should not be considered an improvement over coal. Robert Howarth is an Earth systems scientist and ecosystem biologist with a Ph.D. jointly from MIT and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He joined the faculty of Cornell University in 1985 and was appointed the David R. Atkinson Professor of Ecology & Environmental Biology in 1993. He also is an Adjunct Senior Scientist at the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole, MA, and is Co-Editor in Chief of the journal Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research. He has published over 250 scientific papers, reports, and book chapters and has edited or authored eight books. His peer-reviewed papers have been cited more than 85,000 times in other peer-reviewed literature, making him one of the most cited environmental scientists in the world. Howarth's research is broad ranging and includes climate effects on nutrient pollution in lakes and coastal ecosystems, nitrogen effects in coastal marine ecosystems, sources of methane from natural gas operations and agriculture, atmospheric ammonia pollution, alternative energy policies, and lifecycle assessments for hydrogen, liquefied natural gas, and renewable natural gas. He is one of 22 members of New York's Climate Action Council, the group charged with implementing the State's ambitious climate goals laid out in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019. If you agree we need more Rationality support the podcast at Patron dot podbean dot com slash TheRationalView If you have a comment find me on Facebook at TheRationalView

    Dominic Cardy introduces a new evidence-based Canadian political party

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 55:13


    In this episode I'm interviewing the leader of a new Canadian political party, the Canadian Future Party. Their website has the following statement that I liked, “The CFP believes people from every corner of the country want to be united behind a common set of ideals: democracy, the rule of law, collective action, and individual rights. A country where you can live as you like, love who you want, and in exchange, you work hard, and we collectively agree on a common set of rules to let us live our different lives, together. Where decisions are based on evidence.” This sounds like they've been listening to my podcast. Dominic Cardy is the leader of the Canadian Future Party. Dominic Cardy brings a wealth of experience in international affairs and Canadian politics, having served as Minister of Education and then as an independent MLA, committed to public service and policy innovation. Born in the UK and raised in Fredericton, Dominic was elected as the Progressive Conservative MLA for Fredericton West-Hanwell in 2018 and re-elected in 2020. He served as Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development until 2022. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Dalhousie University. Dominic's career spans roles with the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, the National Democratic Institute, and the Forum of Federations, working across Asia and Africa. He also led the New Brunswick NDP from 2011-2016 and served as Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition from 2017-2018. Additionally, Dominic has been a flying instructor since 1994 and is a member of the editorial board of Inroads, a Canadian policy journal. Support the podcast at Patron dot Podbean dot com slash TheRationalView Let's chat about the issues on Facebook at TheRationalView

    Jamie Merchant introduces Modern Monetary Theory and the failure of capitalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 57:02


    In this episode I'm dipping my toes into a new topic a little bit outside my range, but we can still use the tools of science and evidence to assess. The economy and Modern Monetary Theory. It is a new idea that clashes with classical economics. It can be summarized as the idea that governments whose dollar is not linked to a gold standard don't need to worry about deficits. It encompasses the idea of guaranteed employment for all. The discussion will also explore the failure of the capitalism system. My guest is an expert on this topic. Let's get grounded in the facts. Jamie Merchant is a writer living in Chicago who writes about political economy and radical political theory. His writing has appeared in many publications including The Baffler, The Brooklyn Rail, The Nation, and In These Times. His book, Endgame: Economic Nationalism and Global Decline, was published by Reaktion Books in 2024. Support the podcast at patron dot podbean dot com slash TheRationalView Come and chat on Facebook at TheRationalView

    Neurologist Dr. Richard Cytowic says screens are addictive and bad for your brain

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 47:57


    In this episode I am interviewing a neuroscientist and a writer who has done a lot of work on synesthesia, or the melding of sense perceptions. His most recent book delves into how we can take back control of our attention from addictive social media. This should be of interest to most of us, and especially to parents of young children and teenagers who don't know what to do to help their kids put down the devices and engage with life. Dr. Richard E. Cytowic, a pioneering researcher in synesthesia, is Professor of Neurology at George Washington University. He is the author of Synesthesia, The Man Who Tasted Shapes, The Neurological Side of Neuropsychology, and, with David M. Eagleman, the Montaigne Medal–winner Wednesday Is Indigo Blue: Discovering the Brain of Synesthesia. His new book is entitled, ‘YOUR STONE AGE BRAIN IN THE SCREEN AGE: Coping with Digital Distraction and Sensory Overload'. Support the podcast at patron dot podbean dot com slash TheRationalView Come visit me on Facebook at TheRationalView

