The Podcast For Inquiry
A podcast for scientific, skeptical, secular, rational and humanistic inquiry. They’ve got answers? We’ve got questions.
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The building blocks of corporate scandals: Guido Palazzo reveals the Dark Pattern
11/19/2025
The building blocks of corporate scandals: Guido Palazzo reveals the Dark Pattern
Corporate scandals are depressingly common, and it’s all too easy to chalk them up to individual bad apples. Unfortunately, this simple explanation is not accurate. Guido’s research led him to write The Dark Pattern: The hidden dynamics of corporate scandals, which details the nine building blocks that lead otherwise good people to do bad things. He explains the importance of context, why psychopaths are wildly overrepresented in corporate boardrooms, and the societal structures that too often lead to egregious behaviour from companies across the globe. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Andrew Coyne on the Crisis of Canadian Democracy
11/05/2025
Andrew Coyne on the Crisis of Canadian Democracy
Andrew Coyne () is a columnist for The Globe and Mail and author of The Crisis of Canadian Democracy. In today’s episode, Andrew makes the case that Canadian democracy is headed for a crisis. He talks about the problems of Canada’s first past the post or “winner takes all” election system. The conversation includes an analysis of a wide range of issues: the diminishing contributions that MPs are allowed to make; how candidates, cabinet members, and even party leaders are selected; and the ever increasing concentration of power within the Prime Minister’s Office. Andrew outlines steps that can be taken to increase democratic representation in Canada that may avert a potential looming crisis of legitimacy. —----- Society of Freethinkers is hosting Humanism in Action II on Sunday, November 22 2025 in Kitchener Ontario. More details and registration information are available at: Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Once Upon a Prime with Sarah Hart
10/22/2025
Once Upon a Prime with Sarah Hart
Leslie’s conversation with Sarah starts with the connections between mathematics and literature, including references to Shakespeare, Herman Melville, George Eliot, Lewis Carroll, Douglas Adams, and more. Good writing has structure, and structure can be understood in mathematical terms, and Sarah explains how mathematics can greatly enrich one’s enjoyment of literature. Sarah also describes how mathematics can be used to obfuscate rather than clarify, and how being a female mathematician today is different - and similar! - as in the 19th century. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Modern Stoicism for modern life, with modern Stoic Donald Robertson
10/08/2025
Modern Stoicism for modern life, with modern Stoic Donald Robertson
() is a writer, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist, and trainer. He is one of the founding members of the nonprofit, and the founder and president of the nonprofit in Athens, Greece. Leslie's conversation with Donald traces the path from ancient Stoicism to the modern day. The word stoicism had come to mean something very different over time, but that has started to change as Stoicism the philosophy has been more popular in recent years. Stoic principles lie at the heart of cognitive behavioural therapy, and we talk about how incorporating Stoic principles into one’s own life can lead to more emotional resilience, a greater sense of satisfaction, and more meaningful relationships with others. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Justin Ling on the right wing media ecosystem
09/24/2025
Justin Ling on the right wing media ecosystem
(@) is an investigative journalist who writes the newsletter and recently published the book . The conversation begins with the right wing media ecosystem, and its effect particularly on US politics. Justin explains why there isn’t really a counterpart on the left, and what makes Canada different from the United States in this regard. Leslie and Justin move on to democracy and authoritarianism on the international stage, and how to develop healthy media consumption habits in today’s world. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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The Examined Run with Sabrina Little
09/11/2025
The Examined Run with Sabrina Little
Sabrina Little is a philosopher, ultra-runner, and the author of The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners. She is a five-time U.S. National Champion in trail and ultrarunning, a former American Record Holder, and World Silver Medalist. In today’s episode, Sabrina answers the question: Why do good people make better runners? What are the performance enhancing virtues, and do they outweigh the performance enhancing vices? She talks about the difference in taking a short vs long term perspective, the importance and challenge of balancing the multiple areas of life that need your time and attention, what being competitive means, and how the same behaviours can be described in very different ways. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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ENCORE: Gretchen Morgenson on her book These are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs -- and Wrecks -- America
08/27/2025
ENCORE: Gretchen Morgenson on her book These are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs -- and Wrecks -- America
