Best Beyond The Bookshelf Podcasts (2025)

1
OCON 2025: The Pre-Game Show 24:56

13h ago24:56

24:56

Podcast AudioIn this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Elan Journo interviews ARI intellectuals about their upcoming talks at the Objectivist Summer Conference, taking place July 1-5 in Boston, Massachusetts.Among the topics covered:Audra Hilse’s talk, “Revised Blueprints: Early Versions of Part II of The Fountainhead,” which will draw on …

1
Beyond the Shelves: Summer Lovin' 48:41

3d ago48:41

48:41

The latest episode of Beyond the Shelves is all about love! Jes and Sarah discuss the new queer romances they're most excited for this summer. Show Notes What They're Reading Heir, by Sabaa Tahir Great Big Beautiful Life, by Emily Henry The Duke Who Didn't, by Courtney Milan    Disappoint Me, by Nicola Dinan Dream On, Ramona Riley, by Ashley Herrin…

1
A Central Planner’s Trojan Horse: The Technological Republic 54:48

5d ago54:48

54:48

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A28R9JnfNroPodcast audio:In this episode of The ARI Bookshelf, Elan Journo, Mike Mazza, Nikos Sotirakopoulos and Robertas Bakula discuss The Technological Republic, the recent New York Times bestseller by Alexander C. Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies, and Nicholas W. Zamiska, the company’s head of corporate affairs…

1
S04E36 – Nefarious Stealth Evangelicalism? 49:46

6d ago49:46

49:46

We’re joined by Matt Baxter to discuss what we thought was a horror film but turned out to be something quite different.Warning: This film and episode deal with suicide, murder, abortion, politics, religion, and pretty much most of the hot potato topics we generally try to eschew. Hopefully we do a decent job of discussing it. Nefarious (streaming)…

1
What's Really Happening When AI Writes? An Interview with Bill Moore 1:21:07

10d ago1:21:07

1:21:07

We've been putting AI chatbots through creative writing challenges, but what are these systems actually doing when they write? In this episode, we bring in AI expert Bill Moore. Bill works with AI on the coding side, so we had him apply his technical know-how to literary prompts - including crafting the opening of a bestselling fantasy novel. Along…

1
Joe Rogan vs. Douglas Murray: Who’s Right About Trusting Experts? 1:09:12

13d ago1:09:12

1:09:12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY3NY7gFYtwPodcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Tristan de Liège examine Douglas Murray’s recent critique of Joe Rogan and other influencers who share their platforms with unreliable pseudo-experts. They explain why Murray fails to clarify the standards for distinguishing exp…

1
S04E35 - Dread Bothy and Beyond 45:55

13d ago45:55

45:55

Matt Baxter returns to join Karen and Blake in a discussion of allegedly haunted “bothies” in the remote hiking regions of the UK. This episode contains some discussion of guns, suicide, and cannibalism. Links to further reading/listening: What is a “bothy?” Mountain Bothy Association BBC’s Uncanny episodes we mention: Don’t Sleep in this House – D…

1
Reading Reform Beyond Phonics | Sam Weaver 1:00:36

13d ago1:00:36

1:00:36

https://youtu.be/iVJOTxv-tWkPodcast audio:American schools have long performed dismally at providing the education children need to read well. A movement in favor of systematic phonics instruction offers hope for improvement, but while phonics is essential to teaching children to read, they need further education to become highly capable readers. T…

1
The Making of the Atom Bomb | Evan Picoult 1:35:54

15d ago1:35:54

1:35:54

https://youtu.be/o615h8druDEPodcast audio:The creation of the atom bomb during WWII was an extraordinary achievement, dramatized in part in the movie Oppenheimer. What were the three greatest challenges in making the bomb and how does the success in overcoming those very difficult obstacles illustrate the application of objectivity? Which great sci…

1
S04E34 - The Murder that Inspired Twin Peaks 52:43

20d ago52:43

52:43

Jerry Drake returns to discuss his new book: Hazel was a Good Girl: The Murder that Inspired Twin Peaks Jerry has been with quite a few times to discuss Grimoires, Jack Parsons, The Hollow Earth, Internet Mysteries and Ghost Lights and we're excited to see what he makes of this real life unsolved murder with ties to one of the most influential show…