    Dr. Michael Weist provides a crucial piece of evidence linking consciousness to quantum states in microtubules

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2024 56:37


    In this episode I'm returning to the mysterious and challenging topic of consciousness and awareness, the elusive theory of mind that philosophers have chased for centuries, and is now coming to heel under the tools of neurobiology and the framework of modern physics. My guest today has performed experiments on rats that lend credence to the intriguing idea that quantum mechanics could play a basic role in the function of the mind. Are our brains quantum computers? This is a question for The Rational View. Dr. Micheal Weist received his PhD in Theoretical High-Energy Physics from University of Michigan and is an associate professor of Neuroscience at Wellesley College. His research is focused on learning about the physical basis of consciousness. What is it about the matter in a living brain that makes it experience perceptions, feelings, and thoughts? His research focuses on sensory integration in rats, attempting to understand how neural activity in different parts of the brain gets combined or coordinated to generate a single coherent perception. Support the podcast at patron dot podbean dot com slash TheRationalView Come find me on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok

    Dr. Lindsey Cormack says ignorance of civics damages democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2024 36:27


    In this episode we're going to chat with someone who understands the value of a good civics education. This comes at a time when observers are rating the US as a flawed democracy, and a current presidential nominee has been indicted for insurrection. Gerrymandering of districts is rampant, voter suppression bills are common, and a significant minority of voters seem to feel this is just fine. Dr. Lindsey Cormack is an associate professor of Political Science and Director of the Diplomacy Lab at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. She earned her PhD in Government from New York University and is raising a daughter on the Upper East Side. She currently serves as the Secretary for Community Board 8 in Manhattan. She created and maintains the digital database of all official Congress-to-constituent e-newsletters in the DCInbox Project. Her research has been widely published. She is the author of the new book, HOW TO RAISE A CITIZEN (And Why It's Up To You to Do It). Support the podcast at patron dot Podbean dot com slash TheRationalView Join me on Facebook at TheRationalView and let me know what you think

    Sharon McMahon says moral narcissism is destroying society

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 50:33


    In this episode we'll be discussing polarization and the idea of moral narcissism. My guest has published an article in a substack newsletter discussing this idea that people today are taking on absolute moral stancess in polarizing issues because of the status it gives them in their tribe, irrespective of the cost. In her blog she makes an analogy of a group who believes eating blue cheese is immoral so they outlaw it. As a result of their banning blue cheese, people start dying from eating unregulated blue cheese. There is another group who believe the group outlawing blue cheese is evil. They ostracize members of the group from society resulting in some members of the group being radicalized and resorting to violence. Both groups are holding their moral purity above the lives of people. She calls this behaviour moral narcissism. After years of serving as a high school government and law teacher, Sharon McMahon took her passion for education to Instagram, where more than a million people (who affectionately call themselves “Governerds”) rely on her for non-partisan, fact-based information as “America's Government Teacher.” Sharon is also the host of the award-winning podcast, ‘Here's Where It Gets Interesting', where, each week, she provides entertaining yet factual accounts of America's most fascinating moments and people. In all that she does, Sharon encourages others to be world-changing humans. She has led her community in various philanthropic initiatives that have raised more than $9 million for teachers, domestic violence survivors, terminally ill children, medical debt forgiveness programs, refugees, and more. In addition, she is the author of ‘The Preamble', a Substack newsletter about politics and history. Join me on Facebook @TheRationalView and we shall rule the galaxy Patron dot Podbean dot com slash TheRationalView

    Dr. Michael Levin on cellular consciousness (re-release)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 71:57


    In this episode I'm going to be sharing with you an earlier interview with Dr. Micheal Levin that I found to be really mind bending. In it I wanted to explore the cellular basis of consciousness, and we delved into that a little bit, however the part that I found really interesting was his discussion of how cells work together and communicate to build macroscopic structures like bodies and hands, and maintain your shape over long time periods. I find it inspiring to realize how much we have yet to learn. Are individual cells conscious? How can this be? And If they are how does this cellular consciousness come together to form a unified experience in a single organism? Are human cells like ants in a colony? Is our mind a hive mind? I hope you enjoy this discussion. Michael Levin received dual B.S. degrees (computer science and biology), followed by a Ph.D. (Harvard University). After post-doc training (Harvard Medical School), he started his independent lab at Forsyth Institute focusing on the biophysics of cell:cell communication during embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer. In 2009 he moved his group to Tufts, where they use biophysical and computational approaches to study decision-making and basal cognition in cells, tissues, and synthetic living machines. Levin holds the Vannevar Bush chair, and directs the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts, working to crack the morphogenetic code for applications in regenerative medicine, bioengineering, and artificial intelligence.  Recent work includes the modulation of native bioelectric circuits to control embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer, and the creation of novel synthetic living proto-organisms. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Facebook comments appreciated @TheRationalView

