Anarchy & Socialism | Mark Lance
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
Mar 14, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Brain in a Vat
Thought experiments and conversations with philosophers. Hosted by Dr Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer.
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Episodes
What is the Value of Philosophy? | Justin Weinberg
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
Mar 07, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 10
So You've Been Publicly Shamed | Rebecca Tuvel
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
Feb 28, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Nietzsche: Morality is Dead | Brian Leiter
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
Feb 21, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Stephen King and Philosophy | Jacob Held
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
Feb 14, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Is Academic Freedom Under Threat? | Spencer Case
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/
Feb 07, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Which God Should You Believe in? | Eron Fasser
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?
Jan 31, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Is Abortion Immoral? | Nathan Nobis
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
Jan 24, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 4
The Argument for Anarchism
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
Jan 17, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Face Blindness with Jeff Waters
What's it like to be unable to recognize faces? 2% of the population have a neurological condition called prosopagnosia, or face blindness - including this week's guest, and one of our hosts. Listen to Jeff's Face Blind podcast here: https://faceblindpodcast.com/...
Jan 10, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Tenet Explained
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
Jan 03, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 1
The Future of Brain in a Vat
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.
Dec 07, 2020•17 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Brian Leiter: The Supreme Court
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/
Nov 29, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Thad Metz: Meaning in Life
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/
Nov 22, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Do You Have Free Will? With Mark Leon
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?
Nov 15, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Does Your Vote Count? With Jacob Bauer
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
Nov 05, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Black Mirror, Virtual Sex and Trans with Rebecca Tuvel
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
Nov 01, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 29
#2000andlate in 2020 Hindsight
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.
Oct 25, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Do You Have a Soul? With Tyron Goldschmidt
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
Oct 18, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Should Robots Have Rights? With Rob Sparrow
Is it wrong to destroy an AI if it can have a conversation with a human being? If a robot expresses suffering is it wrong to torture it? Should we mourn the death of a robot lover? Sparrow, R. 2004. The Turing triage test. Ethics and Information Technology 6(4): 203-213. Sparrow, R. 2007. Killer robots. Journal of Applied Philosophy 24(1): 62-77, March. Sparrow, R. 2020. Virtue and vice in our relationships with robots: Is there an asymmetry and how might it be explained? International Journal o...
Oct 11, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Should We Save The Polar Bears? With Yolandi Coetzee
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
Oct 04, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Mark Oppenheimer²: The Limits Of Free Speech?
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/
Sep 27, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 25
[Bonus] Mark Oppenheimer²
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
Sep 27, 2020•8 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Let's Talk About Sex With Raja Halwani
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
Sep 20, 2020•59 min•Season 1Ep. 23
David Benatar: The Meaning of Life
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?
Sep 13, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Should You Volunteer To Get Covid? With Dustin Crummett
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
Sep 06, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Gorgeous or Grotesque? With Amanda Ballen
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
Sep 02, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Crime and Punishment With Doug Husak
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/
Aug 23, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Is Cultural Relativism Racist? With Justin Kalef
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
Aug 16, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 18
What is Love? With Raja Halwani
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
Aug 09, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 17
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