We begin by imagining a world where children are separated by sex at birth and raised without exposure to traditional gender norms. We debate whether gender incongruence is a result of nature or social conditioning. We discuss gender affirming care for children, highlighting the complexity of diagnosing gender dysphoria amidst co-occurring psychiat…

Peter Singer delves into difficult ethicalquestions regarding animal rights, the morality of factory farming, anddifficult human-related ethical dilemmas. Singer discusses his views as aconsequentialist, examining the impact of our choices on animal suffering, theethical considerations around organ donation from anencephalic children, andthe broade…

John Martin Fischer argues that lifeconstantly offers new experiences and perspectives that prevent it frombecoming monotonous. He delves into the idea of living asignificantly extended life without aging and the implications it has onpersonal identity and society at large. Fischer distinguishes between trueimmortality and radical life extension, f…

Stephen Cave unpacks the ethical and practical problems of living forever. He highlights ongoing research in anti-aging and the potential societal and ecological catastrophes that could follow if humans were to achieve immortality. Stephen weighs the individual’s desire for immortality against social implications, and the potential exacerbation of …

Featuring Stephen Kershnar, we discuss the complexities of immigration ethics, the rights to immigrate, and the morality of borders, keeping in mind debates around wealth, exclusion, and property rights. Stephen considers consequentialist and deontological perspectives in immigration policies, the notion of collective versus individual rights, and …

Trond Undheim delves into catastrophic risks facing humanity, including climate change, governance breakdown, and technological threats. Through discussions of risk perception, effective planning versus worry, and the complexities of managing existential threats, Trond emphasizes the importance of preparing and adapting for uncertain futures. How s…

In this episode of 'Brain In A Vat', Hans Gutbrod addresses the gap in philosophy in understanding the ethics around statues, street names, and museums. By drawing parallels to just war theory, Gutbrod proposes a framework to navigate the complexities of commemorating historical figures and events. The discussion also touches upon the potential for…

In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, Brad Duchaine from the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department at Dartmouth discusses prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) – a condition where individuals see distorted faces. The episode explores various manifestations of PMO, including seeing demonic features, dragons, or entirely different faces, and disting…

We welcome back Nadine Strossen for a comprehensive discussion about pornography and free speech. She highlights points from her re-released book 'Defending Pornography', explaining why she supports the freedom of sexual expression. Her thought experiment is about a respected academic who makes adult videos, raising questions about personal freedom…

Can the definition of privilege be nuanced enough to address the broad range of individual experiences and historical contexts? Does recognizing and discussing privilege lead to meaningful social change? Or does talk of privilege oversimplify complex issues? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message…

Is observing people in a public space from the privacy of your home an infringement of their rights? Can the widespread use of CCTV cameras be justified, or does it violate their privacy? And how do technological developments affect the delicate balance between safety and privacy? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show…

What if our understanding of morality is fundamentally flawed? Should the absence of objective moral facts alter the way we live and interact? Is the structure of our society dependent on moral beliefs, or are these just a result of individual desires and social evolution? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brainin…

Is morality real, a social construct, or non-existent? Can we rely on our moral intuitions? And are moral truths inaccessible to us? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

What is a proportional response to a terrorist attack? What does genocide involve? And is South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice justified?Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason WerbeloffEditor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter KaufmanBrain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShopBrain in a Vat bookshop (Ama…

Does the biology you were born with trump self-identity when determining your sex or gender? Is gender innate, or can it change? And what can real-life cases of children being reassigned their sex at birth teach us? Alex's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Gender-Sex-Facts-Fictions/dp/1509560017/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.s…

John Rawls is widely regarded as the greatest modern liberal philosopher. Does his theory of justice lead to a fair society? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Is there life after death? Are near-death experiences meaningful? Are they similar to other altered states like meditation and drug-induced hallucinations? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

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 A…

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 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/p…

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? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message…

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? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Does the State protect or curtail freedom? Are communities more important than individuals? Should freedom be constrained by virtue? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Black Mirror's episode, White Bear, is full of interesting philosophical problems. Are you still responsible for a crime you committed even if you've lost your memory of that crime? Do you persist through time despite amnesia? And what are the limits of justified punishment for horrendous crimes? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spot…

Do your current moral values require you to stop eating meat? Will going vegan actually prevent animal cruelty? Is the vegan movement a force for good? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Are Jews entitled to their own homeland? Is the Israeli response to the massacre of civilians perpetrated by Hammas on October 7th justified? Should there be a ceasefire? David's Article in Quillette: https://quillette.com/2023/10/21/its-not-the-occupation/ Raja Halwani wrote to us about Jason's exposition of his view at 38:50. Here is Raja's clari…

This older conversation about war sheds light on the current conflict in Israel and Gaza. Are soldiers fighting for the wrong side ever justified in killing? Should we punish these soldiers even if they were coerced by their State to fight? And is it ever justified to kill civilians? Read Jeff's book here: amazon.com/Killing-War-Uehiro-Practical-Et…

Are women generally exploited in pornography? Even in cases where women report that their pornography career is empowering, have they nevertheless been degraded? And if heterosexual pornography undermines women’s dignity, is this true of gay male pornography too? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/messa…

Should we be allowed to sell our organs on the open market? Would the poor be exploited under such a system? And does organ donation impose an unfair burden on the relatives of those that need a transplant? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Is the restriction on having additional sexual or romantic partners similar to the restriction on having additional friends? Should you allow your partner to be free to pursue other partners? And are we able to overcome the jealousy associated with non-monogamy? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/messag…

Does the clone of a murderer deserve to be punished? Is the clone with the murderer’s memories and dispositions guilty of the murder? And has justice been served if the clone is punished, even if the original murderer goes free? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message…

Was dropping the bomb on Hiroshima justified? Is Ken the real star of Barbie? Three Oppenheimers weigh in on the film event of the year.Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason WerbeloffEditor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter KaufmanBrain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShopBrain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl…

Is it permissible for members of one group to appropriate the cultural practices of another? Is there anything wrong with cultural appropriation at all, or are there benefits to cultural appropriation? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Is sex work actually work? Is prostitution always a form of exploitation? And show we legalize or decriminalize prostitution? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Recently, Eron Fasser and Mark Oppenheimer debated Hamza Tzortzis and Mohammed Hijab on whether Atheism or is Islam more rational. This episode discusses the arguments made and strategies employed by both sides. Were Hamza and Mohammed arguing in good faith? Or were they trying to derail a debate they were clearly losing? --- Send in a voice messag…

Would it be better to live forever than to die? Is the goodness or badness of death dependent on the future quality of our lives? Is death so bad that it would be better never to have been born? Travis' Book: Exploring the Philosophy of Death and Dying https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Philosophy-Death-Dying-Contemporary/dp/1138393584/ --- Send in a…

What is knowledge? Does a justified true belief count as knowledge? And is our knowledge lucky? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Parfit altered the landscape of the philosophy of identity. We speak to David Edmonds about his recently released biography on this influential philosopher, and ask: what made Parfit the man he was? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

A debate held at the University of Johannesburg. Does God Exist? How can something come from nothing? Are God's commands moral? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Would the world be better if we didn’t recognize genders? In such a world, there would be males and females, but nothing associated with what it means to be male or female other than biological facts. Men and women would be equally likely to be social leaders. And there would be no stereotypically male or female behavior. In this world, there’d be …

Mark Oppenheimer presents a live seminar at St Andrews. The talk features footage from a prominent hate speech trial that Mark appeared in as a lawyer. What is hate speech? What is the value of free speech? Do some groups deserve special protection against hate speech?Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason WerbeloffEditor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen…

Oxford University Press refused to publish Alex Byrne's book on gender. We discuss whether women are adult human females and whether sex is the same as gender. Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason WerbeloffEditor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter KaufmanBrain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShopBrain in a Vat bookshop (A…

Experiencing grief at the death of a person we love or who matters to us―as universal as it is painful―is central to the human condition. In Grief, Michael Cholbi presents a groundbreaking philosophical exploration of this complex emotional event, offering valuable new insights about what grief is, whom we grieve, and how grief can ultimately lead …

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?Presenters: Mark Oppenh…

As technology improves, ethical problems deepen too. Flying cars and ChatGPT are convenient, but may benefit some at the cost of harming others. Is the future convenient and full of promise, or should we fear a dystopian apocalypse? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message…

Do we have ethical obligations to all animals or only cute and majestic ones? Is factory farming worse than hunting? We answered these questions and more at a live event hosted by The Inside Out Center for the Arts. https://insideoutcentreforthearts.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message…

Is a two state solution desirable to resolve the Arab Israeli conflict? Does Israel have the right to be a Jewish state? Do other states have an obligation to help resolve the conflict? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Are human beings social creatures? Do social groups have an important role to play in political life? Can hermits lead meaningful lives? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

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? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason WerbeloffEditor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter KaufmanBrain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShopBrain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message…

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? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/braininavat/message