Mindscape
Science & Ideas
About
Sean Carroll on physics, philosophy and the universe.
Episodes
- AMA | May 2026
This episode of Mindscape is an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session from May 2026. The questions are submitted by Patreon supporters of the podcast.
- 352 | Bing Brunton on Connecting the Connectome to the Body
Bing Brunton, a neuroscientist, discusses the connectome as the brain's wiring diagram. She explains how studying the connectome, particularly in fruit flies, helps to understand how neuronal circuits control bodily motion. This research a…
- 351 | Peter Singer on Maximizing Good for All Sentient Creatures
This podcast episode features philosopher Peter Singer discussing utilitarianism, animal rights, and effective altruism. The conversation covers metaethical questions, practical ethics, and end-of-life decisions.
- 350 | J. Eric Oliver on the Self and How to Know It
J. Eric Oliver, a political science professor, discusses understanding the "self" and the complexities involved. He integrates perspectives from various fields including psychology and neuroscience.
- AMA | April 2026
This is the April 2026 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape. The host answers questions submitted by Patreon supporters.
- 349 | Daniel Harlow on What Quantum Gravity Teaches Us About Quantum Mechanics
In this episode, Daniel Harlow discusses the relationship between quantum gravity and quantum mechanics. He covers topics such as black holes, the wave function of the universe, and the AdS/CFT correspondence.
- 348 | Jessica Riskin on Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Life as Creative Agency
In this episode, Jessica Riskin discusses Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. She highlights his ideas on evolutionary biology, including the concept of organisms having a creative agency.
- 347 | Andrew Guthrie Ferguson on How Your Data Will Be Used Against You
Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, a law professor, discusses how data about our lives is collected and used by authorities. He talks about his book "Your Data Will Be Used Against You: Policing in the Age of Self-Surveillance" and the implications…
- 346 | Erica Cartmill on How Human and Animal Minds Think and Play
Anthropologist and cognitive scientist Erica Cartmill discusses the ways human and animal minds think and play. She explores comparisons between species and what these differences reveal about social behaviors and intelligence.
- AMA | March 2026
This is the monthly Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode of Mindscape for March 2026. Questions are submitted by Patreon supporters and selected by the host.
- 345 | Adam Elga on Being Rational in a Very Large Universe
Adam Elga, a philosopher, explores the concept of rationality when faced with uncertainties in vast contexts like cosmology and quantum mechanics. He also delves into uncertainties about humanity's future or the possibility of living in a…
- 344 | Adam Gurri on Liberal Democracy and How to Fight For It
Adam Gurri, editor-in-chief of Liberal Currents, joins Sean Carroll to discuss liberal democracy. They explore the historical progression of democracy, freedom, and individual rights, as well as recent challenges to the liberal consensus.
- 343 | Tom Griffiths on The Laws of Thought
Tom Griffiths discusses human thought as a process involving logical and probabilistic reasoning, and inherent limitations. He shares insights from his book, "The Laws of Thought: The Quest for a Mathematical Theory of Mind."
- AMA | Feb 2026
This is the February 2026 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape. Sean Carroll answers questions submitted by Patreon supporters.
- 342 | Rachell Powell on Evolutionary Convergence, Morality, and Mind
Rachell Powell explores evolutionary convergence, natural selection, and its implications for various life forms. The discussion covers how mutations and selection pressures shape evolution, leading to both divergence and convergence in sp…
- 341 | Stewart Brand on Maintenance as an Organizing Principle
In this episode of Mindscape, Stewart Brand discusses the importance of maintenance as an organizing principle. He explores the challenges and rewards associated with maintaining systems and technologies.
- 340 | Rebecca Newberger Goldstein on What Matters and Why It Matters
Rebecca Newberger Goldstein explores the multifaceted concept of "mattering" and its impact on human motivation and conflict, drawing insights from her book "The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us." She di…
- 339 | Ned Block on Whether Consciousness Requires Biology
In this episode, philosopher Ned Block discusses whether consciousness necessitates a biological foundation. He explores the limitations of the Turing Test as a measure of consciousness and examines the idea that consciousness might be mor…
- Holiday Message 2025 | The Romance of the University
This Mindscape episode offers a holiday message reflecting on higher education in the liberal arts and sciences. The host discusses the personal growth possibilities and idealistic values associated with a university education, rather than…
- AMA | December 2025
This is an Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape from December 2025. The host answers questions submitted by Patreon supporters. The episode also promotes the Pods Fight Poverty effort.
- 338 | Ryan Patterson on the Physics of Neutrinos
In this episode, Ryan Patterson discusses the physics of neutrinos. He covers current experiments, implications for dark matter, and the cosmic imbalance between particles and antiparticles.
- 337 | Kevin Zollman on Game Theory, Signals, and Meaning
Kevin Zollman joins Mindscape to discuss game theory, its relevance in various fields, and its connection to the origin of meaning in human language. He explores how game-theoretic thinking can be applied to understand interactions from in…
- 336 | Anil Ananthaswamy on the Mathematics of Neural Nets and AI
Anil Ananthaswamy explores the mathematical and algorithmic foundations of neural networks and AI in this episode. The discussion covers topics such as the curse of dimensionality, backpropagation, and transformer architectures.
- AMA | November 2025
This episode of Mindscape is an Ask Me Anything (AMA) from November 2025. Host Sean Carroll answers questions submitted by Patreon supporters, sometimes grouping similar topics together. He also mentions some of his favorite TV shows.
