We learn from Tyler Branston about philosophy and the importance of critical thinking. We learn about what philosophy is, what a philosopher does, why the values of society will create destructive artificial intelligence, and why thinking like a philosopher would make the world a better place. And remember, no monkeys were harmed in the making of this podcast. The last two years have also taught us that the insane barrier to higher learning (e.g., tuition costs) is a disservice to humanity. In 2022, we want to spend several episodes a year talking with experts and learning from them. Afterwards, we will listen in on the monkeys think about what the expert shared. This is the first episode of our new mission - let everyone onto the playground.

This month on the Infinite Monkeys cast, we chat with friends from BC whales. We not only talk about what BC whales does as an organization, but about why whales are so important to our ecosystem and - surprisingly - economy? This chat was thoroughly enjoyable for us, and we hope you learn something, as we sure did.

After chatting with Tao, the monkeys ponder why it takes so long to get an enjoyable job, and why this oppressive model builds a house of cards rather than a solid, reinforced structure. Will this one day be the end of science or the beginning of the next generation?

A conversation with Tao Gaede about his journey to becoming a mathematician and how he discovered at an older age that he wants to do math for a living. Tyler does not understand math, so he tries to figure out what a mathematician actually does. More importantly, why would someone find math fascinating? In the end, the two realize that math and science are not all that different. The last two years have also taught us that the insane barrier to higher learning (e.g., tuition costs) is a disservice to humanity. In 2022, we want to spend several episodes a year talking with experts and learning from them. Afterwards, we will listen in on the monkeys think about what the expert shared. This is the first episode of our new mission - let everyone onto the playground.

A lot has happened in the last 2 years. Tyler is now a doctor and we have all had to deal with the global plague. Tyler, apparently motivated by the bizarre world we now live in, now grows brain tissue from his own blood in the name of science. What does that mean? Why does he do this? Well, you will just have to listen. The last two years have also taught us that the insane barrier to higher learning (e.g., tuition costs) is a disservice to humanity. In 2022, we want to spend several episodes a year talking with experts and learning from them. Afterwards, we will listen in on the monkeys think about what the expert shared. This is the first episode of our new mission - let everyone onto the playground.

The bloody weather again. Gunnar cooks professionally as meat engine with guanciale.  Tyler gets ignored.  Chefs are sleezy used car salesmen who add value to meats by cutting them to pieces like the property brothers on love it or list it.  MAGNITUDINALLY BETTER cooking tips with Gunnar who HATES tomatoes. The GOD frequency and PURE music.  Gunnar teaches us about Buddhist and christian music traditions.  Healing crystal music and religious discrimination.  Tyler still gets ignored, and 6 dimensional music. Exciting technical difficulty that made it into the final cut where Tao artfully, clearly, and concisely expounds SECRET music EXPERT insights. Tyler stops being ignored and becomes a BAKER to avoid declaring bankruptcy.  Sourdough bread should KILL US ALL. Tao hates nice things and is an unknowing car bigot. Scientist chef, Gunnar Leitner, suggests eating moldy bread, and instructs the monkeys on the health benefits of botulism. Fromage connoisseur tip EXPLAINED: Slaughtering baby goats is a reliable means to finding quality cheeses. Rotten cabbage evolutionary innovations > economically viable electric cars and controlled fusion. Gunnar's SCIENTIFIC dog cereal with 20% rotten science milk TM.  Buy his upcoming SCIENTIFIC cookbook to learn more. Ducks die from bread, but Tyler won't go bankrupt because ducks don't BUY bread, human's do, but humans put the bread in the milk to get it soggy for 3 hours - PARISIAN dog le chien oui/non bibliothèque bonjour. AKA Feeding your dogs EXPLAINED: put a smile on your dog's face, feed it science milk bread in cereal. GODS HAVE NO EMOTION, but Gunnar's dog is a genuinely happy boy. Pet food conspiracies:  Pigeons and old people have a deep connection (unity through opposites Heraclitus style) through bread. Komodo dragons are DEATH. Simple microtone sampler by Michael Dean (Just Intonation vst): https://biptunia.com/?p=3990 Planets piano video: https://youtu.be/zvG4fXo-UK0 Infinite Monkeys FASHION (we all SUPPORT this (not sponsored, we just love the products)): https://goop.com/ Heraclitus (ignore the relativist and flux interpretations of his work - they're bullshit): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclitus Heraclitus basically anticipated Group Theory 2300 years before it emerged in 1800s: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_theory www.tylerjwenzel.com www.gunnarleitner.com www.taogaede.com

ESSENTIAL CORONAVIRUS MISINFORMATION.  CORONAVIRUS specs into evolutionary lethality skill tree.  ETHANOL YOUR DRIVEWAY.  Dragonball Z Canadian public health with PhD twitter follower, Tyler J. Wenzel.  Tao uses morbid mathematics to show that everyone will die.  Gunnar discusses Venusian aerial civil engineering, "not that hard."  Space orgies. Space economics of oxygen and Nickolas Cage smuggling.  STONKS.  Butt face genetics and 3D printed blank slate face surgery.  HELTH.  Visionary Ruso-canine amputation studies in videogame decapitation easter eggs.  CERUBUS.  China CRISPR Area 51 charge with Alex Jones.  EXTRATRESTIEL.

