Brain in a Vat

Are human beings social creatures? Do social groups have an important role to play in political life? Can hermits lead meaningful lives?

Are some ideas too controversial to publish in your own name? Is it cowardly to use a pseudonym?  Does the journal for controversial ideas ghettoize important topics?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter Kaufman Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Should we preserve monuments, even if they offend us? Do we have a right to call for monuments to be removed in other countries? Does Ghengis Khan deserve a monument?

Traditionally, we celebrate American soldiers with strong displays of gratitude, including national holidays and monuments. But is this gratitude warranted? Stephen Kershnar thinks not: we should be no more grateful to veterans than to farmers or loggers.

Is it wrong to bring new life into the world? Is adopting a child a moral obligation? Is parenting meaningful? 

What do anti-semites and ultra orthodox Jews have in common? How did the ivy league discriminate against Jews? Is America still a safe haven for Jews? 

Is it possible for us to lead meaningful lives? Is there an ultimate point to our existence? Can we enrich our lives with the pursuit of love, knowledge and friendship? 

Will technology improve or worsen our lives? And should social media and AI be used to prevent hurtful speech?

Why do we laugh at some jokes but not at others? Is dark humor always funnier? Should some comedians be censored?

Should we implement affirmative action when determining which students are admitted to universities? Should affirmative action be based on race or socio-economic status? Is diversity important when deciding on university admissions? And should we think about race and gender in the same way when considering affirmative action?

Were indoctrinated or brainwashed Nazi soldiers morally responsible for their actions? Were they responsible for their repugnant beliefs? And were Nazi soldiers obligated to be conscientious objectors even if that meant they would be killed as a result?

Should you be required to get a parental license from the State before you can raise your own children? Do the wishes of parents matter at all – or should we only care about the best interests of their children?

Should you fear future pain even if your future self will not remember who you are now? If an identical copy of you is created, would you survive through that copy? And is it possible to survive gaps in your existence?

How do we weigh the needs of cats to roam freely, with the millions of birds they kill each year? What duties do we owe our pets? And are some animals more valuable than others?

Kershnar presents a dilemma: we’re responsible for our decisions because they’re caused by our psychology. But do we choose our psychology? If we do, then it seems that choice couldn’t have been a morally responsible choice, since our psychology didn’t choose it. But if we didn’t choose our psychology, then we can’t be responsible for the choices that come from our psychology.

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Mark and Jason join their producer in this retrospective season finale.  

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop 

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

What does it all mean? If we live on a pail blue dot in a vast and uncaring universe can our lives have cosmic meaning? Is it better never to have been born?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen 

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Do we have a right to sex, and is there an obligation to sexually fulfill the disabled? Should sex work be not only legal, but obligatory?  

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Should we remove offensive monuments at the cost of erasing history? Is there an unacceptable cost to open borders? And what would a just tax system look like?

Hosts: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Why should we punish the guilty? Is it because they’ve done something wrong, to remove them from society, or to dissuade others from wrongdoing?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Utilitarians and Kantians struggle to account for the care we should provide loved ones over strangers.  

Can Ubuntu, or African Ethics, provide a framework that resolves this problem?  

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Could we be systematically mistaken about the world around us? Would we be wrong about everything if we turned out to be a brain in a vat, a mind manipulated by an evil demon, or born into a virtual simulation?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Is racial profiling always wrong, even if used by an AI to decrease crime? Should we use AI to judge criminal cases,  recommend sentences for the guilty, or decide parole for prisoners?

Do reporters have special moral obligations? Is it ever justified for governments to shut down newspapers? Should private companies like Paypal be allowed to deplatform journalists?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Dan Shahar defends the view that eating meat is permissible, even though meat farming is not. Is this a coherent position?  

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Is gender a social construct? Is gender distinct from sex? And can you be wrong in your beliefs about your own gender?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Should Judges decide if and when women are entitled to abort their pregnancies? Should this choice be left up to congress? If abortion is immoral, should it be illegal?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen  

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail 

www.markoppenheimer.co.za

What exactly makes us feel disgusted? Is disgust for a person or group ever justified? And is disgust useful, or should we try to eliminate it?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Do defectors generally do something wrong when they contradict their group's values or beliefs? And is it permissible for the group to silence them, especially if it's a minority group?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Are transathletes a minority group that warrant special protection?  Is the purpose of sport to be inclusive or fair? Should the Olympics exclude the best athletes because they are professionals?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

If most voters are misinformed, is democracy legitimate? What sort of voting system should we have in its place? And should some votes count more than others?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Is immortality a blessing or a curse? Would eternal life be boring, meaningless, and amoral?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen 

Why is free speech valuable? Should there be any limits on what we are allowed to say? Should we tolerate words that are hateful?

Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Produced and Edited by James Mullen

How do scientists and philosophers work together to make progress on the nature of the cosmos, the meaning of life, and what it means to flourish? The John Templeton Foundation funds work on the intersection of philosophy and science in some of the most important questions of our time.

Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Edited and Produced by James Mullen

Can music be objectively good (or bad)? How should we understand fundamental disagreement about preferences and values? And should philosophical discussion be theory driven or should we use another methodology?

What makes a good apology? Are we ever obligated to apologize even though we did nothing wrong? And how should we deal with apologies in this highly politicized landscape?

Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Edited and produced by James Mullen

Everything Everywhere All at Once is a magnificent mess. The film raises questions around the meaning of life, the nature of the multiverse, and how we should understand free will in a world filled with counterfactuals.

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff 

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen  

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

When is death preferable to living?  Are there fates worse than death? And what sort of future society should we build?

Lionel Shriver discusses her latest novel, Should We Stay or Should We Go

Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Edited and Produced by James Mullen

Ben Stiller's superb series, Severance, raises fascinating questions about the nature of personal identity. Are we minds or brains? Is it possible for two persons to inhabit the same body? And can a person survive gaps in their existence?

Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Edited and Produced by James Mullen

What is an "Aha" moment, and why does it matter for our lives? Sophie Grace Chappel argues that our ethics and value system should be formed around our epiphanies.

Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Edited and Produced by James Mullen

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/braininavat

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Could you be a brain in a vat, or be living in a simulated or virtual reality? Could you live a meaningful, valuable existence even if you were?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Why is the truth important? Who decides what the truth is? Is there such a thing as objective, eternal truth, or is truth simply a matter of perspective, of linguistic or cultural vantage point?  

Simon's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Simon-Blackburn/dp/0190867213

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop 

Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

What is creativity and how does it work? Is all creativity valuable? What are the pre-conditions for creativity, and how should Jason overcome his writer's block?

If everything was created by a cause, is God the creator of the Universe? Is God an uncaused cause? Could God have abandoned his creation?  

Majesty of Reason: https://www.youtube.com/c/MajestyofReason

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Lia Thomas, a trans woman, has sparked controversy by competing in and winning women’s collegiate swimming events. Should Thomas and other trans athletes be allowed to compete in the gendered competition of their choice?

Is evolution the root cause of racism, rape, and disgust? Are differences between men and women a result of both nature and nurture? Are some forms of scientific inquiry too dangerous to allow?  

Justin's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Biological-Mind-Philosophical-Introduction/dp/0367466317 

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Dune contains a sophisticated moral dilemma - should Paul Atreides sacrifice billions of lives to avoid humanity's extinction? The answer echoes through the way we should deal with global climate change today.

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop 

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Some of the world's greatest discoveries were made by those on the fringe. Should scientists be encouraged to explore crazy ideas? Does the search for truth depend more on geniuses or a social butterflies?   

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop 

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Is your sexual orientation determined by the sex or the gender of the person you’re attracted to? How does gender fluidity impact sexual orientation? Are there other sexual orientations like demisexuality, sapiosexuality and more?

Are Jean Jacques Rousseau's confessions trustworthy? Can we consciously decide to forget our sins? Should we be held accountable for all of our actions, including the ones we don't intend?

