Episode 23
Ancient Wisdom with Dr. Massimo Pigliucci

Josh and Joe are joined by Dr. Massimo Pigliucci philosopher, evolutionary biologist, and the K. D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York to discuss the most fundamental of all questions: How to live a happy life? They discuss his latest book How to be a (Happy) Skeptic and use ancient philosophy to analyze contemporary problems. We also spend a good deal of time talking about why stoicism is so popular now and the distorted forms it takes. Also: Rome.

09.18.26 | 10:38 am
Episode 429
AI Breaks Containment

Kate and Josh discuss a dire new poll for Republicans, the politics of AI and a surprisingly good Supreme Court ruling.

09.16.26 | 5:30 pm
Episode 22
Grab Bag

Josh and Joe have been doing the show for about a year now. In this episode they chat about a number of things that were on their mind. Why does the Trump admin want to sell off protected land? Why do New Yorkers seem to hate people from Ohio? What’s going to happen in the midterms? and more.

09.11.26 | 11:48 am
Episode 428
Home Stretch

Kate and Josh discuss Trump’s attempts to mess with the midterms, which feel much closer on this side of Labor Day.

09.09.26 | 7:25 pm
Episode 21
Our Roman Empire

Josh and Joe are joined by Massimo Faggioli, a professor of historical theology at Villanova and author of Leo XIV and the Global Church. They discuss the Catholic Church in the U.S., how its split politically, what made it that way, and ancient and modern Rome.

09.04.26 | 10:56 am
Episode 427
How Many Nazis Is Too Many?

Kate and Josh discuss of Mike Collins’ white nationalist woes, Pete Hegseth’s presidential ambitions and Jim Clyburn’s support for Supreme Court reform.

09.02.26 | 2:06 pm
Episode 20
What Are the Philosophers up to?

Josh and Joe are joined by Dr. David Kyle Johnson, philosopher at King’s College in Pennsylvania to discuss the role of a philosopher in contemporary society. We live in a time where philosophical subjects like what is a person? What is consciousness? and others are front and center in political discourse. But where are the philosophers themselves? We also talk about Artificial intelligence, and a lot of Star Trek

08.28.26 | 4:50 pm
Episode 426
Presidential Self-Soothing

Kate and Josh discuss South Carolina’s esteemed new Republican Senate candidate, Trump’s Canadian tantrum and the right’s fixation on the WNBA.

08.26.26 | 5:39 pm
Episode 19
On Prairieland

Josh and Joe are joined by Liberal Currents’ executive editor Samantha Hancox-Li to discuss Hanxcox-Li’s analysis of the 2025 Prairieland ICE detention center protest and aftermath. We also talk about Liberal Currents’ mission and wrap up with a discussion of speculative fiction. We cover a lot of ground in the Social Club.

08.21.26 | 11:32 am
Episode 425
Riding the Pollercoaster

Kate and Josh discuss the (most recent) polling freakout, Tuesday’s primary results in the Florida and Alaska Senate races and renewed interest in “human printer” Natalie Harp.

08.19.26 | 4:08 pm