What happens when gangs step in to provide services for communities that governments aren't able or willing to provide?

David Cerero Guerra joins the podcast to talk about his ethnographic work chronicling the equilibrium local gangs have reached with the government of Colombia in the city of Medellin.

While the primary activity of the gangs is selling illicit drugs which harm the community, they also have managed to ensure the reduction of physical violence and facilitate government services like water and electricity to under served communities.

We chat about the historical and political contexts which allowed for the emergence of such a unique unspoken agreement, and how the government communicates with the gangs without any official channels.

Guest: David Cerero Guerra

You can also watch the episode on youtube

We refer to morality a lot when judging behavior, but what exactly are we referring to?

Emese Havadtői joins us to talk about the structure and emergence of moral frameworks. We chat about whether morality can be understood in terms of behavior, without a universalist understanding of morality, and how evolution plays a role in our drive to behave morally. The debate also brushes up against what it means to be "good" and whether it is understood by looking at individual behavior or if it exists as a truth in the universe.

Guest: Emese Havadtői

Cohost: Maria Federova

You can also watch the conversation on youtube

What is the brain's relationship to information?

Francesco Poli joins to talk about the brain, the mind, and the individual differences that amount to human curiosity.

We talk about adaptivity, how our experiences shape our relationship to information, and what this means for our behavior. We also cover the value of information, dealing with uncertainty as a concept, and the importance of a good learning environment.

Guest: Francesco Poli

You can also watch the conversation on youtube