In this episode I discuss how power operates beneath the surface of politics — using Trump’s comments on potential intervention in North Africa as a case study. We look at how internal identity structures, like religious or national values, get exported onto the global stage, reshaping the rules of foreign policy.

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In this episode I discuss how the current government shutdown reveals a deeper systemic pattern—where real information flow (“the signal”) is replaced by performative politics (“the symbol”). I explore how this breakdown in channels leads to dysfunction not just in government, but across science, technology, and society, showing that when systems prioritize emotion and appearance over truth and structure, they begin to fail.

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In this episode I discuss how Wikipedia evolved from an open collective experiment into a curated institution accused of bias, why these biases emerge naturally in complex systems, the importance of collective intelligence for uncovering truth, Larry Sanger’s nine theses for reform, and the universal role of dynamism in sustaining objectivity across knowledge, science, and society.

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In this episode I discuss how the vague and expanding use of the term “hate speech” undermines freedom of expression, why precise definitions and falsifiability are essential for meaningful dialogue, and how constraints—rather than limiting us—are what actually create the space for freedom.

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Premium members get access to the full member app. This includes data visualizations of the core concepts in each episode, a Study Space for learning fundamentals, and premium articles on Techniques and Mindsets.

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In this episode I discuss the crucial distinction between two kinds of speech: the normal level, where people share and debate specific opinions, and the meta level, which reflects on and safeguards the very process of speech itself. I explore how this difference shows up in politics and science, why criticism should be welcomed rather than mistaken for censorship, and how undermining the rules of discourse corrodes free speech. Drawing on examples from philosophy of science and even biology, I highlight the universal pattern that systems thrive when variation at the lower level is preserved while higher-level structures maintain cohesion.

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Premium members get access to the full member app. This includes data visualizations of the core concepts in each episode, a Study Space for learning fundamentals, and premium articles on Techniques and Mindsets.

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