1
Not Your Usual Words to Write By: The AI Podcasting Challenge 51:45

24d ago51:45

51:45

Is nothing sacred? After exploring how AI might steal our writing jobs, we're now testing whether these digital usurpers can replicate our podcasting chemistry too. Google's NotebookLM claims to transform documents into conversations between virtual "hosts," setting up the perfect showdown with our human-led book discussion format. For this AI vs. …

1
Feudal Fantasy: Devil's Bride 1:38:54

26d ago1:38:54

1:38:54

Impale yourself on your fate: marrying the Devil can be heaven. Semilore Sobande shares her all-time favorite romance, "Devil's Bride" by Stephanie Laurens. This book has it all: Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Weatherby, a heroine who balances strength and vulnerability, and a hero who might just be Batman in disguise and has a similarly ridiculous na…

1
Trump’s Display of Arbitrary Immigration Power 1:07:26

26d ago1:07:26

1:07:26

https://youtu.be/VUYooprteeUPodcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Onkar Ghate and Agustina Vergara Cid analyze how the Trump administration’s immigration policy has escalated attacks on due process, legal immigration, and the broader American system of government.(Since the recording of this podcast, Rümeysa Öztürk has be…

1
S04E33 - BigFootage: The Secret of Bigfoot pt 2 1:03:58

27d ago1:03:58

1:03:58

We're back with part two of our 2-part coverage of the 1976 episode of The Six Million Dollar Man that introduced a generation of kids to Bigfoot, and the idea that the creature might be interconnected with space aliens living inside a California mountain.Related Links: The Bionic Book by Herbie Pilato (affiliate link) Operation Plowshare The Six M…

1
Racism: What It Is and Why It Persists | Gregory Salmieri 1:27:16

29d ago1:27:16

1:27:16

https://youtu.be/RclwB5luKekPodcast audio:Ayn Rand denounced racism as “the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism.” She also rejected as collectivist many of the measures being advocated to combat this evil, including what became the Civil Rights Act of 1964. On the sixtieth anniversary of that law, Dr. Greg Salmieri revisited the the…

1
Why Objectivity Demands a First-Handed Foreign Policy | Scott McDonald 59:06

1M ago59:06

59:06

https://youtu.be/2yQWRvrbVUIPodcast audio:Foreign policy is both a political activity and a field of applied ethics. However, the metaphysical and epistemological premises held by theorists and practitioners shape their view of ethics. The lack of an objective view of the world has led to theories and policies that do not support, and are often har…

1
Beyond the Shelves: Summer Reading Preview 1:01:20

1M ago1:01:20

1:01:20

On the newest episode of Beyond the Shelves, Jes and Sarah chat about this summer's biggest releases and the books they're most excited about. As you might have guessed, they are not necessarily the same thing! Plus, find out which host is a vampire girlie and which is a werewolf girlie. What They're Reading Promise Me Sunshine, by Cara Bastone Dee…

1
The ARI Bookshelf Explores Abundance 1:23:52

1M ago1:23:52

1:23:52

https://youtu.be/LVNSnbdEo0oPodcast audio:In this episode of The ARI Bookshelf, Onkar Ghate, Tristan de Liège, and Robertas Bakula discuss Abundance, the recent best-selling book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson that has gained traction in liberal circles.Klein and Thompson acknowledge the failings of past liberal policies and present what they cal…

1
How Capitalists Are Exploited 54:32

1M ago54:32

54:32

https://youtu.be/0R_RjyOJeI4Podcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer, Robertas Bakula, and Tristan de Liège explore how the mixed economy enables the unjust exploitation of society’s most productive individuals.Among the topics covered:Why, contrary to Marxist claims, businesspeople are the most exploited group in …

1
S04E32 - BigFootage: The Secret of Bigfoot pt 1 52:50

1M ago52:50

52:50

Karen joins Blake to discuss the influential 2-part episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man that introduced a generation of kids to Bigfoot, and the idea that the creature might be interconnected with space aliens living inside a California mountain. This is part one of a two-part special edition. The patron edition has extended footage and no moder…