Today on the podcast, the monkeys chat coronavirus and colonizing space. Tao tells us about some neat space science and how he thinks an interplanetary trade network would work and Gunnar applies some Nick Cage wisdom.

The robots tried to sabotage our transmission this week, but we hope you enjoy this week’s cast despite the slightly garbled audio. This week we discuss our entire gamut of feelings: (1) Tyler has a stuttering issue, (2) scientists should not try discover what makes humans universally happy, and (3) everything is art.

After some ice-breaking conversation, Tyler jumps into a spontaneous social experiment with the other monkeys. A series of questions to show how subconsciously reluctant they are to share what makes them feel really good about themselves. If you want to follow along, pause after each question, and then messages us your experience. We apologize for the audio quality of Tao; we had some technical malfunctions. However, the experiment in the last half of this podcast was too good to hide away.

This week is a smorgasbord of topics, jam packed with fun science and questionably great ideas. What would the criminal justice system look like in an era of time travel? How can YOU make a billion dollars right now?! WHY ARE VAPES KILLING THE CHILDREN? All these questions and more will be answered by three highly intelligent monkeys.

This week, the monkeys converse about bees, farming and most importantly - that money should not be hoarded. Go out, enjoy your life, and episode 33 of the infinite monkeys podcast!

First, sorry for the technical difficulties! We had some website issues which prevented us from being able to upload podcasts. The experiment is now fixed, and great news - Gunnar is back from the alternative dimension! Tao, Tyler and Gunnar sit down and get Freudian with their dreams.

Tao and Tyler spend an hour remembering their dearest friend, Gunnar Leitner. We tell stories about some of the greatest acts of kindness we've witnessed Gunnar complete. He is truly, a great monkey.

A short and sweet TnT podcast. Tao and Tyler dive into a comparison between generalists and experts. Everyone talks about how they want to be the great in something (i.e. an expert), but does that really give them their best life?

We constantly feel like there is not enough time in a day to get important tasks done. However, are all those tasks really that important? Or are our thoughts getting in the way of being productive and happy with ourselves? And, if you have your own tricks, please share them with us!

Tyler and Tao talk about what matters in life, and discuss how they came to understand what matters to them. Everyone is different, so what in life matters to you?

Tyler and Gunnar talk about friendship and the requirements that it takes to build meaningful relationships. What do you think that it takes to have friendships that aren’t just superficial?

Today, the monkeys talk conventions and their utility. What is a convention and conventionalism? Is it simply a set of rules or some other thing that society expects us to do? What does it mean to live conventionally? Is a conventional life a good thing? Do we even really agree on most conventions? Why is the Golden Rule not conventional? How can we break free from conventionalism and would society still be able to function?

Today, we got a dynamite podcast. Gunnar is out trying to figure out the human tradition of Thanksgiving. This leaves Tao and Tyler to talk about their identity, and how to find your own identity. We dive into the following questions: Who am I? Is it OK to not know who I am? Do mental health issues arise from not being able to answer these questions? If so, how can we begin to find out who we are?

Today on the podcast, Tao, Tyler, and Gunnar discuss murder documentaries! After a quick catch-up after Tyler’s vacation, the monkeys chat the effects of watching murder documentaries. Why are Canadians and Americans so hooked on consuming murder-media? What are the ethics of making so much content that revolves around real people doing horrible things? Why don’t we hide the names and faces of serial killers? Is Netflix and the creators of murder-media glorifying serial killers?

Today on the podcast, Tao and Gunnar talk about the accessibility of education and whether or not teaching creativity is feasible. Does increasing access to education lead to a reduction in standards? If everyone can get into a university or college; how can they guarantee providing high quality education? What’s with the huge class sizes? Can universities teach people how to be creative? After tackling Tao’s initial curiosities, a pleasant conversation about creating things for other people ensues. Topics like personal bias, being pretentious, clarity, simplicity, and the need for repetition are discussed. Is what you do important? Probably not. But do it anyway. Check out Space Engine and Desmos! http://spaceengine.org/ https://www.desmos.com/calculator

Today on the podcast, Tao and Gunnar chat about creativity. How do people stay creative and consistently produce new things? When experiencing times of creative block, how does one escape this mindset? How does sleep and diet play into creativity? What kind of pitfalls can someone fall into during the creative process? How do people deal with their own delusions? How do people make money by creating things for free? Why do people even bother to create? How can you better support the artists/creators that you enjoy? All of these questions are discussed, and more!

