Aiming for the Moon

Mar 28 2025 135 ep. 27 mins 19

Aiming for the Moon Podcast artwork

We interview interesting people from a teenage perspective. Join us as we have fascinating discussions with successful authors, entrepreneurs, scientists, etc. (Oh, and adventurers!)

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128. The Accursed Questions - Fyodor Dostoevsky on Suffering, Freedom, and Love: Prof. Gary S. Morson (Prof. of Russian literature @ Northwestern University | Author of "Wonder Confronts Certainty")

Mar 28 2025 33 mins

Send us a text What's the meaning of life? Why is there pain and suffering? How do you balance justice and love? These "accursed questions" have haunted humanity for centuries. Fyodor Dostoevsky sought to answer these questions through his characters' lives. His answers are prophetic for our time. In this episode, I sit down with Northwestern University professor of Russian literat

127. Connective Labor - What Machines Can't Replace in Our Disconnected World: Prof. Allison Pugh (Author of "The Last Human Job" | Prof. of Sociology @ Johns Hopkins University)

Mar 22 2025 32 mins

Send us a text As we enter a world of artificial intelligence, the question of what should be automated looms before us. Models need clear, objective metrics to train on. But, can jobs really be distilled to data points? In her book, The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World, Prof. Allison Pugh asserts many jobs have a relational component that can’t be c

126. Pen, Page, and People - The History of the Book: Prof. Adam Smyth (Author of "The Book-Makers")

Dec 29 2024 27 mins

Send us a text When we think of history of books, we often neglect the people who created them. We think of history as a figment of facts, connected together by time and advances in technology. But sometimes we overlook the humanity, the souls, the fingerprints in the ink-stained margins of long-forgotten tomes. In this episode, I sit down with Oxford's Prof. Adam Smyth to discuss

125. How Cutting-edge Science Returns Us to Ancient Theology: Return of Dr. Spencer Klavan (Associate Editor @ the Claremont Review of Books | Classicist | Podcaster)

Oct 23 2024 45 mins

Send us a text For the past few centuries, we have philosophically operated under Newtonian physics where questions of experience and of the soul were seen as subjective, with no connection to the numerical certainty of science. However, then came quantum physics. In his new book, Light of the Mind, Light of the World: Illuminating Science Through Faith, classicist Dr. Spencer Klav

124. The Road to Wisdom - On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust: Dr. Francis S. Collins (Physician, Geneticist, Former Director of NIH)

Sep 23 2024 31 mins

Send us a text A multifaceted understanding of wisdom is essential for a functioning society. Only with this broad understanding can we humbly dialogue with those who disagree with us and piece by piece build a culture of conversation. In this episode, I sit down with geneticist and physician Dr. Francis Collins to discuss his latest book, The Road to Wisdom. Dr. Collins argues tha

123. In Search of Living Well: Eric Weiner (Bestselling author of "The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers")

Aug 06 2024 18 mins

Send us a text In his book, The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers, award-winning journalist Eric Weiner describes how to live well. He argues that our technologically advanced societies have mistaken knowledge for wisdom. In this episode, we discuss how philosophy affects our every action, whether we recognize it or not. Philosophy allows us to make

122. The Origins and Governance of the Internet: Prof. Jonathan Zittrain (Harvard Law and Computer Science Prof. | Director of Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society)

Jul 30 2024 29 mins

Send us a text The Internet has become an integral part of our world. It connects all kinds of technologies from sports streaming to stock trading to selfie posting. But, in the grand history of technology, it’s not all that old. How did the Internet become so expansive in so little time? There are two major components in the rise of the Internet. 1) The creation of modular netwo

121. When Civilizations Crumble - Lessons for Today: Dr. Victor Davis Hanson (Renowned Classicist and Military Historian)

Jul 23 2024 29 mins

Send us a text A rich understanding of history allows us to recognize patterns and the possible trajectory of the present. But sometimes, this analysis provides sobering prophecies. In this episode, renowned classicist and military historian, Dr. Victor Davis Hanson discusses his 2024 book, The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation. In it, he outlines the common fac

120. The Influencer Industry - The Quest for Authenticity on Social Media: Dr. Emily Hund (Author of "The Influencer Industry")

Jul 16 2024 32 mins

Send us a text “Authenticity” has become an economic token on social media. And, not in a metaphorical way. This has led to people becoming brands. The so-called “influencer” is an icon of an industry not yet recognized or respected by society at large. This new industry is composed of a digital labor force whose livelihoods are at the whims of all-powerful, ever-changing a

119. The Rise of Institutional Mistrust: Prof. Ethan Zuckerman (Author of "Mistrust" and Associate Prof. @ University of Massachusetts at Amherst)

Jun 29 2024 28 mins

Send us a text Throughout the 21st century, mistrust in our societal institutions has become commonplace. Regardless of your political leanings, we’ve become skeptical and suspicious of the governmental, educational, and religious institutions meant to support and protect us. How did this happen? What should we do about it? Perhaps, this mistrust is the very catalyst for reform?