BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep. 20: “Bandersnatch” with Eric Steinhart

Before jumping into the (very interesting) episode notes for this conversation with Dr. Steinhart, I want to make a couple of important announcements:

First, BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS is, unfortunately, nearing its end. BMR was always designed to be a limited-series podcast that dedicated one podcast episode to each of the 22 Black Mirror episodes, and we’ve almost run our course now. You’ll still be able to listen to BMR– and to recommend it to your friends!– but Episode 22 (to be released on March 5, 2021) will be our last episode. [sad face emoji]

Second, I’m really excited to announce that my next podcast HOTEL BAR SESSIONS will be launching on March 12, 2021 (the Friday following BMR’s final episode)! I’ll have two co-hosts for HOTEL BAR SESSIONS, Ammon Allred (who you will remember as a guest on BMR Episode 3 and Episode 15) and Shannon M. Mussett (who you will remember as a guest on BMR Episode 1 and Episode 16). HOTEL BAR SESSIONS aims to capture the spontaneity, intellectual dexterity, genuine curiosity, and good-spirited antagonism that characterize conversations academics tend to have at the hotel bar when they go to conferences. Here’s a trailer for the new podcast:

I’ll be posting more information about HOTEL BAR SESSIONS over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned!

Now, back to Episode 20, “Bandersnatch”:

Dr. Eric Steinhart is Professor of Philosophy at William Paterson University. He works primarily on metaphysics using contemporary analytical and logical methods and tools. He is also interested in historical metaphysical systems (particularly Plotinus, Neoplatonism, and Leibniz). Steinhart grew up on a farm. He was originally trained as a computer scientist and mathematician, and worked as a software designer for several years. Some of his algorithms have been patented. His past work has concerned Nietzsche as well as metaphor (analyzed using possible worlds semantics), and he has written extensively on the metaphysics and computation. He is featured in the film Chronotrip, a documentary about time travel. He is increasingly interested in the philosophy of religion, focusing on the intersection of the formal sciences and theology. He is especially interested in alternatives to Abrahamic religion. He affirms the existence of transfinitely endless hierarchies of sets, computers, languages, games, strategies, and minds. He believes in the existence of more things than you do. He also likes New York City, New England, mountain hiking, all sorts of biking, chess, microscopy, and photography. Steimhart is the author of several books, including Believing in Dawkins: The New Spiritual Atheism (2020), Your Digital Afterlives: Computational Theories of Life after Death (2014), More Precisely: The Math You Need To Do Philosophy (2017), and On Nietzsche: The Man and his Philosophy (1999).

You can listen to our full conversation on “Bandersnatch” here: