PODCAST · society
Brain in a Vat
by Brain in a Vat
Thought experiments and conversations with philosophers. Hosted by Dr Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer.
Episodes
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Decoding Reactions: Signal and Noise in Personal Interactions | Mark Schroeder
Mark Schroeder discusses When Things Get Personal, his account of how we interpret one another and why those interpretations so often go wrong. Our interactions are filled with noise, factors that don’t reflect the person themselves, complicating what we can infer about an individual from their...
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The Truth About Honesty, Lies, and Deception | Christian Miller
Christian Miller, author of The Honesty Crisis, joins to explore the nature and ethics of honesty. He examines what it means to be honest, when lying can be morally justified, and the difference between honesty and simply telling the truth. Miller considers these questions through cases involving...
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The Costs of Open Borders | Lionel Shriver
Lionel Shriver returns to discuss her new novel, 'A Better Life,' and the philosophical debate over immigration and open borders. Inspired by a proposed New York City program to pay residents to house migrants, the novel turns one family's home into a thought experiment about immigration and...
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The Man Who Exposed Jason Arday: Cancelled at Cambridge | Nathan Cofnas
Nathan Cofnas, the academic who recently drew widespread attention for exposing plagiarism allegations against Cambridge professor Jason Arday, returns to Brain in a Vat to discuss academic freedom, institutional conformity, and his own controversial departure from Cambridge. Cofnas argues that...
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Free Speech, Schools, and Children | Jimmy Mullen
Former Brain in a Vat producer Jimmy Mullen returns to discuss free speech in schools, exploring how educational institutions should balance student expression with their responsibility to maintain an environment conducive to learning. Drawing on constitutional law and landmark cases on student...
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Sexual Ethics on Campus: Consent and Power | Colin McGinn
Colin McGinn joins to discuss sexual ethics on campus. Drawing on thought experiments and his own experiences in academia, McGinn argues that universities too often conflate harassment with consensual relationships while overstating the role of power imbalances. He explains why he believes…
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The Philosophy of Pluribus | Spencer Case
Spencer Case returns to discuss Pluribus, one of the most philosophically ambitious science fiction series in recent years. The conversation explores whether individuality is worth preserving if giving it up would create a happier and more peaceful world, raising questions about personal…
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The Time-Meaning Conundrum | Rivka Weinberg
Rivka Weinberg returns to argue that time is both the source of meaning and its greatest threat, making meaningful lives possible while also guaranteeing loss and impermanence. The conversation explores the relationship between suffering and meaning, whether ultimate meaning is attainable, and…
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Should You Need Permission to Take Medicine? | Jessica Flanigan
Do adults have a right to decide what goes into their own bodies, even when experts believe they're making a mistake? Jessica Flanigan returns to defend a radical idea: competent adults should have the freedom to access pharmaceuticals without needing permission from doctors or government...
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Can Torture Be Justified? | Stephen Kershnar
We welcome back Stephen Kershnar to discuss the ethics of torture. Kershnar argues that some criminals deserve torture because severe wrongdoing can cause a person to forfeit protections against extreme punishment. He critiques the idea that there are moral constraints the state must never cross....
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A World Without Scarcity | Steven Kotler
What happens to human beings in a world without scarcity? If all our needs were met, would we actually be better off? Will technological progress lead to utopia or collapse? Humans are living through massive improvements in material conditions. More people have access to food, energy, and...
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Living with Adversity | David Benatar
What does it mean to live with adversity? How ought we respond to the suffering of others? How can we adapt to hardship? Adversity is a universal experience. Nearly everyone, at some point, faces physical, psychological, or social challenges, and yet suffering often goes unnoticed. David Benatar...
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Risky Storytelling | Kevin Allison
Kevin Allison, creator of the RISK! podcast, recounts a high school prank at an all-boys Jesuit school in 1986. After a crush teased him by repeatedly spitting on him, Kevin later mailed him a sealed container of feces labeled “enjoy the cookies.” In retelling the story, Kevin considers how the...
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Free Speech, Hate Speech, and Mental Health | Chloe Carmichael
Clinical psychologist Chloe Carmichael, author of "Can I Say That?," examines how free expression relates to psychological well-being and social trust. Carmichael argues that suppressing disagreement drives resentment and misperception, rather than resolving conflict. She also scrutinizes the…
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The Bias against Conservatism in Higher Education | Amy Wax
Amy Wax joins us to discuss the ideological landscape of higher education. Wax reflects on her conflict with the University of Pennsylvania and argues that universities have become increasingly hostile to conservative viewpoints. The conversation explores ideological bias on campus, academic...
