Joe Henrich is the Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology and Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. His research focuses on cultural evolution, human psychology, sociality, prestige, cooperation, and the emergence of complex societies. In this episode, Robinson and Joe discuss how culture transformed human evolution and enabled our species to build increasingly large and complex societies. More particularly, they talk about the tools of paleoanthropology, hunter-gatherer societies, the rise of massive cities, and why Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic—or WEIRD—people are psychologically unusual. They also discuss dominance hierarchies, attractiveness and prestige, the evolution of morality, and the importance of punishment in human societies. Joe’s most recent popular book is The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020).Joe’s Website: https://henrich.fas.harvard.eduThe WEIRDest People in the World: https://amzn.to/3F3wUY7OUTLINE00:00 Tools of Paleoanthropology07:31 Two Hunter-Gatherer Societies13:12 How Culture Enabled Massive Cities19:08 The WEIRDEST People in the World25:59 Dominance Hierarchies35:40 Attractiveness and Prestige46:01 The Evolution of Morality52:33 PunishmentRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Richard Wrangham is the Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology, Emeritus, at Harvard University. A primatologist and biological anthropologist, he has studied wild chimpanzees in Uganda since 1987 and is known for his work on human evolution, the origins of violence, and the role of cooking in shaping our species. In this episode, Robinson and Richard discuss how humans diverged from our primate ancestors and the evolutionary importance of learning to control fire. More particularly, they talk about Richard’s cooking hypothesis, how cooking may have transformed the human brain and body, the relationship between fire and culture, and what chimpanzee behavior can teach us about the origins of human violence. Richard’s books include Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human, Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence, and The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution.Richard’s Harvard Profile: https://heb.fas.harvard.edu/people/richard-w-wranghamCatching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human: https://a.co/d/0iaxEBhyOUTLINE00:00 Puzzles Posed by Human Beings09:32 The Cooking Hypothesis17:54 Cooking and the Brain22:12 Diverging From Our Ancestors28:27 Playing with Fire35:19 How Cooking Shaped Culture51:29 What Does Chimpanzee Warfare Look Like?01:04:50 Chimpanzee vs Human ViolenceRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Daniel Lieberman is the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, where he studies the evolution of the human body and its relevance to health. In this episode, Robinson and Dan discuss the evolution of the human diet. More particularly, they talk about our last common ancestors with chimpanzees, how changes in the gut shaped human evolution, what Homo sapiens actually ate during the Paleolithic, and the transformative role of cooking. They also discuss whether there is such a thing as a natural human diet, why junk food is so appealing, and what an evolutionary perspective can teach us about weight loss and eating well. Dan’s latest book is Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health, and Eating Well (Knopf, 2026).Fed Up: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593537998OUTLINE00:00 Dan’s Interest in Human Evolution04:43 Why Our Heads Don’t Topple Over When We Run07:41 Human Evolution and “Fed Up”10:40 Understanding the Evolution of the Human Diet19:12 Our Last Common Ancestors with Chimpanzees30:05 Evolutionary Changes in the Gut38:51 Homo Sapiens and the Paleolithic Diet48:18 The Transformative Power of Cooking54:30 The Most Important Diets59:19 Why Are Junk Foods So Appealing?01:03:19 Weight LossRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Adam Mockler is a liberal political commentator, YouTube host, and digital media creator who has become one of the most prominent Gen Z voices in American political media. He hosts The Adam Mockler Show and has built an audience of more than two million subscribers on YouTube, where he produces daily political commentary and reporting. In this episode, Robinson and Adam discuss the changing relationship between politics, media, and the internet. More particularly, they talk about Adam’s liberal values, why independent media can outperform legacy media, the battle for attention online, how clipping has become a new form of political canvassing, and what Democrats need to do to win elections in 2026. They also discuss Charlie Kirk, political conspiracy theories and death threats, what Nick Fuentes is doing effectively as a communicator, Gavin Newsom’s media strategy, and whether Generation Alpha speaks a fundamentally different political language.Adam’s Website: https://www.adammockler.comAdam’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adammockler/Adam’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@adammocklerAdam’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adammocklerAdam’s X: https://x.com/adammocklerrOUTLINE00:45 Adam’s Expertise10:53 Adam’s Liberal Values14:30 Why Independent Media Beats Legacy Media18:26 Clipping Is the New Canvassing20:39 The Battle for the Attention Economy26:06 How to Win Elections in 202631:16 What Constraints Are There on Independent Media?38:44 On Charlie Kirk, Conspiracies, and Death Threats41:46 What Is Nick Fuentes Doing Right?47:18 Gavin Newsom’s Media Strategy, Explained52:46 Does Gen Alpha Speak a New Political Language?Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s twelfth appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. This is Michael’s eighth appearance on the show. In this episode, Robinson, Richard, and Michael discuss colonialism and the death of modern nations. More particularly, they discuss the evolution of capitalism toward socialism, whether colonialism has officially ended, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Trump, Putin, and the United States. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024). Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalismRichard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.comEconomic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdateMichael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.comTemples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dmOUTLINE00:00 Is Capitalism Evolving into Socialism?07:20 Is Today the Post-Colonial Period?18:10 How Colonialism Divided the World28:54 China and the Revenge of Feudalism41:06 Productive vs Unproductive Labor49:24 Overcoming the “Discipline” of Academia01:01:17 The Danger of Education01:13:19 Will the United States Break Up?01:21:22 Why the EU and NATO Will Break Up01:29:15 Why Michael Believes the US Will Remain United01:38:37 Trump’s Army and the Militarized Police01:46:49 Is the US Turning into a Police State?01:48:49 The Choice Before a Declining EmpireRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Steve Keen is an economist and was most recently Head of the School of Economics, History and Politics at Kingston University in London. He has done research on a wide variety of topics, including Marxist economics, debt, complexity theory, and systems dynamics. In this episode, Steve and Robinson discuss his economic framework in relation to wars around the globe. More particularly, the discuss the importance of oil in the Iran War, the cold war with China, the war in Ukraine, and more.OUTLINE00:00 The Crucial Importance of Oil in the Iran War08:54 Systems Dynamics and Economics14:22 How Much Inflation Will the Iran War Cause?18:17 Will the Iran War Cause Famine?28:56 Conspiracy and the Iran War30:48 Tariffs and Trade Deficits46:03 Will Trump’s Tariffs Bring Manufacturing Back to the United States52:49 Steve’s Motivation59:25 The Crucial Flaw in Marxism01:12:43 Understanding the War in Ukraine’s Impact on Europe01:16:38 On Putin’s Motivations in Ukraine01:26:32 Understanding Trump through Narcissistic Personality Disorder01:32:52 Trump and the Takeover of Venezuela01:38:11 Economists Misunderstand Everything About China01:53:01 Why Will China Survive Global Warming?01:57:18 AI and the Future Economics of the WorldRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Timothy Snyder holds the inaugural Temerty Chair in Modern European History at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. Snyder’s work has appeared in forty languages and has received a number of prizes, including the Emerson Prize in the Humanities. Snyder was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford, has received the Carnegie and Guggenheim fellowships, and holds state orders from Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland. He is researching a family history of nationalism and finishing a philosophical book about freedom. In this episode, Robinson and Timothy discuss the future of the United States. More particularly, they delve into AI, rebellion, conspiracy theory, our relationship with Russia and Ukraine, Donald Trump, and more. Timothy’s most recent book is On Freedom (Crown, 2024).Timothy’s Website: https://timothysnyder.orgOn Freedom: https://timothysnyder.org/books/OUTLINE00:00 Will the United States Cease to Exist?13:47 Is Trump Breaking the United States Apart?21:09 Will AI Prevent Armed Rebellion Against the Government?30:20 Trump, Conspiracy Theories, and the Politics of Small Numbers39:46 Putin Does Not Think Ukraine Is Real45:57 What Are Trump’s Soft Spots?50:26 How Tim Organizes His Thought57:59 Donald Trump and the SuperloserRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s eleventh appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. In this episode, Richard and Robinson discuss the ongoing war in Iran, as well as the war in Russia and Ukraine, our cold war with China, and the future possibilities of World War III. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024).Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalismRichard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.comEconomic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdateOUTLINE00:00 China, Iran, and the Implosion of the West13:00 The Irreconcilable Gulf Between Russia and the West16:01 Europe’s Hard World War II Lesson21:20 Europe’s Final Collapse Is Coming28:42 How China Is Methodically Conquering the World35:44 Russia’s Siberian Advantage39:15 Marx, War, and Economic Decline52:39 Why Iran Will Always Control the Strait of Hormuz01:02:02 How the United States Already Failed in Iran01:06:37  What the United States Can Learn from the Collapse of the British Empire01:12:19 Why the War in Iran Will Not Lead to Nuclear War01:14:44 John Mearsheimer’s Escalation Ladder and the Threat of Nuclear War in Russia01:29:53 What Would World War Look Like in the 21st Century?01:36:17 Donald Trump, The Isolator01:41:40 The Sad Legacy of the League of Nations01:51:04 Is World War III Inevitable?

Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. This is Michael’s Seventh appearance on the show. On past episodes, including with Richard Wolff, he and Robinson have neoliberalism, industrial capitalism, the rentier economy, Marxism, and the role of economics in political history. In this episode, Michael and Robinson talk about debt and the destruction of empires. Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024). Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.comTemples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dmOUTLINE00:00 Keeping Governments Under Control07:01 Understanding the Church17:27 Why Debts Grow Too Fast to Be Paid22:57 Understanding the BRICS26:50 How Can Countries Get Rich?32:47 Where Is the United States’ Debt Dragging Us?46:26 Why Michael Hudson Is Not a Mainstream Economist48:59 The Historical Approach to Economics01:06:01 Controlling Governments Through Tax Policy01:23:55 How Michael Researches01:33:31 The Myth of Economic Rent01:38:47 The United States’ Hereditary Oligarchy01:41:04 Why the United States Can’t Go Bankrupt01:44:42 Closing ThoughtsRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

David Albert is the Frederick E. Woodbridge Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, director of the Philosophical Foundations of Physics program at Columbia, and a faculty member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. Jacob Barandes is Senior Preceptor in Physics at Harvard University, where he works widely across the philosophy of physics, with focuses on the foundations of quantum mechanics, the philosophy of spacetime, and the metaphysics of laws. In this episode, Robinson, Jacob, and David discuss Jacob’s novel Indivisibility Approach to quantum mechanics. After beginning with an introduction from David, the conversation touches on the measurement problem, completeness, scientific realism, the purpose of physics, and more. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.Jacob’s Website: https://www.jacobbarandes.comA Guess at the Riddle: https://a.co/d/6qcsidlThe John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.orgOUTLINE00:00 The Problem with the Wave Function05:30 The Indivisibility Approach17:28 What Is Indivisibility?25:13 The Measurement Problem32:18 The Incompleteness of Jacob’s Theory42:20 Completing the Theory47:12 Realism in Quantum Mechanics01:03:13 The Fundamental Task of Physics01:10:57 The Structure of the Indivisibility Theory01;22:26 Summarizing and Calculating01:40:01 The Game of Fundamental Physics01:46:31 Can Bohmian Mechanics Work?01:56:26 A Version Including David’s Theory02:04:49 What Is the Wave Function?02:15:33 Where We’ve Ended UpRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.