    Dr. Michael Walker on the evolution of mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 33:22


    In this episode I'm continuing to look at consciousness and cognition and the working memory that sets humans apart from all other animals. Human working memory can be roughly quantified to hold about 7 items at once in a sequence and allow conscious manipulation, consideration, and attention to about 4 of them at a time. These numbers are surprisingly consistent across all humans. The size of working memory in humans is much larger than in our nearest relatives the great apes. The ability to remember sequence information also seems to be unique. Today I'm interviewing a researcher who studies the evolution of the human capacity for cognition. His vocabulary and working memory are both immense.  I need to stretch my working memory to the limit just to parse some of his most elegant utterances.  For example, in a recent exchange he opined the following gem: “However, as Karl Friston reminded us, the mathematical itinerancy of stochastic genetical and epigenetical mechanisms in ergodic systems can explain the appearances, disappearances, and reappearances of some technological outcomes of Early Pleistocene human behaviours from a far more rational scientific basis than can any self-justifying assertion that ‘absence of evidence is not evidence of absence'.” Professor emeritus Michael Walker is a paleoanthropologist with degrees in Medicine, Physiology, and Prehistoric Archaeology from Oxford University including his doctorate on the prehistoric physical anthropology and archaeology of the southeastern Spanish region of Murcia. He established systematic two important Palaeolithic excavation sites, one with fossil remains of fourteen Neanderthals in deep sediments with dates from 130,000 to 40,000 years ago, and a very much older site dating to between 900,000 and 772,000 years ago where he discovered burning in the cave, as well as abundant stone artefcts among which is the earliest stone hand-axe from Europe. The unique hand-axe reawakened Dr. Walker's interest in neuroscience and, in particular, about how cognition might lead to surprising manual behaviour that was not passed on culturally. This hypothesis, based on the Free Energy Principle, has implications on the evolution of human cognition and calls into question time-honoured interpretations by anthropologists about human cultural transmission. Add your two cents on Facebook @TheRationalView If you like me to keep doing this send more than two cents to patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView

    Dr. Hector Manrique says a good working memory is uniquely human

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 52:50


    In this episode I'm going back to look at consciousness and cognition, and specifically one aspect of our mental capacity that sets us apart from other animals.  It's our ability to recall items in a sequence, for those of you who are software buffs, basically we have a short term memory buffer that acts like a linked list. We can remember a list of numbers (about 7 or so), or letters, or items in a particular order over a short timespan if we are not too distracted. This capability is called working memory. Working memory can be roughly quantified to hold about 7 items at once in a sequence and allow conscious manipulation, consideration, and attention to about 4 of them at a time. These numbers are surprisingly consistent across all humans. The size of working memory in humans is much larger than in our nearest relatives the great apes. The ability to remember sequence information also seems to be unique. Some scientists speculate that the evolution of working memory is what separates humans intellectually from other intelligent animals. Working memory capacity is strongly correlated with fluid intelligence. Héctor Manrique: graduated in Psychology in 1999, then he started his scientific career by studying ethanol metabolism in the brain and its effect on memory in rodents and got his PhD in Psychobiology in 2005. Hmm sounds a lot like my graduate work inadvertently studying the effects of alcohol on my brain.  In 2008 he joined The Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (Leipzig, Germany) where he investigated the cognition of the four species of great apes. After having occupied different positions in several Spanish universities he currently holds a professorship in Developmental Psychology at Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain. Support The Rational View at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Throw in your 2 cents on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Two days is not enough weekend. A Rational rant about inequity.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2024 18:28


    This episode is a rant about why people don't have time to become better informed about the issues. It is about why people are rushed. It is about why people feel mistreated by the system. The Rational View is going to rant about inequity and highlight the growing resentment amongst the struggling middle class at the elite robber barons of capitalism. Capitalism is about greed. It is about gloves-off below-the-belt big-stack bullying that pretends it provides a level playing field. I'm no communist. I believe that a well regulated market system is probably the best way that we know of to efficiently distribute goods…But I'm not taken in by the rich ponces who have been pushing the big lie that lack of market regulation and union busting is good for us.  If you are too young to recall the collapse of the entire capitalist system due to under-regulation, I will remind you of 2008 and the sub-prime mortgage collapse where the government spent trillions of dollars to pay off the bad bets made by the Wall Street elite financial class. Our current system is capitalism for the masses and socialism for the rich. Its a system that is happy to grind away the earnings of lower and middle class citizens and to keep them fighting for table scraps, but if Biff is about to miss a yacht payment the government is only more than happy to give his bank a few hundred million dollars of quantitative easing to help their bottom line. My interview with Naomi Oreskes on her book the Big Myth is an eye opener that I highly recommend. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Add your voice on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Dr. Luca Turin detects quantum clues to consciousness (re-release)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024 58:07


