Rephonic
Artwork for Increments
Libertarianism
Determinism
Free Will
Patriarchy
Philosophy
Critical Rationalism
Moral Responsibility
Psychology
Recycling
Education
Landfills
Philosophy Of Science
Gender Disparities
Barbie Movie
David Deutsch
Principle Of Optimism
Property Rights
Cultural Norms
Government Competence
Austrian Economics

Vaden Masrani, a senior research scientist in machine learning, and Ben Chugg, a PhD student in statistics, get into trouble arguing about everything except machine learning and statistics. Coherence is somewhere on the horizon. Bribes, suggestions, love-mail and hate-mail all welcome at incrementspodcast@gmail.com.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes100Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophyScienceSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Increments

Latest Episodes

Ben is hesitant to talk too much about politics on the podcast. So, naturally, we're having a political debate. We have on a pseudonymous guest to talk Trump, MAGA, and what's wrong with the left and the right.

We discuss

• Trump's politics as tria... more

"What is Truth?", said jesting podcasters, who then stuck around for an answer. Back at it again with The Conjectures and Refutations Series (part three) on Chapter 10: Truth, Rationality, and the Growth of Scientific Knowledge. Can we say what truth... more

Two years without discussing effective altruism -- did you miss it? Not as much as Vaden, surely. And probably a right bit more than Ben.

Well, we're back in the game with a spicy one. Was EA a front for AI safety from the beginning? Did the leaders... more

YouTube

Happy Christmas and Merry Festivus y'all! Today we're releasing a patreon episode, as both of us are away on vacation with the family for the holidays. In this episode we have a meandering discussion about parenting, Robert Kegan's four stages of dev... more

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Recent Guests

Don Robinson
Guest invited to challenge the hosts' views and contribute a perspective on Trump and the political landscape
Unspecified
Episode: #99 - Debating Trump in Good Faith (w/ Don Robinson)
Scott Aaronson
Schlumberger Centennial Chair of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin and Director of its Quantum Information Center.
University of Texas at Austin
Episode: #94 - Is AI Just a Tool? (w/ Scott Aaronson)
Jonathan Rauch
Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and author
Brookings Institution
Episode: #92 - Confronting the Paradox of Tolerance: Christianity in the age of Trump (w/ Jonathan Rauch)
Ben Recht
Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley
Episode: #91 - The Uses and Abuses of Statistics (w/ Ben Recht)
Rich Meadows
Co-host of Do You Even Lit
Do You Even Lit
Episode: #88 (Bonus) - Homer's Odyssey
Cam Peters
Co-host of Do You Even Lit
Do You Even Lit
Episode: #88 (Bonus) - Homer's Odyssey
Hugo Mercier
Author and social psychologist
Episode: #84 - A Primer on Not Born Yesterday by Hugo Mercier
Tamler Sommers
Professor of philosophy at the University of Houston, co-host of the Very Bad Wizards podcast.
University of Houston
Episode: #75 - The Problem of Induction, Relitigated (w/ Tamler Sommers)
David Deutsch
Philosopher and physicist known for his work on quantum computing and critical rationalism
Episode: #74 - Disagreeing about Belief, Probability, and Truth (w/ David Deutsch)

Hosts

Vaden Masrani
Senior Research Scientist in Machine Learning; Co-host of Increments.
Ben Chugg
PhD student in Statistics; Co-host of Increments.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 85 ratings
  • The only podcast I always listen to.

    Interesting and insightful discussions of broad, deep, and important ideas in a fun way. I look forward to every episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lukeconibear
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • :)

    This podcast is a wonderful testament to the value of a humanities education, especially when the statistics student opens his mouth

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    JerryFodor
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Deep and important ideas excellently presented

    Rigorous, lively and entertaining discussions about the best ideas in the philosophy of how humans create knowledge and make progress. Highly recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AndrewGleave
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • One of the great up-and-coming podcasts

    Really interesting under-explored topics, a great recent find. The hosts know their stuff, it’s just a pity about the ben shapiro guy

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ricardo Vegas 69
    New Zealand2 years ago
  • Definitely worth the time

    There is only so much time, yet a seemingly infinite list of podcast recommendations from all around you. You may think there’s no way you could fit another, and certainly not the chaotic rambling of esoterica that is Increments. But I’m here to tell you, have you thought about when you’re doing the laundry? Or when you’re doing the dishes? Or when you’re mindlessly staring out the window searching for a shred of humanity left in the frozen wasteland of your heart? Or what about when you’re mowi... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    zombieinjeans
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The unique blend of philosophy and science is particularly engaging, making complex subjects accessible.
Critiques mention a desire for more diverse viewpoints in guest selections, while noting the expert-level discourse.
Listeners appreciate the insightful discussions that tackle important ideas with a nuanced perspective.
There's a positive reception of the hosts' chemistry, contributing to a lighter tone amidst serious topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#99 - Debating Trump in Good Faith (w/ Don Robinson)
Q: Do you think Trump's approach is more about working within the system or breaking its norms?
The hosts present a nuanced view that Trump operates within the system's boundaries but pushes them to their limits; the guest challenges this, suggesting some actions stretch or bypass norms, illustrating the tension between accountability and disruption.
#99 - Debating Trump in Good Faith (w/ Don Robinson)
Q: What are your thoughts on the right's criticisms of immigration policy and how to balance enforcement with humanitarian concerns?
The guest argues that there are valid economic and cultural concerns behind stricter immigration enforcement, while acknowledging the complexity and ethical dimensions, and emphasizes evaluating policies on outcomes rather than pure ideology.
#98 (C&R Chap 10, Part III) - What is truth?
Q: Are you the kind of person to say something when obnoxious guys are talking in public?
No, I'm the kind of person who would pretend that my headphones were in fact working.
#87 - Gullibility, Belief, and Conformity (with Hugo Mercier)
Q: If you could talk about your work and your theory of the mind contrasts and is different from Daniel Kahneman and dual process theories.
Hugo Mercier discusses how dual process theories, while popular, tend to oversimplify human reasoning by positing an overly neat division between intuitive and reasoned thought. He suggests that reasoning is often affected by social context and that people can arrive at conclusions through discussion rather than correction of errors by a separate reasoning process.
#58 - Ask Us Anything V: How to Read and What to Read
Q: How can someone engage with philosophical works effectively without prior knowledge?
Talking to people about what you've read and asking questions can greatly enhance understanding.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Increments

What is Increments about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The episodes feature a mix of philosophy, science, and cultural commentary, emphasizing rigorous discussions about substantial ideas in an engaging manner. Listeners can expect to hear nuanced debates on topics ranging from the philosophy of science—particularly the work of figures like Karl Popper—to pressing societal issues such as the implications of artificial intelligence and the intersection of politics and religion. The chemistry between the hosts adds a layer of informality and fun, making complex subjects accessible and enticing for a diverse audience. Unique insights from various academic fields and compelling guests further enrich the conversations, establishing a distinct voice in the podcast landscape.

Where can I find podcast stats for Increments?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Increments. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Increments and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Increments get?

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What are the audience demographics for Increments?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Increments, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Increments have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Increments has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Increments are there?

Increments launched 6 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Increments?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Increments?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Increments from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Increments. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Increments?

Recent guests on Increments include:

1. Don Robinson
2. Scott Aaronson
3. Jonathan Rauch
4. Ben Recht
5. Rich Meadows
6. Cam Peters
7. Hugo Mercier
8. Tamler Sommers

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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