Brain in a Vat

In this insightful discussion, philosopher Jack Kwong, known for his work on emotions and reasoning, unpacks the complexities of hope. He explores whether it's virtuous to hope amid despair, asking if such feelings can lead to reckless decisions. Jack distinguishes between hoping and hopefulness, discusses how belief and desire influence hope, and critiques the notion of false hope. He also examines the role of external factors in shaping hopeful attitudes and argues that hope can profoundly affect identity and motivation.

Eric Sampson, a moral philosophy expert from Rhodes College, dives into the labyrinth of moral disagreement in today's world. He challenges listeners to ponder how to hold confidence in their moral beliefs amidst numerous conflicting views. Sampson critiques the methods used to arrive at moral conclusions and discusses the perplexities of engaging with moral nihilists. The conversation also touches on the stubbornness of moral beliefs and the intricate ties between personal values and philosophical reasoning, advocating for epistemic humility.

Marginalized people, animals, found objects, wires and childlike drawings inhabit the unlocatable worlds presented in Ballen's artworks. Ballen describes his works as existential psychodramas that touch the subconscious mind and evoke the underbelly of the human condition. They aim to break through the repressed thoughts and feelings by engaging him in themes of chaos and order, madness or unruly states of being, the human relationship to the animal world, life and death, universal archetypes of the psyche and experiences of otherness.  https://www.youtube.com/c/RogerBallenPhotography https://www.rogerballen.com/ YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/oODP1IsFj5I

Rebecca Tuvel, Dan Cullen and Eric Samson interview Peter Singer about pandemic ethics. Are lockdowns and mandatory vaccines morally justified? What should governments have done differently? Why were there calls to cancel this lecture?   https://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2021/09/peter-singer-invited-to-give-a-zoom-talk-about-pandemic-ethics-by-the-philosophy-department-at-rhode.html  https://dailynous.com/2021/09/28/faculty-at-rhodes-college-urge-cancellation-of-online-talk-by-peter-singer/

Michael Huemer, a philosopher known for his work in political philosophy, dives deep into the concepts of justice and law. He discusses the power of jury nullification, where juries can reject unjust laws, exemplified by the Zenger trial. Huemer contrasts justice with morality, advocating for a justice system that reflects societal intuitions. He addresses the complexities of laws, arguing for the repeal of unjust regulations like drug prohibitions, and emphasizes the importance of individual moral judgments in a fair legal system.

Should certain weapons be banned from use in war? Are there limits on the amount of force countries should use to protect their citizens? Is it ever justified to kill innocent civilians to end a war? ICJ Advisory Opinion: https://www.icj-cij.org/en/case/95

Is Democracy the best political system? Plato thought not. But what is the best alternative? Clif Mark, from the podcast Good in Theory, joins us this week to discuss Plato’s Republic. https://goodintheorypod.com/

Is the art separate from the artist? Can a moral defect in a film undermine its aesthetic quality?

What would a world without imagination be like? Why do we feel sympathy, fear or excitement for fictional characters? And can imaginary actions be morally wrong?

Shaun Stanley, a controversial philosopher from Bristol University, challenges traditional views on consciousness and the existence of minds. He explores whether humans are just sophisticated robots, diving into thought experiments about the fictional Antipodeans. The conversation covers the link between behavior and internal states, using locked-in syndrome as a case study. Stanley also delves into the nuances of love, the limitations of folk psychology, and how emotions might be better expressed through poetry than science.