Solutions From The Multiverse

Adam Braus & Scot Maupin
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Hosts Adam Braus (@ajbraus) and Scot Maupin (@scotmaupin) meet up each week where Adam brings a new idea to help the world and Scot picks and prods at it with jokes and questions. The result is an informative and entertaining podcast that always gets you thinking.

  1. 1 day ago

    Solving Alternative Facts with 'Begs the Question' | s04 e06

    Video of episode: https://youtu.be/nDhTnWu7RGo Begs the Question: Bring Back the Real Meaning Adam Braus and Scot Maupin unpack one of the most misused phrases in modern argument, explaining what “begs the question” actually means and why getting it right matters. This episode is a lively defense of logic, careful language, and evidence-based thinking, with plenty of examples from politics, culture, parenting, and current tech hype. In this episode, Adam and Scot focus on restoring “begs the question” to its original meaning: circular reasoning. They also trace how the phrase gets misused as “invites the question,” and why that confusion weakens everyday arguments. Key topics Adam defines “begs the question” as circular reasoning, not “raises a question” Examples of the fallacy from stealing, religion, politics, and everyday speech Why logical fallacies are ways of sounding reasonable while actually being irrational The difference between saying something is “circular” versus simply “invites the question” How people misuse the phrase constantly, often without realizing it Why clearer logic terms can help identify weak arguments and bad beliefs faster How circular reasoning shows up in anti-vaccine claims, flat-earth reasoning, and nationalism Timestamps (00:00) - Opening banter and the setup for today’s solution (00:49) - Adam introduces the case for restoring “begs the question” (02:12) - The actual definition: a logical fallacy and circular reasoning (03:58) - Ad hominem as an example of a logical fallacy (04:36) - Straw man arguments and why distortion replaces real rebuttal (05:06) - Slippery slope reasoning and exaggerated consequences (05:22) - “Begs the question” explained as circular proof (06:18) - Familiar examples: stealing, the Bible, and self-justifying beliefs (06:55) - More circular examples, including free speech and trustworthiness (07:40) - Defining a word with itself and why that fails as reasoning (08:00) - Why people keep using the phrase wrong (09:29) - The modern misuse: “invites the question” (10:35) - How to correctly use the phrase in conversation (11:25) - Flat-earth reasoning as a circular argument (12:19) - “America is the greatest” and other self-referential claims (13:11) - Why calling out a fallacy can instantly lower trust in a claim (14:03) - “Invites the question” versus “begs the question” (15:35) - Alternative facts and why Adam sees circular reasoning underneath them (16:33) - Real facts versus claims that collapse into self-reference (17:17) - Scot’s point about evidence-based thinking versus vibes (18:01) - Feelings are valid, but false objectivity is the problem (19:17) - Why people should be more honest about discomfort and bias (19:40) - Crypto, Bitcoin, and other bubble logic (22:21) - AI hype, apocalyptic claims, and circular reasoning around innovation (25:26) - The “if we don’t do it, China will” argument (28:29) - Parenting, sleep deprivation, and a brief equipment detour (31:02) - How to insert the phrase into pop culture and social media (33:50) - Teaching logic in school and saving people time and frustration (35:06) - Bringing “begs the question” back as a cultural correction (36:15) - Technically correct people and the idea of an “International Begs the Question Day” (37:12) - White supremacy as a circular argument (39:20) - Left-wing examples: rent, housing scarcity, and vague explanations (40:33) - Final tech check and wrap-up