What is Private Equity, and how does it work? () is a Pulitzer-winning journalist whose latest book is These are the Plunderers. Gretchen exposes the bad and often illegal activities of Private Equity firms, and tries to explain why they have been allowed to get away with it for so long. She explains how Private Equity firms operate behind the scenes to ensure the loopholes that substantially reduce their tax bills are never closed, and details recent events that might give cause for hope. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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ENCORE - The Christian Destruction of the Classical World with Catherine Nixey
08/13/2025
ENCORE - The Christian Destruction of the Classical World with Catherine Nixey
Catherine Nixey is the author of The Darkening Age, which documents how early Christians burned texts, defaced or demolished statues, and became increasingly intolerant of any thought or behaviour that deviated from their interpretation of Scripture. Catherine and Leslie discuss religious pluralism in the Roman Empire and how it changed after the Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity - and why Christianity, despite its similarity to many other cults that arose at that time. It is a rare book that is well-researched, engrossing, on an interesting topic, and superbly written, but The Darkening Age is all of these. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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ENCORE: Seth Andrews, host of the Thinking Atheist, on Christians acting in un-Christian ways
07/30/2025
ENCORE: Seth Andrews, host of the Thinking Atheist, on Christians acting in un-Christian ways
() is the host of , a very popular podcast and online resource for nonbelievers. Seth talks about his life as an evangelical Christian and what led him to leave his faith. He and Leslie talk about how many Christians embrace seemingly un-Christian beliefs and policies, and what Humanists need to do to make the world a better place. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Leslie’s Diatribes #4: AI: Show Me the Money!
07/16/2025
Leslie’s Diatribes #4: AI: Show Me the Money!
There are many critiques that people have made about the AI industry: privacy, piracy, electricity and water usage, hallucinations, and more. Leslie focuses on one aspect he doesn’t understand at all: Where does the money come from? Each AI datacentre costs tens of billions to build - hundreds of billions have been spent across the industry. And answering each question, or generating each image, sound, or video - is also very expensive. Hardly any consumers, and very few companies, are paying for AI services. If they’re not profitable, and there’s no clear path to become so, why are the market capitalizations of AI firms so high? Leslie asks these questions, and more, in his latest diatribe. Opinions in this bonus episode are Leslie’s alone, and are not shared by others on the Podcast for Inquiry team or the Centre for inquiry Canada. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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ENCORE: What It Means to be Moral with Phil Zuckerman
07/02/2025
ENCORE: What It Means to be Moral with Phil Zuckerman
PfI is on hiatus for the summer, so we're bringing you some of our favourite episodes from our back catalogue. New shows will resume in September. is a professor of Secular Studies at Pitzer College. Phil describes what the Secular Studies program entails from philosophical, political, and sociological perspectives. Phil is the author of What It Means to be Moral, and he and Leslie discuss how leading an ethical life does not require a religious foundation. Phil is the Executive Director of , and you can read his most recent articles and essays on . Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Aaron Devor explains the ABCs of the Trans+ community
06/18/2025
Aaron Devor explains the ABCs of the Trans+ community
Leslie speaks with Aaron about many issues related to transgender people, or the Trans+ community. They discuss how the perceived binaries of sex, sexual preference, gender, and gender expression are more complicated and nuanced in reality. Aaron details how many people identify as transgender and nonbinary in Canada, and provides insights into many current controversies including pronouns, sports, puberty blockers, and incarceration. , PhD, FSSSS, FSTLHE, is an internationally recognized leader in Transgender Studies who has been studying and teaching about transgender topics since the early 1980s. He established and holds the world’s first ; initiated and hosts the international, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational conferences; and founded and is the subject matter expert for the world’s largest He has published widely on transgender topics and has received numerous awards for his research and advocacy work. His opinions are frequently sought by the media, and he has delivered more than 40 keynote and plenary addresses to audiences around the world. He is a national-award-winning teacher, a former Dean of Graduate Studies, and a professor of Sociology, at the University of Victoria. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Is nuclear energy low carbon, cost efficient, and sustainable? Jason Donev has the answers.
06/04/2025
Is nuclear energy low carbon, cost efficient, and sustainable? Jason Donev has the answers.
