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Cross Theory

Cross Theory

By: Robert James Cross
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We live in a world defined by invisible rules. From the behavior of crowds to the structure of a joke, there is always a framework operating in the background. Join host Robert James Cross as he cracks open the Dictionary of Theories to deconstruct the world around us. In each episode, we take one theory off the shelf and use it as a lens to examine culture, art, and the chaos of everyday life. It’s not a lecture, it’s an investigation. Welcome to the intersection of academic rigor and raw conversation. Welcome to Cross Theory.Robert James Cross Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 0017 - absolute space & time (Physics) - Professor Adil Kabbaj (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence)
    Apr 25 2026

    In the seventeenth episode, Robert and guest Adil Kabbaj, Professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (INSEA), Rabat, Morocco, discuss the illusory character of matter, exploring the core thesis of Kabbaj's book Science Declares the Death of Materialism: From Substantialism to Non-Substantialism. The conversation moves fluidly from the technical abstractions of Newtonian absolute space and time to the mind-bending reality that physical objects are merely a mirage of ceaseless, dynamic systems. They examine the profound historical consequences of the materialist worldview, tracing how a "dead and mechanical" perspective of the universe laid the foundation for the interconnected crises of capitalism, consumerism, and our current ecological destruction. Topics range from the plausibility of ghosts as distinct agents and the metaphysical implications of Jack Parsons's ceremonial magic to the mind's ability to survive death, and they explore concepts like the quantum vacuum acting as a cosmic dynamic memory, the urgent necessity for a global spiritual evolution of consciousness, and the potentially terrible consequences of merging quantum computing with artificial intelligence.

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    28 mins
  • 0016 - absolute retention rate (Chemistry) - Lewis Woolston (Austrailian Author)
    Apr 18 2026

    In the sixteenth episode, Robert and guest Lewis Woolston discuss the theory of absolute retention rates, a chemistry concept detailing the potential energy required for reactant molecules to attain a critical transition state. The conversation moves fluidly from the quasi-alchemical abstractions of molecular transformation to the gritty reality of Lewis’s harrowing past, escaping a Jehovah's Witness cult and navigating a subsequent heroin addiction. They examine the roots of Australian literature, from early pioneers like Banjo Patterson to modern debates over cultural appropriation, alongside the dark history of the segregation of Aboriginal communities. Topics range from Lewis’s liberating, solitary years working at remote roadhouses on the desolate Nullarbor Plain to Robert’s intense personal anecdotes regarding his parents' fatal battles with addiction and an aborted suicide trip to Egypt, and they explore the shared cultural touchstones between America and Australia by swapping memorable stories about an early AC/DC pub riot and an enraged Mel Gibson storming out of a Hollywood AA meeting.


    Woolston's books can be found: HERE

    Woolston's Substack can be found: HERE


    IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

    ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.


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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • 0015 - absolute pitch (Physics) - F. Gardner (Horror Novelist)
    Apr 4 2026

    In the fifteenth episode, Robert and guest F. Gardner (Frank) discuss absolute pitch theory, the ability to recognize and define the pitch of a tone without the use of a reference tone. The conversation moves fluidly from Gardner's controversial horror novels—such as Kaballah of the Crocodile predicting the synagogue tunnel news events—to deep dives into geopolitical prophecies, conspiracy theories, and Zionism. They examine the historical origins and overlap of religious mysticism, tracing concepts from Canaanite rituals and the Epic of Gilgamesh to Gardner's own spiritual transition from a Catholic seminarian to a Buddhist. Topics range from the esoteric lore of Tartaria, the flat earth, and the "Samson option" to personal anecdotes of encountering shape-shifting reptilian entities at a YMCA and a college campus. They also explore the performative nature of mainstream media as a tool for distraction and "predictive programming"—discussing video games like Shadowrun and the 1990s Super Mario Bros. movie—while examining the necessity of separating the art from the artist through the lens of authors like Stephen King and J.K. Rowling.


    Gardner's Horror's Call Novels can be found: HERE

    Gardner's Rumble Show "F. Gardner's Penthouse" can be found: HERE


    IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON CROSS THEORY, EMAIL crosstheorypod@gmail.com.

    ALL ARE WELCOME. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU’RE SELLING.

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    1 hr and 51 mins
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