How important is it to treat people with dignity, or respect? Do institutions and groups, rather than individuals, owe us dignity? And if we have to choose, should we strive for a society that is dignified or a society that is happy?

Colin’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Human-Dignity-Political-Criticism-Colin/dp/1108832024

Should citizens have the right to bear arms? Are guns necessary to defend yourself from criminals, invading militants, and your own government? Should guns be banned because of school shootings, suicides, and accidental deaths? 

Should we sacrifice our time and convenience to save animals? Jeff Sebo argues we must, but more than that, it's in our self-interest to do so. 

Jeff's book: https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Animals-Ourselves-Pandemics-Catastrophes-ebook/dp/B09RKHL8QB

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Is there life after death? Are near-death experiences meaningful? Are they similar to other altered states like meditation and drug induced hallucinations?   

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop 

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Is it possible to be morally responsible for a choice even if you could not have chosen otherwise? Can you have free will even if God knows ahead of time what you are about to choose? John Fischer argues the answer is yes.

Does a fetus have a right to its mother's womb? Are we obligated to have as many children as possible? And must pro-lifers assassinate abortion doctors?

We recently aired an episode with Stephen Kershnar on sexual taboos. A clip from that episode has been viewed over a million times on Twitter, and on many news channels. We address the controversy surrounding Stephen's position.

Should there be an age of consent? Is it wrong to fantasize about someone against their will? Is it wrong to lust after someone because of their race?   

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

What makes the 'you' of yesterday the same 'you' today? Should we care about future people who don't yet exist, and should we prevent climate change if it means preventing people from coming into existence?

Is there a core to who we are that is unchanging or unique? Do people have characters, personalities, or neither?

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

In our final episode for 2021, we reveal a surprise we've been working on all year, and tell you about the exciting episodes planned for 2022.

Destructive forces have been eroding the University of Cape Town, Africa’s leading university. David Benatar tells the sad, true tale of what has been transpiring. It is a saga of lunacy, criminality, pandering, and identity politics. The mad and the bad – the deranged, deluded, the depraved – have been granted endless latitude in bullying and abusing others.

What are possible worlds? Could you have been born to different parents, and could the laws of physics be different? Barry Lam explains how David Lewis’s views on possible worlds can help us understand everything from the nature of time to free will.

Listen to more of Barry’s episodes on David Lewis on Hi-Phi nation here: https://hiphination.org/season-5/

Is it possible to hope for something good, but feel despair that it won't happen? Is it virtuous to feel hopeful? Can hoping make you act recklessly? 

In a world where we disagree about pretty much everything - about borders and abortion, marriage and monogamy, wars and meat-eating - how do you maintain confidence in your own moral position? And can you convince the moral nihilist you're right?

Marginalized people, animals, found objects, wires and childlike drawings inhabit the unlocatable worlds presented in Ballen's artworks. Ballen describes his works as existential psychodramas that touch the subconscious mind and evoke the underbelly of the human condition. They aim to break through the repressed thoughts and feelings by engaging him in themes of chaos and order, madness or unruly states of being, the human relationship to the animal world, life and death, universal archetypes of the psyche and experiences of otherness.  https://www.youtube.com/c/RogerBallenPhotography https://www.rogerballen.com/

YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/oODP1IsFj5I

Rebecca Tuvel, Dan Cullen and Eric Samson interview Peter Singer about pandemic ethics. Are lockdowns and mandatory vaccines morally justified? What should governments have done differently? Why were there calls to cancel this lecture?  

https://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2021/09/peter-singer-invited-to-give-a-zoom-talk-about-pandemic-ethics-by-the-philosophy-department-at-rhode.html 

https://dailynous.com/2021/09/28/faculty-at-rhodes-college-urge-cancellation-of-online-talk-by-peter-singer/

Should you disobey the law, at least some of the time? If justice isn’t simply enforcing the law, then what is it? And what sorts of laws would we have in a just society?