If uranium in a nuclear power plant emits so much radiation it boils tons of water, how safe is it for workers? Given the huge facilities required and massive mining efforts, is nuclear truly carbon neutral? Is there enough uranium in the earth for nuclear energy to be a long term source of electricity? If we build more nuclear plants, will we retire fossil fuel sources of electricity or simply increase our electricity usage accordingly? Jason Donev answers all these questions, and more, in our second conversation on nuclear energy. References from our conversation: Prof. Jason Donev is tenured at the University of Calgary. He leads the world’s largest and most used energy resource for adults, . Prof. Donev works to help people understand nuclear power's role in providing reliable energy without emitting greenhouse gasses. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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BONUS: BAHACON 4 in Sarnia Ontario, August 8-10, 2025
05/21/2025
BONUS: BAHACON 4 in Sarnia Ontario, August 8-10, 2025
The fourth BAHACON is coming in a little over two month’s time. Leslie speaks with Jeff Brooks about the conference’s location, speakers, and other attractions that makes the Bluewater Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics conference so popular for attendees from across North America. Learn more and register at Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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New clear nuclear news, with Jason Donev
05/14/2025
New clear nuclear news, with Jason Donev
Prof. Jason Donev is tenured at the University of Calgary. He leads the world’s largest and most used energy resource for adults, . As a reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Prof. Donev works to help people understand nuclear power's role in providing reliable energy without emitting greenhouse gases. Jason talks about how much energy people around the world use, with a reminder that electricity is only a fraction of our overall energy budget. Jason describes nuclear energy’s advantages and disadvantages compared with the other major sources of electricity. We also discuss some concerns people have about nuclear energy, including its overall safety and storing its waste products. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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A little less livestock, a lot more action - with Mark Lynas
04/30/2025
A little less livestock, a lot more action - with Mark Lynas
Mark Lynas is the author of several environmental books, including Seeds of Science (2018), Our Final Warning (2020), and the forthcoming Six Minutes to Winter. Until 2024 he was research and climate lead with the Alliance for Science at the Boyce Thompson Institute, an affiliate of Cornell University. Mark is now the policy lead with the pro-science environmental campaign network WePlanet, launched in 2021 and now active in 18 countries. Our conversation starts with a recognition of the dire emergency presented by climate change, and that human food production is a significant contributor to humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions. Three changes can greatly reduce the environment impact of feeding ourselves: Reduce or eliminate human consumption of beef and lamb (See ) Remove legal and regulatory barriers to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) Remove legal and regulatory barriers to precision fermentation Mark believes a brighter future is possible if we allow our policy decisions to be guided by the best scientific knowledge and insight we have available. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Nigerian Nightmare: The personal toll of being a Humanist, with Mubarak Bala
04/16/2025
Nigerian Nightmare: The personal toll of being a Humanist, with Mubarak Bala
Mubarak Bala was born in Nigeria's Kano State, on the southern coasts of the Sahara Desert, in 1984. He was schooled in both the Islamic and modern education system. This makes him an outlier, since most families believe the two school systems are mutually exclusive. Boko, Western Education, is Haram, or unIslamic. When Mubarak started doubting the existence of demons, he was told that displaying any doubt was denying the word of the prophet. When his beliefs evolved to atheism, he paid an enormous price for saying so publicly. We talk about his experiences and also about Nigerian society, the Humanist Association of Nigeria, and Mubarak’s plans for the future. Read Mubarak’s essay, Resolve of a Right-Thinking Nation: Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Cell phones, Cinemas, and Comestibles: Canada’s Conundrum with Monopolies, with Vass Bednar
04/02/2025
Cell phones, Cinemas, and Comestibles: Canada’s Conundrum with Monopolies, with Vass Bednar
Vass Bednar is the Executive Director of McMaster University’s Master of Public Policy program, and the co-author of The Big Fix: How Companies Capture Markets and Harm Canadians. Our conversation starts with the observation that many sectors in Canada’s economy are dominated by one or only a few firms. Vass and Leslie discuss whether that is good or bad for Canadians, including an analysis of cinemas, grocery stores, and banking. They debate the role of government, the tools it has at its disposal, and what the future might hold. Relevant resources: NICE, the Network of Independent Cinema Exhibitors: Access to Markets Statistics Canada and Canadian Competition Bureau paper on markups: Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Trials and tribulations trying to bring a refugee to Canada
03/19/2025
Trials and tribulations trying to bring a refugee to Canada
