I Think, Therefore I Google

22. Why Do We Travel?

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400

We're back, baby! Fresh off of a long trip, jet lagged Thomas once again joins Dzido as they explore the philosophy of travel—why we do it, what we gain from getting lost, and whether the journey is worth the hype. From ancient wanderers to modern influencers, they break down the pros and cons of hitting the road.

Following media mentioned (no major spoilers)

The Beach (2000)

Euro Trip (2004)

Into the Wild (2007)

One Week (2008)

Skyfall (2012)

Hitman: World of Assassination (2016)

Further links/reading

The Philosophy of Travel and the Experience of Otherness - Matt Johnson - https://www.neuroscienceof.com/human-nature-blog/travel-philosophy-experience-otherness?format=amp

Why travel makes you smarter - Jonah Lehrer - https://amp.theguardian.com/travel/2010/mar/14/why-travel-makes-you-smarter

The Case Against Travel - Agnes Callard - https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/the-case-against-travel

In a Sunburned Country - Bill Bryson - https://www.amazon.ca/Sunburned-Country-Bill-Bryson/dp/0385259417/ref=asc_df_0385259417/?gad_source=1&hvadid=706830265619&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvlocint&hvlocphy=9000968&hvnetw=g&hvpone&hvpos&hvptwo&hvqmt&hvrand=15897999251135178339&hvtargid=pla-435997899833&linkCode=df0&mcid=0578333f5b573749b41676931dbfc583&psc=1&tag=googlemobshop-20

[ANNOUNCEMENT] We are taking a break!

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 04:00:00 -0500

Thomas quickly chimes in to let you all know about the exciting year ahead for him.

Thomas and Dzido WILL return...
:)

[BONUS] Our Perfect Video Game Consoles

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 16:00:00 -0500

A bonus episode tie-in to simulation theory! We love simulations so much we decided to bring you a discussion about the video games that have influenced us the most. A fun extra episode recorded as an homage to the great podcast My Perfect Console.

ICE-T1000 (Thomas' console)
Rock Band 2 (2008)
Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)
Halo 3 (2007)
Super Mario Bros 3 (1988)

Dzi-box (Dzido's console)
Duke Nukem 3D (1996)
Quake II (1997)
Subnautica (2018)
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
Grand Theft Auto III (2001)

21. Simulation Theory

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 15:00:00 -0500

Did we decide to record an episode about simulation theory or were we programmed to do so by the creators of our virtually-coded reality? Are we living on some super-futuristic civilization's hard drive? Join us as we question the very concept of our own reality and debate the probability that we exist in the one true universe instead of the potential infinite amount of simulated others.

SPOILERS for the following media
Rick and Morty - "M Night Shaym-Aliens" - S01E04
The Jokester - Isaac Asimov (1956)
Total Recall (1990)

Also mentioned (no spoilers)
The Matrix (1999)
Black Mirror

Further reading/links

Unrecord - Official Early Gameplay Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK76q13Aqt0

ChatGPT AI Game Prototypes - Lee Vermeulen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC_pSgAMbUU

The Simulation Argument - Nick Bostrom
https://simulation-argument.com/

Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies - Nick Bostrom
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Superintelligence-Dangers-Strategies-Nick-Bostrom/dp/0199678111

Is Reality Real? The Simulation Argument - Kurzesagt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlTKTTt47WE

Final Deployment 4: Queen Battle Walkthrough - Adult Swim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKjmDPGJI-4

20. Id, Ego, Super-ego

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Who’s the id, who’s the ego and who’s the super-ego in this episode? Thomas and Dzido discuss one of Sigmund Freud’s most famous concepts and delve into neuroses, psychoanalytic theory as well as Thanos and the Simpsons.

19. Creativity

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 18:00:00 -0400

Let your imaginations run wild as Thomas and Dzido discuss the philosophy of creativity and try to figure out where our lightbulb moments inherently come from. Do we really come up with our own genius ideas or is it divine inspiration all the way down?