1
Aristotle and Darwin: Antagonists or Kindred Spirits? | James Lennox 1:29:12

1M ago1:29:12

1:29:12

https://youtu.be/7Wjrmh8CjAkPodcast audio:As a historian and philosopher of biology, much of Dr. James Lennox’s research has focused on the philosophical foundations of history’s two greatest biologists: Aristotle and Charles Darwin. Historians and philosophers often portray these two giants as diametrically opposed in their approach to the study o…

1
How to Recognize “Package-Deals” 59:25

1M ago59:25

59:25

https://youtu.be/sNtIs4UmXnsPodcast audio:The most pernicious ideas are often injected into the culture by the method of “package-dealing” — the attempt to integrate the unintegratable. Expanding on previous material he has presented on this subject, Mr. Peter Schwartz offers a more advanced analysis of the mechanics of the package-deal. He address…

1
The New Iran Deal: Trump Recycles Obama Amoralism 50:45

1M ago50:45

50:45

https://youtu.be/S53avG169mwPodcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Elan Journo and Ben Bayer discuss the Trump administration’s move to restart nuclear talks with Iran by rehashing Obama’s failed deal.Among the topics covered:How the Trump administration’s new Iran deal essentially recycles Obama’s failed policy;Why hopes …

1
S04E31 - Catching Up May 2025 43:06

1M ago43:06

43:06

Blake and Karen take a minute to catch their breath and talk about where things are in their lives and what's up next in MonsterTalk news. Links: Bitch: The Journey of a Word Adhesive Capsulitis Idiopathic Illnesses Mechanical Turk Speaking Machine Replica of Speaking Machine (YouTube) Wolfgang von Kempelen Deep Mind Deep Blue Marvin Minsky John Mc…

1
An Introduction to Psychology | Gena Gorlin 1:28:35

1M ago1:28:35

1:28:35

https://youtu.be/Ff78OyGNA40Podcast audio:This sample class by Gena Gorlin is based on the full-length ARU course of the same name. The full course explores the major schools of thought, methods of inquiry, and empirical findings taught in a typical introduction to psychology course. But it explores how to understand and evaluate these theories, me…

1
21st-Century Revolutions in Medicine, Health Sciences, and Biotechnology | Amesh Adalja 1:00:34

2M ago1:00:34

1:00:34

https://youtu.be/oMFbMFvDJ50Podcast audio:In this talk, Dr. Amesh Adalja details innovative new developments in science that will enhance the lives of individuals. Topics include transplantation of pig hearts and kidneys into humans, cell-based therapies for cancer, genetically modified mosquitoes, new vaccines and vaccine technologies, AI-discover…

1
Private Space Entrepreneurs vs. NASA: How Freedom Fuels Rockets 44:38

2M ago44:38

44:38

https://youtu.be/pWpAiAioZTEPodcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Robertas Bakula and Mike Mazza explore the themes from Mazza’s upcoming essay, which argues that freedom, not government control, is the true engine of progress in the space industry.Among the topics covered:How NASA’s monopoly led to decades of stagnation …

1
S04E30 Dinos & Dragons - Part 2 34:55

2M ago34:55

34:55

This is part two of our two part look at Dragons and how these mythical beasts are being used to promote Creationism. Our guest is Dr. Philip Senter and he's the author of a new book about this topic. We use the word bullsh!t a lot in this episode so I slapped an explicit tag on - but I don't think it's too explicit otherwise. Get Dr. Senter's book…

1
The Revolutionary, Secular Concept of Individual Rights | Ben Bayer 59:17

2M ago59:17

59:17

https://youtu.be/79fT9VIDkVsPodcast audio:As Ayn Rand wrote, “The concept of individual rights is so prodigious a feat of political thinking that few men grasp it fully—and two hundred years have not been enough for other countries to understand it.” We can see this failure of understanding in the view, advanced by many conservatives and libertaria…

1
Philosophy of Math | Harry Binswanger 57:57

2M ago57:57

57:57

https://youtu.be/UaRhK2N8m6YPodcast audio:A continuation of Dr. Harry Binswanger’s Saving Math from Plato (OCON 2023): how the Aristotelian, perception-based approach to mathematics refutes or re-interprets wrong ideas advanced by figures such as Russell and Cantor. Topics include number, infinity, limits, and the axiomatic concepts of mathematics.…

