web02.fireside.fm Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:37:13 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Plato's Cave - Episodes Tagged with “Theory” https://platoscave.fireside.fm/tags/theory Sun, 24 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0700 I'm Jordan Myers and I'm a PhD student studying philosophy at USC. Plato's Cave is my attempt to exit... well, the cave. It's a philosophy podcast meant to help me guide my ascent to the real world, the truth, the place where life is worth living; and apparently that means giving up a regular job with good pay to pursue the security of the academic job market - the philosophy job market nonetheless! Join me on my journey as I cover philosophical works and speak with the best philosophical minds I can convince to come on the show! en-us episodic A philosophy podcast hosted by the lowly grad student, Jordan Myers Jordan Myers I'm Jordan Myers and I'm a PhD student studying philosophy at USC. Plato's Cave is my attempt to exit... well, the cave. It's a philosophy podcast meant to help me guide my ascent to the real world, the truth, the place where life is worth living; and apparently that means giving up a regular job with good pay to pursue the security of the academic job market - the philosophy job market nonetheless! Join me on my journey as I cover philosophical works and speak with the best philosophical minds I can convince to come on the show! yes jordan, myers, philosophy, graduate, grad, school, PhD, USC, university, southern, california, interviews, ethics, philosopher, moral responsibility, philosophy of action, agency, reading group, discussion, university of houston, university of pittsburgh, existentialism, morality, political, mind, free will Jordan Myers platoscavepodcast@gmail.com Ep. 77 - Epiphenomenalism, Naturally (Consciousness pt. 4) https://platoscave.fireside.fm/77 4b2c4c6d-87ab-45a9-8ba9-661f68e64ee5 Sun, 24 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0700 Jordan Myers full Jordan Myers This was a weird episode in the sense that over half of the discussion never saw the light of day (or at least never saw your inner ear). We were quite frustrated with parsing this paper, and you can start to hear that in the final third. It's a paper called "Epiphenomenalism, Naturally," which I think is better read than discussed. But, either way, here's our discussion. 1:32:20 yes This was a weird episode in the sense that over half of the discussion never saw the light of day (or at least never saw your inner ear). We were quite frustrated with parsing this paper, and you can start to hear that in the final third. It's a paper called "Epiphenomenalism, Naturally," which I think is better read than discussed. But, either way, here's our discussion. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/ Twitter: @JordanCMyers Website: https://jordanmyers.org/ Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions). plato's cave, plato, cave, philosophy, grad school, graduate, PhD, jordan, myers, university of houston, USC, university of southern california, reading, group, mind, consciousness, chalmers, train, analogy, epi, epiphenomenal, epiphenomenalism, belief, theory, causation, physicalism, dualism This was a weird episode in the sense that over half of the discussion never saw the light of day (or at least never saw your inner ear). We were quite frustrated with parsing this paper, and you can start to hear that in the final third. It's a paper called "Epiphenomenalism, Naturally," which I think is better read than discussed. But, either way, here's our discussion.

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/
Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/

Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).

Support Plato's Cave

]]> This was a weird episode in the sense that over half of the discussion never saw the light of day (or at least never saw your inner ear). We were quite frustrated with parsing this paper, and you can start to hear that in the final third. It's a paper called "Epiphenomenalism, Naturally," which I think is better read than discussed. But, either way, here's our discussion.

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/
Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/

Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).

Support Plato's Cave

]]> Ep. 63 - Moral Obligations and Social Commands (Celebrating Susan Wolf) https://platoscave.fireside.fm/63 dfc074df-c070-43b6-b2e3-d92b1c33f3cd Thu, 03 Aug 2023 03:00:00 -0700 Jordan Myers full Jordan Myers In this episode, Adam, Giffin, and I discuss Wolf's essay "Moral Obligations and Social Commands," which asks where the true authority of moral enforcement originates from. 1:30:40 yes In this episode, Adam, Giffin, and I discuss Wolf's essay "Moral Obligations and Social Commands," which asks where the true authority of moral enforcement originates from. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://academic.oup.com/book/3673/chapter-abstract/145029050?redirectedFrom=fulltext Twitter: @JordanCMyers Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/ Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions). plato's cave, plato, cave, philosophy, grad school, graduate, PhD, jordan, myers, university of houston, reading, group, , morality, susan, wolf, value, rice, series, meaning, ethics, wrong, right, duty, love, saints, moral, good, life, sam, vida, yao, reis-dennis, obligations, duty, commands, social, society, god, divine, theory, law In this episode, Adam, Giffin, and I discuss Wolf's essay "Moral Obligations and Social Commands," which asks where the true authority of moral enforcement originates from.

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://academic.oup.com/book/3673/chapter-abstract/145029050?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/

Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).

Support Plato's Cave

]]> In this episode, Adam, Giffin, and I discuss Wolf's essay "Moral Obligations and Social Commands," which asks where the true authority of moral enforcement originates from.

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://academic.oup.com/book/3673/chapter-abstract/145029050?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/

Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).

Support Plato's Cave

]]> Ep. 17 - Philip Goff: Panpsychism https://platoscave.fireside.fm/17 a6290821-002c-40b0-9ab7-036006fbea0f Wed, 16 Dec 2020 06:00:00 -0800 Jordan Myers full Jordan Myers In this episode, I speak with Dr. Phillip Goff about Panpsychism. We discuss what we mean by consciousness, why materialist reductionism doesn't satisfy as an explanation of its existence, and what Panpsychism can offer as a theory of consciousness. 59:20 no In this episode, I speak with Dr. Phillip Goff about Panpsychism. We discuss what we mean by consciousness, why materialist reductionism doesn't satisfy as an explanation of its existence, and what Panpsychism can offer as a theory of consciousness. Paperback versions of Philip Goff's book, Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness, are now available in UK and US. Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/philip_goff Website: www.philipgoffphilosophy.com Blog: www.conscienceandconsciousness.com Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://philosophynow.org/issues/121/TheCaseFor_Panpsychism If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD. Twitter: @JordanCMyers You can also get in contact by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Plato's Cave is produced by a non-profit organization centered around public education on high-minded topics, Muckraker Media, which I co-founded. You can find out more by visiting muckrakermedia.org Special Guest: Philip Goff. plato's cave, plato, cave, philosophy, grad school, graduate, PhD, muckraker media, jordan, myers, philip, phillip, goff, consciousness, nagel, pan, panpsychist, panpsychism, mind, body, dualism, experience, theory, of, bat, chalmers, hard, problem, epiphenomenalism, materialism, reduction, reductionism, neuroscience, brain, scan, fmri, atom, combination, problem, Galileo, error, interview, Durham In this episode, I speak with Dr. Phillip Goff about Panpsychism. We discuss what we mean by consciousness, why materialist reductionism doesn't satisfy as an explanation of its existence, and what Panpsychism can offer as a theory of consciousness.

Paperback versions of Philip Goff's book, Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness, are now available in UK and US.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/philip_goff
Website: www.philipgoffphilosophy.com
Blog: www.conscienceandconsciousness.com

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://philosophynow.org/issues/121/The_Case_For_Panpsychism

If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers
Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD.

Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
You can also get in contact by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/

Plato's Cave is produced by a non-profit organization centered around public education on high-minded topics, Muckraker Media, which I co-founded. You can find out more by visiting muckrakermedia.org

Special Guest: Philip Goff.

Support Plato's Cave

]]> In this episode, I speak with Dr. Phillip Goff about Panpsychism. We discuss what we mean by consciousness, why materialist reductionism doesn't satisfy as an explanation of its existence, and what Panpsychism can offer as a theory of consciousness.

Paperback versions of Philip Goff's book, Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness, are now available in UK and US.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/philip_goff
Website: www.philipgoffphilosophy.com
Blog: www.conscienceandconsciousness.com

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://philosophynow.org/issues/121/The_Case_For_Panpsychism

If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers
Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD.

Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
You can also get in contact by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/

Plato's Cave is produced by a non-profit organization centered around public education on high-minded topics, Muckraker Media, which I co-founded. You can find out more by visiting muckrakermedia.org

Special Guest: Philip Goff.

Support Plato's Cave

]]> Ep. 13 - David Papineau: Materialism and Consciousness https://platoscave.fireside.fm/13 83a2b3cd-f6fa-495b-a867-8365291e1b38 Sun, 23 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0700 Jordan Myers full Jordan Myers In this episode, I talk with David Papineau about his rejection of the Hard Problem of Consciousness, how dualism infects thinking about theory of mind, and how materialism is the best account of why we have experiences. 52:28 no In this episode, I talk with David Papineau about his rejection of the Hard Problem of Consciousness, how dualism infects thinking about theory of mind, and how materialism is the best account of why we have experiences. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://iai.tv/articles/we-must-shed-our-metaphysical-assumptions-auid-1367 https://www.davidpapineau.co.uk/unpublished-talks.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ekMv8-9gNo&t=1s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itSSn6jj8iQ&t=2227s If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD. Twitter: @JordanCMyers You can also get in contact by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Plato's Cave is produced by a non-profit organization centered around public education on high-minded topics, Muckraker Media, which I co-founded. You can find out more by visiting muckrakermedia.org Special Guest: David Papineau. plato's cave, plato, cave, philosophy, grad school, graduate, PhD, jordan, myers, david, papineau, materialism, theory, mind, theory of mind, consciousness, hard, problem, chalmers, bernardo, kastrup, phillip, goff, panpsychism, dualism, naturalism, idealism, monism, science, reduction, zombie, argument, mary, color, scientist, searles, free will In this episode, I talk with David Papineau about his rejection of the Hard Problem of Consciousness, how dualism infects thinking about theory of mind, and how materialism is the best account of why we have experiences.

