The Metaphysical Truth of the Ultimate Causality

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Jared Diamond's father-in-law spent the rest of his life and something like 60 years being tortured by guilt for not having exacted retribution when it was most warranted. Sam: I treat bears differently than I treat human beings in part because human beings can do things like read books and listen to you know but David you're privileging the general category difference over these micro details of the specific instance. If there is some empirical evidence that voluntary and involuntary actions are respond perfectly exactly to one kind of punishment, then we should be able to punish people according to their circumstances. We have an absolute agreement about this differences between a voluntary action and the only thing that stops us from

Bestselling author and friend of the podcast Sam Harris joins Tamler and Dave for a marathon podcast. (Seriously, pack two pairs of astronaut diapers for this one). We talk about the costs and benefits of religion, dropping acid in India, and the illusory nature of (a certain kind of) free will. Then we go at it on blame, moral responsibility, hatred, guilt, retribution, and vengeance. Sam thinks these are antiquated responses based on a belief in spooky metaphysics, Tamler thinks they are important components of human morality, and Dave just wants everyone to get along and be reasonable (like that nice Kant fellow).

Time markers (roughly)

0:00-47:00 Intro and costs and benefits of religion

47:00-77:30 Drugs, the self, free will

77:30-- Blame, guilt, vengeance, moral responsibility, desert.

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