

Robert Wright's Nonzero
Nonzero
Conversations with a series of people who have nothing in common except that program host Robert Wright is curious about what they’re thinking. www.nonzero.org
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 11, 2024 • 29min
Are the Pro-Palestine Protests Working? (Earthling Unplugged)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.orgRobert Wright and Andrew Day discuss items from the Earthling.Read this edition of the Earthling: https://nonzero.substack.com/p/protest-tips-from-boomersRecorded May 10, 2024.https://twitter.com/NonzeroNewshttps://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

May 7, 2024 • 52min
Antisemitism and Free Speech (Robert Wright & Paul Bloom)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org1:53 Is it ever okay to fire professors for speech? 13:32 Bari Weiss spreads misinformation without consequence 22:28 Are some of Israel’s American supporters unwittingly inflaming antisemitism? 33:33 Ayaan Hirsi Ali converts to Christianity without abandoning New Atheist creed 38:46 Do Sam Harris et. al. get religion totally wrong? 49:12 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded May 07, 2024.

May 4, 2024 • 30min
The New “Pro-Israel” Assault on Free Speech (Earthling Unplugged)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.orgRobert Wright and Andrew Day discuss items from the Earthling.Read this edition of the Earthling: https://nonzero.substack.com/p/the-new-pro-israel-assault-on-free

Apr 29, 2024 • 1h 38min
A Debate on Israel-Palestine (Robert Wright & Coleman Hughes)
0:41 Coleman’s Joe Rogan appearance and new book, The End of Race Politics 2:50 Campus protests and free speech 12:53 Is anti-Zionism anti-Semitism? 17:42 Is "exterminating Hamas" a viable solution? 27:11 Bob: Israel never offered Palestinians a state 40:54 “Right of return” and Palestinian national identity 57:22 How firmly entrenched is hatred of Israel among Palestinians? 1:08:33 Could better US policy have steered Israel-Palestine toward peace? 1:19:12 Are Palestinian “sacred beliefs” the problem? 1:26:20 Possible Palestinian futures 1:34:01 Israel’s strike on Iran’s consulate in SyriaRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Coleman Hughes (Conversations with Coleman). Recorded April 25, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nonzero.org/subscribe

Apr 24, 2024 • 1h 12min
Campus Protests, Dennett’s Legacy (Robert Wright & Paul Bloom)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:29 Paul asserts his right to non-assertion 4:31 Campus protests and free speech controversies 19:53 Have pro-Palestine protestors crossed a line? Have their opposition? 31:13 Will the protests force a reckoning on campus “wokeness”? 40:09 Remembering philosopher Daniel Dennett 48:03 Bob vs Dennett on consciousness 1:00:47 Does the mind-body problem suggest a cosmic solution? 1:10:34 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded April 24, 2024.Paul’s Substack: https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.netDiscussed in Overtime:The problem(s) with the 3 Body Problem.Bob and Dennett’s big breakup: a breakdown. The time Keanu Reeves glitched at Bob’s expense. Does Bob have a “Burn Book” in his future?

Apr 22, 2024 • 1h 4min
Putin, AI, Ukraine, Crypto, the Noosphere, Futurism, and Other Stuff (Robert Wright & Anatoly Karlin)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:29 Anatoly’s strange CV 4:20 How the 20th century set the stage for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine 9:42 Why did Putin turn against the West? 24:19 Anatoly: I underestimated Russia’s incompetence 28:29 Has the Ukraine war really shifted in Russia’s favor? 35:26 Russia’s “elite human capital” problem 42:02 Is the “bio-singularity” near? 51:11 Unipolar vs multipolar AI takeover scenarios 1:00:01 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Anatoly Karlin (https://akarlin.com/, Nooceleration). Recorded April 16, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPodsOvertime titles:0:00 Can the world regulate AI wisely? 2:05 The case for crypto 10:08 What Anatoly would do as AI czar 14:05 When noospheres collide 23:52 Is controlling AI possible under capitalism? 31:56 Was Anatoly serious about taking the Ukraine war into outer space? 36:01 Anatoly: The nation-state is obsolete

Apr 20, 2024 • 35min
Israel Strikes Iran, David Cameron Crumbles (Earthling Unplugged)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.orgRobert Wright and Andrew Day discuss items from the Earthling.Read this edition of the Earthling:https://nonzero.substack.com/p/the-kay-burley-path-to-world-peaceRecorded April 19, 2024.https://twitter.com/NonzeroNewshttps://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

Apr 17, 2024 • 60min
How Iran’s Attack Benefits Israel (Robert Wright & Joshua Landis)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:59 Why Iran’s attack on Israel was an “own goal” 5:36 Did Iran minimize casualties on purpose? 12:11 The rising odds of Israel attacking Iran directly 19:39 America’s contradictory relationship with Israel 25:43 How conflict with Iran helps Israel 34:11 What China wants in the Middle East 43:27 America’s destabilizing role in the region 57:16 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Joshua Landis (University of Oklahoma, SyriaComment.com). Recorded April 16, 2024. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

Apr 13, 2024 • 34min
Iran’s “Imminent” Attack (Earthling Unplugged)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.orgRobert Wright and Andrew Day discuss items from the Earthling.Read this edition of the Earthling:https://nonzero.substack.com/p/marc-andreessens-mindless-technoRecorded April 12, 2024.https://twitter.com/NonzeroNewshttps://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

Apr 11, 2024 • 51min
Daniel Kahneman and the Rationalists (Robert Wright & Paul Bloom)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org0:29 Why Paul’s eclipse experience eclipsed Bob’s 6:25 Remembering pioneering psychologist Daniel Kahneman 16:33 Bob fails gender affirmation test 21:14 Has the “replication crisis” tainted Kahneman’s legacy? 27:47 Eastern vs. Western “enlightenment” 35:58 How AI doomerism came to the rationalist community 45:42 3 Body Problem review goes into OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded April 10, 2024.Paul’s Substack:Overtime titles:0:00 Should humanity welcome AI/alien overlords? 4:44 What was the movie Harvey trying to say? 15:07 Psychedelics as psycho-technology 26:59 The therapy crapshoot 31:06 The self-immolating airman and the trouble with mental “illness” 42:58 Poor Things baffles Bob


