Adulthood Friends Aya and Josh

How does identity shape our views in life? What happens if we lose an identity? In this episode, Aya and Josh delve into the complex tapestry of identity, exploring its various types (personal, social, cultural, gender, professional, digital/online) and formation, as well as communal identity, Jewish identity, the persistence/fluidity of identity, losing an identity, challenging or questioning the legitimacy of an identity, coping with shameful identities, conflicting identities, false or mistaken identities, validating identities, identity crises, identity politics, self-identification forms, the Ship of Theseus, group-think, gatekeeping, and how identity can ultimately grant purpose to our lives.

How does questioning our core beliefs and assumptions lead to more informed and empathetic viewpoints? What practical steps can we take to achieve this? In this episode, Aya and Josh challenge some of their own deeply held beliefs, drawing inspiration from Megan Phelps-Roper’s podcast “The Witch Trials of JK Rowling” and Anne-Laure Le Cunff’s insights in “Deliberate Doubt: The Art of Questioning Our Assumptions," exploring deliberate doubt vs. indiscriminate skepticism (e.g., conspiratorial thinking), the scientific method, the reliability of trusting one's gut, the challenges of polarization, the gun debate, Megan Phelps-Roper's 6 questions to ask ourselves, the value of listening to opposing views (e.g., Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, Sam Harris, Matt Walsh), notable practitioners of deliberate doubt (e.g., Socrates, Galileo, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein), and the pitfalls of making beliefs a part of one's identity (e.g., religious beliefs).

Special Guest: Jacob J. Tanenbaum. Are guns the best form of self-defense? Should we arm school teachers? In this episode, Aya and Josh continue their debate on gun violence with Jacob, exploring police shootings, the effectiveness of guns compared to other defenses (dogs, cameras, police, Tasers), gun control measures/perspectives in other countries (UK, Israel, Australia, China), guns versus knives, sci-fi/futuristic gun control solutions, school shooter drills, the implications of arming teachers, Josh and Jacob's viral film "Active Shooter," and defending against an oppressive militarized state.

Special Guest: Jacob J. Tanenbaum. What are the main causes of gun violence? Is it justifiable to infringe on certain rights to ensure greater public safety? In this episode, Aya and Josh are joined by Jacob, Josh's close friend and writing partner, to discuss the epidemic of gun violence in the United States and the critical issues relating to it, including gun control, access to firearms, the difference between active, mass, and school shootings, mental illness, Alex Jones, gun violence in the United States vs. the rest of the world, the influence of violent media (movies, videogames) in connection to gun violence, infamous shootings in the U.S. (Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Stoneman Douglas, Virginia Tech, Uvalde, Buffalo and Vegas shootings), the controversial AR-15, common sense gun laws, self-defense, the Supreme Court, and the role of news media in inspiring copycat killers.

How are we using AI like ChatGPT to change the way we work? What does the rise of AI mean for us and the future of our fields? In this episode, Aya and Josh explore the positives and negatives of artificial intelligence, including the influence of AI on creativity and content creation, its application in education, ethical concerns (e.g., misuse, plagiarism, job displacement), the AI arms race (e.g., ChatGPT vs. Google Bard), the democratization of art, AI image generators, AI censorship, AI porn, the WGA writers strike, Judge Judy, socialism, the future of AI, and the rise of deepfake technology.

Special Guest: Dr. Grant Vezina. How big is the universe? How have key astronomical discoveries fleshed out our understanding of Earth and the universe beyond? In this episode, Aya and Josh further explore the mysteries of the cosmos with Dr. Vezina, including the faint young sun paradox, the great oxidation event, global ice ages, climate feedback loops, mass extinctions and the resilience of life, infrared astronomy, the James Webb vs. Hubble space telescopes, Stargate vs. Futurama, the size and topology of the universe, the expansion of space, the cosmological event horizon, time dilation and black holes, delving deeper into mind-bending sci-fi concepts like FTL travel, wormholes, warp drives, negative mass, dark matter, and manipulation of spacetime, while also touching on the potential merits of astrology (e.g., oracle cards), comparing Western and Eastern astrological practices, and assessing their comfort and entertainment value.