Brain in a Vat

Were indoctrinated or brainwashed Nazi soldiers morally responsible for their actions? Were they responsible for their repugnant beliefs? And were Nazi soldiers obligated to be conscientious objectors even if that meant they would be killed as a result?

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?

Should you fear future pain even if your future self will not remember who you are now? If an identical copy of you is created, would you survive through that copy? And is it possible to survive gaps in your existence?

In a world where machines can seemingly generate art instantly, and often better than humans can, should we feel sorry for artists? But is AI really generating art - or is it something else? And if it is art, who is the artist - the AI or the prompter? James's covers for sale: https://www.goonwrite.com/ Conversations about Philosophy books: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0987XX8M2 Jason's most popular sci-fi novel: https://www.amazon.com/Defragmenting-Daniel-Organ-Scrubber-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B01H5RE6LY

How do we weigh the needs of cats to roam freely, with the millions of birds they kill each year? What duties do we owe our pets? And are some animals more valuable than others?

Buy the books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0987XX8M2 What are your favorite episodes of Brain in a Vat? We've taken ours and made them into books. With special forewords from leading philosophers and exclusive debates between guests, these books bring you the best content we have in an easily digestible format. Buy your books now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0987XX8M2

Kershnar presents a dilemma: we’re responsible for our decisions because they’re caused by our psychology. But do we choose our psychology? If we do, then it seems that choice couldn’t have been a morally responsible choice, since our psychology didn’t choose it. But if we didn’t choose our psychology, then we can’t be responsible for the choices that come from our psychology. Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff  Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Mark and Jason join their producer in this retrospective season finale.   Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff  Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop  Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

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? Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff  Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen  Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

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?   Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff  Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen