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 freedom. He also examines Marx’s labor theory of value—its strengths and flaws—and shows how modern capitalism both confirms and diverges from Marx’s predictions.

The conversation then turns to labor, technological change, human nature, and artificial intelligence—culminating in a pressing question: what futures of work await us under capitalism?

Read "Marx (The Routledge Philosophers)" by Brian Leiter and Jaime Edwards here: https://www.amazon.com/Marx-Routledge-Philosophers-Brian-Leiter/dp/1138938505

Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction and Guest Welcome

[00:18] Thought Experiment: Are You a Wage Slave?

[02:10] Free Labor vs. Unfree Labor

[05:11] Historical Context and Modern Implications

[16:07] Capitalism's Role in Technological Progress

[20:22] Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work

[32:05] The Essential Nature of Human Beings

[38:59] Critiques of Marx's Naivety

[46:25] Technological Innovation and Labor

[51:33] Marx's Labor Theory of Value

[58:18] Fetishism of Commodities

[01:00:59] Future of Capitalism and Human Nature

[01:10:14] Concluding Thoughts on Marx and Capitalism

Are We Free at Work? Marx on Capitalism Today | Brian Leiter