    This episode is one of my favorite interviews. A great chat that was part of my series on consciousness—are we biological robots? I'm getting into some real science talking to a biophysicist who brings the esoteric world of quantum mechanics to bear on the topic. His groundbreaking work in the lab provides us with some real measurements that provide tantalizing hints at the previously unknown quantum processes tied to consciousness. Dr. Luca Turin was born in 1953 in Beirut, Lebanon, to Italian-Argentinian parents and was brought up in France, Italy and Switzerland. He studied Physiology and Biophysics at University College London, PhD in 1978. Dr. Turin worked at the CNRS 1982-92, then became a lecturer in Biophysics at UCL 1992-2000. He is best known for his work on olfaction, in which he proposed a quantum mechanism for odorant recognition by receptors. For 8 years he was CTO of a venture company designing odorants for fragrance and flavors with a success rate 100 times the industry average. After returning to full time research in 2009, in collaboration with Makis Skoulakis in Athens, Greece, he has shown that both flies and humans can detect molecular vibrations by smell.  His current interest is in quantum electronics in neuroscience. He is the author of three perfume guides, a collection of essays and a popular science book on how smell works. He is currently a Professor in the Medical School at the University of Buckingham (UK). Join the Facebook discussion @TheRationalView Twitter @AlScottRational Instagram @The_Rational_View

    Edgardo Sepulveda gives Ontario wind energy a failing grade

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2024 62:45


    In this episode I am interviewing a returning guest to the show to examine the economics surrounding Ontario's foray into renewable energy.  As is typical in divisive topics such as this, the government has made it very difficult to track down the actual costs of ideologically driven policies such as Ontario's 2009 Green Energy Act that brough in juicy Feed In Tarriffs on 20 year contracts for renewable energy to kick start the green economy. The act was brought in by Liberal premiere Dalton McGuinty and aggressively pursued by his successor in that office, Kathleen Wynne who was driven out of office by angry voters in the 2018 election, losing official party status. A key element of that loss was her mishandling of the energy transition, the privatization of Hydro One, and the disastrous costs downloaded onto voters. Our guest today is investigating the costs and benefits of renewable energy in Ontario's nuclear and hydro-dominated electrical grid. Edgardo Sepulveda is a telecommunications and electricity economist with the last several with his consulting firm in Toronto, Canada. He was born in Chile and has an MA in Economics. As part of his civic policy-related engagement, he also writes about inequality, COVID-19 and other issues, including at the Progressive Economics Forum. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Join the Facebook discussion @TheRationalView

    Dr. Michael Shermer on conspiracies and the erosion of democratic institutions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2024 59:34


    In this episode I have a special returning guest, the famous Dr. Michael Shermer on the show to discuss the interesting times our neighbours to the south are experiencing.  I'm hoping to discuss the polarization and the bias that have catalyzed conspiratorial thinking emerging around the Trump assassination attempt. Dr. Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He writes a weekly Substack column. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist.  Neil deGrasse Tyson has called him “a beacon of reason in an ocean of irrationality”. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Make your voice heard on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Will the next US election be a clash of good vs. evil?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2024 29:24


    In this episode I'm responding to the political tension we are witnessing in the US with a historic election looming on the horizon. Many see this as some sort of battle royale between good and evil. But for some reason the options on the table for our neighbours to the south are four more years of increasing inequity in a reasonably well-off country vs. a wrecking ball to the heart of the institutions that keep us all safe. How did we get here? Why are these the only options available?  The problems are significant, and we are all being fooled by the rich and powerful oligarchs that rule both parties. We are being hacked by those who would destroy us. And not only literally, but also psychologically. Bad actors are exploiting our human reactions, and our emotions, to paralyze our rationality. This is a job for The Rational View!   Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView   Share your views on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Divisive politics and Project 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2024 34:25


