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Episode 77: On the Moral Nature of Nazis, Jerks, and Ethicists (with Eric Schwitzgebel)

Very Bad Wizards

How to Burn Through the Journal

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If you want to hear more illuminating discussions like the ones that we've just had and solving the world's problems, consider supporting us by going to very bad wizards.com clicking on the support page. And either clicking on the Amazon link and then shopping at Amazon as you otherwise would or just donating to us directly via PayPal. We will be right back with Eric Schwitzgibble. This is that a minor miracle. Two men can talk. Comling. All around.

Special guest Eric Schwitzgebel joins David and Tamler to discuss the moral behavior (or lack thereof) of ethicists. Does moral reflection make us better people, or does it just give us better excuses to be immoral? Who's more right about human nature--Mencius or Xun Zi? What did Kant have against bastards and masturbating? Plus, we talk about jerks, robot cars, and killing baby Hitler. (Godwin's Law within 1:42--might be a new record for us).

Links

Eric Schwitzgebel publications. (Has links to all the discussed papers).
Why Self-Driving Cars Must be Programmed to Kill [technologyreview.com]
Bonnefon, J. F., Shariff, A., & Rahwan, I. (2015). Autonomous Vehicles Need Experimental Ethics: Are We Ready for Utilitarian Cars? [arxiv.org]
Mencius [wikipedia.org]
Xun Zi [wikipedia.org]
"The Philosophical Problem of Killing Baby Hitler." [vox.com]
Why it's Unethical to Go Back in Time and Kill Baby Hitler. [forbes.com]

Special Guest: Eric Schwitzgebel.

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