1
Does Targeting Columbia University Target Intellectual Freedom? 58:48

2M ago58:48

58:48

https://youtu.be/qctS25KQzrsPodcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Sam Weaver and Ben Bayer discuss the Trump administration's decision to cut federal funding to Columbia University in response to its handling of pro-Hamas protests. They argue that government involvement in universities makes such coercion possible and thr…

1
S04E29 - Dinos & Dragons - Part 1 31:30

2M ago31:30

31:30

This is part one of our two part look at Dragons and how these mythical beasts are being used to promote Creationism. Our guest is Dr. Philip Senter and he's the author of a new book about this topic. Get Dr. Senter's book here: The Real Story of Dinosaurs and Dragons Read more about "The Dragon of Bologna" Another Book about fake historical zoolog…

1
Why Ta-Nehisi Coates’s The Message Is So Wrong on Palestine | ARI Bookshelf 1:25:27

2M ago1:25:27

1:25:27

https://youtu.be/VaNHaT-xlOUPodcast audio:The new ARI Bookshelf podcast series gives you a window into ARI’s educational programs by showcasing our faculty as they discuss books of recent interest. This episode discusses Ta-Nehisi Coates's book on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, The Message. Panelists included Elan Journo, Greg Salmieri, Ibis Sla…

1
Beyond the Shelves: A History of Chick Lit 49:08

2M ago49:08

49:08

On this month's podcast, Jes and Sarah talk about the history of Chick Lit - how it started (Bridget Jones's Diary), how the genre was covered in the press, and what new types of books have spawned from it today. Show Notes What They're Reading Everything Is Tuberculosis, by John Green Cleat Cute, by Meryl Wilsner While the Duke Was Sleeping, by Sa…

1
AI & Authorship: Where's the Line? 1:01:32

2M ago1:01:32

1:01:32

We've explored AI as brainstorming allies, critique partners, and research assistants. Now we're tackling the most contentious question: should writers use AI in the actual writing process? Not the "generate a novel in a week" approach (both ethically dubious and creatively hollow), but rather using AI as an editor whose word and phrasing suggestio…

1
Socratic Wisdom | Jason Rheins 1:00:32

2M ago1:00:32

1:00:32

https://youtu.be/RKtLU6ntECUPodcast audio:“Socratic Wisdom” — knowing our own ignorance — is the ability to differentiate what we do not know from what we do. This is a key component of objectivity, vital for properly weighing and implementing the knowledge we possess and directing ongoing investigation and inquiry. In this talk, Jason Rheins discu…

1
Trump’s Authoritarian War on Trade 1:08:30

2M ago1:08:30

1:08:30

https://youtu.be/vFaDm6eo-mkPodcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Onkar Ghate and Ben Bayer examine the Trump administration’s recent tariff policy and the legal, economic, and political disruptions they create.Among the topics covered:Why tariffs are not a proper foreign policy instrument to deter the threat from China;W…

1
S04E28 The Victor Hotel Ghost 47:48

2M ago47:48

47:48

Matt & Karen went out for a little getaway weekend to Victor, Colorado and ended up investigating the allegedly haunted Victor Hotel. Did Eddie die in the hotel elevator? Was Matt caught in embarrassing circumstances? Find out inside! The show notes here won't show the images so you'll need to hop over to our episode webpage to see them. https://ww…

1
What Are Visual Thinking Tools? 46:41

2M ago46:41

46:41

As my consulting practice started taking off about twenty years ago, I started reading everything I could by Fred Nickols, who blogged regularly for the software vendor, SmartDraw. Fred's articles were short, to the point, and always included a simple visual framework that was easy to comprehend. I ultimately read every post on that blog. Fred is a…

1
Marx vs. the Individual | Nikos Sotirakopoulos 1:00:32

2M ago1:00:32

1:00:32

https://youtu.be/-c6W8JuZsVoPodcast audio:Oppression and authoritarianism have been constant themes in regimes that ruled in the name of Marxism. From the Soviet Union to Cuba and from Yugoslavia to China, individual rights were ignored and violently suppressed. Is such anti-individualism a feature or a bug in Marxism? What about Marx himself? How …

