The Slow Death of Local News and Its Impact on Critical Thinking
Good Is In The Details
What happens when local journalism disappears, and how does it affect democracy, critical thinking, and informed citizens? Is local journalism disappearing, and what does that mean for democracy? In this episode of Good Is In The Details, we speak with journalist Liz Farmer about the decline of local press, the economics of modern media, and why journalism is essential for an informed public. As news consumption increasingly shifts toward national outlets, social media, and algorithm-driven content, many communities are losing access to local reporting. But what happens when citizens no longer...
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The Sex Recession Is Real: A Sex Coach Explains How to Find Your Way Back to Intimacy
Good Is In The Details
In 1990, 55% of American adults reported having sex weekly. By 2024 that number had fallen to just 37%, and among adults aged 18–29, the share reporting no sex at all in the past year has doubled, from 12% to 24%. We are in the middle of a sex recession. And most of us have no idea why, or what to do about it. In this special episode of Good Is In The Details (recorded live at Podapalooza, a one-day podcast matching event) host Gwendolyn Dolske sits down with Xanet Pailet: nationally recognized sexuality educator and coach, somatic sexologist, and bestselling author of Living an...
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Your Phone Is Watching You: Privacy, Surveillance, and the Law with Prof. Andrew Guthrie Ferguson
Good Is In The Details
Every time you turn on your phone, you're building a case against yourself. You just don't know it yet. Your Ring camera. Your Google searches. Your Alexa. Your 23andMe DNA. Your fitness tracker. The apps running silently in the background. Every one of these generates data, and every one of them can be accessed by police and prosecutors with a warrant. And warrants, it turns out, are easy to get. In this episode of Good Is In The Details, Gwendolyn Dolske and Rudy Salo sit down with Professor Andrew Guthrie Ferguson — Professor of Law at George Washington University, national...
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How To Be Mindful about our Brains: Brain Surgery, Free Will, and the Illusion of Mind?
Good Is In The Details
What is it like to be a brain surgeon? How much of our personality is determined by brain structure? Do we truly have free will or is it an illusion created by neural processes? Will there ever be a cure for dementia? And could artificial intelligence replace neurosurgeons? In this episode of Good Is In The Details, hosts Gwendolyn Dolske, Ph.D., and Rudy Salo sit down with renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Theodore Schwartz, author of Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery, to explore the intersection of neuroscience, philosophy, medical ethics, and culture. Dr. Schwartz offers a...
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Introduction to Philosophy and Critical Thinking: Bill Tomlinson on Reasoning, Paradox, and AI as a Tool for Thinking
Good Is In The Details
In this episode of Good Is In The Details, hosts Gwendolyn Dolske and Rudy Salo are joined by philosopher and author Bill Tomlinson to explore the foundations of critical thinking and the practice of philosophy. Drawing from his book Dialogues with Artificial Intelligence: On the Tools of Philosophy, the conversation offers an accessible introduction to how philosophers think — and how anyone can develop clearer, more rigorous reasoning. What is philosophy, and how do philosophers approach complex questions? What is the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning? How do...
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Thinking Clearly When Everything Feels Heavy: A Conversation on Media, Bias, and Context
Good Is In The Details
In this special mini-episode of Good Is In The Details, hosts Gwendolyn Dolske and Rudy Salo step away from their usual expert interview format to pause and reflect on the current cultural and political climate and the emotional weight many of us are carrying right now. Rather than taking a political position, this conversation acknowledges something more fundamental: the news, public discourse, and lived reality are affecting all of us, including those of us who spend our time thinking, teaching, and talking about ideas. With particular attention to what’s unfolding in Minnesota and ongoing...
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Revisiting The Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster
Good Is In The Details
On this anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, Good Is In The Details revisits one of history’s most consequential moments in engineering, ethics, and public trust. On January 28, 1986, the Challenger broke apart just 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew members and shocking the world. In this encore episode, Gwendolyn Dolske, Rudy Salo, and Engineering Professor Phil Rosenkrantz explore what really happened behind the scenes, the technical causes of the catastrophic O-ring failure, and the deeply human decisions that led NASA and its contractor to proceed with...
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Everyday Philosophy and Wisdom from the Aztecs
Good Is In The Details
What did the Aztecs believe about ethics, virtue, and the good life? How does Aztec philosophy compare to Aristotle’s ethics? And what can Aztec moral thought teach us about community, responsibility, and flourishing today? In this episode of Good Is In The Details, we explore the philosophy and ethics of the Aztecs with philosophy professor Sebastian Purcell, author of The Wisdom of the Aztecs and The Outward Path. Together, we examine how Aztec moral philosophy challenges modern assumptions about individualism, happiness, and success. Rather than grounding ethics in individual achievement...
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Socrates, Wisdom, and Thinking Critically: Philosophy for Everyday Life
Good Is In The Details
Who was Socrates, and why does he still matter today? In this short episode of Good Is In The Details, Gwendolyn explore Socrates’ understanding of wisdom and virtue through Plato’s Apology, and why philosophy sees critical thinking as a path toward the good life. Gwendolyn gives an accessible introduction of what critical thinking is, why it matters beyond the classroom, and how we’ve practiced public philosophy throughout 2025 with our guests. This episode is perfect for listeners searching for philosophy podcasts, educational podcasts, public philosophy, or a deeper understanding...
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Arts Education, Community, and Creativity
Good Is In The Details
Gwendolyn and Rudy welcome founder/president of Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center, Dr. Dermell Brunson. In this episode we focus on the importance of the arts in education, how it contributes to creative skills, connection with community, and self-esteem. Dr. Brunson debunks the myth that the arts are tangential to a good education. Quite the opposite! Students learn the value of discipline through the process of artistic expression and this paves the way for improved mental health and career opportunities. We address several common questions like: How does arts...
info_outlineIn this episode of Good Is In The Details, hosts Gwendolyn Dolske, PhD, and Rudy Salo are joined by former Orange County prosecutor, true crime expert, and author of The Book of Murder, Matt Murphy, for a compelling conversation at the intersection of philosophy, justice, law, and true crime.
What is justice in real-world criminal cases? How do prosecutors decide when to pursue charges? Can the legal system truly deliver moral justice, or only legal outcomes? Drawing on Murphy’s experience trying high-profile murder cases, this episode explores how law, human judgment, and ethical reasoning meet in moments where lives, responsibility, and truth are at stake.
Together, they examine:
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how prosecutors approach murder cases and real criminal investigations
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the difference between legal justice and moral justice
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how philosophy informs decision-making in law and the courtroom
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why true crime stories reveal deeper questions about human behavior, responsibility, and fairness
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how the justice system works in real cases beyond headlines
Blending true crime insight with philosophical reflection, this conversation makes complex legal and moral questions accessible while offering a deeper look at how justice operates in practice. Whether you are interested in philosophy, law, ethics, criminal justice, or true crime, this episode provides thoughtful perspective on how real-world decisions shape outcomes — and what they reveal about human nature.
Learn more about Matt Murphy: https://www.mattmurphylaw.com/about-matt-murphy-law/
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