The Scientific Odyssey

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An examination of scientific inquiry through a discussion of the history and philosophy of the scientific endeavor.

Dr. Chad Davies


    • Apr 12, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 50m AVG DURATION
    • 206 EPISODES
    • 5 SEASONS


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    Latest episodes from The Scientific Odyssey

    The Scientific Odyssey Unscripted-The Muon g-2 Experiment Results

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 50:51


    In this unscripted episode, we take a look at the announced results from the Muon g-2 experiment recently performed at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.  We examine what it means for the Standard Model of Particle Physics along with the importance of doing science with the goal of falsifying presently accepted models and theories rather than seeking confirmation.

    Episode 1.10: Science, Pseudoscience, and Snake Oil

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2021 78:52


    A look at pseudosciences and their characteristics through the lenses of critical thinking and inquiry.

    Episode 5.12: Boundaries of Empire

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2021 48:30


    In this episode, we begin our exploration of the Chinese cartographic tradition.

    Solstice 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2020 89:18


    In this special solstice episode fo the podcast, we embark on a winter journey through the writings of John Muir and David Henry Thoreau among others.

    Episode 5.11: Itineraries

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2020 49:28


    In this episode, we conclude our examination of cartography in the Roman Empire by looking at the development of itineraries and travel maps from the period of the late Antonines to the Byzantine Empire.

    Special Episode 1: Silverado Squatters-Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2020 77:39


    For many of the crew of the Scientific Odyssey, the next couple of weeks promises to be stressful with the coming US Presidential elections, a rising number of CoVID-19 cases, and many difficult decisions related to school, work, and family. To help give folks a respite from the stormy seas ahead, we offer this episode of the podcast as a safe harbor to take refuge in when it all seems to be a bit overwhelming and it's time to furl the sails, if only for a little while.

    The 200th Episode

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2020 50:17


    In this anniversary celebration of our journey, we turn the canvas over to other voices to explore the intersection between inquiry in the sciences and the humanities.

    Episode 1.9: Understanding Conspiracy Theories

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2020 91:02


    In this episode, we look at applying the tools of good critical thinking and skepticism to analyzing conspiracy theories.

    Episode 1.8: Barriers to Good Critical Thinking

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2020 87:03


    In this episode of our series on "Science as Inquiry" we look at those things that keep people from engaging in good critical thinking practices and how to overcome them.

    Episode 1.7: Characteristics of Good Critical Thinking

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2020 74:37


    "The fox knows many little things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."-Archilochus We trace this quote from the Archaic Greek poet through the work of the philosopher Isaac Berlin to see how it applied to create good practices of critical thinking.  Characteristics include having an inquiry focus, being flexible, understanding bias, practicing skepticism, using inference properly, and seeking multiple sources.

    Episode 1.6: Introduction to Critical Thinking

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 38:58


    In this episode we broaden our focus to consider critical thinking in a more comprehensive way by looking at what it is, why its such a valuable habit of mind to have and what types of activities contribute to making it such a powerful process.

    Episode 5.10: Surveying an Empire

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2020 57:19


    One of the pillars of the Roman Republic and Empire was its ability to survey, divide, assign and tax land.  In this episode of the podcast, we look at processes, people and tools that made such precise surveying possible.

    The Scientific Odyssey Unscripted: The CoVID-19 Global Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2020 72:38


    Wherein your Navigator discusses the CoVID-19 virus, the global pandemic, how public health and public policy response is formulated, and how to engage with the information and misinformation that's coming through various media channels.

    Episode 5.9: All Roads Lead to Somewhere

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2020 61:38


    In this episode, we trace the development of roads from their pre-historic roots (or routes) to the development of the massive arterial network of the Roman Empire.

    The Scientific Odyssey Unscripted: Betelgeuse-Is He Going to Blow?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2020 70:27


    Some recent media accounts have speculated that the red supergiant star in the constellation of Orion is about to explode in a cataclysmic supernova based on recent observations of the star's dimming brightness.  We examine the evidence and offer a different explanation.

    Episode 5.8: Heaven and Earth

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2019 76:52


    In this episode, we trace the development of Hellenistic geography from the work of Polybius, through Strabo, to its conclusion with Claudius Ptolemaeus.

    Episode 5.7: How Big is Our World?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2019 54:24


    In this episode we examine the development of a more empirically based geography in the Hellenistic period from the voyage of Pytheas to the map of Eratosthenes.