    Today I'm taking a step back from science and addressing politics. I know certain of my listeners do not like to hear my opinions on this topic and I respect that, so if you need to stay in a silo to protect your political narratives please stop listening. This is your trigger warning.  It was recently announced that the Supreme Court has ruled that it is inadmissible to use evidence from a president's actions to prosecute them. The founding fathers of our friends to the south are spinning in their graves. It is sad that I'm here talking about getting out the popcorn to watch the trainwreck happening to our neighbours in the south. I never thought that I would watch the most prosperous nation on earth choke on the hate generated by social media clickbait, alternative facts from purveyors of putred partisan apologetics preying on the vulnerable and the venerable with their faux outrage engines. The 2025 Presidential Transition Project claims that it is the conservative movement's unified effort to be ready for "the next conservative Administration to govern at 12:00 noon, January 20, 2025". This is the partisan document published by Conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation, that outlines their plans for the next Republican presidency. I will provide a Rational View on what this document contains. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Give me your feedback on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Dr. Bonnie Steinbock on the ethics of abortion

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2024 42:50


    In this episode I will be discussing the topic of abortion with a philosopher who has studied the moral arguments on both sides of the issue. I am interested in rational bases of moral decision making. I'd like to be able to work out moral rules from a set of socially acceptable first principles, but often I find that my moral intuition conflicts with what I derive as a rational morality. Is our morality wrong if it is not totally consistent, or is morality not derivable from precepts? I'd like to understand how these ideas apply to the topic of abortion ethics. Bonnie Steinbock is professor emerita of the Department of Philosophy at the University at Albany/State University of New York. A Fellow of the Hastings Center, she has been a visiting professor at Santa Clara University (2012), the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2015) and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia (2017). In addition to 70 articles, she is the author of Life Before Birth: The Moral and Legal Status of Embryos (Oxford University Press, 1992, 2011) and the editor or co-editor of several collections, including Killing and Letting Die (1980, 1994), New Ethics for the Public's Health (1999), Public Health Ethics: Theory, Policy, and Practice (2006), the Oxford Handbook of Bioethics (2008), and Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine, 4th - 8th editions. Her latest book, co-written with Paul Menzel, is Bioethics: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2023). Please support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Join the Facebook discussion @TheRationalView Instagram @The_Rational_View Twix @AlScottRational

    Clayton Swope discusses weaponization of space

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2024 48:24


    In this episode I'm delving into the weaponization of space. The space race was originally a military flexing competition between the US and the Soviet Union. Since that time space has been consistently used for surveillance, similar to early airborne operations, but weaponization of space has been off limits through treaties.  Now the space race seems to be evolving. China, Russia and the US have all tested weapons that can blow up satellites.  I will be interviewing an expert who can tell us about what is going on and whether the space race is heating up again. Clayton Swope is the deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project and a senior fellow in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Before joining CSIS, Swope led national security and cybersecurity public policy for Amazon's Project Kuiper, an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. While at Amazon, he also worked on cloud policy issues. Prior to his time at Amazon, Swope served as a senior adviser on national security, space, foreign affairs, and technology policy issues for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He also worked for more than 14 years at the Central Intelligence Agency, serving largely in the Directorate of Science and Technology. He holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. Please support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Provide your feedback on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Al and Kevin address manifestation LIVE

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 46:40


    This episode is a recording of a live social media broadcast on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Riverside.fm where the Scott brothers revisit their previous disagreements over manifestation and magical thinking. Will they come to an agreement or will it come to fisticuffs? Manifestation is the idea that by aligning our thoughts and expectations with our goals we can better achieve success. Many people take this idea to a magical extreme whereby the proper series of mental gymnastics will change one's circumstances independent of other actions. Kevin Scott is the founder of the Effortless Alpha brotherhood "To inspire, and create space for men to access their own potential through the bond of brotherhood where no man feels alone". His life-transforming work with men has sparked the Masculine Expansion, creating space for men to lead themselves and become a role model in their communities with power, honour, discipline and respect. Please help to support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Give me your feedback on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Taking a rational view on the ethics of abortion

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 35:33


    In this episode I've decided to wade into another highly polarized topic, the morality of abortion. This has become a hot political topic with the Republicans stacking the supreme court to overturn Roe v Wade. In many people's opinion this is a large step on the way to Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale where women's rights to self determination are overridden by making them subservient to the greater rights of their unborn progeny. The debate over this topic is a question of ethics. Is this a job for The Rational View? Can we claim a rational basis for morality or does it need to be subjective, or derived from objective laws handed down from a value code invented by a greater power. Support the podcast at https://patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Join the Facebook discussion @TheRationalView