Today Tao, Tyler, and Gunnar chat faith and whether or not all people practice some form of faith. Is having faith a good thing? What is blind faith? Is faith helpful when our explanations for natural events faulter? Scientific explanations are usually portrayed as the truth, but is this helpful? Does religious study belong in schools? Are there things that would shake your faith in whatever system you adhere to?

Today on the podcast the monkeys chat about quitting things and whether or not it is appropriate to give up. Tyler discusses how successful people peddle the idea that you have to work extraordinarily hard, but is this way of thinking good? Do people need to work 80+ hours in a week in order to be successful? Should kids be forced to not quit in order to teach them wherewithal and/or responsibility? How does a person recognize when we should give up on a thing? What can we learn from quitting things?

Today the infinite monkeys chat about words and abstract concepts like happiness! Tao introduces George Orwell’s take on the use of abstract language and how it deceives not only the reader but also the author. Abstract language is used a lot in many professional realms but is this helpful? The conversation leads to the abstract concept of happiness which leads to a discussion on what happiness actually is.

Today on the podcast, the monkeys talk about grad school and give tips that they’ve found helpful. Tyler, Gunnar, and robo-Tao offer up some advice on how to not only survive but thrive in grad-school. Should you work outside of the typical 40-hour work week? How can a person differentiate themselves in grad school (or work in general)? Work ethic, work-life balances, and workplace innovation are discussed.

Today on the Infinite Monkeys, Tyler gets taken down a trail of conspiracy theories with Gunnar. What really happened to JFK? Who was really responsible for 9/11? The monkey’s attempt to figure out if these theories are useful and if they have any positive implications.

Today the monkeys chat about their feelings of mortality. Giving their own takes of how they view death, the monkeys discuss ways we might be able to cope with this fact. When and how should people engage with children about death? What happens when you experience death? Is mortality a cause of mid-life crises? Why don’t people talk about this more often and why does this often get dismissed? How do you guys cope with your fears of death? Let us know what you think about the topic or the podcast as a whole on twitter! @taogaede @tylerjwenzel @gunnarrhys

Today on the podcast Tao, Gunnar, and Tyler talk worldviews. After a chat on new years resolutions and music the monkeys chat about optimism and cynicism. We’re all well versed with the common trope “is the glass half empty or half full?” but what exactly is optimism and cynicism? What pitfalls do these viewpoints create for people’s lives? How well does this cover the spectrum of people that we encounter on a daily basis? The monkeys find that merely looking at these extremes doesn’t really reflect people that well (surprise). Where do nihilists fall in this? What about people where everything matters? The monkeys attempt to fit life perspectives into a box with this one.

This week Tao, Tyler, and Gunnar chat about AI and some of the implications. The monkeys contemplate where technology will take people and what exactly AI is before looking at some of the problems. What happens if AI can change itself and rewrite its own code? Will AI inevitably outcompete humanity? Will AI view people as a problem to solve and actively remove them; or merely cause their obsolescence? Are we doomed to a world of being pampered and coddled by AI? It seems as though we are at an important point in time in history where we are potentially summoning our replacements. What are your thoughts?

In this episode, the monkeys discuss capitalism; the good, the bad, and the ugly. After a quick life hack that devolves into physics theorizing, the infinite monkeys try to figure out what capitalism is and issues that arise from this type of economic system. Is the idea of capitalism a good thing that encourages competition or a bad thing that encourages exploitation? Should large corporations be more accountable for what they sell, how they sell it, and how they obtain their goods? Do people spend beyond their means in an attempt to be happy? WTF is with these coffee prices, am I right?

Today, the infinite monkeys discuss colonizing space and why it is necessary for humans to begin a multiplanetary civilization. First off, why should we presume that spreading our species is a preferred state? Why is life more valuable than non-life? Is there a hierarchy in value that is based on complexity and sentience? Where would people fall into this and what if there are beings in the universe of higher sentience? Further, is it good that humans spread merely because of their sentience or is it because we have a ‘higher calling?’ What if there is already life on these planets? The implications of whether or not we should spread humanity (and all of the messiness associated with humanity) onto many planets is tackled on many different fronts.

Today the monkeys try to figure out if we’re in charge of our actions! In trying to do this some interesting ideas such as the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and string theory are discussed. What exactly is free-will? Are there ethical implications in telling people that they are predetermined to act and behave a certain way? Is physics destined to resolve the issue of free-will? How does string theory and the 10th dimension contribute to this problem? Do you think you’re in charge? Did you really decide to listen to this podcast or was it fate? The monkeys try to answer these questions and more on this episode of the podcast. Do we alter our ethics in accordance to our belief in determinism? Here is a nifty paper saying so: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02045.x. It has nothing to do with whatever Gunnar was talking about (invisible people?) but illustrates the point well enough.