In 2019, Brian and Brent (members of the Calgary-based ) joined a “Group of Five (G5)” sponsorship committee (one of the ways Canada allows private citizens to resettle refugees in Canada) to bring a UN recognized refugee, Omer, to Canada. When Omer expressed doubts about his faith, he had to flee his native country of Pakistan due to threats on his life. Omer has been living in hiding in Nepal for several years. Though Omer’s should have been a straightforward case, the experience of navigating the bureaucracies of several nations - as well as the COVID-19 pandemic - has been anything but. Brian and Brent describe the challenges they have experienced with bringing Omer to Canada, as well their insights in Canada’s overall refugee system. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Distinguishing jargon from gobbledygook - Dr. Jonathan Stea on evidence-based medicine over wellness industry misinformation
03/05/2025
Distinguishing jargon from gobbledygook - Dr. Jonathan Stea on evidence-based medicine over wellness industry misinformation
(, ) is a full-time practicing clinical psychologist and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary. In today’s episode, Jonathan reveals that many mental health practitioners have no scientific grounding for their treatments, which can lead to disaster - yet it can be very difficult for an layperson to distinguish between a new technique they don’t understand that works, and a new technique they don’t understand that is gibberish. “Quantum neurological reset therapy” should get your spidey sense tingling, and Jonathan shares a few other signs of pseudoscientific grift as well. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Burkas, beatings and bicycles - The life of Yasmine Mohammed
02/19/2025
Burkas, beatings and bicycles - The life of Yasmine Mohammed
Yasmine Mohammed is a human rights activist and author of Unveiled: How the West Empowers Radical Muslims. Yasmine is one of the most prominent and vocal figures supporting persecuted freethinkers across the globe, from elevating the voices of marginalized freethinkers on her podcast, to creating a global network of allies across religious and political divides through the CLARITy Coalition. Yasmine shares how her childhood was dramatically changed when her mother became an unofficial “second wife” to a devout Muslim man, and how Canada failed to protect her due to the bigotry of low expectations. She describes her journey from non-practicing Muslim to becoming an open atheist, and how the trauma of her childhood continued to haunt her as an adult. We also discuss how countries suffer under Islamic rule, the particular hatred of Jews that is a core element of Islam, and the origin of and problems with the term Islamophobia. Learn more about Yasmine and support her efforts: , , , Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Everything you always wanted to know about the solar system* (*but were afraid to ask), with John E. Moores
02/05/2025
Everything you always wanted to know about the solar system* (*but were afraid to ask), with John E. Moores
(, ) is a planetary scientist and associate professor at York University. He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada, formerly served as the Science Advisor to the President of the Canadian Space Agency and has contributed to five NASA and ESA-led space missions. He is the co-author of Daydreaming in the Solar System, which imagines a future when visiting other planets is as common as hiking in a national park. The book is also grounded in the latest scientific knowledge about planetary geophysics. In addition to talking about the book, John answers some of Leslie’s pressing questions about the solar system, including: How do planets and moons become tidally locked? Why are most planets in the solar system aligned in a plane? Why are there gaps in Saturn’s rings? Is there life elsewhere in the solar system, or in the universe? Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Produced by Zack Dumont, Martin Zielinski, and Leslie Rosenblood. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Gaia Vince identifies the four horsemen of the Anthropocene
01/22/2025
Gaia Vince identifies the four horsemen of the Anthropocene
() is an award-winning science writer and author. She is particularly interested in the interaction between human systems and Earth’s planetary systems. Her research has taken her around the world. Gaia’s latest book is Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World. We are already at 1.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures, with significantly more to come. The four horsemen of the anthropocene - fire, heat, drought, and flood - will lead human migration on an unprecedented scale. Gaia describes what we must do, individually and collectively, to prepare. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Canada has not reconciled with its Indigenous peoples, say Maureen Bulbrook and Christina Ninham
01/08/2025
Canada has not reconciled with its Indigenous peoples, say Maureen Bulbrook and Christina Ninham
Maureen Bulbrook and Christina Ninham are Indigenous lawyers who know from direct experience that Canada has never stopped discriminating against its First Nations people, from the Doctrine of Discovery at the time of contact to current day (with Prime Minister Harper arguing that residential school records should be destroyed even as he apologized for Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples and Prime Minister Trudeau failing to deliver on his promise of clean drinking water in all Indigenous communities). Canada passed a law in November 2024 banning forced sterilization because of the ongoing commonplace practice of doing so to primarily Indigenous women. For reliable information about First Nations people, visit: Canadian government websites First Nations community websites APTN Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . ! Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Paco Calvo considers the possibility of plant intelligence