Should certain weapons be banned from use in war? Are there limits on the amount of force countries should use to protect their citizens? Is it ever justified to kill innocent civilians to end a war?

ICJ Advisory Opinion: https://www.icj-cij.org/en/case/95

Is Democracy the best political system? Plato thought not. But what is the best alternative? Clif Mark, from the podcast Good in Theory, joins us this week to discuss Plato’s Republic.

https://goodintheorypod.com/

What would a world without imagination be like? Why do we feel sympathy, fear or excitement for fictional characters? And can imaginary actions be morally wrong?

Are human being merely sophisticated robots? Do we have mental states or can we be understood only through our behavior?

There's a growing trend to distrust scientists. Sometimes they get the facts wrong, or align with a political party. What should we do in the face of conflicting expertise? Who should we trust?

Andy Kuper, the founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments, tells us how his PHD in philosophy led him to marry profit with purpose, by creating investment funds with deep impact on the lives of 200 million low-income people worldwide, while generating strong returns for its investors and the companies in which it invests.

https://leapfroginvest.com  

Andy's Book Democracy Beyond Borders: https://www.amazon.com/Democracy-Beyond-Borders-Representation-Institutions-ebook-dp-B000WNHG48/dp/B000WNHG48/  

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Is cryonics a viable route to immortality? Is immortality desirable, or would it present us with endless boredom and meaninglessness?

What is forgiveness, and when is it appropriate? What does it mean to apologize to a group of people, and for that group to forgive? Is forgiveness ever obligatory, or is forgiveness irrational or even immoral?

John Rawls is widely regarded as the greatest modern liberal philosopher. Does his theory of justice lead to a fair society?   

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Should you sacrifice one innocent person to save many? Can you justify killing one annoying politician to save millions of people from suffering a minor headache? And is morality a matter of degree rather than a clear distinction between right and wrong?

Is 'mental disorder' purely a dysfunction, or are there important advantages to being psychologically different? Do depression and anxiety serve a vital role in healing and bettering one's life?

What makes Hollywood slackers like The Dude so enchanting? Are slackers the unsung heroes of the pandemic, or a bunch of useless bums?   

Read Alison's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Its-OK-Be-Slacker/dp/0367338181  

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Should we ban offensive speech? Should we tolerate racism and transphobia? Should everything that is immoral also be illegal?

Is murder wrong? Can evolution fully explain why we think certain actions are immoral? And can we believe moral truths with even greater certainty than truths about the physical world?

Spencer Case offers objections to Shaun Stanley, a moral anti-realist who appeared previously on our show.

What if you navigated the world through echo location instead of sight? What if cats could gain all of the traits of humans? What if you were a brain in a vat trying to solve a difficult moral problem.  

To learn more about Peg's work check out: https://www.pegtittle.com https://www.jassrichards.com    

Special offer to podcast listeners:  For any title with an on-site purchase option, Peg is happy to send a complimentary copy (epub or pdf).  No strings attached.  Please make your requests via the site contact form.  

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

What makes your life go well? Can you be wrong about whether you are happy? And can happiness be bad for you?

Is sex only a matter of biology? Are there conflicts between trans rights, women's rights, and gay rights? Is it possible to change genders?  

Buy Kathleen's Book: Material Girls https://www.amazon.com/Material-Girls-Reality-Matters-Feminism-ebook/dp/B08LK8TY5S

What transforms a collection of individuals into a social group? Jason Werbeloff argues the answer is: nothing. There are no social groups. No countries, political parties, marriages, or sports clubs. There are only individuals.

What can a runaway train, a patient wrapped head to toe in bandages, and man condemned by the gods to roll a rock for eternity teach us about leading a good life? If you enjoy stories that tickle your brain, this episode is for you.

Are thought experiments useful for telling us about the nature of reality? What are the limitations of thought experiments, and should we trust them in discussions of morality and science?

