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Brain in a Vat

Benatar on Bullshit | With Rebecca Tuvel

Dec 8, 2024
David Benatar, author of 'Very Practical Ethics,' joins philosopher Rebecca Tuvel to dissect the nature of bullshit. They explore whether bullshitters are aware of their deceit and categorize forms of bullshit found in academia and daily life. The duo discusses the ethics of calling out dishonesty, the tragedy of collective nonsense, and the tension between personal and social responsibility. They also delve into the role of satire and language in highlighting bullshit and strategies for navigating today's misinformation landscape.
55:12

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • David Benatar highlights the distinction between bullshit and lying, emphasizing that bullshit neglects factuality while lying involves intentional deceit.
  • The podcast critiques the prevalence of convoluted language in academia, which obscures meaning and diminishes the quality of discourse and understanding.

Deep dives

Defining Bullshit

Bullshit is characterized by a disregard for truth and authenticity. David Benatar emphasizes that distinguishing between bullshit and lying is essential, as the former lacks concern for factuality. Philosophers like Harry Frankfurt note that bullshitting involves communication that does not prioritize truthfulness, while G.A. Cohen suggests that academic jargon may fall into a category of ‘unclarifiable unclarity’. The discussion indicates that understanding the nature of bullshit is crucial before addressing its ethical implications.

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