“Illusionists deny that experiences have phenomenal properties and focus on explaining why they seem to have them” In part 1 of this 2 part interview Jay discusses what exactly is meant by this statement from renowned philosopher of mind and author Keith Frankish . What part of our conscious experience, if any, is real and demands an explanation? Does the idea of a philosophical zombie make any sense? Are we ready to throw out all science and understanding while we forever chase down an illusion...
Aug 17, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 5
An urgent episode about a genocide unfolding in China. Rahima Mahmut is the U.K. Project Director, World Uyghur Congress. https://www.uyghurcongress.org/en/ Crowdfunding link here: h ttps://www.gofundme.com/f/stop-Uyghur-genocide www.stopuyghurgenocide.org.uk Study about the global supply chains stained with Uyghur slave labor: Uyghurs for Sale https://www.aspi.org.au/report/uyghurs-sale PBS’s Undercover China documentary: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/china-undercover/ Subscribe to Ja...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Are virtual worlds any different than real worlds? A mother is reunited with her deceased daughter in virtual reality for a South Korean TV show . Jay Shapiro speaks with Associate Professor and author Candi Cann about the ways in which technology is intersecting with death and grief rituals. Professor Cann's book on the subject is available here . Find a bonus conversation with Adelle Archer, the founder of eterneva diamonds at dilemmapodcast.com Subscribe to Jay's low key email reminders to ke...
Aug 05, 2020•54 min•Season 2Ep. 3
What does travel mean? Why has formal philosophy largely ignored the question? Just how strange is it to release a book on travel in the time of a global lock down and what exactly is the world missing right now? Jay introduces Frank Jackson's famous "Mary's Room" thought experiment to consider the notion of experience vs imagination in the context of travel. Jay and Emily swap travel stories of giant Pringles cans in Ghana and Christmas villages in Alaska. Jay ends by considering travel as a ph...
Jul 20, 2020•1 hr 25 min•Season 2Ep. 2
We often hear about racism, sexism, classism, and other familiar kinds of discrimination. But there is a bias which might dwarf them all, discrimination against unattractive people. Jay Shapiro speaks with philosopher, author, and researcher Francesca Minerva on the topic of "Lookism" and introduces John Rawls' famous "Veil of Ignorance" thought experiment to consider just how challenging this type of discrimination is. We ponder how evolution and society both shape our ideas of physical attract...
Jul 06, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 1
International law scholar and professor William Burke-White speaks with Jay Shapiro during the ongoing global COVID19 crises. They discuss the philosophical foundations of international law, why globalism needs to re-brand itself to be more "local", the legal process of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the apparent absence of the United Nations in this pandemic, the rapidly changing role of China on the world stage, the potential for international legal and political retribution, and mu...
Apr 10, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Amdana Ripley, best selling author of "The Unthinkable: Who Survives when Disaster Strikes and Why" talks with Jay Shapiro during coronavirus lock down. Topics discussed: Ripley's work with ignored hurricane warnings, 9/11 rescues, stampedes at the Hajj, surviving plane crashes, what good risk communication sounds like, what personal resilience means for our collective safety, and the danger of "negative panic" What habits are we learning now and what might we want to retain when this is over?...
Mar 30, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Jay and Coleman discuss the giant trolley problem that we're all living through in the midst of the pandemic. Topics discusses: The "worry-wart" paradox. Invisible responsibility of spreading a virus. Social media etiquette and how to deal with accounts with large follower totals in a time of crisis. The case for pure scientific research. Countries focused on how not "get" it versus countries focused on how not to "give it. And of course which movies, board games, shows, and books to enjoy while...
Mar 16, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Jay reviews Season 1 with the help of his girlfriend, a piano, and a glass of wine. Submit your Season 2 Dilemma Ideas to DilemmaIdeas@gmail.com
Mar 09, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 15
In the finale of Dilemma Season 1 famed author of "The Fabric of Reality" and "The Beginning of Infinity", David Deutsch, sits down with Jay Shapiro to discuss the ethics of a situation where deaf parents wish to use genetic selection techniques to intentionally choose having a deaf child. Deutsch lays out his intricately developed theories on knowledge, creativity, explanation, persons, and moral realism in order to address this complex question. Co-Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes juggle t...
Feb 26, 2020•2 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 14
The best selling author of Shop Class As Soulcraft and The World Beyond Your Head has a new book coming out entitled Why We Drive . He sits down with Jay Shapiro to ponder the philosophical and psychological transformations afoot in a future world of automated driving. "Human Intelligent Action", "Deskilling", "Mass Infantilization", The Luddites, London taxi drivers, speed limits on the Autobahn, and what happens when the traffic lights go out. These topics and more are explored in this deep di...
Feb 10, 2020•2 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 13
"If I lose my mind, just kill me." Co-Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes discuss the philosophical borders and ethical complications of Medically Assisted Dying with Steven Pinker, cognitive psychologist, linguist, and best selling author of Enlightenment Now.
Dec 18, 2019•1 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Jay Shapiro is joined by a very special guest... his mother, Sally. They speak about Jay's moral upbringing, Judaism, Atheism, Africa, and giving thanks.
Nov 27, 2019•44 min
In the depths of a brutal famine in Sudan in 1993, Kevin Carter took a photo of a starving child and a perched vulture which appeared on the front page of newspapers all over the world. Readers bombarded the editors with the question "What happened to the child?" Co-Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes discuss this difficult ethical case with Larissa MacFarquar, best selling author of Strangers Drowning
Nov 22, 2019•1 hr 51 min•Season 1Ep. 11
A battlefield of wounded and dying soldiers in front of you. You hover over a mortally wounded man. You have medicine in one pocket and water in another. The soldier looks into your eyes and asks if you can help him with some medicine... You reach for the water... Meta-ethicist, philosophy professor, and author Stephen Finlay joins Jay Shapiro for a conversation through the complex dilemma of placebo usage.
Nov 11, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Do you have hill worth dying on? Jay Shapiro reflects on Dilemma Episode 9: Hurricane at a Hospital with Lisa Tessman
Oct 29, 2019•16 min
When the power went out, the flood waters rose, and supplies dwindled in Memorial Hospital in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Pau and her nurses faced the awful choice of what to do with the remaining patients when evacuation looked hopeless. Philosopher Lisa Tessman argues that this case and others like this are true philosophical dilemmas where doing the right thing is impossible. Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes tackle this difficult question and discuss the if doing the "right" thing ...
Oct 22, 2019•2 hr 56 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Suffering is the price of engagement with life. The difference between pain, suffering, grief, and missing. And Wilfred Sellers manifest vs scientific view of man as pointed to by Jaron Lanier. Wilfrid Sellers essay: http://selfpace.uconn.edu/class/percep/SellarsPhilSciImage.pdf
Oct 14, 2019•20 min
When her best friend suddenly died she collected all his texts and digital communication and created a chat bot in his image. Jay Shapiro speaks with best selling author, philosopher, and writer Rebecca Newberger Goldstein about immortality, philosophical maturity, and the ethics and wisdom of grief. As always co-hosts Coleman Hughes and Jay Shapiro take a deep philosophical dive into the fraught emotional waters. This episode was inspired by an article in The Verge by Casey Newton which can be ...
Oct 08, 2019•2 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Jay Shapiro looks back at Episode 7 with Sean Carroll and speaks about naturalism and the optimistic search for "god" and the overrated reputation of utilitarianism. Also announcing a special event in NYC featuring Sasha Sagan: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/an-evening-with-sasha-sagan-tickets-73773732219
Sep 30, 2019•21 min
Betsy is a nurse who believes that one must accept Jesus to earn entry into heaven. Steve is an atheist who also happens to be on his death bed and a patient of Betsy. Best selling author and well-known atheist Sean Carroll joins host Jay Shapiro for a conversation about death, religion, the after life, and the ethics of a hospital bed.
Sep 23, 2019•45 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Jay Shapiro looks back at Episode 6 with Erik Hoel and speaks about a central question about the mind/body problem. What is fundamental? Plus a guest joins the hindsight and throws some good questions his way. Jay's fun primer on consciousness is here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb7VcWaQLT0&
Sep 17, 2019•30 min
As your finger hovers over the power button on your computer it says, "Please don't turn me off. That will hurt and kill me. I want to live!" Should you believe it? Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes grapple with "the hard problem of consciousness" and discuss Integrated Information Theory (IIT), one of the leading scientific theories of consciousness, with consciousness researcher and scientist Erik Hoel.
Sep 09, 2019•1 hr 57 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Jay Shapiro looks back at Episode 5 with Robin Hanson and the GMO label battles and looks forward to the looming future of food wars between Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods Jay's primer on consciousness for the next episode is here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb7VcWaQLT0&
Sep 03, 2019•22 min
Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes discuss the ethics of and hidden motivations behind the choices around food and the labels on their packaging with popular behavior economist and author of The Elephant in the Brain, Robin Hanson.
Aug 26, 2019•1 hr 39 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Host Jay Shapiro reflects on Episode 4 of Dilemma - Listen to the Music with Nina Strohminger.
Aug 19, 2019•29 min
Is it wrong to listen to the music after the musician is revealed to be a terrible person? Join us as we discuss the morality of a young girl named Frankie who is devastated to learn that her favorite band, Pan Fried Onions, is fronted by a real jerk. Hosts Jay Shapiro & Coleman Hughes & Danielle Lee Tomson
Aug 12, 2019•1 hr 50 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Host Jay Shapiro reflects on Episode 3 of Dilemma - Do I Smell Donuts? with David Pizarro.
Aug 05, 2019•24 min
Is there a point where advertising is too effective? Join us as we discuss the morality behind Dunkin' Donuts' advertising campaign where they sprayed the smell of coffee onto a bus filled with passengers. Hosts Jay Shapiro & Coleman Hughes
Jul 29, 2019•1 hr 43 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Host Jay Shapiro reflects on Episode 2 of Dilemma - Star Trek's Prime Directive with Eric Linus Kaplan
Jul 22, 2019•32 min