1
Beyond the Book: AI Solutions for Author Marketing 43:33

2M ago43:33

43:33

In the current publishing industry, authors are expected to handle their own social media. If we wanted to be out there interacting with people, we probably wouldn't have picked artforms that have us sitting alone for hours everyday. What writer hasn't wished for an assistant to handle their social media? How about assistants we don't have to pay? …

1
Objectivity in One-to-One Conversations | Jean Moroney 1:01:21

2M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

https://youtu.be/093vQKWPwvsPodcast audio:Objectivity is the key to avoiding misunderstandings and making one-to-one conversations productive. There are two contexts of knowledge, two value hierarchies, and two “crows” to consider to communicate effectively. In this talk from OCON 2024, Jean Moroney covers the topics: what constitutes subjective vs…

1
Debunking the ‘Not Real Socialism’ Myth 46:04

2M ago46:04

46:04

https://youtu.be/a3bgumyKdAAPodcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Nikos Sotirakopoulos dismantle the claim that “real socialism” has never been attempted.Among the topics covered:Why many young Americans support socialism;How Soviet leaders were driven by Marxist ideology;Why Joseph Stalin epitomized Marxist…

1
S04E27 - Jewish Mysticism and Dybbuks with Peter Bebergal 51:51

2M ago51:51

51:51

We're excited to welcome back Peter Bebergal. This time we're talking about mysticism and dybbuks. Be sure and check out the links below including the upcoming talk Peter is giving April 14th for The Last Tuesday Society. Peter on Jewish Boston podcast All the Haunts Be Ours (affiliate link) 15-Disk Horror Collection The Ibbur from Jewish mysticism…

1
Beyond the Boxes and Lines with a Chief People Officer 41:41

2M ago41:41

41:41

We live in a small business world where the Chief Fractional Officer is becoming indispensable. Before even considering hiring the Fractional Sales Manager, the Fractional Marketing Officer, or even the Fractional CFO, I'd start one hundred percent of the time with the Fractional Chief People Officer. Susannah Robinson has worked in big-company HR …

1
‘From Heaven Through the World to Hell’: Goethe’s Faust as Romantic Hero | Nicolas Krusek 57:51

2M ago57:51

57:51

https://youtu.be/8wKAKmydUlgPodcast audio:Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s dramatic poem Faust is a monumental work of Romantic literature that presents one man’s ceaseless striving to transcend the limitations of human knowledge and experience. By exploring some of the most profound and moving passages from the poem, this talk by Nicolas Krusek provides a…

1
Harnessing AI Without Losing Your Voice: A Talk with Kate Scott 45:02

2M ago45:02

45:02

Can AI truly enhance your creativity without taking over? Our previous episodes left us wondering, but in this episode of "Words to Write by," we interview educator Kate Scott of the "AI for Squishy Humans" newsletter who offers some refreshing answers. Kate reveals her practical framework for taming AI's "enthusiastic toddler" tendencies and trans…

1
Why Trust Science? by Naomi Oreskes | ARI Bookshelf 1:34:55

2M ago1:34:55

1:34:55

https://youtu.be/HtOmp-fh-PkPodcast audio:This episode of ARI Bookshelf features Naomi Oreskes’s bookWhy Trust Science? Panelists include Ben Bayer, Jason Rheins, Mike Mazza, and Daniel Schwartz.Why Trust Science? asks when and why non-experts can trust science. It argues that it is the social character of science that makes it trustworthy.Our pane…

1
Why Business Leaders Won’t Object to Trump’s Tariffs 56:28

3M ago56:28

56:28

https://youtu.be/S1DL9777gfkPodcast audio:In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Onkar Ghate challenge the myth that America is ruled by plutocrats, exposing how fear of governmental threats drives business decisions.Among the topics covered:How CEOs’ silence in the face of Trump’s destructive tariff policies debunks the m…

1
S04E26 - A Natural History of Sea Serpents with Adrian Shine 54:31

3M ago54:31

54:31

We're delighted to get to talk with Adrian Shine, who has worked for decades to raise awareness about Loch Ness and investigated the legendary creature said to inhabit the dark waters of that deep Scottish lake. He's written a new book about Sea Monsters and their connection to the Loch Ness Mystery which releases April 1st, 2025. A Natural History…

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