    Mike Conley says Earth is a Nuclear Planet

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2024 37:45


    In this episode I will be talking to an author and screenwriter who has taken up the potentially poisoned chalice of popularizing nuclear energy for the world. Let's see what he is planning to share with the world. The son of a career naval officer, Mike Conley has lived in Japan, Hawaii, and all over the US and has backpacked through Thailand and Cambodia. Out for Blood is his first solo effort as a novelist. His screenplay Wicked Wonderland is based on the novel and has been optioned for feature production. As a lifelong science nerd, Mike became interested in nuclear power in 2010, and quickly saw that the field was in dire need of writers who could explain the technology to the average reader. So he joined the Thorium Energy Alliance, met dozens of scientists and engineers, and made them an offer: “You explain it to me and I'll explain it to the world.” The first published book from this years-long effort will be Earth is a Nuclear Planet, and its short companion book The LNT Report. The third book in the series, Roadmap to Nowhere, will be released in the fall of 2024. Power to the Planet will be the fourth book, to be released in 2025. The books are written for the non-technical reader as a basic but comprehensive (and entertaining) education in nuclear power, renewables, and energy-related issues. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Join the Facebook discussion @TheRationalView

    Mr. Anderson shares secrets on how to effectively debate Creationists

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2024 48:55


    In this episode I will be talking more about how to debate Creationists. I have taken this topic on in the past, in my original episode on how to debate Creationists, and I have also interviewed well known evolutionary scientist Dr. Niles Eldredge who was one of the founders of the Punctuated Equilibrium theory of evolution alongside Stephen J. Gould.  Today I will be interviewing someone who I saw debating Kent Hovind a leading Young Earth Creationist.  The debate was not what one comes to expect from these affairs and was more like a courtroom interrogation than the usual grandstanding and Gish Galloping that one might expect from a Creationist debate. Let's see if we can all learn something. Mr. Anderson is a practicing Canadian lawyer who focuses on litigation.  Having spent years in and out of the courtroom cross-examining witnesses and analyzing arguments, he has recently turned his talents on proponents of pseudoscience and dogmatic thinking on the internet. He is most well known for his attacks on creationists such as Kent Hovind, and has recently started a YouTube channel where he breaks down the techniques he uses to force evasive and pugnacious individuals to come to grips with facts and arguments that they would prefer to ignore.  His style, for those of you who have never seen his videos, is very reminiscent of a cross examination, so his debates look very different from what you are likely used to seeing online, and he joins us here today. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Join the Facebook discussion @TheRationalView Twix @AlScottRational Insta @The_Rational_View

    Dr. David Green says we don't need UBI for a more just society

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 57:17


    In this episode I'm continuing my investigation into Universal Basic Income as the natural solution to the AI and robotics revolution. One day we should be able to work because we want to improve the world and our situations, and not do it because we are under risk of death. The problem is that the intermediate period between having all of our needs taken care of by our robotic assistants, and having to compete with them for wages to put food on the table is not at all a clear path. My guest today chaired a committee that investigated UBI as an option for the BC government.  Their conclusion was that augmenting current social programs would be a better approach. It's time for The Rational View. David Green is a professor in the Vancouver School of Economics at UBC. His areas of research interest include income inequality, immigration, the impact of technical change on the labour market, and labour market policies. He is a former editor of the Canadian Journal of Economics and an International Research Associate with the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London. He has served on the editorial boards for the American Economic Review and the Journal of Political Economy. His work has been published in leading journals, including Econometrica, the American Economic Review, and the Review of Economic Studies. He was also a member of the BC Expert Panel on Basic Income and has served as the President of the Canadian Economics Association. Support the podcast at Patron.Podbean.com/TheRationalView Join the Facebook discussion @TheRationalView Twix @AlScottRational Insta @The_Rational_View

    The science of learning with Scott H. Young

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2024 51:53


    In this episode I'm going to be exploring the science behind learning with an author who has been exploring this topic for almost 20 years. How do we learn, and reason, how can we be more rational, and what can we do to make learning easier? Scott H. Young is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Ultralearning, a podcast host, computer programmer, and an avid reader. Since 2006, he has published weekly essays to help people learn and think better. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Pocket, and Business Insider, on the BBC, and at TEDx among other outlets. He doesn't promise to have all the answers, just a place to start. He lives in Vancouver, Canada. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Join the Facebook conversation @TheRationalView Twix @AlScottRational

    Dr. Ben Heard on environmental advocacy in a polarized world

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2024 56:59


    In this repeat episode I chat with Dr. Ben Heard about environmental advocacy and communicating science-based viewpoints in a polarised debate. Dr. Heard provides his assessment on the rationality of the anti-nuclear lobby. Dr. Ben Heard is recognised as a leading voice for the use of nuclear technologies to address our most pressing global challenges. It certainly didn't start that way. Back in the day he was a member of environmental NGOs and shared their basic objection to nuclear technologies. After completing a Masters in Sustainability he started working in major projects in climate change. But there was just no solution on offer to match the scale of the problems at hand. So instead of continuing his objection to nuclear technology he shut his damn mouth about it for a couple of years and did some learning. That was the start of pathway of writing, presenting, advocating and ever more learning about how we can reinvent the future using all our knowledge and ingenuity.  Ben was awarded his doctorate from the University of Adelaide in 2018, where he examined clean energy supply with a focus on nuclear technologies. He has presented his research findings at conferences around Australia and the world. He founded Bright New World in 2016 to provide a new organisation for people who want pragmatic, compassionate, and science-based environmentalism, in particular that values the role of nuclear technologies.  Ben lives in Adelaide, South Australia where he works in the private sector on energy and asset performance projects. He features as one of the global voices in the documentary Juice: How Electricity Explains the World. Support the podcast at Patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Chat with the experts at TheRationalView Facebook group Follow me on Instagram @the_rational_view Follow me on Twitter @AlScottRational 

    Dr. Janet Tulloch asks if The Big Bang is just another origin story (re-release)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2024 42:19


    In this re-released episode I interview religious studies scholar Dr. Janet Tulloch to discuss the Big Bang, and other origin stories. Let's go explore where science and religion collide. I hope you find it an interesting journey! Janet Tulloch is an adjunct research professor in the College of Humanities at Carleton University in Ottawa. She is a cultural historian with a PhD in Religious Studies. She is also a member of the Ottawa centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. She was the recipient of two awards from RASC-Ottawa one for her writing about ancient religions and their connection to the night sky and one for her interpretation of the night sky through visual art. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView What did you think of this episode? Let me know on Facebook @TheRationalView TwiX @AlScottRational

    David Moscrop says we shouldn't fund Catholic schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2024 53:33


    In this episode I'm looking into a particular issue of government waste. Specifically I'd like to dig into the funding of religious schools in Ontario. Is this a good investment for society, or a ruinous subsidy to a single religious minority? This is a polarizing issue in Ontario that has been too hot to handle for politicians.  The last time a political party in Ontario sought to propose a change to the system (John Tory's conservative party proposed in the 2007 election to fund all religious schools) their party was hung out to dry by the voters.  Proponents of the special status for Catholic schools note that funding of their particular religion is enshrined in Canada's constitution. Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867, protects the Catholic school system. Opponents note that Ontario is the only province that funds just one type of religious school.  Let's get the facts. My guest today has published articles calling for the Abolition of publicly funded Catholic school system in Ontario. David Moscrop is a columnist and the author of Too Dumb for Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones. He is a political commentator for television, radio, and print media. He is also the host of Open To Debate, a current affairs podcast, and Left Looking In with CUPE Local 416. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of British Columbia. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Give me your feedback on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Scott Santens dispels the myths blocking Universal Basic Income

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2024 57:03


    In this episode I continue my investigation into the pros and cons of Universal Basic Income as a potential solution to the ongoing increases in automation from robotics and Artificial Intelligence and subsequent job losses. In one of my earlier podcasts ‘Income Inequality: We've botched it” I showed how the benefits of significant automation and productivity increases afforded by robotics have been funneled into the hands of the top 1% of society, leaving the rest of us in a declining standard of living with most families having to go to dual incomes with less free time just to make ends meet. In the last episode I interviewed Karl Widerquist to discuss the likely economic impacts of the ongoing AI revolution, and the feasibility of introducing UBI. In the past I've also interviewed Mr. Floyd Marinescu, CEO and founder of UBI Works on the feasibility of this concept.  Today I'm interviewing a recognized authority on UBI and I'll be challenging him on some of the more controversial aspects. Scott Santens has been researching and advocating for the concept of unconditional universal basic income (or UBI) since 2013. He is the Founder and President of the Income To Support All Foundation (ITSA Foundation) and also serves on the board of directors of the Gerald Huff Fund for Humanity and as the editor of Basic Income Today — a daily UBI news hub. Scott was acknowledged by former U.S. presidential candidate Andrew Yang as one of those who helped shape his thinking. He has recently published a book entitled 'Let there be money', about UBI and how to pay for it. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Send me your opinions on this episode on Facebook @TheRationalView

    Dr. Karl Widerquist says we need Universal Basic Income now

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2024 56:00


    In this episode I am discussing the economic impacts of the AI revolution, and whether or not it is time for UBI. AI will take over jobs and increase productivity per remaining worker to compensate. We are bound for a situation where owners will be able to squeeze more profits from a declining workforce, while the working class continues on the path to extinction and increasing hardship. Corporate profits need to keep increasing to pay shareholders, and corporations have been able to use the threat of offshoring jobs, while having to compete with more unscrupulous companies to hold wages down. I am a proponent of some sort of UBI but I recognize that the path from here to there is not obvious. I fear that if we don't find a peaceful means to distribute the increasingly concentrated wealth created by robotics, and AI, that the uprising is coming. People are getting restless. Despite being significantly more productive than our parents generation, we have less real wealth. Less purchasing power. Less free time. Less leisure. AI and robotics were supposed to free us from the grind. Make life easier. Instead we have to compete with robots in a dwindling job market to make ends meet. It doesn't have to be this way. Is there an equitable and peaceful path to more widely share the benefits of automation or are we rushing headlong into upheaval? Dr. Karl Widerquist has a Ph.D. in economics from the City University of New York. For several years Widerquist pursued both music and economics. He played in several indie bands in New York in the 1990s. He was a Hoover Fellow at the Université Catholique de Louvain. Widerquist received a second doctorate in Political Theory at the University of Oxford and then worked as a Fellow at the Murphy Institute at Tulane University and as a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. He is a Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University-Qatar specializing in distributive justice. Widerquist has been the co-chair of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) since 2008. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Support the discussion on Facebook @TheRationalView Twix @AlScottRational

    The deuterium episode controversies

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2024 42:47


    I recently ran a pair of episodes investigating claims of the health effects of deuterium, a stable heavy isotope of hydrogen. The first interview was with a Naturopath, and the second was with a real medical doctor publishing peer reviewed papers on the topic. And my focus in this effort is on drilling through the BS to get to what the evidence says.  This takes sustained skepticism, and it doesn't always make friends. Many people are turned off by the methods of science. It reminds me of why I never liked the TV series X-files. The scientist was always being appropriately skeptical of phenomena that have, at best, only breathless anecdotal support. But she was constantly being shamed by the male character for not ‘believing' that the truth is out there.  But believing extraordinary claims without sufficient evidence makes you gullible. You have the choice of being a friendly fool in believing that astrology or alternative medicine, homeopathy, or other superstitions should be given equal standing with experimentally tested scientific knowledge. So in this episode I want to give you some tools to identify bafflegab, gobbledygook, and pseudo-science, while reviewing some of the reactions I received.  Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Give me your feedback on Facebook @TheRationalView Twittter @AlScottRational

    Dr. Laszlo Boros reviews evidence for health impacts of deuterium

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2024 59:11


    In this episode I'm digging deeper into the purported health effects of deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen. Deuterium has twice the mass of hydrogen, and it exists naturally in water.  A hydrogen atom in H2O is replaced by deuterium in about 150 out of 1 million atoms. This trace compound interacts chemically as hydrogen, but because of its weight it has different dynamics. Why is this an issue? Excess deuterium has been found to impact cell division.. When it gets incorporated into proteins in the body it can mess with their functionality. Yet at such low concentrations it seems like it wouldn't be a significant issue. Let's get to the bottom of this. Dr. Laszlo Boros is a retired Professor of Pediatrics at the UCLA School of Medicine, the Co-Director of the Stable Isotope Research Laboratory at the Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovations and Investigator at the Clinical and Translational Research Institute at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. He is the inventor of the Human Deutenome Project in order to map the distribution of deuterium in the human body with structural and functional interpretations as it relates to disease and health. Born and educated in Hungary, his medical background includes a focus on pancreatic cancer and stable isotope technologies to study diabetes and cancer cell growth in vitro. He researches the influence of metabolic processes and disorders on aggressive cancers and vitamin transport. He is an internationally recognized expert of metabolic water biochemistry as well as deuterium mediated kinetic isotopic effects in health and disease. His most recent studies target 'deupletion' and 'deuposition' related mechanisms as the result of intra-cellular hydrophobic lipid membrane nanoconfinements via the Quantum Destabilization of Protons in metabolic water. https://www.laszlogboros.com/_files/ugd/aeaa87_81191bea9f9643a7b40ed99f0052394d.pdf Support The Rational View at https://patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView This was an interesting discussion. What did you think? Let me know @TheRationalView on Facebook.

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