Further links

The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
https://www.amazon.co.uk/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026

Creativity - Don't Hug Me I'm Scared
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C_HReR_McQ

A Very Muppet Die Hard - Dzido Szoltysek
https://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/rjhhg1/a_very_muppet_die_hard_actionmuppetry_77_pages/

Krakow Culture Dance Video - Thomas Szoltysek
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG8UFObU50Q

18. Absurdism

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 18:00:00 -0400

Is the cold harsh reality of an uncaring universe getting you down as you struggle to find the meaning of it all? Then this week's episode on absurdism is for you! Thomas and Dzido discuss Albert Camus and his writings, absurdism in the arts, and how Sisyphus can find joy in his never-ending boulder-pushing task.

SPOILERS for the following media
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
The Tree of Life (2011)
The Trial - Franz Kafka (1925)

Further links

The Trial - Franz Kafka
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trial-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/0141182903

Optimistic Nihilism - Kurzesagt (In a Nutshell)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBRqu0YOH14

The Myth of Sisyphus - Albert Camus
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Myth-Sisyphus-Penguin-Great-Ideas/dp/0141023996

17. Time

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 17:00:00 -0500

If Thomas stayed on Earth and Dzido took off on a rocket travelling at relativistic speeds, would he return to earth with the same definition of time for this podcast episode or would the brothers disagree? This week’s timely discussion includes topics such as the definition of time, relativity, the twins paradox and a list of time travel movies that meet Dzido’s excessive standards.

SPOILERS for the following media
Arrival (2016)
Futurama - "The Late Philip J Fry" - S07E06
Predestination (2014) - mild
Primer (2004)

Further links

The Order of Time - Carlo Rovelli
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Order-Time-Carlo-Rovelli/dp/0241292522

Welby CoffeeSpill - YouTube channel with break downs of Tenet
https://www.youtube.com/@WelbyCoffeeSpill

Does time exist? - Andrew Zimmerman Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3tbVHlsKhs

16. Artificial Intelligence

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Enjoy this new podcast about Artificial Intelligence generated by Thomas and Dzido's deep learning neural nets. Topics covered include Narrow vs. General AI, the Turing Test, whole brain emulation and Nazi chatbots. Fun for the whole family!

Further links/reading

Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies - Nick Bostrom

The Last Question - Isaac Asimov
https://www.physics.princeton.edu/ph115/LQ.pdf

The Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence - Philosophy Academy
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLptvJN0FGdSwI_kVITUyTqFOI_qjwOPEI

15. Lovecraftian Horror

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 19:00:00 -0400

Thomas and Dzido are back with a cursed Eldritch monster of an episode as they tackle Lovecraftian horror. Will you be able to contemplate your inconsequential existence in a world filled with unimaginable horrors festering just outside of your view, or will you go mad simply by listening? Join us and find out!

MINOR SPOILERS for the following media
Bird Box (2018)
Event Horizon (1997)
Annihilation (2018)
The Thing (1982)
The Void (2016)
Color Out of Space (2019)

14. Zeno's Paradoxes

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Back to Greece again in this episode as Thomas and Dzido take on Zeno's paradoxes. It's a finite 30 minutes of fun that could be divided into an infinite number of moments. Come join us for a whirlwind tour of parables, math jokes and the guys' realization that they don't remember any high school calculus.

Further links
3 Paradoxes That Gave Us Calculus - Up and Atom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbHqtENNnSY

Zeno's paradox - I.Q. (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuftF3ZnMZM

Zeno's Paradox - Numberphile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Z9UnWOJNY

13. Dreams

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:00:00 -0400

We dream big with this episode, looking to understand why it is that when we fall asleep our minds can take us on the strangest adventures. What is the science of dreams? Why do we have them? We look at REM sleep, lucid dreaming, communication with dreamers, Dzido's thoughts on bears flying airplanes and more!

MINOR SPOILERS for the following media
Dr Strange In the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Inception (2010)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Further links
Dream theories - Khan Academy
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/processing-the-environment/sleep-and-consciousness/v/dream-theories-freud-activation-synthnesis-hypothesis

How do blind people dream? - NBC News
https://web.archive.org/web/20130124114342/http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/09/10602730-how-do-blind-people-dream?lite

12. Chaos Theory

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Thomas and Dzido are back to ask the all-important question: would a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil lead to an all-new episode of the podcast about chaos theory? If the initial conditions aren't measured precisely enough, the topic could be completely different. Listen in as the guys discuss the origins of chaos theory, fractal dimensions and that one Ashton Kutcher movie about time travel.

MINOR SPOILERS for the following media
Blind Chance (1987)
"Remedial Chaos Theory" - S03E04 (2011)

Further links
Chaos Theory - In Our Time: Science, BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00548f6

Jim Al-Khalili Chaos Documentary, BBC
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxpghz

What Is Chaos - Five part online course from University of Texas
http://order.ph.utexas.edu/chaos/

Mandelbrot set
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelbrot_set

Lorenz attractor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenz_system

Jeff Goldblum explaining chaos theory in Jurassic Park (1993)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-mpifTiPV4

Parks and Recreation radio scene (2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYKYPeufTTo

11. Tradition (Happy Holidays!)

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Season's greetings! A bite-sized podcast gift under the Christmas tree for our listeners as Thomas and Dzido tackle the subject of traditions. Why do we have traditions? Are they always useful? What are some of the weirder traditions out there? Listen in to find out and to hear one of the worst attempts at singing Fiddler on the Roof in podcast history.

No major spoilers this episode

Suggested further research
The pizza effect
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_effect
"Submitting to my husband like its 1959": Why I became a Tradwife - BBC Stories
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwT-zYo4-OM
Mari Lwyd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XFafIKsbKE

10. Nietzsche

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 17:00:00 -0500

Übermensches Thomas and Dzido discuss the background and works of Friedrich Nietzsche, a philosopher whose very name evokes deep ideas of nihilism and death, of God and supermen. Was Nietzsche actually such a downer? Is God really dead? Did Nietzsche have the musical skills to write a hit song? Listen to today's episode to find out!

No major spoilers this episode

Suggested further research
PHILOSPHY - Nietzsche - The School of Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHWbZmg2hzU
NIETZSCHE ON: The Superman - The School of Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxiKqA-u8y4
Becoming Who You Really Are - The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche - Pursuit of Wonder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUjoFzT0VNI
Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morality - In Our Time: Philosophy
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nietzsches-genealogy-of-morality/id463701671?i=1000380027716

9. Music

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 17:00:00 -0400

Enjoy the melodic sounds of Thomas and Dzido discussing the philosophy of music. What is music? Can silence be a song? Why does the minor key evoke feelings of sadness and longing? And most importantly, what led Thomas to finally appreciate aggressive metal electronica?

No major spoilers this episode

Suggested further research
Indifference to dissonance in native Amazonians reveals cultural variation in music perception - Josh McDermott and co
https://www.nature.com/articles/nature18635
Emotional responses to music: The need to consider underlying mechanism - Patrick N Juslin and Daniel Vastfjall
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18826699/
Is There a Formula Behind Good Music? - Seeker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTZhrscLuo4
Why Does Music Move Us? - It's Okay to Be Smart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT3O93-nxDc
Is Sad Music Actually Sad? - PBS Idea Channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWWYE4eLEfk
Your brain on music - Alan Harvey - TEDx Perth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZFFwy5fwYI
Big Think - Derek Thompson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwmijEZ5sbM
John Cage 4'33'' (the silent orchestral piece)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWVUp12XPpU
A Psychological Approach to Musical Form: The Habituation–Fluency Theory of Repetition - David Huron
https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/currentmusicology/article/view/5312

8. The Ship of Theseus

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 16:00:00 -0400

The boys are back from a break, but if their cells have been regularly renewing while they were away then is it truly the same boys that are back? Time to talk about identity and the Ship of Theseus thought experiment. It asks, if all the components of an object have been replaced, is it still the same object?

BEWARE OF SPOILERS for the following media
Wandavision (2021)
"The Six Million Dollar Mon" - S07E07 of Futurama (2012)
The Prestige (2006)
Bicentennial Man (1999)

Regarding the Star Trek teleportation debate
According to the article linked below, there are several instances that suggest that there IS a continuity of consciousness when using the teleportation device. This is confirmed by Star Trek novelist Christopher L Bennett. However, the actual science fiction behind it is still much debated. Proposed solutions include stuff involving quantum physics, dimensional transfers/wormholes and the persistence of the soul. Overall its a very good read to anyone interested, and it even references our favourite ship!

