Shows
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO175: Andrew Torrez on the FGM Court Decision Andrew Torrez, of the hit legal pod Opening Arguments, was kind enough to hop onto the ol' SIO to break down the recent Michigan FGM law court decision. This is one of those times the law wasn't covered very well by some media outlets. It's great to have a genius lawyer we can trust to tell us what is actually going on! Along the way we get to learn about plenary powers, the commerce clause, and all kinds of other legal goodies! Here's the NYT coverage (which was more or less correct, but Andrew still gives...2019-01-1043 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO174: With Kristi Winters on Louis CK Recently, some audio leaked of a new Louis CK standup set and.... it wasn't good. It was so bad it led to Dennis Miller trending on Twitter. Lazy, unfunny, punching down using anti-trans punchlines that are at least a decade old. I wanted to do some solo commentary on this and so many of the thoughts I'm having and bad arguments and borderline harassment on Twitter I've seen over this, but then I remembered that Kristi also used to be a huge Louis CK fan and she was kind enough to join me! Kind of using each...2019-01-031h 01Serious Inquiries OnlySIO173: Voicemail: Ethics, Robots, FGM Laws, and More!Got a great voicemail episode for you fine folks! There were a lot of really excellent calls this month. Please keep them coming for next month! This week's topics include: doing business with conservatives, robots taking all the jobs, FGM laws in the US, the QED mental health panel, meditation, and how I stopped being a conservative! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email...2018-12-2751 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO171: Bryce Blankenagel on Mormon FundamentalistsBryce Blankenagel is an expert on all things Mormon, and he brings history to life in brilliant narrative form. He joins us today to bring to our attention a somewhat frightening strain of fundamentalist Mormonism he has observed, which is making its way online in social media hashtag form. And be sure to check out Bryce's work over on The Naked Mormonism Podcast, The Glass Box Podcast, and My Book of Mormon! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on...2018-12-1356 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO170: Panel on Neil deGrasse Tyson Allegations, Part 2The panel with Kristi Winters and Chantelle Boduel continues! Since our recording, BuzzFeed has put out an excellent article with another accuser and also some more info on the first few. I highly recommend reading it. If you haven't heard part 1 of our discussion, definitely listen to that first! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com 2018-12-1044 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO169: Panel on Neil deGrasse Tyson Allegations, Part 1I'm joined by Chantelle Boduel and Kristi Winters as the nation's favorite astrophysicist and host of the reboot of Cosmos, Neil deGrasse Tyson, has been accused of sexual harassment by (at the time of recording) 3 women (and 1 more shortly after recording, see here.) The oldest accusation is of a horrifying date rape in college, the other two involve a woman who says he touched her inappropriately and an assistant who has an alarming story of Tyson attempting to seduce her. We go over the facts, Tyson's response, and discuss how we feel about the accusations and work our way...2018-12-0646 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO168: Tear Gas Was Used Under Obama, and More RantsAnd some listener email. Some topics: climate change is going to kill us; simply being 'not a Republican' is more than enough; comparing Obama and Trump on the border; Avenatti the liberal version of Trump; listener not voting for Democrats because they are too cozy with Islam; and mansplaining mansplaining mansplaining! Tear gas fact check; Trump's border crisis Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod ...2018-11-291h 00Serious Inquiries OnlySIO167: Studying Sexism and Video Games with Johannes BreuerJohannes Breuer is the co-author of a study which looked into the relationship between sexist attitudes and video game playing. To be as precise as possible and not misrepresent it, here is what they found in their words: “We found that the amount of overall video game use at time 1 was not predictive of sexist attitudes/beliefs about gender roles at time 2 (i.e., 2 years later) and that (sexist) beliefs about gender roles at time 1 were equally not predictive of video game use at time 2 (for sample of German players aged 14 and older)." So that's the bland tl;dr ve...2018-11-2252 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO166: Evidence Based Mental Health Panel at QEDReally proud to have been a small part of this excellent panel at QED! The discussion centers around mental health challenges, de-stigmatization, communication, and which treatments actually work. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com 2018-11-1556 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO164: Listener Voicemail!October was a great month for my voice inbox! I was very happy about that until I realized it's probably because the news was so bad... But still, some amazing calls this month, topics ranging from #metoo stories probably Kavanaugh inspired, to Elizabeth Warren, to voter suppression, and third parties. Thank you so much and keep the calls coming! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For...2018-11-011h 02Serious Inquiries OnlySIO163: Live at QED with Emma McClure on Prison ReformFor those who weren't able to make it to the incredible, bar-setting skeptic conference that is QED in Manchester, here is the audio from my first ever live SIO I did there! Joining me was Emma McClure, a solicitor who, among many other things, has represented very serious criminals in parole hearings. We talk about what prison should be for, what it actually is for, and lots of ways the justice system is really not doing the job it should be. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show...2018-10-2550 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO162: In Defense of Elizabeth WarrenAnd also it's the end of the world as we know it, in like 2040, due to climate change. Shouldn't that mean we maybe vote democrat to have a chance for our kids to not die in the climate wars? After that I do an in-depth analysis of the Elizabeth Warren situation, from the beginning. Many people, including some Native American groups, have been very critical of her DNA test promotion. I think they've been very unfair and in fact completely ignored most of what she said. Critiques that I referenced are linked below. Vox Article...2018-10-181h 02
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO161: Mandisa Thomas, President of Black NonbelieversI had the pleasure of interviewing Mandisa Thomas, the president and founder of Black Nonbelievers! Mandisa talks about her fascinating background and the work she's doing, and then we go on to talk about the black experience, some of the history involved, and how it is unique within atheism. We talk about what organizations might do to better serve a diverse community. For all the challenges we've faced as a country lately, Mandisa does have some optimism about the future and talks about why. Make sure to check out her Patreon here! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746...2018-10-1149 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO160: The President Mocked A Sexual Assault SurvivorAnd all I've got for you this week is rage. Warning: this is an explicit podcast and involves yelling. I break down the horrible news from this week, from a sexual predator being confirmed to the Supreme Court and Trump mocking his victim, to the Trump crime family committing fraud and avoid hundreds of millions in taxes. And NONE of this has any consequences. Because we didn't vote. Democrats didn't excite us. The Incredible NYT Investigation Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/s...2018-10-051h 08Serious Inquiries OnlySIO159: He's Going To Be ConfirmedLet's face it. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think I am. I watched the entire Kavanaugh hearing and I've got thoughts. And rants. And raves. I hope it helps. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com 2018-09-2859 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO158: Why Skeptics Should Believe the Kavanaugh AccusationsIn this episode, I walk through all the evidence, testimony, and witnesses we have for the accusations against Brett Kavanaugh. I believe that after applying a skeptical lense, any rational person would have to conclude that Christine Blasey Ford is almost certainly telling us the truth about what happened. I also walk through a few of the most egregious examples of patriarchy bull sh*t responses to the accusations. Some important sources: Original WaPo Story; NYT Reporting on Accusations; Brilliant Slate Piece by Lili Loofbourow; Franklin Graham Wins Worst Person; Mark Judge is Horrible; Republicans Not Making Judge Testify; Kavanaugh...2018-09-201h 10Serious Inquiries OnlySIO157: Sustainable Agriculture, with Dr. Sarah TaberWhat does a parking lot layout tell you about food safety? Why are sprouts so damn unhygienic? And more seriously, who should shoulder the burden for making our food more sustainable? Dr. Sarah Taber gives us her expertise on these questions and many more! (teaser alert: she also might have a pretty controversial view on farmers markets...) Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com 2018-09-1353 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO156: Healthcare Policy with Dr. Richard SchlossJoining me today is physician and president of Long Island Atheists, Dr. Richard Schloss! We talk about his background, the secular group he leads, and then go on to talk about healthcare policy in the US. Dr. Schloss takes us through some history on healthcare and answers basics like what are the differences between Medicare for All and Single Payer, etc. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com 2018-09-0644 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO155: Thoughts On McCain and Louis CK; Listener VoicemailFirst I've got some monologuing to do on John McCain and speaking ill of the dead, and Louis CK apparently deciding he can just come back now. After recording this, I saw a great article by Roxane Gay that says a lot of what I said but also more and better, so check this out as well. After that, it's listener voicemail time! Got a lot of passionate reaction to my dire political predictions about 2022 and beyond. Here are some links for points I made: Obama's Income as President; Larry Summers Withdraws from Fed Job; Awesome 538 Trump Rating Tool Leave...2018-08-301h 05Serious Inquiries OnlySIO154: Immigration Attorney Ryan WitmerZerin Firoze set me up with this interview with Ryan Witmer, an immigration attorney who has worked on asylum claims, and all kinds of other immigration cases. He joins us to give an insider's perspective on US immigration policy, the law, asylum system, and where we're really shooting ourselves in the foot. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com 2018-08-2344 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO153: Blame the Green Party? Plus - An Interview with Steve HillToday's episode starts off with a bit of monologuing. I heard what I think are some bad arguments around the recent election results, so I wanted to put some thoughts out there. After that, I have a brief interview with Steve Hill! Steve will be the emcee of California Freethought Day this year. He is a comedian, atheist, satanist, activist, and more! We talk about his background, his run for the CA state senate, why he's boycotting the NFL, and about a tragedy that struck his family this year. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point...2018-08-1642 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO152: Philosopher Elizabeth Picciuto on Trump's Moral CodeDr. Elizabeth Picciuto wrote an article on Trump's ethics and how his ethical code centers around basically one value: loyalty to him. We discuss the article, different ethical systems, and the limits and drawbacks of loyalty as a virtue. After that, we talk about a tweet of hers which went massively viral. In it, she lamented that the state of our politics has a lot to do with the decline in the Humanities. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook...2018-08-0950 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO151: Dire Political Predictions; Listener VoicemailI've been researching recent US political and election history, and I had some realizations that made me incredibly depressed about the future. I'm making predictions about 2018, 2020, and 2022 that you can hold me to. I really hope I'll be wrong. After that I've got some fantastic listener email and voicemail! Topics include being sad about #metoo, being hopeful about #metoo, how to reconcile good science with bad peer reviewed papers, and more! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod...2018-08-0254 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO150: Ok ESP Isn't Real... with Dr. Lindsey OstermanLast week's episode featured what I thought was a rational and philosophically consistent approach that educated, but non-expert, skeptics took toward a peer-reviewed article in a top journal making claims of evidence for ESP related phenomena. In today's episode though, we get a chance to hear from an expert in the field of Experimental Psychology who took an in-depth look at some of the studies mentioned in the original review paper. Here's the link again if you'd like to go back and read it. Dr. Lindsey Osterman also teaches classes on appropriate research methods, so she is absolutely perfect to h...2018-08-0157 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO149: Is ESP Real? No, Really... It Might Be...A new meta-study was recently published in the American Psychologist, the major journal of the American Psychological Association, which shows statistically significant results regarding ESP-like stuff. While this seems completely fantastical and against everything materialists like me tend to believe in, it has passed peer review in a major journal. So what are skeptics like us to make of this? To help us sort out these questions, I've got philosopher Aaron Rabi from ETV and Philosophers in Space, and Aaron's dad Jessie Rabinowitz, who happens to have expertise in the field of psychology. We also discuss the SGU reaction to t...2018-07-2653 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO147: Callie Wright on ScarJo and NanetteI'm so pleased to bring you an interview with Callie Wright, co-host (along with Ari Stillman!) of the Gaytheist Manifesto! Callie speaks about social justice issues with clarity and humanity and is incredible at bringing understanding and learning to those who might not otherwise find it. In that spirit, she's here to take on the recent controversy over Scarlett Johansson playing a transgender role in an upcoming movie. (If you'd like to get a quick introduction to how badly people can misunderstand the issue, check out this aborted column from Business Insider.) After that, we talk about the Netflix Comedy...2018-07-1257 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO146: Voicemail! Socialism, Pithy Catchphrases, Mandatory Voting, and Lots of #metooFirst up in this episode are some factual corrections I need to make regarding episode 145, as well as an apology to Aimee for neglecting to honor a request she made. After that, it's a rousing edition of SIO voicemail! We talk socialism, putting the liberal agenda into pithy catchphrases, mandatory voting, and a whole lot about metoo! Lots of discussion on BDSM and the fact that the Canadian Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that you can't consent to sexual activity while unconscious, even if you want to ahead of time.. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point...2018-07-0555 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO145: Left Critique of #metoo with Aimee TereseIt's part 2 with Aimee Terese! Aimee offers what she views as legitimate leftist critique of the #metoo moment. She also shares her own story. We have what I hope is a healthy, but rigorous debate about areas where the movement has gone too far, and affirmative consent vs. the previous paradigm. I'm very curious to get feedback on this one! Next episode will be voicemail, so that makes it an extra good time to chime in with a phone call! Hillary Facebook Explanation; Vice Article on BDSM and Consent Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point...2018-06-281h 04Serious Inquiries OnlySIO144: Aimee Terese on SocialismMy guest this week is Aimee Terese, co-host of the Dead Pundits podcast. She is a self-described socialist, which allows us to shift the SI-Overton Window a bit to the left, for once. We talk about what socialism means to her, how liberals and socialists can and should work together, and more! Aimee has a background in philosophy and is currently studying law with an emphasis on critical legal theory. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For...2018-06-2152 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO143: YouTuber T1J @the1janitorBy popular request, I'm joined by Kevin, who goes by The One Janitor or T1J on YouTube, recently put out a brilliant critique of Sam Harris. I found it to be keenly critical while still being fair. We talk about that, YouTube in general, and delve into his political views as well. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com 2018-06-1449 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO142: Andrews Seidel and Torrez on Masterpiece CakeshopIt's a coven of Andrews! We had so much to talk about regarding the Masterpiece Cakeshop decision handed down by the Supreme Court recently, that we had to do some overflow from Opening Arguments! These two expert Andrews are here to break it down for us, including how many different ways Dave Rubin is wrong about this. (It's a lot). Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com 2018-06-071h 05Serious Inquiries OnlySIO141: Hillary for President 2020; Jen Keane Update on #Repealthe8thAm I kidding? I don't know, maybe I am, maybe I'm not. You'll have to listen and find out! With news that Bernie is running in 2020, I've got some reaction to the reaction, beginning with a sort of analogy or allegory for 2016 you might find interesting. After that, it's a long overdue voicemail segment! I plan on doing these at the end of each month, so call in! Then, Jen Keane joins us for an update on #Repealthe8th in Ireland! And it's a rare bit of good news! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point...2018-05-311h 05Serious Inquiries OnlySIO140: Surviving Gay Conversion Therapy, with Tim RymelTime Rymel grew up under the incredibly dogmatic and restrictive religion of Pentecostalism. At a young age, Tim realized he just wasn't attracted to women like he was "supposed" to be. But, his intense belief system didn't allow for that sort of thing, so Tim felt compelled to pursue gay conversion therapy. After he was "cured," he married a woman and became a leader in "ex-gay" ministry. Eventually, though, things began to unravel... Check out Tim's website, and also his Facebook group. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support...2018-05-241h 01Serious Inquiries OnlySIO139: Eli Bosnick on MeditationThe funniest guy I know is here to talk about... meditation? Turns out Eli has a wealth of knowledge on the practice, and has become something of an evangelist for it. Eli had a pretty heartbreaking revelation after a difficult time, and it led him to really want to get better. Meditation has really made a difference for him and he (and science) thinks it can make a difference for you, too! That sounds like a sales pitch but this is entirely free and Eli in no way makes any money off of it. Also come see me in New...2018-05-1759 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO137: Christianity No Longer Makes Sense, with Evan DavidsOn the show this week is Evan Davids, author of the book Christianity No Longer Makes Sense and owner of a hilarious dog who can't catch food! (yeah, that dog!) Despite having written an anti-Christianity book, Evan doesn't consider himself an atheist! We talk about that and why he believes Christianity no longer makes any sense in today's world! Also, if you're a patron, make sure to catch the bonus episode I released on Nazi Pugs and Free Speech! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on...2018-05-0450 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO136: Don't Surf on Tsunami, and Other Disaster Advice from Mika McKinnonMika McKinnon is a geophysicist, science communicator, sci-fi science consultant, and all around badass! We talk about her awesome job as part Bond Villain, part MacGyver. AFter that, Mika gives us some very good disaster advice and teaches us all about tsunamis and volcanoes! Then we go on to discuss her work as a sci-fi consultant where we finally give the movie The Core the scientific thrashing it deserves. Mika also tells us about one of her scientific heroes, Vera Rubin, and how she never got the Nobel Prize she likely deserved. This is something of a common occurrence with w...2018-04-261h 06Serious Inquiries OnlySIO134: Nuclear Power is Critical to Saving the Environment, with Evan McDonell***For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit hellofresh.com and enter seriouspod30*** Part of the value I believe the skeptic community could provide to our society is in leading on issues of science. This is an issue where it is my belief that the public is badly and dangerously misinformed. Here to answer some questions on just what nuclear power is and why it's crucial to our energy future is Evan McDonell. He's an SIO listener who also happens to be pursuing a degree in nuclear engineering. He teaches us the basics like how it works, what radiation actually is...2018-04-1256 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO133: Jen Keane on #IStillBelieveHer and #Repealthe8thRecently in Ireland, a verdict was finally reached in a high-profile rape and sexual assault case involving famous rugby players. When it was announced, there was cheering by many men and despair among many women. Here to lay it all out for us is Irish feminist Jen Keane. In the wake of all this, she wrote a great Twitter thread about her experience on a jury in a rape case. Later on in the episode, she also breaks down 'Repeal the 8th,' which is about abortion rights in Ireland. Make sure to read the text messages that were part o...2018-04-0551 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO132: Ezra Klein Out-Sam-Harrises Sam HarrisToday's episode is full of drama. So naturally, I have to talk about why there is drama and what I am trying to do in all this. One key question is: which issues do atheists tend to say "eh, agree to disagree" vs. "this disqualifies someone?" There are some patterns there to examine. Then, don't miss the later half where I discuss the Harris-Klein issue. I think there's an extremely fascinating insight to come out of that. And it's something that I don't think many people are picking up on. Klein-Harris email exchange; NYT article on the study; Excellent 2nd...2018-03-2950 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO131: Horseshoe Theory and Centrism with Peter CoffinPeter Coffin has a popular YouTube channel where he makes Very Important Documentaries(tm) that are both entertaining and thought provoking. He was last on to discuss the Marketplace of Ideas as a flawed model. We touch on that briefly and then move on to discuss the American political landscape, focussing on the conundrum of Centrism in the age of Trump. Check out Peter's book! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com Dire...2018-03-2657 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO130: Is Antifa Winning?Recently there have been a few articles to this effect, because of something Richard Spencer said in a video. What should we make of it? On this show, this topic dates back to the Nazi punching debates of yesteryear, but was reinvigorated what a local antifa group interrupted an event at King's College of London featuring Carl of Akkad and someone named Yaron Brook. Here's a video that shows most of the scuffle. At the time I condemned it as not the way to solve things. I stand by that. But I also think I haven't given antifa a proper...2018-03-2245 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO129: Atheists (and Lawyers..) In FoxholesToday I'm joined by Victoria Gettman and Geoffrey Blackwell! Vicki has a military background and currently serves as Texas State Director at American Atheists, as well as Executive Director for South Texas Atheists for Reason. Geoffrey is a staff attorney for American Atheists. Being an atheist in the military, Vicki has seen her share of Christian privilege and likely unconstitutional behavior. One such incident launched her into activism! Working with American Atheists, Geoff receives reports of possible church state separation issues and seeks solutions through legal action if necessary. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! S...2018-03-1939 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO128: Every Vote Matters!!! and Listener VoicemailThe Democrats picked up a +20R seat in the House! Or did they? Some people are alleging that Lamb is too centrist or even conservative. I analyze that a bit, and then talk about a couple other news items before talking some of your voicemail messages! Lots of calls on gun control (that topic definitely sparked some response), and more! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com Direct Download2018-03-1555 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO127: Rise of the Nones! with Kristi Winters**For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit hellofresh.com and enter seriouspod30 Dr. Kristi Winters is back on the show to talk about a rising demographic group in America - the Nones. That is, those without any serious allegiance to any organized religion. But just who are they? Are they atheists? What are their politics? Kristi is here to answer these questions and more! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com2018-03-1257 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO126: Lawrence Krauss Responds To AllegationsWell Lawrence Krauss released his statement on the accusations. It's 9 pages long and about what you'd expect. I've got a lot of thoughts that I wasn't able to get to last week so we're doing another show on #metoo. I really think the thought leaders of the skeptic community are missing out on an opportunity for mainstream relevance. They are exactly the kinds of people we should be hearing from on questions like these. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.fac...2018-03-0849 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO125: Are We Headed for Another Depression? with Dr. Robert S. McElvaineA few months back in the midst of the Republican tax reform bill, Dr. Robert S. McElvaine wrote an article for the Washington Post about the parallels between our current situation and the Great Depression. Being a historian of the depression, he might know a thing or two about it. I interviewed him on this and surrounding issues! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com2018-03-0557 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO124: Lawrence Krauss Accused of Sexual Misconduct; Interview with Monette RichardsThis is a doozy of an episode. Lawrence Krauss was recently accused of a range of sexual harassment and misconduct. I believe his accusers. It's documented quite thoroughly by BuzzFeed. Since people are trying to casually dismiss the accusations as "Ugh, BuzzFeed" and "Anonymous sources," I took the time to make a quick and dirty breakdown of the individual charges and how many named and unnamed sources there are, and the corroborating evidence. It's not just "anonymous sources" or "rumors" by any means. Here's a great breakdown by Rebecca Watson, and here's an episode by Godless Mama. Sam Harris and...2018-03-011h 19Serious Inquiries OnlySIO123: David Silverman of American AtheistsDavid Silverman joins us to talk about an awesome convention coming up in AAcon2018! I really valued David's response to the nonsense that happened in Milwaukee last September, and he's putting his money where his mouth is in how American Atheists has organized their 2018 conference. It's atheism, but with a heart and with compassion. We talk about that and much more! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com Direct Download2018-02-2657 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO122: Yes, I Want To Take Away Your GunsNo the title isn't just clickbait. I've decided I do want to take your guns away. I'm tired of Democrats saying they don't actually want that, and then being labeled as such by the right anyway. So why not embrace it? Sources: NRA Payouts; Bret Stephens Repeal the 2nd Amendment; Vox Comprehensive Article on US Gun Violence; Most Gun Deaths Are Suicides; New Quinnipiac Poll; Trump Budget Cuts Mental Health; Injuries and Deaths Due To Firearms in the Home Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support the show at seriouspod.com/support! Follow us on T...2018-02-2248 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO121: Ian Danskin of Innuendo StudiosShould we ever talk to the alt-right? When we do so, why does it feel so unproductive? Why can't we on the left ever seem to "win" debates with the alt-right? Why are Gamer-Gaters so angry? These are just a few of the questions Ian Danskin of the YouTube channel Innuendo Studios has sought to answer. He does so brilliantly and incisively. I've found his work to be incredibly illuminating. He was kind enough to come on the show and talk about his background, how he got into this line of work, and answer some of my questions about political d...2018-02-1959 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO120: Philosophers In Space with Aaron RabiI'm so excited to finally present what I've been vaguebooking about! Today's show features episode 1 of a new project called Philosophers In Space! Each episode uses our favorite science fiction to teach related philosophical concepts. In this episode, we use the USS Callister episode of Black Mirror to talk about The Experience Machine by Nozick. Try it on, see how you like it, and if you want to hear more check out patreon.com/0g! Eventually the show will be on iTunes but for now it's only available to patrons! Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the po...2018-02-1541 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO92: Was the DNC Rigged?It's another topic decide by the fine folks over at patreon.com/seriouspod! Donna Brazile made a huge stir with her article on Politico.com claiming the DNC was rigged in favor of Hillary. She actually later walked back that language, but that didn't stop an avalanche of accusations on both sides. I tried very hard to check all my biases and take a look at the evidence and see what really happened. Intercept Article; 2015 Politico Article; 2016 Politico Article; 538 on Number of Debates; Politifact on DWS Claim; 2016 Dem Primary Polls; Vox Clinton Dem Victory Timeline; WaPo Brazile Walks Back Claim...2017-11-091h 12
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO81: David Tamayo of Hispanic American FreethinkersHey, I know there's a ton to talk about with the Mythinformation fiasco but that will have to wait, as today I have David Tamayo of Hispanic American Freethinkers! David will be at California Freethought Day (we hope you'll join us!) We discuss atheism and religion in the Hispanic and Latino community, and talk about the really interesting things his organization is doing to try to bring some more skepticism into the world! A huge, huge thank you to everyone who pledge at patreon.com/seriouspod. It really means alot to me, and I am going to get you the...2017-10-0254 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO53: What Is Postmodernism? With Aaron RabiWhat the Gender Studies Hoax and Jordan B. Peterson's pronoun mania both have in common is the bogeyman of postmodernism. It seems to be conventional wisdom that postmodernism is manifestly crazy. But how substantive is that criticism in reality? I've invited a philosopher, Aaron Rabi, to give us a bit of a lesson on what postmodernism is and perhaps where the criticisms are accurate and where they fall short. Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For com...2017-06-2644 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO52: Democrats Should Be Happy About the Special ElectionsPlease share this podcast with any Democrat you witness losing their mind about the special election results. In reality, the trend is very, very positive for Democrats going into 2018 elections. I go into why. After that, we have a lengthy and most excellent voicemail segment. Listen in! Our Brand Is Worse Than Trump; Anti-Pelosi Republican Ad; Lots of Info On Special Elections At Ballotpedia Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com Ques...2017-06-221h 09
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO51: Andrew Torrez on Manslaughter: Philando Castile and Michelle CarterIn the same weekend, a teen found guilty of manslaughter for convincing her boyfriend to commit suicide, and a police officer found NOT guilty after shooting and killing Philando Castile. It has left many wondering, how did this happen? This demands expert analysis, so I've brought in the big guns in Andrew Torrez, resident law expert at the Opening Arguments Podcast to help us understand the situation! Philando Castile; Michelle Carter; Andrew's Case Leave Thomas a voicemail! (916) 750-4746, remember short and to the point! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.face...2017-06-1955 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO50: Michael Shermer on Evergreen and Gender StudiesBack for a second time is Michael Shermer! He's the editor of Skeptic Magazine and has been a very prominent voice in the community for decades. After our last conversation, a couple of things happened. One was the gender studies hoax, which was explained and endorsed by his magazine. The other was the Evergreen incident, which Shermer tweeted about and wanted to know my thoughts on. We discussed both of these at length! Refer to my earlier episode on Evergreen for those references Faculty of color say they are receiving death threats; President disappointed in protesters, may discipline; Weinstein second...2017-06-151h 16
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO49: The Pro-Truth Pledge, with Dr. Gleb TsipurskyJoining me this week for interview Monday is Dr. Gleb Tsipursky! Gleb is an expert in decision sciences, focusing on politics and business. In the wake of the 2016 election, Gleb has decided to focus on fighting against fake news and misinformation in our politics. That's why he has created the Truth Pledge, which he tells us all about in the interview. His insight is very valuable and is another in the series on how to change minds and where to focus our efforts. Make sure you take the Pro-Truth Pledge! https://www.protruthpledge.org/ Research links: http://intentionalinsights.org/how-can-facts-trump-ideology...2017-06-121h 07
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO48: What's Really Going On at Evergreen College?Due to popular demand, I've decided to embark on a fact-finding mission regarding the Brett Weinstein/Evergreen College fiasco. It took an incredible amount of digging to find anything beyond the same few talking points that have exploded across conservative media in the past few weeks, but the deeper story is a little more complicated and worthy of our attention. As usual, the easy way out is to filter the facts so they comport to a narrative we want, but I do my best to investigate the facts from a neutral standpoint. What I found might surprise you! Here are...2017-06-0853 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO47: Conversation with a Critic on Bill C-16It is immensely important to me that I do my best to engage with those who disagree, and in that spirit I present a conversation with someone who argued a lot with me on Twitter about Jordan B. Peterson and Canadian bill C-16. This conversation took place on May 4th, but with a lot of Trump news and some key interviews I kept the interview as patron only. Lots of listeners have requested its release though, and I think it's also an inspiring and useful dialogue to hear. So at long last, I give you my conversation with @PithyJoe on the...2017-06-0554 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO46: AHCA - The Scandal Hiding in Plain SightAfter a few small points about the last couple episodes on the hoax paper, we're back to normal here on commentary Thursday! Today's main topic is the CBO score on the new incarnation of the evil AHCA bill. AHCA is, in my opinion, the most important political scandal currently happening. After that is a very difficult voicemail segment, in that there are 3 tough questions with no easy answers. But those are the most important kind! Links: CBO Score on AHCA 2; NPR Breakdown on CBO Score; In Depth Uproxx Article on the Burrito Truck; Google Doc on Portland Appropriation; Academic Paper o...2017-06-0155 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO44: Debunking the 'Conceptual Penis' Stunt with Eli BosnickAn embarrassingly unskeptical article appeared in Skeptic Magazine recently featuring a hoax paper published in a Gender Studies journal by two authors: James Lindsay (past guest of the show) and Peter Boghossian. Michael Shermer, the editor of Skeptic magazine, and several major figures in the skeptic movement like Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins took the conclusion that Gender Studies as a field has been demolished by this hoax. This is incredibly irresponsible. The hoax paper accomplished no such thing, and Eli is here to explain in depth why. Links: Skeptic Magazine Article Other sokal hoaxes: A US nuclear physics conference acc...2017-05-2546 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO43: Debate and Discussion with Dan ArelI'm pleased to bring you Dan Arel, of danthropology.net, who is self-admittedly far, far left. While last week had me debating free speech with a more right-wing friendly Michael Shermer, this week I'll be debating from the other side. Dan, in my opinion, is quite extreme in his tweeting and online expression. I do not hide the fact that I disagree adamantly with a lot of what he has said, but I wanted to try to have a conversation because I imagined I might be a bit of a bridge since I agree with him that a lot of th...2017-05-221h 27
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO42: Trump Impeachment Talk; Fox News Is A Fairytale Land Right NowWe've reached the point where it might actually be reasonable to talk impeachment. Can we let ourselves get carried away though? I don't know. I've definitely got some thoughts on it for you! Also, I watched Fox News this week and it made me fear for the future of our politics.... But in happier news, Gad Saad was obliterated in the Canadian Senate while testifying about C-16. I play an amazing clip and talk briefly about it. Link below! After that, it's my favorite segment, your voicemails! Republicans Believe Comey Firing Had Nothing To Do with Russia; Presidential Poll Numbers...2017-05-181h 02
