132. Jane Austen, Game Theorist

In the final episode of our whale series, we learn about fecal plumes, shipping noise, and why Moby-Dick is still worth reading. (Part 3 of "Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.") SOURCES:Michele Baggio, professor of economics at the University of Connecticut.Mary K. Bercaw-E ... Show More

For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a historic low. And yet some countries still have a whaling industry. We find out why. ... Show More

Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue to grow elsewhere? And is that whale vomit in your perfume? (Part 1 of “Everything You Ne ... Show More

This month in a very special edition, we’re celebrating that most English of novelists Jane Austen. It’s two hundred years this month since the publication of Pride and Prejudice and we’ve invited bestselling British novelist and Jane Austen aficionado PD James, along with Anglo- ... Show More

In social situations, two people can do the exact same things (good and bad) and get a very different reaction. We discuss chemistry, first impressions, and a theory inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. 

Thanks to Paul Kilgore, who commissioned this podcast for the 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. I’ve never seen this particular version but am familiar with the source and other adaptations, while Jim had no idea what to expect. What will we make of some early 19th century hi ... Show More

Plotinus posits an absolutely transcendent first principle, the One. What is it (or isn’t it), and how does it relate to Intellect? 

Is pride an emotion? Where’s the line between self-esteem and hubris? And what does Stephen have against peacocks? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/  

What is loneliness and why is it harmful? How does it differ from just being on your own? In the latest episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, Kieran Setiya discusses this important topic with Nigel Warburton.     

What’s the difference between schadenfreude and sadism? Can envy be put to good use? And how do you teach a kid to punch a clown? 

Is there such a thing as a victimless crime? In an unfair system, is dishonesty okay? And are adolescent vandals out of ideas?  

Over a hundred years before Princess Diana and Prince Charles, there was another doomed British royal couple: Queen Caroline and King George IV. Caroline and George’s hatred for each other runs so deep that it leads to a war that snowballs into a full blown tabloid circus. (Imagi ... Show More