Should we care whether we cause others suffering? Do we have duties or obligations to others? Shaun Stanley thinks there are no moral reasons for action. Do you think morality is real?

Many believe Woke ideology to be a source of positive change in society. Helen Zille thinks otherwise. Could Wokeness be dangerous? 

You can find Helen's book, #StayWoke: Go Broke, on Amazon and Takealot.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/StayWoke-Africa-survive-Americas-culture-ebook/dp/B091BB1X23/

Takealot: https://www.takealot.com/staywoke-go-broke/PLID72165371

Are there some areas of life where men are worse off than women? Are these disadvantages always the product of sexism? If we recognize a second sexism against men, what effect would this have on women?  

Prof Benatar's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Sexism-Discrimination-Against-Boys-ebook-dp-B007VJU7C4/dp/B007VJU7C4/

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

David Edmonds of Philosophy Bites fame regales us with a fiery story about Ludwig Wittgenstein's only meeting with Karl Popper. David also gives us a behind the scenes tour of the world's best loved philosophy show.    

David's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Wittgensteins-Poker-Ten-Minute-Argument-Philosophers/dp/0060936649/

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

What is hate speech, and what are the limits of free speech? Should pornography be censored in the same way we censor speech?  

Mari's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Pornography-Philosophical-Introduction-Mari-Mikkola-ebook/dp/B07LFJS6RR/

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

In a polarized world where everyone is certain, who should you believe? Are certain beliefs immoral? And how seriously should we take conspiracy theories?   

Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Would a just God allow us to suffer? Could God rewrite history to remove the bad bits?   

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Can we construct a society free of state coercion and inequality? Is there a place for Capitalism in that society?  

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Are there certain questions that should never be asked? Is Philosophy useful? And have philosophers made any progress in answering the BIG questions?  Justin's Daily Nous blog: https://dailynous.com/  Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

What can we learn about public shaming from the Black Mirror episodes Hated in the Nation and Nosedive? Are there ever cases where someone deserves to be shamed? When should someone be forgiven for doing something shameful?  

Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

If God is dead, did morality die with him? Are artists, writers and lovers more valuable than the rest of us mere mortals? Find out what Friedrich Nietzsche thought in our new series on great philosophers.  

Brian's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Psychology-Nietzsche-Brian-Leiter-ebook-dp-B07QD6V99B/dp/B07QD6V99B/

Contact Us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

What is horror, and why do some of us willingly terrify ourselves by watching or reading the genre? Is horror poor quality fiction, or can it offer us a unique opportunity for empathy and moral growth?  

Jacob's book: https://www.amazon.com/Stephen-King-Philosophy-Great-Authors/dp/1442253843

Are universities a safe space for dangerous ideas? Does a right to academic freedom guarantee a culture that tolerates controversial views? Should universities limit the research fields of professors?

Micro Digressions Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/956725 

Spencer's Blog: https://www.spencercasephilosophy.com/

Are all Gods created equal? Are certain divine attributes less likely to be real given that multiples faiths exist?  Are religions like different paths leading to the same destination?

Does a fetus have a right to life? Should there be any limitations on the choices that a woman makes over her own body?   

Nathan's book: https://www.abortionarguments.com/p/this-book-introduces-readers-to-many.html 

Thomson's violinist: https://spot.colorado.edu/~heathwoo/Phil160,Fall02/thomson.htm

Anarchism, or the view that we should not have a government, seems impractical. But Michael Huemer believes there is a way to understand Anarchism that not only resolves these impracticalities - it may provide a better society than the one we have now.  Michael Huemer's book, 'The Problem of Political Authority': https://www.amazon.com/Problem-Political-Authority-Examination-Coerce/dp/1137281650

Christopher Nolan's Tenet is a visual feast, but does it make any sense? Eron Fasser explains if you can you time travel to change the past and if Neil and Protagonist have free will?  Brain in a Vat Book:  www.smarturl.it/lockdownbook

A round up of our favorite episodes and some insight into how we make the show. We will be on a hiatus until January. Let us know in the YouTube comments who you want to see us interview in the coming year.

Is the Supreme Court merely a political body made up of warring liberals and conservatives? Should Judges apply laws that are unjust? Will the Supreme Court declare Trump the winner of the election?

Leiter Report: https://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/

What makes life worth living? How valuable are truth, beauty and morality? If life is ultimately meaningless from the perspective of the universe is none the less better to have been born?  Thad on the Meaning of Life :https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/life-meaning/

Is it possible for your actions to be free, even if they are determined? And would an indeterministic universe make us any freer? If we don't have free will, should we be held accountable for our actions?

If your vote has only a tiny chance of influencing the outcome of an election, is it irrational to vote? Does voting grant legitimacy to repugnant candidates? Is voting always an obligation, or are there situations that require you not to vote?

Philosopher Games on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PhilosopherGames/

Philosopher Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilosopherGames

Is virtual sex outside of a relationship cheating? How should we determine a person's gender? Should the same rules apply to race?  Rebecca's article: In Defense of Transracialism https://cryptome.org/2017/05/in-defense-of-transracialism.pdf Hypatia transracialism controversy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypatia_transracialism_controversy

We have a philosophical conversation with an artist about her latest exhibition. Dom's paintings explore the social and sexual mores of the last twenty years through the lens of our current values.

Are you just a physical body? If you have a brain transplant do you stay with your original body or move with your brain? Could the existence of an immaterial soul solve the mind body problem?  

Tyron's Books: The Puzzle of Existence: Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing?  Idealism: New Essays in Metaphysics

Thumbnail Art: Lateralus Album Cover by Alex Grey

Are some animals more equal than others? Are game reserves a part of nature if they are man made?  Is global warming universally bad or does it benefit some species?

Brain in a Vat Store: smarturl.it/Lockdownbook

Thumbnail Art: Peace by Lynn Bywaters

Atom bombs, diamond billionaires, and hate mail have a special role to play in this bonus episode.   Brain in a Vat Store: smarturl.it/Lockdownbook 

Is cancel culture destroying our institutions? Should Holocaust deniers have the right to speak? What is hate speech, and should it be illegal?

Brain in a Vat Store: smarturl.it/Lockdownbook

Harpers Letter: https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/

Is it wrong to only have a sexual preference for certain races? Can you have sex without being objectified? Is there a moral limit on our sexual fantasies?  

Store: http://smarturl.it/LockdownBook

Thumbnail Art: The Yoshiwara Prostitute by Kikugawa Eizan 

What does it all mean? If we live on a pail blue dot in a vast and uncaring universe can our lives have cosmic meaning? Is it better never to have been born?

Could purposely infecting volunteers with the Coronavirus help us reach herd immunity or develop a vaccine more rapidly? Is it wrong to expose people to the risk of death, even if they consent?  Thumbnail Art: Hold Your Breath Paulina Siniatkina

Can you be revolted and attracted to the same person? Can concepts be beautiful? Does art need to create sensations to be enjoyed?   IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/ Thumbnail Art: A Grotesque Old Woman by Quentin Matsys

Who deserves to be punished? Should the State kill killers and rape rapists?  Should we abolish the police and the prison system?  

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat IMDB: 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/

Culturals groups have different beliefs about what is morally right and wrong. Does a tolerant outlook mean that we should accept these different beliefs as correct? What if those beliefs are discriminatory?   

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/ 

Thumbnail Art: The Dinner Party by Sam Walsh

Is love everlasting? Can we love more than one person at the same time?  

Do we choose our lovers for the wrong reasons?

http://rajasmusingsconfusings.blogspot.com/ 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/ 

Thumbnail Art: The Lovers by Rene Magritte

Is it wrong to root for the bad guy in a horror movie? Is evil a matter of who you are or what you do? What makes an action supremely evil?

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/ 

Thumbnail Art: The number of the beast is 666 by William Blake

What do Greta Thunberg, #BLM and #Metoo have in common? Are these moralising quests to end climate change, racism and sexism motivated by the will to do good, or merely the will to look good?  