Today, the infinite monkeys try to fix university. After a quick chat on the etymology of cancer and horoscopes the monkeys try to figure out what they would change about post-secondary education. In terms of admissions, delivery, and final judgement what would you change? Problem-based learning seems to hold promise as a way of learning (as evidenced in Sweden), might it help make universities more efficient and effective? Lectures seem to be antiquated and ineffective relics of the past; how can the classroom adapt? How can we make examination fairer and more reflective of knowledge and skills? Should post-secondary education be mandatory? Is education as important to societal health as healthcare? What are invisible costs and how does education (or free education for that matter) factor into this? Is bureaucracy wasting all of our money and destroying the world? Will free education lead to even more of an entitled society? Tao, Tyler, and Gunnar grapple with these questions and come up with potential solutions in a late-night edition of the podcast. Enjoy!

In this episode, Tyler, Tao, and Gunnar try to figure out what being a pseudointellectual is. The use of jargon might be an effective strategy at confusing people into believing you’re smart, but does it mean that you are intelligent? Is intellect signalling a thing? Is this merely a question of intent in conveying information? Should people be humbler when approaching discussions to avoid seeming pseudointellectual? Or is it fine to approach intellect arrogantly (if you can back it up)? Are self-help authors inherently misleading and therefore pseudointellectual? It seems as though pseudointellectuals have a mix of these characteristics. They apply dogmatism, unnecessary jargon, and speak with an air of sometimes unmerited authority. When it comes down to it, it seems as though a skeptic is antithetical to a pseudointellectual and on some level, these are inversely related concepts. Even though some facts are objectively true, you should always approach situations skeptically, even this podcast. Enjoy! If you like what we do and want to help us out, feel free to check out our patreon at http://www.patreon.com/infinitemonkeys where you can pledge a little as $2 for some fun rewards.

Today, the Infinite Monkeys talk education! After a quick chat on burning garbage and the greatness of Sweden, the monkeys talk about getting learnt. What are the issues with current education systems? Whether that be teacher quality or access to information, could we fix these issues? Could everything be fixed with more funding or is there a more fundamental change that can accomplish the same goals? How much do you love word problems? Join the monkeys for an interesting podcast that will teach you mind blowing facts about the nature of light and how to never get ripped off by pizza places again! If you want (and can afford to), feel free to support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/Infinitemonkeys! The monkeys have an infinite amount of ideas and your support enables continued development and sharing of these ideas. Getting funding would enable our monkeys to feel like they’re doing a good job, increase production quality, and expand into the possibility of delivering more thrilling content! For science!

Important Correction: There is one accidental omission to this discussion - if ProRep is voted in, you may or may not be able to vote directly for the person whom will be your regional representative. You may only have the power to vote for what party you want to represent you regionally, and the party has the full power to choose the candidate. This decision will be decided for the public by politicians - as of right now, the public does not have a say for how the regional candidate is chosen. In this podcast, the monkeys discuss electoral reform. British Columbians (Canada) have an upcoming mail-in vote for-or-against proportional representation (ProRep). Choices being the current system (winner-takes-all) or a change towards proportional system (proportion of vote equals proportion of power). To make it more confusing, if British Columbians choose ProRep, they get a choice between three separate voting systems. The monkeys try to delve deep into the pros and cons of each system as well as our own biases and preferences. Is voting important? How do voting systems reflect local and public will? Does fascism occur if people are represented proportionally? Or is it the winner-take-all paradigm that contributes to this phenomenon? Apologies for the last half-hour of poop-flinging. Voting systems are fun!

In this episode, the monkeys try to figure out what makes a debate, well, a debate and what exactly makes a conversation ‘intellectual.’ Do debates require a winner? Often political debates are broken down into winners and losers while the arguments themselves fall to the wayside, is this how they should be? Do conversations differ from debates because they enable non-binary views and nuance? Are emotional appeals different from charismatic delivery? What do you think makes a good intellectual conversation? The monkeys attempt to answer these questions and more while referring to debates on colour, science, emotion, and more. If that sounds good to you, please consider becoming a patron today at http://www.patreon.com/InfiniteMonkeys.

In this discussion, our three monkeys chatted about the extent that safe places should exist to discuss taboo topics. Should we have a safe place to discuss left wing idealogies? If we do, do we need to also have a place for people to discuss right wing idealogies? After having their gut reactions challenged, the monkeys cooled off with a discussion about forgiveness and criminalization. This podcast contains conclusions that may be controversial, and like always, we encourage you to reach out and let us know what your thoughts are. After all, we're just trying to be be the best monkeys we can be. If that sounds good to you, please consider becoming a patron today at http://www.patreon.com/InfiniteMonkeys.