THUNK

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Josh Pelton

English Education Natural Sciences Philosophy Science Society & Culture

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Episodes 264

Avg. Duration 8m

Activity Moderate

Since Nov 2013

Latest Episode Jan 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule

Monthly

Consistency

87%

Hosting

thunkshow.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

A show about things that tickle your brain.

Explore Statistics

English Podcasts Report Education Report Natural Sciences Report Philosophy Report Science Report Society & Culture Report English Education Report

Recent Episodes

264. Computers, Software, and Skookum Tech

Jan 30, 2026 13m

Software companies are keen to Move Fast & Break Things™, & computers are eager to comply, but users want reliable, bulletproof, “skookum” devices. Video: http://youtu.be/ch_pckgIQxM Show…

263. Communication Overload

Nov 28, 2025 13m

We’ve poured tons of resources into computers & the internet, but haven’t seen much in the way of returns. Maybe it’s because they foster bad communication habits. Video:…

262. How to Keep a Secret

Oct 07, 2025 14m

“Andor” is a story about how secrecy kept the Rebellion alive, but it’s hard to imagine anyone in the present day keeping anything to themselves. Video: http://youtu.be/5FgeQw1XNo4 Show Notes:…

261. Fight the Good Fight

Jul 19, 2025 8m

Is winning everything? Outside the context of a game, what does “winning” even mean? Video: http://youtu.be/9oq1zjbrjYc Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2025/07/19/261.-Fight-the-Good-Fight.html

260. Social Media and Social Irrationality

May 25, 2025 16m

A lot of ink has been spilled about the crisis of misinformation, but Henry Farrell thinks we have a much bigger problem: manufactured public opinion. Video: http://youtu.be/Mjyq9gAqH5g Show Notes:…

259. After Virtue

Apr 15, 2025 20m

Alastair MacIntyre thinks we’ve lost something essential at the core of our discussions of right & wrong, & Aristotle has been telling us for 2000 years. Video: http://youtu.be/CDetc4y7_Gs…

258. Phronesis - Theory and Practice

Mar 07, 2025 9m

What do Aristotle, Carl von Clausewitz, and John Dewey have in common? They’re all better reading than the news right now, and they all stress the importance of prudent action. Video:…

257. Orality and Literacy

Jan 21, 2025 17m

Our mental landscape is irrevocably bound up in variations of 26 characters, but we’re historical exceptions. Video: http://youtu.be/N7Q4yU719FA Show Notes:…

256. Memory and the Extended Mind Thesis

Nov 25, 2024 9m

We’re accustomed to using technology to remember things on our behalf…but are we losing something important in the process? Video: http://youtu.be/3WgdHdBxSqk Show Notes:…

255. Rationality and Freedom

Oct 15, 2024 11m

Amartya Sen’s “Rationality and Freedom” clarifies how the two concepts are intimately linked, how we can’t understand one without the other, & why voting is wholly insufficient to create a…

254. Charity and Effective Altruism

Sep 22, 2024 12m

There are 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the US. Effective Altruists try to direct people towards the good ones, but many don’t agree with their picks - maybe the problem is bigger than…

253. Organizing Systems

Aug 08, 2024 9m

“Organization” is a technology, and as with many technologies, it embodies a set of values. Video: http://youtu.be/VTcqt51Io4M Show Notes:…

252. The Theory of Generations

Jun 20, 2024 10m

Generations are used to explain everything from the state of the economy to attitudes about sexuality, but do they really explain anything? Video: http://youtu.be/ot5xdqdho4Y Show Notes:…

251. Safety and Risk Management

May 13, 2024 8m

Scaremongers drive many to search frantically for something, anything that will make them feel safe, but safety isn’t a thing you can buy - it’s a feeling you have to build for yourself. Video:…

250. Angkor Wat and Collapse

Apr 15, 2024 8m

Angkor Wat & the thousand stone temples surrounding it are some of the most impressive structures humanity has produced - what happened to the society that built them? Video:…

249. Information Overload

Mar 06, 2024 12m

Why is there something, rather than nothing? Video: http://youtu.be/-Z9qi41lrK0 Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/03/06/249.-Information-Overload.html

248. Reductionism

Feb 13, 2024 10m

Trying to understand something in terms of its parts is natural…but when is it justified? Video: http://youtu.be/YHkS4upFy_4 Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/02/13/248.-Reductionism.html

247. Zombie Sci-Fi Technologies

Jan 21, 2024 13m

Gretchen, stop trying to make Vactrains happen! It’s not going to happen! Video: http://youtu.be/dp2r1C9LDJQ Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/01/21/247.-Zombie-Sci-Fi-Technologies.html

246. Against Worldbuilding

Dec 30, 2023 12m

“Worldbuilding” has become a necessity for authors of genre fiction, but sci-fi author M. John Harrison thinks it’s crippling both writers & their audiences. Video: http://youtu.be/QJHR2NB7Wt4…

245. The STEM Shortage

Nov 16, 2023 13m

The 2023 tech sector layoffs have claimed a quarter of a million jobs to date, but this hasn’t seemed to make a dent in the enthusiasm for getting more kids into STEM - what’s going on here? Video:…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does THUNK have?

THUNK has published 264 episodes since November 2013, covering topics in Education, Natural Sciences.

Is THUNK still active?

THUNK is currently moderate with new episodes monthly. Average episode length is 8m.

How do I contact THUNK for sponsorship or guest appearances?