    Episode 5.6: Ocean Around a Wine-Darkened Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2019 47:07


    Beginning with Homer's Iliad, we look at the development of Greek geographical models of the Earth through the Classical Period.

    Episode 3.53: The Cassini Dynasty

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2019 52:21


    For 220 years, the Cassini family was among the most powerful and influential scientific dynasties of Europe.  In we look at their work and lives in the period of Louis XIV, the sun King, through the end of the Bourbon monarchy.

    Episode 5.5: The Centered Universe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2019 45:33


    In this episode we look at cartography in the ancient cultures around the Mediterranean Basin with an eye to understanding the role and purpose of maps and mapping.

    Episode 5.4: Emerging From Connections

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2019 43:00


    We explore the connection between maps and other cultural ideas and technologies such as language, writing and time to see how the physical artifacts arise out of abstract conceptual constructs.

    Episode 5.3: Dead Reckoning

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2019 72:51


    In this episode, we discuss the development and use of basic navigational tools and how they lead to map knowledge in ancient cultures.

    Episode 5.2: Defining Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2019 60:30


    Wherein we look at mapping as a human activity and begin our exploration of the evidence of the earliest maps known.

    Episode 3.52: Interview with Todd Timberlake

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2019 113:21


    In this episode we interview Dr. Todd Timberlake about the book he co-authored with Dr. Paul Wallace: Finding Our Place in the Solar System, A Scientific View of the Copernican Revolution (Available March 28th, 2019 from Cambridge University Press). Dr. Timberlake's teaching materials can be found at: https://sites.berry.edu/ttimberlake/teaching/copernican-revolution/

    Episode 5.1: Uncharted Waters

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2019 31:23


    Wherein we prepare to once again slip our lines in search of new knowledge.  We discuss the effects of modern technologies and what is gained and lost in their use.

    Episode 4.7: William Whewell-A Victorian Debate

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2019 87:46


    In the years between 1840 and 1866, a debate took place between William Whewell and the philosopher and politician John Stuart Mill over the nature of scientific inquiry and moral philosophy at a time of great social change in Britain.

    Episode 4.6.1: Supplemental-William Whewell on the General Bearing of the Great Exhibition

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2018 74:23


    Our 2018 Christmas episode: In 1851, Dr. William Whewell gave the inaugural lecture of a series reflecting on the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London.  This is a reading of that lecture.

    Episode 4.6: William Whewell-A Potent Life Forgotten

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2018 88:29


    An examination of the scientific contributions of William Whewell through the early and middle parts of his career.

    Episode 4.5: William Whewell-Leaving Home

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2018 68:28


    A look at the early life of the scholar and natural philosopher William Whewell.

    science whewell
    Episode 4.4: Out of the Doldrums

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2018 28:36


    Wherein the Navigator discusses the state of the podcast going forward.

    Episode 4.3: Probability and Pragmatism

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2018 44:35


    In this episode we consider additional solutions to the Problem of Induction include those which rest on determining the certainty of inductively acquired knowledge.

    Episode 4.2: Hypothetically Speaking

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2018 63:50


    In this episode we consider several possible solutions to Hume's Problem of Induction including William Whewell's description of scientific inquiry, the hypothetico-deductive methods and Karl Popper's falsifiability criterion.

    Episode 4.1: The Problem of Induction

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2018 50:31


    In our new Science and Certainty mini-series, we take a look at what is known as the Problem of Induction in the junction between epistemology and philosophy of science.  We review what induction is and then look at various historical statements of the problem culminating with the work of Scottish philosopher, David Hume.

    Episode 3.51: Epilogue, Finding our Place

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2018 31:12


    Wherein we reach the end of our journey.

    Episode 3.50.12: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, War and Peace

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2018 75:49


    In our final episode of the biographical series on Albert Einstein, we look at the last twenty years of his life in the United States.  We consider his conversations with the mathematician Kurt Godel, the letters to Franklin Delano Roosevelt that helped initiate what would become the Manhattan Project, his post-war efforts to promote peace and his principled defiance of McCarthyism.

    Episode 3.50.11: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, Coming to America

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2018 52:21


    In this episode of the Scientific Odyssey, we delve more deeply into Einstein's religious views and recap the months up to his emigration to the United States to take a position at the Institute of Advanced Study.