  2. 10 Sept

    Solving Socialism's Reputation: Market Socialism | s04 e05

    Send us Fan Mail Video of our full episode: https://youtu.be/lXcLIrSqddY In this episode, Adam Braus and Scot Maupin explore the concept of market socialism, its misconceptions, and how it can be a practical and appealing alternative to traditional socialism and capitalism. They discuss how branding, policy, and public perception can shape the future of socialist ideas. keywordsmarket socialism, socialism, capitalism, public policy, branding, economic reform, social safety nets, free markets, Scandinavian countries, political strategy key topics * The difference between socialism and market socialism * Why branding matters in political ideology * How Scandinavian countries implement market socialism * The role of regulation in a socialist economy * The misconception of central planning in socialism * The impact of poverty and homelessness on society * The importance of safety nets and social programs * The potential for market socialism to enhance freedom and innovation Chapters (00:00) Introduction to the episode (00:22) The need to rebrand socialism as market socialism (01:09) Differences between democratic socialism and market socialism (02:43) The misconception of central planning in socialism (04:17) Modern socialists and their beliefs in free markets (06:29) Branding and political strategy in socialism (08:34) The role of regulation and competition in market socialism (12:07) The impact of inheritance and billionaires in capitalism (15:23) The importance of safety nets and social safety programs (19:17) Examples from Scandinavian countries (23:23) Barriers to starting businesses in Scandinavian countries (28:32) The concept of sewer socialism and its benefits (33:23) The Peter tax and taxing the wealthy fairly (36:36) The evolution of socialist ideas post-Cold War (40:33) The moral and fiscal benefits of eliminating poverty (44:09) The rise of market socialism and its acceptance (49:29) How to promote market socialism effectively (50:54) Closing remarks and call to action Support the show Help these new solutions spread by ... Subscribing wherever you listen to podcastsLeaving a 5-star review Sharing your favorite solution with your friends and network (this makes a BIG difference)Comments? Feedback? Questions? Solutions? Message us! We will do a mailbag episode. Email: solutionsfromthemultiverse@gmail.com Adam: @ajbraus - braus@hey.com Scot: @scotmaupin adambraus.com (Link to Adam's projects and books) The Perfect Show (Scot's solo podcast) Thanks to Jonah Burns for the SFM music.

  3. 3 Sept

    Solving AI Psychosis: Lithium in the Water Supply!?- with Mo Hafez | s04 e04

    Send us Fan Mail Video Version of the Episode: https://youtu.be/JBoJCCl8W18 In this episode, Adam Braus, Scot Maupin, and guest Mo Hafez explore the provocative idea of adding lithium to the water supply. They discuss potential health benefits, risks, public opinion, and the societal implications of such a bold public health measure. In this episode, Scot Maupin, Mo Hafez, and Adam Braus explore the potential of lithium in water to improve mental health, the implications of social media lawsuits, and the future of AI and societal safety measures. They discuss innovative ideas, dystopian scenarios, and the importance of democratizing technology. Keywords lithium, water supply, public health, mental health, dementia, Alzheimer's, AI psychosis, societal impact, neuroprotection, mental health treatment Lithium water, social media lawsuit, AI future, mental health, dystopian society, public safety, technology ethics Key Topics Potential health benefits of lithium in water, including reduction in dementia, Alzheimer's, suicidality, and violent crimeRisks and public opinion challenges of adding lithium to the water supplyThe science behind lithium's neuroprotective effects and safety at microdose levelsSocietal implications, conspiracy theories, and ethical considerations of water fluoridation and lithiumThe logistics of sourcing, distributing, and regulating lithium for public health use. Potential of lithium in water to improve mental healthLegal and societal implications of social media lawsuitsFuture scenarios of AI development and regulationDystopian vs utopian visions of technologyThe importance of democratizing AI and technologyGuest Name: Mo Hafez: Mo's Socials: YouTube - BeyondtheBytePodcast Instagram - beyond.the.byte X - bytewisepodcast LinkedIn - bytewise-ai Sound Bites "Small amounts of lithium can protect against dementia.""Lithium in water could lower suicide rates by 58 percent.""Lithium in water reduces depression, suicidality, and violent crime."Chapters (00:00) Introduction to the Lithium Water Idea (03:01) Historical Context of Art and Madness (03:59) Scientific Evidence Linking Lithium to Reduced Dementia and Crime (06:00) Public Opinion and Ethical Concerns of Water Additives (06:59) The Role of Technology in Van Gogh's Life (08:03) AI Psychosis and the Role of Lithium in Society (09:56) Risks, Dosing, and Safety of Lithium in Water (11:53) Feasibility, Sourcing, and Public Acceptance (12:11) Social Media Lawsuit and Its Implications (14:05) Potential Societal and Conspiracy Theories (15:59) Practical Steps and Future Research (17:02) Potential Benefits of Lithium Water for Public Health (18:05) Cultural and Historical Perspectives on Water Additives (20:00) Conclusion: Balancing Benefits and Risks (21:59) Dystopian Scenarios: Equilibrium and Control (27:00) Future Regulations on Social Media Usage (31:59) The Ethics of Water Additives and Public Safety (37:00) The Future of AI: Risks and Opportunities (41:59) Power Dynamics in AI Development (47:03) Innovative Ideas and Closing Remarks Support the show Help these new solutions spread by ... Subscribing wherever you listen to podcastsLeaving a 5-star review Sharing your favorite solution with your friends and network (this makes a BIG difference)Comments? Feedback? Questions? Solutions? Message us! We will do a mailbag episode. Email: solutionsfromthemultiverse@gmail.com Adam: @ajbraus - braus@hey.com Scot: @scotmaupin adambraus.com (Link to Adam's projects and books) The Perfect Show (Scot's solo podcast) Thanks to Jonah Burns for the SFM music.