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO41: Talking Free Speech, with Michael ShermerI'm very pleased to be speaking to Michael Shermer this week, someone who has been more on the free speech war side of things, and someone who has said previously that liberals won't dialogue with him. Well, to his credit, he eventually noticed my Twitter chirpings at him and was willing to have a long form conversation about our disagreements. I think there's a lot of room for optimism at the result, so check it out! Links discussed: Overblown Piece on WaPo Advocating Censorship; Study on Racism and Trump Voting; George Mason Study on Dissonance and Party Affiliation; 538 Article on P...2017-05-151h 13
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO40: Actually, Berkeley Is A Fierce Defender of Free SpeechThis might be my magnum opus on the overblown "war on free speech" in Universities. In my research I discovered that, to a degree even further than I thought, Berkeley administration has gone above and beyond in protecting free speech. They were willing to have Milo on campus despite the fact that intended to call out individual undocumented students AND call for the defunding of Berkeley itself. They offered several acceptable times and places to have Ann Coulter speak and she and the groups who invited her refused to comply with them. I go into more detail in the episode. I...2017-05-1148 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO39: Seth Andrews of The Thinking AtheistJoining me today is Seth Andrews, of the immensely popular podcast The Thinking Atheist! I've long followed Seth's work and have always wanted an excuse to talk to him on the show, but somehow only just now gathered the courage! But Seth is here to talk about something he has seen cropping up recently which is a sort of "inactivism," or people who want to discourage others from speaking up and speaking out about the harmful effects of religion in our country. We get into that and more! Here's the link to the video I played at the end of th...2017-05-0848 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO38: Obama's Unfortunate PaydayWhen I saw the news of Obama's $400k paycheck for a speech to a Wall St bank, I posted this reaction on Facebook. The slew of comments that resulted was quite surprising to me. In my view, a lot of liberals are doing some logical backflips to justify Obama's payday, or to obfuscate and divert attention away from it. I think these gymnastics are unbecoming of skeptical people. I hope to add a little nuance to this black and white thinking! White Liberals BS clickbait, Obama Record Setting Book Deal, Obamas Could Earn $200 Million, Obama $2 Million Donation Leave us a Voi...2017-05-0457 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO37: Josh Zepps of #WeThePeople LIVEJoining me today is Josh Zepps! I first came across Josh's work when Sam Harris and Hannibal Buress had a bizarre interaction on his podcast #WeThePeople LIVE (here's a SoundCloud link). I was impressed with how Josh handled it and have followed him ever since. He has interviewed people like Gad Saad and ACTUALLY challenged them on their narratives. Josh is an impressive thinker and interviewer, and we talk about his broadcasting history (which might not be what you expect!) and about where our focuses are and should be in today's political climate. It's a fascinating conversation on many fronts...2017-05-011h 03
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO36: The New Version of Trumpcare Should Scare YouTrump is closing in on 100 days as president, something that he simultaneously has said means nothing but is also important enough to have him scrambling for any sort of policy victory. I'm going to give you the details of two very important pieces of legislation to keep an eye on - that is the new version of the AHCA, and Trump's Tax Reform bill. They're both.... not good. So tune in and find out the details! Definitely check out this site on whose cage to rattle over this terrible healthcare bill!!! Changes to the AHCA, Trump's Tax Reform Bill, ABC N...2017-04-271h 04
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO35: The Perils of Being Ex-Muslim, with EiynahJoining me today is Eiynah! You may know her from her podcast Polite Conversations or from a very active and insightful Twitter account, @NiceMangos. First up we talk a bit about the jarring experience I had of seeing fully burka'd women in Europe and what, if anything, can anyone do about it. Then we talk about the hatred that Eiynah has been the subject of from multiple fronts. Some of the discussion gets a little particular to Twitter. I did my best to make sure Eiynah spelled it out for the uninitiated, but I highly recommend checking out her blog w...2017-04-2458 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO33: Thinking Clearly on SyriaI support Trump's Syria strike against the Shayrat airfield. That is the punchline of today's episode but I encourage you to listen with an open mind as I go through the reaction to the Syria strike, what different pundits and columnists and congresspersons have said, and why I think ultimately it was a good idea. There's a lot of muddy and motivated thinking going on in our public discourse; I'm doing my best to go where the facts lead. And as always, I'm very open to counter argument! Here are some selected sources: How Many Bombs Obama Dropped on Syria; Brea...2017-04-171h 01
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO32: What Happened In Syria?I'm back from my Europe trip! And it couldn't have come at a more news-heavy time. First I've got a couple quick stories to talk about - Chechnya and Susan Rice. After that I go to the main topic for this show, and unfortunately next show... which is Trump's strike on Syria. This part one involves the backstory, what happened, how we know what we know, and some thoughts on the Putin Trump relationship. Part 2 will be available early for patrons, and it will focus on the reaction to the strike, prominent leaders' opinions on it, and my overall take...2017-04-131h 00
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO31: Why We Ignore Facts, with Sara GormanJoining me today is Sara Gorman! Sara is a public health expert and author based in New York. She is the co-founder of Critica, a community committed to making rational decisions about health and security. Critica’s mission is to develop and test new methods of advancing public acceptance of scientific evidence and promoting informed health decision-making. Sara’s first book, Denying to the Grave: Why We Ignore the Facts That Will Save Us, was published in September 2016. It looks into the psychology of healthcare decision making and how people draw conclusions about perception of risk. It includes tips for the general...2017-04-1053 min
Serious Inquiries OnlySIO30: America Last, with Zachary KiserJoining me today is Zach Kiser, a graduate researcher and Director of Policy and Communications for the National Science Policy Group (NSPG)! Zach is here to give us some perspective on just how awful Trump's budget proposal is and how backbreaking it might potentially be to science research in the US. Though Trump touts an America First slogan, this kind of thing is really an embarrassment and puts America behind even by Republican standards. American Association for the Advancement of Science If you're interested in more information or in how to help, contact Zach directly via email here! Leave us a...2017-04-0646 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO28: The Discussion With Dave Rubin That Never Was (and more bad news....)Yeah, that excitement didn't last too long. I was scheduled to speak to Dave Rubin at Mythinformation in Milwaukee in September, but despite everything having been agreed to and announced, Dave dropped out due to a previously overlooked scheduling conflict. In light of that, I share some thoughts on what happened, what I tried to do in response, and what the result was. I also looked back through Dave's guest history at his alleged "liberals" he has interviewed to see whether I haven't given him enough credit for hearing opposing views. The answer may, or may not, shock you. After...2017-03-301h 06Serious Inquiries OnlySIO27: What Grounds Our Morals? With Aaron RabiJoining me for the second time is philosopher and now podcaster, Aaron Rabi! Aaron specializes in ethics, and I have questions. I'm fairly certain that our morality ultimately boils down to consequences, for reasons I explain, but not all philosophers see it that way. Aaron and I have a very interesting discussion on what exactly grounds our morals, given that there are problems to be found in every moral system. Does consequentialism ultimately win out, as I have previously opined? Find out! Find Aaron's podcast here! Leave us a Voicemail: (916) 750-4746! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow u...2017-03-271h 01Serious Inquiries OnlySIO26: The Trump Administration and Russia - An Incredible Amount of SmokeWith a heavy news week full of depositions, testimony, odd press conferences and more, today I take a look at some of the evidence of Russia-Trump collusion and what it all means. Ok, what it MIGHT mean... while trying not to descend into full on conspiracy theorist mode. It's not exactly easy. After that, I go into the details of a case Gorsuch decided that perfectly illustrates why the originalist/literalist method of jurisprudence leaves this podcaster cold. Some sources used: Politico Trump Timeline Nicholas Kristof on Trump-Russia Paul Manafort AP Exclusive Greenwald Russia Article Gorsuch Truck Driver Case Leave us...2017-03-231h 03Serious Inquiries OnlySIO25: Lawrence Krauss - The Greatest Story Ever ToldI'm so excited to have Lawrence Krauss on the show today! Professor Krauss is a theoretical physicist and cosmologist who blew all of our minds with his lecture and previous book, A Universe from Nothing. His new book, The Greatest Story Ever Told, takes us back through the history of how exactly we know what we do about our universe. I highly recommend it, and I hope you enjoy the interview even half as much as I did! Check out the new book here! Leave us a Voicemail: (916) 750-4746! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us on T...2017-03-2046 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO24: Can We Rely on the CBO's Projections?Given the preemptive bashing of the CBO by Republicans and the subsequent release of a pretty damning score on the AHCA bill, I wanted to take a look at how the CBO did at predicting the effects of Obamacare. Is the Trump administration on solid ground when it says that the CBO is wildly inaccurate and partisan? After that I discuss four very thought provoking questions I received in the voicemail segment! Sources: CBO Basic History Fact Check on CBO Predictions More Critical Look at CBO Predictions CBO Predictions for AHCA Leave us a Voicemail: (916) 750-4746! Support us on Patreon...2017-03-161h 03Serious Inquiries OnlySIO23: Is It Morally Acceptable to Have Children? with Travis RiederJoining us today is Travis Rieder! Travis is a philosopher at Johns Hopkins who deals with Population Ethics and related questions. Find his academic page here. Given the uncertainty of outcomes of our potential children, and given the many problems humanity faces due to overpopulation, is it morally acceptable to have children? Travis and I discuss that question and many related ones in a fascinating philosophy edition of SIO! Here are Travis's main works on these questions, for further reading: 1. Adoption and Procreation 2. Population Engineering 3. Small Family Ethic (book) Highest-impact Media Pieces: 4. NPR Profile 5. Response to Critics Leave us a V...2017-03-1356 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO22: From Obamacare to TrumpcareIn today's episode I want to discuss one of the most significant battles that will be fought in the new administration: that is the repeal and replacement of Obamacare. While looking into a lot of the claims made by Sean Spicer and other Trump apologists, I was struck by how fascinating the story of Obamacare really is. So, the first 15 minutes or so of today's episode is on the history of Obamacare, and what implications it has for the future of Trumpcare. Good Obamacare Timeline, Another Good Timeline, CNN's Piss-Poor Timeline NYT Article on Trumpcare, Demographics That Will Suffer Most...2017-03-091h 00Serious Inquiries OnlySIO21: Be Reasonable, with Michael MarshallJoining me today is Michael Marshall, host of the podcast Be Reasonable. On his show, Marsh speaks with people who have incredibly fringe views. Whether it's a ghost hunter or flat Earther, Be Reasonable allows a place for these folks to speak at length on their views. Marsh messaged me after my interview with Trump supporter Dr. Price because of the similarity in that recording to what Marsh is doing on his show. In this interview, Marsh and I have a dialogue about what tactics he uses when speaking to people of vastly different views, and I pick his brain on...2017-03-061h 12Serious Inquiries OnlySIO20: Can We Change Minds?In today's episode, after a few thoughts on the Trump address to Congress and his BS spending plan, the topic is "How to change people's minds." Haeley and I set about to do some research on a: how possible it is to change minds, and b: if so, what are the best methods? I take a look at and describe a number of studies that shed light on this issue, and the goal is to apply it to both the Dr. Price debate and any future debates! Have a listen and see what conclusions we reached! After that I've got a...2017-03-021h 08Serious Inquiries OnlySIO19: Interview with Ron MiscavigeJoining us today is Ron Miscavige - the father of Scientology cult leader David Miscavige. Ron has a long history with the church and he takes us through the background of how his son went from an asthmatic 9 year old to the supreme leader of Scientology, and further, how Ron managed his and his wife's eventual escape from the organization. To get deeper into Ron's story, check out his book here. Here are links to the documents Ron mentioned: Document 1 from Ron Fair Game Policy Document Leave us a Voicemail: (916) 750-4746! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow u...2017-02-271h 10Serious Inquiries OnlySIO18: Milo's Long Overdue DownfallIt finally happened. Milo said something that was horrifying enough for people who 5 minutes ago talked like it's all about freedom of expression and it doesn't matter how much we disagree, to say "nah never mind, let's de-platform him." In today's episode I clear up what I view as SO much fallacious reasoning on this issue. People are actually viewing what happened to Milo as a reason that we should have been platforming him all along. To me, this is completely contradictory. Find out why in today's episode! Overtime Larry Wilmore Detailed article about the Adelaide Kramer harassment Current Affairs a...2017-02-2357 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO17: Dialogue with Trump Supporter Dr. Robert PriceToday's episode is my attempt at a calm, rational dialogue with a Trump supporter. I knew Dr. Price supported Trump as a candidate but I was unsure how he would view the first month plus of Trump's presidency. I ask him about that, and some debate and discussion follows. I don't want to give anything away about it, but please listen and I'll provide some comment after. If you're interested in Dr. Price's work, check out his website. Leave us a Voicemail: (916) 750-4746! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.co...2017-02-201h 13Serious Inquiries OnlySIO16: Debunking Liberal Fake NewsThis week, Thomas talks about the recent increase in "fake news" coming from the more liberal outlets. From "spin", to misinformation, to outright lies there are plenty of examples to choose from among recent headlines! Is this just what happens to the party that is not in power? Thomas also tackles some Trump updates and some listener voicemails. Atlantic interview with the managing editor or Snopes New York Magazine article on possible election hacking 538 article debunking it Washington Post Article about State Department Resignations CNN article debunking it Woman dies because of Trump's "Muslim Ban" Follow-up debunking it Police Raid...2017-02-1659 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO15: Did the Catholic Church Support Hitler? with Tim O'NeillJoining me for a third time is Tim O'Neill of the blog History for Atheists! Tim is back to take us through some really fascinating possible misconceptions about whether or not the Pope and the Catholic church were supportive of Hitler and the Nazis. Tim also discusses whether or not Hitler himself was religious. Lots of claims have been made by atheists and others about these questions and Tim is here to clear up misconceptions and give his view of what the evidence tells us! Leave us a Voicemail: (916) 750-4746! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us o...2017-02-131h 03Serious Inquiries OnlySIO14: President BannonToday Thomas is taking a closer look at the other terrible hairstyle in the White House, Steve Bannon. There has been a lot circulating about how much power and influence Bannon may have, many say it's far too much. So we decided to look into just who this guy is and exactly what kind of power he actually has. As seems to be the case with most current political news, what we found is...concerning. Thomas also replies to some of our wonderful listener comments and voicemails. Keep them coming, we love hearing from you! NY Times OpEd- I Was o...2017-02-0958 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO13: Food Fight! With Kavin SenapathyToday Thomas talks with Kavin Senapathy about science, food, and the misinformation and pseudo science that is so prevalent in the food industry today. Kavin is co-Executive Director of March Against Myths, a Forbes contributor, and co-author of "The Fear Babe: Shattering Vani Hari's Glass House". You can find more from her on Facebook and Twitter. Leave us a Voicemail: (916) 750-4746! Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com Questions, Suggestions, Episode ideas? email: haeley@seriouspod.com2017-02-0647 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO12: Is the Left to Blame for Trump's Muslim Ban?But first I have to offer a correction on the Jordan B. Peterson episode. He said in other interviews that he would use she and he appropriately for trans people but not any other pronouns. I made it sound like he wouldn't do so. I apologize for getting that wrong. I explain my thinking on this, as well as point out how frustrating it has been for people to try to dismiss my entire message based on one point of misunderstanding. After that, I cover Trump's executive orders so far, and in particular the Muslim ban. Is it the same...2017-02-0251 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO11: Do We Have Free Will? with AaronToday's episode is brought to you by hellofresh.com!! Click the link and make sure to enter promo code seriouspod for $35 off your first delivery! Today I have philosopher Aaron on to discuss free will. I've been wanting to revisit the topic for quite a while now, ever since the debate between Sam Harris and Dan Dennett that I covered in detail at the time. Today's show is exploring an anti-compatibilist position, and I'm hoping a future show will explore the compatibilist one! (if you're a philosopher who believes free will exists, please contact us using the links below to p...2017-01-3058 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO10: Jordan B. Peterson is Just Wrong (or lying...or both).This week we listened to Waking Up with Sam Harris and as big fans we were very disappointed in how he handled his interview with Jordan B. Peterson. So in this episode Thomas goes over exactly why that is, in the hopes that this message reaches Sam. We also have some more great listener voicemails, thank you so much for all the great feedback and keep it coming! Find the record of Bill C-16 from the Canadian Parliament here Find the Ontario Provisions Peterson mentioned here Find Brenda Cossman's article rebutting Peterson's Claims here Some even argue that C-16 doesn't g...2017-01-2652 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO9: Punching Nazis, with Eli BosnickRecently the internet exploded in debate over a video in which neo-Nazi Richard Spencer was punched while giving an interview. Even the New York Times published an article that asked whether this is something that should be morally permissible. I have come out against violence over words of any non-imminently threatening kind, and my guest Eli Bosnick has come out strong the other way. Since Eli is an awesome guy willing to discuss disagreements and try to find the truth, he's here to have a bit of a debate with me on what the correct course of action is re...2017-01-231h 17Serious Inquiries OnlySIO8: Completely UnpresidentedIt's another Thursday full of inquiry! In this episode I discuss Trump's inauguration and the obscene amount of money he's collecting for it, as well as the congress persons boycotting it. Are they right to do so? Next up are updates on Trump's cabinet confirmation hearings. How are our favorite incompetents faring in congressional hearings? And finally, I've got some great voicemails to react to. Thanks for those contributions! Included is one from a Republican atheist telling me why Trump won. Also, a listener commented that the far left is just as bad as the far right because of their...2017-01-1950 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO7: An Atheist and a Christian Walk into a Bar...Joining me today are that atheist and that Christian, and their names are Justin Schieber and Randal Rauser. Justin and Randal have written a book containing a very fruitful and respectful dialogue between an atheist and a Christian. Today they talk about the origins of the project and then were kind enough to go over one of the many arguments contained in the book! The argument is on the hostility of the universe and whether it makes sense under theism. There's a very spirited back and forth that I encourage you to listen to! You can find the book here...2017-01-1659 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO6: Too Much Identity Politics Or Not Enough?Welcome to the first edition of Thursday Inquiries!! My unofficial or maybe official name for the new format. Mondays will be interviews and Thursdays will be commentary and news and so forth. A lot is happening in the news and a lot of people are still very sloppy thinkers. In an episode of The Waking Up Podcast, Sam Harris said that Trump was the end of the Democratic Party. Could this really be true in an election where Democrats won by 3 million votes? Also Trump had his first press conference as president elect and it was predictably terrifying. And yes, T...2017-01-1249 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO5: Fake News EpidemicToday I'm talking with Dr. Joel Breakstone, director of the Stanford History Education Group. He was co-director of a recent study that looked at thousands of students, from middle school through college, and tested their ability to discern fake news from real news. The results are worrying, and may give us some insight into why this is such a problem in America today. Then I take a few minutes to talk to Bruce Gleason, Director of LogiCal LA about their upcoming conference. Find the Executive Summary of the Stanford University research study here And an article discussing the study here Lea...2017-01-0944 minSerious Inquiries OnlySIO4: Trollology 101In this episode I am joined by Scott and David. We discuss some of the science behind the rise in internet trolling. They share their ideas about the ways psychology, sociology, and our ever increasing dependence on technology for socialization; have led to more trolling. We also discuss some other behaviors and traits that correlate with online trolling, some of the possible origins of these behaviors, and speculate as to what can be done about it. Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.co...2017-01-0556 min