Suggested further research
Is beaming down in Star Trek a death sentence? - Ars Technica - https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/09/is-beaming-down-in-star-trek-a-death-sentence/#:~:text=Probably%20not.,NOT%20involve%20killing%20the%20person.
The Ship of Theseus - Stuff to Blow Your Mind (Podcast) - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-vault-the-ship-of-theseus/id350359306?i=1000456957019
The Ship of Theseus: Metaphysics - Wireless Philosophy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYAoiLhOuao

7. Free Will

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 18:00:00 -0500

Did you decide to search for a philosophy podcast today or was your search simply a cause-and-effect result of the unbroken chain of sequential events stretching back to the beginning of time? Determinism, moral responsibility, omniscience, Watchmen debates... all this and more in this month's podcast about free will!

Further reading/viewing
Split Brain Experiments - https://www.nature.com/news/the-split-brain-a-tale-of-two-halves-1.10213
Brain tumour causes uncontrollable paedophilia - https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2943-brain-tumour-causes-uncontrollable-paedophilia/
Charles Whitman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Whitman#Autopsy
Crash Course Philosophy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCGtkDzELAI
Frequencies - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequencies_(film)
Arrival - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrival_(film)
Watchmen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen

6. Altruism (Merry Christmas!)

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 09:00:00 -0500

The holiday season is upon us as Thomas and Dzido bring you the gift of a discussion about altruism. What are Santa's true motivations? Can someone be truly selfless or do I scratch your back solely so that you scratch mine? Listen to this month's podcast to find out!

5. Plato

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 09:00:00 -0500

If a Mount Rushmore of Philosophers existed in the real world, or even just as a Platonic ideal, this man's face would feature prominently. The guys tackle one of the grand-daddies of philosophy, Plato himself. Topics discussed include Plato's history, his style of discourse as well as his famous Theory of Forms.

4. Hedonism

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 10:00:00 -0400

Enjoy this discussion about the history and philosophy of hedonism. Or don't, if seeking pleasure isn't what drives you. Thomas and Dzido look at different types of hedonism, issues that arise with trying to define "pleasure", and our inevitable Matrix-like fate in "The Experience Machine."

3. Existentialism

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 17:00:00 -0400

Has looking into the void for too long left you with existential angst? Facing the absurd have you questioning what it all means? Join Thomas and Dzido as they attempt to unpack existentialism with a discussion that touches on Kierkegaard, Sartre, Dostoyevsky, Fight Club, Japanese anime(?!) and more.

Further reading:

Webster University Entry on Philosophy by Bob Corbett
http://faculty.webster.edu/corbetre/philosophy/existentialism/whatis.html

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Existentialism
https://iep.utm.edu/existent/

School of Life - Sartre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bQsZxDQgzU&t=173s

Mentioned films/shows:

Fight Club
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight_Club

Groundhog Day
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day_(film)

Neon Genesis Evangelion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon_Genesis_Evangelion

2. The Definition of Life

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 14:00:00 -0400

Philosophy meets science in this jam packed episode! What constitutes being "alive"? Is there one single definition? And are viruses truly alive? Thomas and Dzido try to answer these questions and more.

Extra notes:
3:00 - small correction, Georg Ernst Stahl (not Dahl) was a supporter of vitalism
53:50 - Indeed in The Matrix (1999), Agent Smith says, "Human beings are a disease, cancer of this planet."

Mentioned books/links:
Scale: The Universal Laws of Life and Death in Organisms, Cities and Companies - Geoffrey West
Are Viruses Alive? - Scientific American https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-viruses-alive/
What Is Life? Is Death Real? - Kurzgesagt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOCaacO8wus

1. Stoicism

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 18:00:00 -0400

This episode Thomas and Dzido dive headfirst into learning about stoicism. How can the teachings of the school of stoicism be helpful during times of crisis, and was Seneca really just an emotionless robot?