  4. 27 Aug

    Solving the Left: Lift To Lead | s04 e03

    Send us Fan Mail Voters love to say “I only care about policy,” but our brains do a faster scan first: does this person look healthy, capable, and worth following? We take on a provocative claim with real-world implications for elections and messaging: the left should lift weights, not as vanity, but as a simple, controllable advantage that changes how candidates are received on camera, at the podium, and in everyday encounters. We dig into why physical presence functions like a shortcut for trust, including the long-noted pattern that taller candidates often win and the “silverback” instinct people pretend they do not have. From there we talk about modern gym culture as an identity, especially for young men, and why saying “yeah, I lift” can create immediate rapport. We also draw a line between looking robust and looking unrelatable, because there is a point where extreme shredded aesthetics starts to signal something off. A big part of the conversation is a timely case study: Abdul Al-Sayed in Michigan, a physician pushing Medicare for All, unions, and a “less money for foreign wars, more money in your pocket” message, while also leaning into strength training as part of his public image. We compare that to broader examples like Michelle Obama’s public displays of fitness and the way visibly fit public figures gain attention online. Then we get practical: how to start strength training safely, why a trainer can prevent injuries, and how protein, calories, and rest actually drive results. If you’ve ever wondered whether politics is judged on substance or vibes, this one gets uncomfortably honest. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us: should politicians treat fitness as part of the job? Support the show Help these new solutions spread by ... Subscribing wherever you listen to podcastsLeaving a 5-star review Sharing your favorite solution with your friends and network (this makes a BIG difference)Comments? Feedback? Questions? Solutions? Message us! We will do a mailbag episode. Email: solutionsfromthemultiverse@gmail.com Adam: @ajbraus - braus@hey.com Scot: @scotmaupin adambraus.com (Link to Adam's projects and books) The Perfect Show (Scot's solo podcast) Thanks to Jonah Burns for the SFM music.

  5. 20 Aug

    Solving Cyber Attacks: Cyber Police and Smarter Cyber Rules | s04 e02

    Send us Fan Mail Cybersecurity isn’t failing because regular people are careless, it’s failing because we built the internet like a city with no real police force. Today, banks, hospitals, water systems, power grids, and even elections run on software, yet we still act like cyber attacks are a private problem solved by buying more tools and hoping your team patches fast enough. We make the case that this “everyone for themselves” model is exactly why phishing scams, ransomware, and mass data breaches keep winning.  We walk through a public-safety approach: massively scale up FBI cybersecurity resources and military cyber capabilities for cross-border threats, then push that capacity down to states and major cities with dedicated cyber police units. The goal isn’t surveillance theater, it’s practical protection: investigate cybercrime, pursue foreign hackers, and proactively test the defenses of major companies and critical infrastructure. If a team can legally break in first, report the holes, and fine repeat negligence, patching stops being optional and starts being routine.  Then we go after incentives. Should software vendors be allowed to ship vulnerable products and also sell pricey security services to protect them? We argue that’s a built-in conflict of interest. We also explore software liability: if a Microsoft-style exploit leads to a nine-figure loss, should the vendor share part of the cost the way manufacturers can face product liability in the physical world? Along the way we talk AI coding, “vibe coding,” and why simpler software often means fewer doors for attackers.  If you care about secure software, cybersecurity policy, data privacy, and protecting everyday people online, hit subscribe, share the show, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. Support the show Help these new solutions spread by ... Subscribing wherever you listen to podcastsLeaving a 5-star review Sharing your favorite solution with your friends and network (this makes a BIG difference)Comments? Feedback? Questions? Solutions? Message us! We will do a mailbag episode. Email: solutionsfromthemultiverse@gmail.com Adam: @ajbraus - braus@hey.com Scot: @scotmaupin adambraus.com (Link to Adam's projects and books) The Perfect Show (Scot's solo podcast) Thanks to Jonah Burns for the SFM music.

  6. 14 Aug

    Solving the Genius Shortage: Learning from History’s Genius Zones | s04 e01

    Send us Fan Mail https://www.elton.university/ A city of 30,000 people produces Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, and Hippocrates within about a century. Florence stacks Leonardo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo into a small population. Scotland’s Enlightenment rewires economics and science, and Vienna becomes a launchpad for modern psychology, music, and philosophy. We take those “genius hotspots” seriously as evidence and ask the uncomfortable question: if it happened repeatedly, why aren’t we designing education to do it on purpose? We dig into the shared features that keep showing up across time and place: starting serious study earlier, letting students specialize instead of forcing endless “well-rounded” checklists, and building long-term one-on-one mentorship rather than rotating through short, transactional classes. We also challenge the modern obsession with innate IQ and “cognitive elites”, arguing that education quality and learning environment swamp raw ability in most outcomes. Along the way we explore interdisciplinary learning as the real engine behind creative breakthroughs, plus why relying on textbook summaries (and now AI overviews) can quietly cut people off from the original ideas that train sharp thinking. We connect the history to a modern experiment: Elton University, a Montessori-inspired university model built around mentorship and research-first learning rather than coursework for its own sake. If you’ve ever felt that school trains compliance better than competence, this conversation offers a concrete alternative and a set of design principles you can argue with, improve, or steal. Subscribe for more, share this with a teacher or parent who’s ready to rethink the system, and leave a review with the biggest change you’d make to how we educate future geniuses. Support the show Help these new solutions spread by ... Subscribing wherever you listen to podcastsLeaving a 5-star review Sharing your favorite solution with your friends and network (this makes a BIG difference)Comments? Feedback? Questions? Solutions? Message us! We will do a mailbag episode. Email: solutionsfromthemultiverse@gmail.com Adam: @ajbraus - braus@hey.com Scot: @scotmaupin adambraus.com (Link to Adam's projects and books) The Perfect Show (Scot's solo podcast) Thanks to Jonah Burns for the SFM music.

  7. 14 Jul

    Solving Healthcare: Medicare For Literally All Even You | S03 E11

    Send us Fan Mail Video version available at: https://www.youtube.com/@SolutionsFromTheMultiverse/videos Imagine a “Medicare for All” plan that actually means all humans, everywhere. We take that audacious idea and force it into concrete steps: a lean nonprofit that runs a global health insurance platform where verified clinics submit medical claims with documentation, and we reimburse care for patients who cannot pay. No vague charity promises, just a claims workflow that is measurable, auditable, and designed to expand healthcare access fast. Along the way, we pressure-test the hard parts: fraud, corruption, and paperwork. We talk about using AI fraud detection, identity validation, two-factor authentication, and Medicare-style snap audits to keep the system honest without building a bloated bureaucracy. We also explore incentives borrowed from micro lending, where small groups of clinics share accountability, so bad actors get pushed out before they can drain the pool. We compare this model to Doctors Without Borders and GiveDirectly, not to dunk on them, but to ask a sharper question: what delivers the most health outcomes per donated dollar? Paying local doctors and nurses directly could be cheaper than flying teams around the world, and pairing provider reimbursements with cash support could cover real-world costs like meds, transport, and missed work. We even consider SMS-based claims for regions without reliable broadband, so the platform works where the need is highest. If you’ve worked in insurance claims, medical billing, cybersecurity, fundraising, or mission-driven software, we want your feedback and your pushback. Subscribe, share this with one friend who cares about universal healthcare, and leave a review with the biggest flaw you see in the plan so we can make it stronger. Support the show Help these new solutions spread by ... Subscribing wherever you listen to podcastsLeaving a 5-star review Sharing your favorite solution with your friends and network (this makes a BIG difference)Comments? Feedback? Questions? Solutions? Message us! We will do a mailbag episode. Email: solutionsfromthemultiverse@gmail.com Adam: @ajbraus - braus@hey.com Scot: @scotmaupin adambraus.com (Link to Adam's projects and books) The Perfect Show (Scot's solo podcast) Thanks to Jonah Burns for the SFM music.

  8. 6 Jul

    Solving the Common Cold and Handwashing Sinks In Every School | S03 E10

    Send us Fan Mail VIDEO available: https://www.youtube.com/@SolutionsFromTheMultiverse/ If you’re tired of the “my kid started school and now our whole house is sick forever” cycle, we’ve got a surprisingly low-tech fix: put handwashing stations where students actually pass by every day. We make the case that bathrooms aren’t enough because the important moment is right before eating and right after high-contact routines. From summer camp sink lines to Malaysia’s restaurant handwashing culture to cruise-ship dining rooms that practically force sanitizer on everyone, we break down why placement, maintenance, and social visibility turn handwashing from a nice idea into a real disease-control tool. Then we shift from prevention to relief and share an evidence-informed approach to shortening the common cold by lowering viral load early. We talk zinc lozenges that actually work (and which additives can wreck the benefit), hypertonic saltwater gargles with a clear mix ratio, and why nasal rinses can be the “slam dunk” when colds start in the nose. We also get into neti pot safety, including the non-negotiable rule about distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water, plus a few extra tools like honey for cough and a more advanced hypertonic saline nebulizer idea for bronchitis-style misery. You’ll also hear a quick detour on why you might not have dandruff at all, how to wash your scalp properly, and why some people ditch shampoo entirely after the oil adjustment period. Want more practical, weirdly effective solutions like this (and yes, there’s a video version too)? Subscribe, share the episode with a fellow parent, and leave a review with your best cold remedy or school hygiene idea. Support the show Help these new solutions spread by ... Subscribing wherever you listen to podcastsLeaving a 5-star review Sharing your favorite solution with your friends and network (this makes a BIG difference)Comments? Feedback? Questions? Solutions? Message us! We will do a mailbag episode. Email: solutionsfromthemultiverse@gmail.com Adam: @ajbraus - braus@hey.com Scot: @scotmaupin adambraus.com (Link to Adam's projects and books) The Perfect Show (Scot's solo podcast) Thanks to Jonah Burns for the SFM music.

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About

Hosts Adam Braus (@ajbraus) and Scot Maupin (@scotmaupin) meet up each week where Adam brings a new idea to help the world and Scot picks and prods at it with jokes and questions. The result is an informative and entertaining podcast that always gets you thinking.

Information

  • Creator
    Adam Braus & Scot Maupin
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Adam Braus & Scot Maupin
  • Show Website
    Solutions From The Multiverse