12/18/2024
Paco Calvo considers the possibility of plant intelligence
Paco’s thesis is a provocative one: plants are, in a meaningful sense, intelligent. Paco discusses what intelligence is, and how we might recognize it in other beings. People used to believe that only humans are intelligent. Over time, other mammals were deemed to also think and feel. Today, most people grant that many animals, such as birds and octopi, exhibit intelligent behaviours. Paco extends this to plants by detailing what science has to say - both theoretically and empirically - about the hypothesis of plant intelligence. The conversation concludes with some thoughts about the moral and philosophical implications if plants are found to be truly intelligent. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Heresy: Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God, with Catherine Nixey
12/04/2024
Heresy: Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God, with Catherine Nixey
Why do scholars now refer to early Christianities instead of early Christianity? How has the meaning of the word “Heresy” changed from its original definition to taking on its current connotations? Why did Christianity grow from a fringe cult with few followers and disdained by the intelligentsia and people in power to becoming the largest religion in the world today? What did humanity lose with Christianity’s rise? answers all these questions and more as she discusses her new book, Heresy, on Podcast for Inquiry. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Saving civilization is about more than climate change, says Professor Katherine Richardson
11/20/2024
Saving civilization is about more than climate change, says Professor Katherine Richardson
All life on earth ultimately depends on energy and how it flows between biological and geochemical systems on the planet. Katherine Richardson and her team identified which need to be respected if our planet is to remain conducive to human thriving. Climate change is just one of them. We are exceeding six boundaries, and in recent years they are all getting worse. Katherine discusses how she and her team identified the nine planetary boundaries and why it is essential to consider how they interact, instead of viewing them as independent issues. The effects of exceeding planetary boundaries are affecting life today, disrupting air travel, causing severe flooding, and contributing to more frequent and powerful storms. (For the most up to date overview, read , published in Nature magazine on November 8, 2024.) We have the knowledge and technology to live within the planetary boundaries; the question remains whether we have the will, and the time, to implement them. The nine planetary boundaries are: Climate change Biosphere integrity Stratospheric ozone depletion Ocean acidification Phosphorus and nitrogen biogeochemical flows Land system change Freshwater change Atmospheric aerosol loading Novel entities Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Melanie Trecek-King defines and discusses critical thinking
10/23/2024
Melanie Trecek-King defines and discusses critical thinking
Many people - especially those in skeptical organizations like CFIC - talk about the importance of critical thinking. But what is it? How can we use it effectively? How do people navigate complex subject areas without developing deep expertise? Melanie Trecek-King, creator of , discusses how people internalize beliefs, how they can be a part of one’s identity, why some issues become politicized, what constitutes good evidence, and much, much more. Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Does the Bible endorse slavery and genocide? Dr. Joshua Bowen provides receipts.
10/09/2024
Does the Bible endorse slavery and genocide? Dr. Joshua Bowen provides receipts.
In his first appearance on Podcast for Inquiry, Dr. Josh Bowen compared what we know about history from archaeology and contemporaneous literature with the stories from the Old Testament. In today’s episode, Dr. Bowen reveals what the Bible has to say about slavery and genocide, and goes a bit outside his comfort zone to talk about whether the Old Testament should be considered a guide to a moral and ethical life. Referenced during the conversation: Read Dr. Bowen’s latest book: (Extensively Revised and Expanded Second Edition) Watch Josh Subscribe to Megan Lewis' podcast with Bart Ehrman Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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Kate Cohen believes atheists should be out and proud
09/25/2024
Kate Cohen believes atheists should be out and proud
Kate Cohen talks about her journey from privately knowing she was a non-believer to writing We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too). She discusses how being an atheist and a commitment to honesty informed how she raised her children, and how being forthright about her lack of belief in social interactions has simplified her life. We also talk about some of the challenges associated with being an open atheist. Kate is a and some of the articles she references in the conversation are below. . Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the . Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: . Send your thoughts and feedback to .
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