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://iai.tv/articles/we-must-shed-our-metaphysical-assumptions-auid-1367
https://www.davidpapineau.co.uk/unpublished-talks.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ekMv8-9gNo&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itSSn6jj8iQ&t=2227s

If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers
Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD.

Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
You can also get in contact by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/

Plato's Cave is produced by a non-profit organization centered around public education on high-minded topics, Muckraker Media, which I co-founded. You can find out more by visiting muckrakermedia.org

Special Guest: David Papineau.

Support Plato's Cave

]]> In this episode, I talk with David Papineau about his rejection of the Hard Problem of Consciousness, how dualism infects thinking about theory of mind, and how materialism is the best account of why we have experiences.

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://iai.tv/articles/we-must-shed-our-metaphysical-assumptions-auid-1367
https://www.davidpapineau.co.uk/unpublished-talks.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ekMv8-9gNo&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itSSn6jj8iQ&t=2227s

If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers
Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD.

Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
You can also get in contact by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/

Plato's Cave is produced by a non-profit organization centered around public education on high-minded topics, Muckraker Media, which I co-founded. You can find out more by visiting muckrakermedia.org

Special Guest: David Papineau.

Support Plato's Cave

]]> Ep. 3 - Alastair Wilson: The Nature of Contingency https://platoscave.fireside.fm/3 9e7a702c-b5eb-4221-b327-36d916b57024 Fri, 20 Mar 2020 06:00:00 -0700 Jordan Myers full Jordan Myers In this episode, I spoke with Professor Alastair Wilson about his newly released book, The Nature of Contingency: Quantum Physics as Modal Realism. We spoke about contingency, counterfactuals, the multiple worlds interpretation of quantum physics, free will, and more. 1:01:21 no In this episode, I spoke with Professor Alastair Wilson about his newly released book, The Nature of Contingency: Quantum Physics as Modal Realism. We spoke about contingency, counterfactuals, the multiple worlds interpretation of quantum physics, free will, and more. This was a true education for me with a great mind and a great writer, and I hope you find this conversation valuable as well. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: Book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-nature-of-contingency-9780198846215?cc=us&lang=en& Dr. Wilson's Website: http://alastairwilson.org/ If you leanred something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtM5SXgyN93usom5vpRqlEQ/ You can also get in contact with me through Twitter: @JordanCMyers Or by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com Special Guest: Alastair Wilson. plato's cave, plato, cave, philosophy, grad school, graduate, PhD, alastair, wilson, professor, dr., oxford, Birmingham, university, quantum, metaphysics, physics, multiple worlds, theory, free will, contingency, counterfactual, choice, self, options, decision theory In this episode, I spoke with Professor Alastair Wilson about his newly released book, The Nature of Contingency: Quantum Physics as Modal Realism. We spoke about contingency, counterfactuals, the multiple worlds interpretation of quantum physics, free will, and more. This was a true education for me with a great mind and a great writer, and I hope you find this conversation valuable as well.

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-nature-of-contingency-9780198846215?cc=us&lang=en&
Dr. Wilson's Website: http://alastairwilson.org/

If you leanred something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers
Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtM5SXgyN93usom5vpRqlEQ/

You can also get in contact with me through Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
Or by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com

Special Guest: Alastair Wilson.

Support Plato's Cave

]]> In this episode, I spoke with Professor Alastair Wilson about his newly released book, The Nature of Contingency: Quantum Physics as Modal Realism. We spoke about contingency, counterfactuals, the multiple worlds interpretation of quantum physics, free will, and more. This was a true education for me with a great mind and a great writer, and I hope you find this conversation valuable as well.

Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-nature-of-contingency-9780198846215?cc=us&lang=en&
Dr. Wilson's Website: http://alastairwilson.org/

If you leanred something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers
Every dollar that comes in will go towards bettering the show or towards funding my Philosophy PhD.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtM5SXgyN93usom5vpRqlEQ/

You can also get in contact with me through Twitter: @Jordan_C_Myers
Or by emailing me at platoscavepodcast@gmail.com

Special Guest: Alastair Wilson.

Support Plato's Cave

]]>