Polytechnicast delivers digestible philosophical bites that can be consumed anywhere at anytime. The general tenor of the work is specifically designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. It is in this spirit of a toy theorem (a deliberately simplistic model with many details removed so that it can be used to explain a mechanism concisely) coupled with slow cinema (minimalist, observational, non-narrative, and deliberately contemplative long takes) that we attempt to reveal an applied, quiet, uncluttered, and practical way of consuming challenging content. We are engineering thought.
Welcome to Polytechnicast 🌈
Polytechnicast host explores hauntology with Jacques Derrida's concept, revealing how past cultural structures persistently infiltrate our present and challenge traditional notions of time and identity.
28 Nov 2024
Right To Be Forgotten
Renowned experts in digital rights and online privacy, discuss the complexities of the 'Right to Be Forgotten' and its implications for global freedom of expression and online reputation management.
15 Nov 2024
The Eternal Decoherence
This episode presents a speculative look at the far future of the universe and the potential for a “cosmic amnesia.” It explores how, as galaxies drift beyond visible reach due to cosmic expansion, future astronomers may lose access to the universe’s historical clues, including evidence of the Big Bang. Without observable galaxies, key discoveries like the universe’s expansion would become impossible to replicate. This leads to the unsettling idea that the universe’s true nature might fade from knowledge, leaving future civilizations to theorize within a limited and isolated cosmos. We suggest that, in such a scenario, scientific understanding could give way to mythology or folklore as explanations for cosmic existence.
Welcome to Polytechnicast 🌈
10 Nov 2024
Dark Sparkler
This episode explores the philosophical implications of extremophiles—organisms thriving in harsh environments previously thought inhospitable to life. These microorganisms challenge conventional scientific and philosophical definitions of life by existing in the absence of traditional life-supporting conditions, such as light and oxygen. Their resilience leads to questions about the boundaries of life and how we define existence itself, raising philosophical considerations about life’s inherent contradictions and mysteries. This interplay between life and its limits reflects larger existential and ontological inquiries, particularly through the lens of Schopenhauer’s philosophy of negation and the ‘Will-to-Life,’ where life, paradoxically, contains within it a force of negation.
Welcome to Polytechnicast 🌈
2 Nov 2024
On Not Knowing
Here's a fascinating philosophical exploration of how "not knowing" can actually be incredibly valuable! This episode brings together various philosophical perspectives on wonder and uncertainty, starting surprisingly with Descartes's thoughts on wonder - that feeling of amazement when we encounter something totally new. This sense of wonder and uncertainty, rather than being a weakness, can actually enhance our ethical relationships with others and fuel creativity. When we approach something or someone without trying to fit them into our existing frameworks of understanding, we remain open to their unique qualities and differences. This applies to art and creative thinking, where sometimes the best breakthroughs happen when we let go of control and allow ourselves to explore without a predetermined destination. We can extend this idea to suggest that materials themselves possess a kind of intelligence - like how an artist might need to listen to what their medium "wants" to do rather than forcing it into a preset form. It's a compelling challenge to our usual assumption that knowledge is always preferable to ignorance, suggesting instead that being comfortable with not knowing can lead to richer experiences and deeper understanding.
Welcome to Polytechnicast 🌈
29 Oct 2024
The Death of the Author Again
As one of the latest forms of creative expression art generated using AI is denied copyright protection due to the current legal requirement for human authorship. Despite multiple challenges to this stance, the Copyright Office remains firm—AI-generated art is considered devoid of human involvement. This episode examines the existing legal framework for AI art copyright alongside philosophical theories of authorship and asks if the end user of AI-generated art should be granted copyright if it fulfills the human authorship criterion. Are we perhaps moving beyond current logics of copyright law?
Welcome to Polytechnicast 🌈
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