- 335 | Andrew Jaffe on Models, Probability, and the Universe
Andrew Jaffe, a cosmologist, discusses models and probability in relation to understanding the universe, drawing from his book, "The Random Universe." He explains that scientific progress is tentative, with scientists proposing models and…
- 334 | Daniel Whiteson on the Physics of and by Aliens
Physicist Daniel Whiteson explores the potential differences in how aliens might conduct science and comprehend physics. He discusses these ideas, which are also featured in his book co-written with Andy Warner, "Do Aliens Speak Physics?"
- 333 | Gordon Pennycook on Unthinkingness, Conspiracies, and What to Do About Them
Gordon Pennycook discusses "unthinkingness" as an alternative to irrationality in explaining why people hold inaccurate beliefs. He explores how this concept can inform strategies to reduce susceptibility to misinformation and conspiracies.
- 332 | Dmitri Tymoczko on the Mathematics Behind Music
Dmitri Tymoczko, a composer and music theorist, discusses the mathematical principles underlying music. He explains the construction of different musical scales and the mathematics that determine harmonious sounds.
- AMA | October 2025
This episode of Mindscape is an Ask Me Anything (AMA) for October 2025. Patreon supporters submit questions that are then answered in the episode.
- 331 | Solo: Fine-Tuning, God, and the Multiverse
This episode of Mindscape discusses the apparent fine-tuning of the universe, examining concepts like natural constants and initial conditions. It explores perspectives such as the anthropic principle, the multiverse, and theism as explana…
- 330 | Petter Törnberg on the Dynamics of (Mis)Information
Petter Törnberg discusses characteristics of complex systems and the dynamics of information. He covers how polarization develops and how artificial agents can help steer communities. Törnberg is an Assistant Professor at the University of…
- 329 | Steven Pinker on Rationality and Common Knowledge
Steven Pinker discusses the concept of common knowledge and its role in human interactions and societal norms. He explains how common knowledge, or its absence, can influence aspects like money and power.
- 328 | Mary Roach on Replacing Parts of Our Bodies
Mary Roach discusses the history and challenges of replacing human body parts, from ancient prosthetics to modern organ transplants. The conversation covers the ingenuity and difficulties involved in replicating human anatomy, as detailed…
- AMA | September 2025
This is the monthly Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape for September 2025. The host answers questions submitted by Patreon supporters.
- 327 | Cass Sunstein on Liberalism
Cass Sunstein discusses the philosophy of liberalism, its historical figures, and contemporary challenges. He explores the philosophical case for liberalism and modern political challenges to it.
- 326 | Natalie Batalha on What We Know and Will Learn About Exoplanets
Natalie Batalha joins Mindscape to discuss exoplanets, covering current knowledge and future discoveries. The conversation explores the properties, distribution, and atmospheres of exoplanets, as well as the possibility of life.
- 325 | Alvy Ray Smith on Pixar, Pixels, and the Great Digital Convergence
Alvy Ray Smith, co-founder of Pixar and author of "A Biography of the Pixel," discusses the increasing digitalization of information and its implications. He also shares his experiences in making computer animation a reality, touching on w…
- 324 | Elizabeth Mynatt on Universities and the Importance of Basic Research
Elizabeth Mynatt, Dean of Computer Sciences at Northeastern, discusses why universities are good places to conduct basic research and the synergies created by combining teaching and research. She also talks about her own research in human-…
- AMA | August 2025
This is an Ask Me Anything episode from August 2025. It features questions submitted by Patreon supporters of the podcast.
- 323 | Jacob Barandes on Indivisible Stochastic Quantum Mechanics
Jacob Barandes presents a new quantum theory that proposes real degrees of freedom with stochastic dynamics, eliminating the wave function. This discussion explores the theory and its challenges within the ongoing search for a foundational…
- 322 | Philip Pettit on Language, Agency, Politics, and Freedom
In this episode of Mindscape, philosopher Philip Pettit explores how language and social capacities differentiate humans from other species. He discusses how these abilities relate to human agency, responsibility, and freedom, drawing from…
- 321 | David Tong on Open Questions in Quantum Field Theory
David Tong joins the podcast to discuss open questions and perplexing aspects of quantum field theory. He also talks about his project to write a series of textbooks on theoretical physics topics.
- AMA | July 2025
This is the July 2025 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape. Patreon supporters submit questions, and the host selects them based on their ability to provide interesting answers.
- 320 | Solo: Complexity and the Universe
This episode discusses the progression of complexity in the universe, from its initial simple state to its anticipated return to simplicity. It examines the process of complexogenesis and the research dedicated to understanding it.
- 319 | Bryan Van Norden on Philosophy From the Rest of the World
Bryan Van Norden joins Mindscape to discuss the importance of recognizing and studying various global philosophical traditions. He argues for expanding philosophy's geographical scope beyond the European tradition to include philosophies f…
- 318 | Edward Miguel on the Developing Practice of Development Economics
Edward Miguel, a Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley, discusses the upsurge of controlled, reproducible empirical studies in development economics. He talks about applying these techniques to alle…
- 317 | Nicole Rust on Why Neuroscience Hasn't Solved Brain Disorders
Nicole Rust, a neuroscientist, joins the podcast to discuss why neuroscience research has not yet solved brain disorders. She explores this topic and potential improvements, which are also covered in her book, "Elusive Cures".
- AMA | June 2025
This Mindscape episode is an Ask Me Anything (AMA) from June 2025. It features Sean Carroll answering questions submitted by Patreon supporters.
- 316 | Niayesh Afshordi and Phil Halper
In this episode, Niayesh Afshordi and Phil Halper discuss their book, "Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins." They explore ideas about the Big Bang and alternative theories regarding the universe's origins.
- 315 | Branden Fitelson on the Logic and Use of Probability
Branden Fitelson, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Northeastern University, explains how a better understanding of probability helps confirm scientific beliefs. He explores how new evidence can confirm existing beliefs in the conte…