Grandstanding: The Use and Abuse of Moral Talk https://www.amazon.com/Grandstanding-Use-Abuse-Moral-Talk-ebook/dp/B0851PR3DB/   

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/ 

Thumbnail Art: J. C. Leyendecker The Politician

Were you outraged when Cecil the lion was killed by a hunter? Are you against rhino poaching? Do you order extra bacon with your cheese burger? Are some animals more equal than others?

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/ 

Thumbnail Art: Jeff Lemire from Sweet Tooth

What is art? Why is art valuable? If enough people feel hurt by a piece of art or public monument, should we hide or destroy the work?

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/  

Thumbnail Art: Octavia Roodt http://www.octaviaroodt.com/

"Defund the police. Violent protests are justified. Anyone against Black Lives Matter is a Nazi." How would you engage with these views? We ask Peter Boghossian how to have impossible conversations.  

Peter's Book: http://bit.ly/ConversationsBook 

New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/translations-from-the-wokish/    

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/ Animation by Laurynne Gouws: https://www.lightbulbmedia.co.za/

Thumbnail Art: Luke Batha

Do you live in a simulation? And if you do, could you live a valuable life?   We talk with Kenny Pearce this week to find out. 

Read Kenny's Berkeley book here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/language-and-the-structure-of-berkeleys-world-9780198790334  

And his book about Idealism here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/idealism-9780198746973  

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/braininavat 

Facebook Discussion Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

Animation by Laurynne Gouws: https://www.lightbulbmedia.co.za/ 

Thumbnail art: By Juane Ivy The Nature of Reality https://greaterthanmyopia.com/ 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12490350/

Does the colour of your skin, the texture of your hair, or the shape of your nose make you part of a racial group? Is race a social construct based on collective perception? Do the members of a race share beliefs, cultures and attitudes? 

Facebook Discussion Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/braininavat 

Thumbnail art: By Amazing Ameziane from Muhammad Ali Graphic Novel

Imagine you build a time machine. Is it possible for you to travel back in time, meet your grandfather before he produces any children, and kill him?  Time travel is a sci-fi staple. Is Back to the Future philosophically accurate? Did J.K Rowling crack the secret of time travel in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? As a bonus we explain why Rick and Morty's The Vat of Acid Episode isn't about time travel.

Your brother has been missing for months and there is mounting evidence that he is dead. Is it rational to hope that he is alive and keep searching for him?  

Is it rational to have faith in the existence of God because, if he turns out to exist, your faith may let you into heaven while a lack of faith could condemn you to hell?  

Liz Jackson's public interviews: http://liz-jackson.com/public-philosophy/ 

Her paper on Belief, Faith and Hope: https://philpapers.org/archive/JACBFA.pdf  

Thumbnail image by Jeff Lemire from Issue #1 of Royal City

Language is ambiguous at the best of times, think about how much gets lost in translation. Imagine hearing a tribesman in a remote land utter the word "gavagai" upon seeing a rabbit. A speaker of English could do what seems natural and translate this as "Lo, a rabbit."   But other translations would be compatible with all the evidence she has: "Lo, food"; "Let's go hunting"; "There will be a storm tonight" (he may be superstitious).

What can eating Marilyn Monroe's thigh and the pain of teenage heartbreak tell us about the value of human life? We discuss what makes life worth living and ending.

John Rawls thought we needed to wear a veil of ignorance to remove our biases before deciding on the rules of a just society. Are his ideas useful in a world where the elderly and the vulnerable are exposed to higher risks? Should the healthy and the well off accept limits on their freedom?

An out-of-control trolley is rumbling toward five innocent people trapped on a track. You can divert the trolley onto another track by pulling a switch, but the other track has one person on it. Do you pull the switch?  Governments around the world have used lockdowns to save lives, but this choice has had severe economic consequences. Did they pull the right switch? Hosted by Dr Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer.