Ghostless Machine
By Ariel Pontes
Ghostless MachineApr 23, 2023
#7 Is veganism a moral obligation? | A dialogue with Jamie Woodhouse
I think political polarization is one of the biggest problems in our society right now. That's why I started a series of dialogues where I have friendly disagreements over controversial topics with a variety of guests. These conversations are guided by three core principles: scout mindset, non-violent communication, and radical honesty.
In the first episode of the series, I talk to Jamie Woodhouse about the ethics of veganism. Jamie tends to believe veganism is a moral obligation, while I tend to believe there is no such thing as moral obligations, only better and worse actions.
00:00:00 Teaser
00:00:22 Intro
00:02:29 Jamie’s intro
00:03:39 Where we agree
00:07:02 Where we disagree
00:11:58 Moral obligations
00:19:09 Analogy with tallness
00:24:11 Levels of confidence
00:30:23 Is it natural to eat meat?
00:35:45 Does it matter?
00:43:03 Moral conventions
00:49:12 Individual vs. systemic change
00:55:27 Reducetarianism vs. abolitionism
01:00:45 Virtue ethics and rule-based utilitarianism
01:07:27 Jamie’s criticism of utilitarianism
01:11:33 Would this change your mind?
01:17:04 Is humane farming possible?
01:21:14 Jamie’s final message
01:24:46 Ending
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#6 The moral relevance of intentions
This is the second of a series of articles defending a compatibilist interpretation of utilitarianism, which can be reconciled with all major moral theories. In this article I explain why intentions are important even for consequentialists. You can read the written article here.
#5 Cultivating virtues is utilitarian
Cultivating virtues is utilitarian
Virtues are traits that contribute to a better society
This is the second of a series of articles defending a compatibilist interpretation of utilitarianism, which can be reconciled with all major moral theories. In this article I explain how utilitarianism is compatible with virtue ethics. You can read the written article here.
#4 Are pain and pleasure all that matters? – What utilitarians mean when they promote pleasure over pain
This is the first of a series of articles defending a compatibilist interpretation of utilitarianism, which can be reconciled with all major moral theories in Western moral philosophy. In this article I explain what utilitarians mean by "pleasure" and "pain" and debunk a few myths that result from a misunderstanding of these terms.
Original article: https://medium.com/humanist-voices/are-pain-and-pleasure-all-that-matters-4d45ac0a3e18
#3 Abortion is harmless - Why the abortion debate shouldn't be about rights
"Abortion should be legal. It is immoral to make it illegal. But is that because women have a fundamental right to do whatever they want with their bodies? No. This is simply an invalid argument, and in part the reason we fail to make progress on the abortion debate. Arguments matter. Sure, people are emotional and some are so blinded by their religion that they will not be persuaded by any arguments. But in any debate, there will always be persuadables. If we manage to spread a pro-choice narrative that appeals to universal moral intuitions rather than to the gut feelings of certain political groups or religious confessions, we might have a chance to make that narrative viral and persuade a critical mass of people. So what is the reason abortion should be legal?"
Original article: https://medium.com/humanist-voices/abortion-is-harmless-62ddebdd4f72
#2 Conspiracy theories - Why coronavirus and vaccine conspiracies are implausible
Original article: medium.com/humanist-voices/conspiracy-theories-92ebab7581ad
#1 On Jordan Peterson - A review of 12 Rules for Life and other content
You can find the full article in text format here:
medium.com/humanist-voices/on-jordan-peterson-8cfc410ac19a