    Episode 3.50.10: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, Politics and Exile

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2018 67:20


    In 1930, Albert Einstein wrote,  “I believe that the most important mission of the state is to protect the individual and to make it possible for him to develop into a creative personality.” This concise statement of his political philosophy would guide his actions through much of the 1920's and early 30's as he used his fame and celebrity to advance causes important to him.   In this episode, we'll examine those actions and causes.

    Episode 3.50.9: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, Entanglement

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2018 58:50


    In the words of physicist John Wheeler,  “In all the history of human thought, there is no greater dialogue than that which took place over the years between Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein about the meaning of the quantum.” In this episode of the Scientific Odyssey we explore the relationship between the two men that began through journal articles on light quantum and the atom, was further entwined through Nobel Prizes awarded together and continued through debates shared in letters, papers and at scientific meetings.  

    Episode 3.50.8: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, The Price of Fame

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2018 53:45


    In this episode we look at Einstein's rise to international fame and what it cost him.

    Episode 3.50.7: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, The Best and Worst of Times

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2018 84:37


    When Einstein moved to Berlin in 1914, he entered into a period of intense turmoil, both in his scientific work and in his personal life.  In this episode, we take a look at the factors that led him to Berlin and what transpired once he got there.

    Episode 3.50.6: Supplemental-Einstein's Angels

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2018 62:12


    This week we look at the period of Albert Einstein's life from 1905-1913 as he moved from one position to another on his rise among the European physics community

    Episode 3.50.5: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, A Most Miraculous Year-Special Relativity

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2018 68:33


    In the second half of 1905, Albert Einstein published tow papers that refined humanity's understanding of space and time as well as the relationship between mass and energy.  In this episode, we examine the factors that led to these discoveries. 

    Episode 3.50.4: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, A Most Miraculous Year-Light and Atoms

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2018 45:20


    In 1905, Albert Einstein published five papers that changed the course of physics and the modern world.  In this episode, we look at the first three of those works including his paper on the photoelectric effect, his derivation of Avogardo's number and his analysis of Brownian motion that more or less proved the existence of atoms.

    Episode 3.50.3: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, The Bourgeois Bohemian-Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2018 68:13


    In this second part of our examination of Einstein's life before the Miracle Year of 1905, we examine the period between his graduation from the Zurich Polytechnic and his being hired at the Swiss patent office.  We discuss his scientific work as well as his relationship with Mileva Maric and the issues surround that.

    Episode 3.50.2: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, The Bourgeois Bohemian, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2018 66:28


    In 1896, Albert Einstein enrolled in the teacher preparation program for physics and mathematics at the Zurich Polytechnic.  We look at the events that brought him to that point and what transpired while he was a student there, including the beginning of his romantic relationship with Mileva Maric.

    Episode 3.50.1: Supplemental-Albert Einstein, A Fine Young Swabian

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2018 62:36


    In this first episode of our biographical series on Albert Einstein, we look at his childhood growing up in Munich and the various influences that would shape him in many ways.

    Episode 3.49.3: Supplemental-Eddington and Chandrasekhar

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2018 82:34


    In this episode, we look at the dispute between British astrophysicist Arthur Eddington and Indian prodigy Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar over white dwarf objects and the fate of higher mass stars.

    Episode 3.49.2: Supplemental-Arthur Stanley Eddington, The Seeker's Journey

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2017 62:06


    For A. S. Eddington, the most important thing a think ing person could do, whether they be a scientist or a person of faith, was to follow a path of inquiry that sought to uncover new insights and new truths.   In this episode, we look at how this value influenced Eddington's work in stellar structure and relativity.  Additionally, we look at how his other valence values such as internationalism influenced his actions during the Great War.

    Episode 3.49.1: Supplemental-Arthur Stanley Eddington, Science and Faith

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2017 53:20


    In this episode we consider the question of whether a person can be both religious and a scientist by looking at the early life of the British Astrophysicist and lifelong Quaker, Arthur Stanley Eddington.

    Episode 3.49: The Present Puzzle

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2017 49:54


    In our final narrative episode of this series, we encounter the last piece of the cosmological puzzle-dark energy.  We look at the way in which is was discovered and what it means for the ultimate fate of our universe.

    Episode 3.48: Matters Dark and Mysterious

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2017 69:50


    This week we look at the work of Vera Rubin and Fritz Zwicky that led to the idea that roughly 85% of the matter in the universe can't be detected except by the gravitational influence on the matter we can see.  We also consider alternative explanations and examine the evidence in favor of Dark Matter.

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