Very Bad Wizards
Very Bad Wizards is a podcast featuring a philosopher (Tamler Sommers) and a psychologist (David Pizarro), who share a love for ethics, pop culture, and cognitive science.
Episode 311: The Way to Dusty Death (Shakespeare's "Macbeth")
David and Tamler screw their courage to the sticking place and talk about their first Shakespeare play – The Tragedy of Macbeth. Plus we select 16 topics for our first VBW topic tournament suggested and voted by our beloved Patreon patrons.
Episode 310: Bayes, Brains, and Buddhists
David and Tamler try to wrap their heads around the predictive processing theory of the mind and brain function and talk about a paper that applies the framework to meditation practices. But first a new Psychological Science article expresses skepticism ...
Episode 309: Dissolving Into the One
David and Tamler heed the call to journey into the realm of Joseph Campbell. What are the unifying elements shared by myths and religions across time and culture? Does myth give us a portal into the hidden cosmic forces of the universe? Can it take us in...
Bonus Episode: Va Va Boom (Robert Aldrich's "Kiss Me Deadly")
We kick off our Bonus "Noir Summer" series with Robert Aldrich's "Kiss Me Deadly" (1956). While the rest of the bonus series will be for Patreon subscribers only, the first is free to all.
Episode 308: The Gray Man who Dreamed (Borges' "Shakespeare's Memory")
David and Tamler return to their happy place and talk about two pieces by JL Borges – the story “Shakespeare’s Memory” and the [essay/story/poem/literary sketch??] “Everything and Nothing.” What would it mean to have the memory of a supreme artist like S...
Listener Reviews
Read what other people are saying about our podcast!
Absolutely worth it
Rings all my bells. I’m getting to the point in life where it’s very hard to stay interested in most podcasts, but this one is a winner. Wide and varied interests, smart banter, and about the things I want to hear about. Culture high and low. Love it and will definitely be tuning in.
It’s A Cool Show
It’s a cool show. The one guy says he doesn’t think. The other guy is way into ghosts. They both like Twin Peaks. Oh, and the one looks like the other sounds and vice versa. How weird.
5 years & counting
The only podcast that I’ve been diligently listening to for the past 5 years. The topics, especially David’s and Tamler’s takes are engaging and insightful. I’ve got some of the best book, movies and papers recommendations from them. Constantly recommending it to friends that are on the lookout for some (fresh) food ...
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