The Truth About Bullsh*t

New Books Network
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Named for the famous philosophy treatise by the late Harry Frankfurt, The Truth About Bullsh*t podcast seeks to illuminate our world and the pressing issues therein by calling out ‘b******t’ – a misrepresentation of truth – in all its forms. We’re excited to introduce a short series of interviews with experts on fields ranging from AI to business, to politics.  Hosted by Caleb Zakarin, editor of the New Books Network.

Episodes

  1. MAR 6

    Bryan Caplan's Case Against Education

    Today I’m speaking with economist Bryan Caplan about education and b******t, with a particular focus on his book, The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money (Princeton University Press, 2018). In our modern economy, possessing a college degree feels like a necessity for professional advancement. The age of good jobs for college dropouts is largely gone as more people spend more time in the classroom, writing papers, taking tests, and, of course, goofing off. On the one hand, policymakers celebrate the additional degrees attained by more people. Surely a more educated society means a more intelligent and productive one. It’s no secret that college grads make more money than dropouts, and high school grads make more than those who didn’t complete 12th grade. Why is this the case? Does more education truly endow students with the skills necessary to succeed in the working world, or does education merely serve to certify that an individual has the intelligence and people skills needed to succeed? If the primary value of education is to signal conformity to employers’ expectations, then education as we know it is a waste of time, energy, and money. Degrees range in practicality, but most—like economics—hardly spend time teaching the kinds of skills that translate to the jobs most graduates actually take. As Bryan puts it, “As far as I can tell, the only marketable skill I teach is how to be an economics professor.” The world certainly needs some economics professors, but the sentiment behind the point reflects an undeniable dirty little secret. Professors, by and large, teach students about their favorite subjects, not skills for career success. For years, I’ve trumpeted the line that the purpose of higher education is not to teach skills but rather to teach students how to think. The Case Against Education deflates this argument with statistics and great humor. As the type of student who loved taking Russian literature, political philosophy, and economic history, I’m thrilled to speak with Bryan Caplan about b******t and education. Bryan Caplan is Professor of Economics at George Mason University. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network.

    1 hr

  2. 11/18/2025

    On Democracy and B******t with Hélène Landemore

    Today I’m speaking with Hélène Landemore, Professor of Political Science at Yale University, about Democracy and B******t, with a special focus on her 2020 book, Open Democracy: Reinventing Popular Rule for the Twenty-First Century (Princeton University Press, 2020). B******t is a feature of both democracies and dictatorships alike, but it takes different forms. In democracies, while citizens enjoy the freedom of speech and the right to vote, a range of forces often conspire to limit their real power in favor of competing elites. The political and economic elite’s toolkit includes the art of bullshit—the persuasive use of language without regard for truth. Whether meritocratic or populist, elites alike have mastered this form of manipulation, amplified by modern tools of dissemination and authority. To help us understand the challenges that b******t poses to democratic citizens, I’m pleased to welcome Hélène Landemore. Hélène Landemore is a professor of political science at Yale University. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network.

    1h 6m

  3. 07/31/2025

    On B******t in AI with Arvind Narayanan

    Today we’re continuing our series on Harry Frankfurt’s seminal work, On B******t. I have the privilege to speak with Arvind Narayanan co-author of the book AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What it Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference (Princeton University Press, 2024). Arvind is the perfect guest to explore the subject of b******t in AI as AI Snake Oil takes on the ridiculous hype ascribed to the promise of AI. AI chatbots often hallucinate and many of the promoters of AI engage in the art of b******t when selling people on wild and crazy AI applications. Arvind Narayanan is professor of computer science at Princeton University and director of its Center for Information Technology Policy. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network.

    19 min

  4. 07/12/2025

    On B******t in Politics with Michael Patrick Lynch

    Today we’re continuing our series on philosopher Harry Frankfurt’s seminal work, On B******t. Our guest is Michael Patrick Lynch, Provost Professor of the Humanities and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut. Michael is the author of the recently published book, On Truth in Politics: Why Democracy Demands It (Princeton University Press, 2025). The topic of our discussion today will be on b******t in politics, and how we might think about ways to combat it. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network.

    31 min

  5. 06/23/2025

    The Truth About B******t: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary Edition of On B******t with Pamela Hieronymi

    Today I’m thrilled to launch a brand new series for the Princeton UP Ideas Podcast. 20 years ago, Princeton University Press published a short volume with an excellent title: On B******t (Princeton UP, 2025). Written by philosopher Harry Frankfurt, On B******t was adapted from an essay that explored the meaning, uses, and consequences of b******t. At just 80 pages, On B******t became a favorite of readers, selling over 1 million copies and spending 27 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. It’s not often that a work of philosophy breaks through to the mainstream, but readers of On B******t quickly discover why. Harry’s meditation on the meaning of b******t can be read in one sitting, but the ideas have staying power. After you read Harry’s book, you start to see b******t everywhere and recognize it’s uniquely pernicious effects on whatever’s left of the public square. Harry wrote his book long before modern social media and AI-generated slop. He was unbelievably prescient, making On B******t required reading for today. Harry sadly passed in 2023 at 94 years old, but his ideas live on. In this series, we’ll speak with scholars whose lives and work have been influenced by Harry and his seminal book. To kick things off, I’ll be speaking with Pamela Hieronymi, one of Harry’s former students. Pamela is Professor of Philosophy at UCLA and a leading scholar in the field of moral philosophy. Like Harry, her work has resonated outside the academy. She served as an advisor on the sitcom, The Good Place, which brought philosophical concepts like the trolley problem to a mainstream audience. For the first episode in the series, Pamela will introduce readers to both the book and the man who wrote it. In subsequent episodes, I’ll speak with other scholars who explore Harry’s notion of b******t in politics, science, and more. If you haven’t read On B******t, you should preorder the anniversary edition, which is set to release on August 5th. Now, let’s have ourselves a bull session. Pamela Hieronymi is Professor of Philosophy at UCLA. Watch her lecture on the blame game. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network.

    35 min
  • 5 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Named for the famous philosophy treatise by the late Harry Frankfurt, The Truth About Bullsh*t podcast seeks to illuminate our world and the pressing issues therein by calling out ‘b******t’ – a misrepresentation of truth – in all its forms. We’re excited to introduce a short series of interviews with experts on fields ranging from AI to business, to politics.  Hosted by Caleb Zakarin, editor of the New Books Network.

Information

  • Creator
    New Books Network
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © New Books Network
  • Show Website
    The Truth About Bullsh*t

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