The Devil Makes Three
John Duffy interviews guests who are experts in a variety of fields in the hope of bringing context and fuller understanding to common truisms and other widely shared misunderstandings of social, cultural and political issues.
Listen to The Devil Makes Three
Simon Miles on NATO expansion and the war in Ukraine
In this episode I speak with Duke University Assistant Professor Simon Miles about the end of the Cold War and we drill sown into the topic of whether or not the US made a promise to the Soviet Union.
Paul Thacker on corruption in scientific research
In this episode I speak with Paul Thacker, former Senate investigator and currently of The Disinformation Chronicle about how scientific research, particularly research done by pharmaceutical companies, is not as trustworthy as one might believe.
Dr. Roger McFillin on depression, happiness, and modern psychiatry
If you ask the common person on the street, “What causes depression?” you will likely find that most will answer with “a chemical imbalance in the brain,” to some degree.
Preston Stewart on the war in Ukraine
A graduate of West Point, Preston Stewart served in Afghanistan and is now a Major in the US Army Reserve. He blogs about military issues with a heavy focus on the war in Ukraine.
Claude Berrebi: They Myth of the Poor Terrorist
Professor of economics and public policy at Hebrew University, Claude Berrebi studies what does and does not cause terrorism. In 2019 after the Easter Sunday bombing in Sri Lanka killed 250 people, Claude coauthored the article, “Ending the Myth of the Poor Terrorist.”
Former FBI Agent Mark Rossini on Hamas and Terrorism
Mark Rossini worked as an FBI Agent out of the New York Counter Terror office. He was detailed to the CIA where he worked in the Bin Laden unit before and after 9-11. We discuss Hamas and the ethos of Islamic terrorist organizations and what many western observers are getting wrong when they assess the actions of of these groups.
Dr. Joanna Moncrieff on Psychiatric Medicine
Dr. Joanna Moncrieff is a practicing psychiatrist and researcher. In 2022 she was the leading researcher of an umbrella review published in Nature that “aimed to synthesise and evaluate evidence on whether depression is associated with lowered serotonin concentration or activity.”
Christmas Special! Ray Nowosielski on American character and “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Ray Nowosielski is a documentarian, podcaster, and journalist. He produced the new show, "George Bailey Was Never Born," a ten episode podcast series from I Heart Radio. The show is an examination of the massive changes in American character over the last half century as made visible by looking at the classic film, It's a Wonderful Life.
Writer/Researcher Robb Wolf on Eating Meat
Robb Wolf is a former research biochemist who functioned as a review editor for the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism (Biomed Central). He is a New York Times Best Selling author having written several books including Wired to Eat, The Paleo Solution and Sacred Cow (which he co-authored with Diana Rodgers.)
Journalist David Bedein on UNRWA and Palestinian Refugees
David Bedein has spent nearly forty years focusing his journalistic efforts on UNRWA, the United Nations arm tasked with the health, welfare, and education of Palestinian refugees. The UN does not try to resettle Palestinian refugees the way it does refugees from any other place in the world.