Stars End S3E37 - Asimovs Foundation Podcast and Philosophy

I podcast, therefore I am. Or is it, "I podcast, therefore I philosophize?" If you've listened to some of our recent episodes, you might think it's the latter as recently we're delved into topics like free will and pondered whether there's an objective morality beyond things that we might be programmed with, like societal norms or the Three Laws of Robotics. Well, if you like that stuff, you'll love this episode! There's a new book out called Asimov's Foundation and Philosophy (AF&P), a collection of essays about... well, you've figured that out, right? Remember books, by the way? They're weird. You can read them, but they don't have batteries and they're made of wood of all things! We discuss this book with three of the authors who are simultaneously two-and-a-half special guests! Josef Simpson is one of the editors of AF&P and helped bring the book to life. He also wrote "A Foundation-al Lesson on Free Will and Determinism" for the project. Our second guest is long-time friend of the show, Cora Buhlert! Cora was our first guest way back in Season 1 Episode 7. She now becomes our first returning guest and the first Hugo Winner to appear on our show as she was chosen the Best Fan Writer for 2022! Congratulations, Cora! Cora contributed "Between Cynicism and Faith" fo AF&P. The book also contains a chapter by our very own Dan Fried, "The Dao of Psychohistory!" Thus, Dan is our one-half of a special guest as he splits his duties between interviewer and interviewee! So if our excursions into philosopy have wheted your appitite for such things, pick up a copy of Asimov's Foundation and Philosophy⁠. You're sure to enjoy it! And if you want to read the book without harming a trees, or through inaction allowing a tree to come to harm, here's one one option.