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The Nature of the Sexes | Tomás Bogardus (with Stephen Kershnar)
Tomás Bogardus joins to discuss his book "The Nature of the Sexes" and argues for a reproductive-functional account of biological sex. According to Bogardus, males and females are defined by the reproductive function their bodies are structured to perform: producing sperm or eggs. Even when that...
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God Is Not Praiseworthy | Stephen Kershnar and Nathan Bray
Brain in a Vat is back from hiatus with a deep dive into the philosophy of religion. Stephen Kershnar and Nathan Bray join us to ask whether God can be morally responsible and whether worship makes sense if God could not have done otherwise. The discussion begins with a thought experiment about...
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Facial Distortions and Prosopometamorphopsia | Brad Duchaine (Rebroadcast)
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...
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Should We Stay or Should We Go | Lionel Shriver (Rebroadcast)
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.
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Parental Licensing | Connor Kianpour (Rebroadcast)
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?
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Can AI Bring Our Loved Ones Back? Inside Reflekta AI’s Digital Afterlife | Miles Spencer
In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, we step outside our usual format to interview Miles Spencer, founder of Reflekta — a company using cutting-edge AI to recreate digital reflections of loved ones who’ve passed away. Miles shares his personal journey of using Reflekta to reconnect with his...
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Cultural Appropriation | Stephen Kershnar (Rebroadcast)
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?
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Aztec Philosophy: What the Aztecs Knew About Life | Sebastian Purcell
How did the Aztecs understand life, morality, and human purpose? What can Aztec philosophy teach us about living well? Sebastian Purcell guides us through Aztec thought, beginning with a thought experiment from Homer’s Odyssey and moving into the core ideas of Aztec wisdom. Along the way, he...
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The Assassination of Charlie Kirk
In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, Mark and Jasondiscuss the tragic assassination of political commentator, Charlie Kirk. The episode discusses Kirk's commitment to open dialogue and civil discourse, particularly on college campuses, and critique the societal implications of hisdeath. The...
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Using AI to Fight Crime | David Boonin (Rebroadcast)
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? Chapters: [00:00] Introduction to AI in Crime Fighting [00:12] Thought Experiment: The Looting Scenario [06:32]...
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Are We Free at Work? Marx on Capitalism Today | Brian Leiter
In this episode of Brain in a Vat, we’re joined by Brian Leiter, co-author (with Jamie Edwards) of a new book on Marx. We explore whether workers in contemporary capitalism are truly free—or trapped in a form of “wage slavery.” Leiter uses thought experiments to probe the limits of workplace...
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The Possible Worlds of David Lewis | Barry Lam (Rebroadcast)
What are possible worlds? Could you have been born to different parents, and could an object be both completely green and completely red? Barry Lam explains how David Lewis’s views on possible worlds can help us understand everything from time travel to the nature of who we are.
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Procreative Ethics | Rivka Weinberg (Rebroadcast)
Is it wrong to bring new life into the world? Is adopting a child a moral obligation? Is parenting meaningful?
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Imagine There’s No Gender | Holly Lawford-Smith [with Raja Halwani] (Rebroadcast)
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…
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The Moral Lives of Spies | Cécile Fabre
What does a spy owe — to their country, their conscience, or their cause? In this episode, Cécile Fabre investigates the moral lives of Cold War operatives like Kim Philby and Oleg Gordievsky. With Fabre, we probe the strange morality of spies and the ethical paradoxes they inhabit. Is it ever...
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The Right to Sex | Raja Halwani (Rebroadcast)
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? [00:00] Introduction and Guest Welcome [00:16] Exploring the Right to Sex: Thought Experiment [03:43] Negative vs. Positive Rights to Sex [09:50]...
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Decriminalizing Sex Work | Jessica Flanigan
In this episode of Brain in a Vat, we welcome back Jessica Flanigan for a discussion on the decriminalization of sex work. Using a decriminalization framework, Flanigan examines the ethics of sex work and the role of state regulation. The conversation explores autonomy, consent, and coercion. It...
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Disgust | Martha Nussbaum (Rebroadcast)
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? Chapters: [00:00] Introduction to Disgust and Cognitive Content [00:11] Paul Rosen's Experiments on Disgust [02:16] Disgust and Its Connection to…
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Patriotism Unpacked | Spencer Case (Rebroadcast)
What does it mean to be patriotic, or to love your country? Some argue that patriotism is virtuous because it allows us to transcend our selfish needs and act for the good of our community. But others argue that patriotism is overly narrow-minded, arbitrary and sometimes immoral. Microdigressions...
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Is Tarot a Tool for Thought? | Georgi Gardiner
In this episode of Brain in a Vat, Georgi Gardiner returns to explore the epistemic value of tarot: its capacity to shape self-understanding, spark creative reflection, and influence major life decisions. Drawing on personal experience and philosophical analysis, Georgi examines how tarot can…
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Living The Philosophical Life | Agnes Callard
In this episode, Brain in a Vat is joined by public philosopher and author Agnes Callard to explore the relevance of philosophy in everyday life. Drawing from her work on Socrates, Agnes makes a case for why philosophical inquiry matters, now more than ever. From the pig farmer analogy to…
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The Israel Palestine Conflict | David Benatar
Are Jews entitled to their own homeland? Is the Israeli response to the massacre of civilians perpetrated by Hamas 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...
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The Ideal State: An AI Debate - Plato vs Nozick
In this episode of Brain in a Vat, we examine two competing political visions through an AI debate between Plato and Robert Nozick. Plato defends rule by philosopher kings and a unified society, while Nozick argues for individual liberty and a minimal state. Following our previous episode…
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Organ Markets | James Stacey Taylor (Rebroadcast)
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? Check out FeedSpot's list of 90 best philosophy podcasts, where Brain in a Vat is ranked…
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Academic Freedom in Universities | Eric Sampson and Rebecca Tuvel
Eric Sampson and Rebecca Tuvel explore the contested issue of academic freedom. They discuss the tensions that emerge when universities try to balance the promotion of diverse intellectual perspectives with concerns over potential harm to community members, as seen in controversies involving...
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Children's Rights and Parenting | Connor Kianpour and Ella Coleman
Connor examines involuntary commitment, substance abuse disorders, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding parenting and children's welfare. Should children be allowed to transition genders? When is the state justified in removing children from harmful environments? And what is the role of...
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Are Conspiracy Theories Right? | Jared Millson and Ella Coleman
Jared Millson delves into the intriguing world of conspiracy theories, exploring well-known cases like Pizzagate and lesser-known but historically significant events such as the COINTELPRO. The discussion spans the definitions and philosophical debates about what constitutes a conspiracy theory,...
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Animal Liberation Now | Peter Singer (Rebroadcast)
Peter Singer delves into difficult ethical questions regarding animal rights, the morality of factory farming, and difficult human-related ethical dilemmas. Singer discusses his views as a consequentialist, examining the impact of our choices on animal suffering, the ethical considerations around...
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End Taxes? | Jessica Flanigan
Jess Flanigan argues that personal income tax is illegitimate. But is the state ever justified in extracting money from its population to pay for public goods? Are property taxes and privatization of state functions better options? And if taxes are illegitimate, are we permitted, or even…
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The Problem with Democracy | Jason Brennan (Rebroadcast)
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? [00:00] Introduction to the Problems of Democracy [00:17] Brexit: A Case Study in Misinformed Voting [05:33] Voter Behavior: Social…
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Mass Shootings | Kurt Blankschaen
Does our common understanding of mass shootings help us to prevent them? Blankschaen argues that our common beliefs and media narratives around gun ownership, mental illness, and school policies are unhelpful in preventing future mass shootings. Can we even provide an adequate definition of mass...
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The Problems with Virtue Ethics | Travis Timmerman
Through comparisons to consequentialism and deontological ethics, Travis dissects the core principles and critiques of virtue ethics. Along the way, we discuss moral dilemmas, the application of virtues, and the real-world implications of ethical theories. Whether you're a student of philosophy…
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The End Goal of Wokeness | Nathan Cofnas
What is the underlying logic of woke ideology? Is it consistent, and can it justify the pursuit of equality of outcome, such as redistributing wealth and land? Cofnas discusses the origins and evolution of wokeism, the moral and empirical premises underlying it, and the political dynamics between...
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Effective Altruism and Making a Difference | Jacob Bauer
How should we allocate our donations to address global issues effectively? Jacob discusses the principles guiding Effective Altruism, the importance of evidence-based charitable giving, the ethical implications of supporting local versus global causes, and the challenges of predicting long-term...
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Ultimate Meaning | Rivka Weinberg (Rebroadcast)
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? [00:00] Introduction to the Meaninglessness of Life [00:14] Tolstoy's Existential Crisis [01:39] The Appropriateness of Sadness...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Thought experiments and conversations with philosophers. Hosted by Dr Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer.
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Brain in a Vat
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Brain in a Vat currently has 295 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
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Thought experiments and conversations with philosophers. Hosted by Dr Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer.
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Brain in a Vat publishes regularly with 295 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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