Accented Philosophy

Work, Leisure and FulfilmentIn this episode, Ezechiel and Andy continue their discussion of topics from E. F. Schumacher's famous 1973 book "Small is Beautiful". We unpack the main theses of the book that relate to the effects of technology on work, leisure and meaning and look whether they are still valid 50 years later.Join us for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and explore with us one of the most influential books of the 70s.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:01:02 E.F. Schumacher: Small is Beautiful00:01:15 Schumacher on developmental aid00:05:18 Is developmental aid colonialist?00:08:54 Localisation instead of globalisation00:10:56 Do we always know what’s good for us?00:13:19 Do technologies force us to use them?00:16:19 Frankfurt: Second-order desires00:22:58 Does technology deprive us of meaning?00:23:19 E.F. Schumacher: Small is Beautiful00:23:45 Buddhist economics00:25:55 Do we naturally enjoy working?00:28:06 Luddism: rejection of technologies00:30:02 Is an easier life always good?00:35:03 David Graeber (2018): Bullshit Jobs00:38:47 Unemployment and shorter work00:48:41 The imperative to be productive00:49:42 Erich Fromm (1900-1980)00:50:30 Different kinds of leisure activities00:53:37 Virtue ethics00:53:54 What are “valuable” leisure activities?01:03:13 Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)01:04:11 Epicurus: Trouble in the soul (see article on daily-philosophy.com!)Philosophers and theories mentioned:00:01:02 E.F. Schumacher: Small is Beautiful00:16:19 Frankfurt: Second-order desires00:23:45 Buddhist economics00:35:03 David Graeber (2018): Bullshit Jobs00:49:42 Erich Fromm (1900-1980)01:03:13 Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)01:04:11 Epicurus: Trouble in the soul (see article on daily-philosophy.com!)Next episode: Technology and FreedomAccented Philosophy - Every Tuesday (almost).

Small is Beautiful - Economics as if people matteredIn this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss E. F. Schumacher's famous 1973 book "Small is Beautiful". We unpack the main theses of the book and look whether they are still valid 50 years later.Join us for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and explore with us one of the most influential books of the 70s.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:01:31 Globalisation and its effects00:02:28 Types of globalisation00:05:05 “Monoculture” argument00:08:42 Can we justify economic inequality?00:10:45 Robert Nozick (1938-2002)00:12:26 Earth’s resources are limited00:13:01 Small countries and globalisation00:14:31 Globalisation threatens diversity00:15:39 The lost diversity of languages00:17:56 How language influences content00:20:50 Big countries are more dangerous00:22:55 Globalisation and peace00:24:31 Does globalisation help the poor?00:29:28 Media monopolies00:34:38 Problems of foreign aid00:38:05 City life and individualism00:42:33 Labourers and digital nomads00:47:05 The meaning of work00:47:22 Karl Marx: Alienation00:50:57 Universal Basic Income00:53:40 Meaning and work01:02:11 The power of corporationsPhilosophers and theories mentioned:00:10:45 Robert Nozick (1938-2002)00:47:22 Karl Marx: AlienationNext episode: Can we Control Technology?Accented Philosophy - Every Tuesday.

What is Deep Ecology?In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss Deep Ecology. What is it, where does the idea come from, and is it always clear what the theory demands of us?Join us for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and explore with us the philosophical issues surrounding deep ecology.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:00:11 Deep ecology00:00:36 Shallow and deep ecology 00:02:33 Anthropocentrism00:05:26 Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) 00:07:37 Arne Naess (1912-2009)00:08:08 Self-realisation00:13:04 The myth of Prometheus00:17:35 Fair consumption of resources00:20:20 Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) 00:21:49 Peter Singer00:22:48 Utilitarianism 00:23:37 Life’s will to survive -- life vs consciousness00:25:27 Is there a “right to life”?00:26:09 “Chimeras”: see prev. episode of this podcast!00:27:07 The eight principles of Deep Ecology00:29:58 Speciesism00:31:30 Preserving diversity 00:36:43 What are “vital human needs”?00:42:19 The need to decrease the human population00:44:12 Deontological ethics00:46:26 Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)00:48:01 Population control policies 00:48:18 China’s one-child policy00:52:51 Quality of life vs material standard of life00:55:30 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs00:56:54 Do we have an obligation to act?00:58:14 Peter Singer: Drowning child argument01:01:45 Eco-feminism01:02:00 Rationalism and false dichotomies Philosophers and theories mentioned:00:00:36 Shallow and deep ecology 00:02:33 Anthropocentrism00:05:26 Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) 00:07:37 Arne Naess (1912-2009)00:13:04 The myth of Prometheus00:20:20 Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) 00:21:49 Peter Singer00:22:48 Utilitarianism 00:29:58 Speciesism00:44:12 Deontological ethics00:46:26 Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)00:55:30 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs00:58:14 Peter Singer: Drowning child argument01:01:45 Eco-feminismNext episode: Small is Beautiful - Sustainable EconomicsAccented Philosophy - Every Tuesday.

Nudges - The Hidden InfluencersIn this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss nudges, hidden, often subconscious forces that try to steer our decisions. What really are nudges? What is the relationship of nudges to freedom of choice and human autonomy? Are nudges making us unable to navigate our own decisions?Join us for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and explore with us the philosophical issues surrounding human decision-making.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:00:20 What are nudges?00:05:28 Soft and hard nudges00:07:25 Are nudges good for us?00:11:01 Individual vs population-level nudges00:12:14 The idea of a general “good”00:13:14 Resisting nudges 00:14:40 Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein00:16:42 Manipulation in supermarkets00:17:21 Product design as a nudge00:20:53 Greenwashing00:22:58 Do we know what is “good”?00:24:49 Libertarian paternalism00:27:27 Nudges help us make rational choices00:28:50 Democratic regulation of nudges00:32:25 Is there a right to make bad decisions?00:32:40 Moral atrophy00:35:05 Deterrence as nudging00:36:25 Libertarian paternalism’s “third way”00:37:15 Paternalism00:38:37 Rational decision-making00:40:22 Are we ever free from nudges?00:42:37 Better alternatives to nudging?00:43:15 Nudges don’t address the root problem00:45:35 Structural changes instead of nudges?00:46:44 Are prohibitions desirable?00:48:52 Are we rational enough?00:49:22 Human ethology, Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989)00:52:28 Is the right choice always rational? 00:57:16 Immanuel Kant, Enlightenment00:58:49 Visit us at daily-philosophy.com!Philosophers and theories mentioned:00:14:40 Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein00:24:49 Libertarian paternalism00:36:25 Libertarian paternalism’s “third way”00:37:15 Paternalism00:49:22 Human ethology, Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989)00:57:16 Immanuel Kant, EnlightenmentNext episode: Deep EcologyAccented Philosophy - Every Tuesday.

What is anarchism?In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss anarchism. What does the word really mean? What is the relationship of anarchism to liberalism, free markets and the visions of communism? And is an anarchist state compatible with personal freedom and flourishing?Join us for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and explore with us the philosophical issues surrounding anarchism and the ideal society.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:00:30 What is anarchism?00:03:25 Marxism and anarchism00:05:20 Self-determination and rules00:06:06 Was the Wild West an anarchist society?00:06:45 The problem of justice, vigilantism00:08:17 Is the free market an anarchist model?00:10:05 Policing the anarchist society00:12:20 The anarchy of the Internet00:17:40 Free speech in the anarchist society00:25:42 What is anarchist education?00:31:42 Discuss with us! Leave a comment!00:32:42 History of anarchism00:32:51 Social contract00:33:49 Pierre-Joseph Proudhon00:34:00 Is property theft?00:34:45 Jean-Jacques Rousseau00:40:25 Darwinism and cooperation00:41:00 Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin00:42:18 Are we cooperative by nature?00:43:40 Confucianism00:45:15 Kantian argument for anarchism00:48:08 Anarchism and libertarianism00:51:40 Examples of anarchic societies00:52:52 Paris commune (1871), Amish and monks00:58:17 What is the point of anarchism?01:02:26 Autonomy and second-order autonomy01:04:05 Autonomy vs freedom: Odysseus and the SirensPhilosophers and theories mentioned:00:32:51 Social contract00:33:49 Pierre-Joseph Proudhon00:34:45 Jean-Jacques Rousseau00:40:25 Darwinism and cooperation00:41:00 Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin00:43:40 Confucianism00:45:15 Kantian argument for anarchismNext episode: Technological nudges and human flourishingAccented Philosophy - Every Tuesday.

Terrorism and violence in politicsIn this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss politically motivated violence. Is there ever a justification for terrorism? Does the state have a right to use violence against its citizens? Does the end justify the means? And what can we learn from the "yellow vest" protests in France?Join us for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and explore with us the philosophical issues surrounding terrorism and violence in politics.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:01:14 Collective vs individual use of violence00:02:16 Terrorism vs wars00:03:45 Definition of terrorism00:05:16 Does the state have a right to employ force?00:06:27 Thomas Hobbes on violence00:07:32 Hobbes and violent uprisings00:10:38 John Locke on resistance00:11:48 Jean-Jacques Rousseau on natural rights00:12:57 Thomas Jefferson on rebellion00:13:30 US gun debate00:16:14 Mistrust towards the government00:19:04 John Stuart Mill on freedom and political violence00:21:00 Limits of democracy00:23:31 Yellow vests protests in France00:27:04 Marx on violence and harm00:27:48 Innocent victims vs symbols of oppression00:32:16 Are agents of the state legitimate targets?00:34:11 The state should have higher moral standards00:36:49 Justification from necessity and JS Mill00:40:17 Means and ends in ethics00:42:12 Oppressive violence and freeing violence00:45:21 Extinction rebellion, Greenpeace00:50:02 Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski and eco terrorism00:53:34 Does the end justify the means?00:55:23 Environmental protection and social justice00:58:00 Nonviolent protest and Mahatma Gandhi01:02:44 Can people be symbols of oppression?01:03:47 Kant: Treating persons as ends01:04:09 Conclusion: Making sure that we don’t need violencePhilosophers and theories mentioned:00:06:27 Thomas Hobbes on violence00:07:32 Hobbes and violent uprisings00:10:38 John Locke on resistance00:11:48 Jean-Jacques Rousseau on natural rights00:12:57 Thomas Jefferson on rebellion00:19:04 John Stuart Mill on freedom and political violence00:27:04 Marx on violence and harm00:36:49 Justification from necessity and JS Mill00:50:02 Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski and eco terrorism00:58:00 Nonviolent protest and Mahatma Gandhi01:03:47 Kant: Treating persons as endsNext episode: What is Anarchism?Accented Philosophy - Every Tuesday.

Death Penalty: Is It Morally Right?In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss the ethics of the death penalty, and particularly the question whether other countries have the right to withhold the drugs used in US executions.Join us for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and take part in a thrilling exploration of the philosophical issues surrounding the death penalty.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:00:44 Intro00:02:19 Interference in internal affairs of other countries 00:06:14 Respecting the democratic will of others 00:07:44 Relativism  00:09:44 Is there intrinsic value in democratic decisions? 00:12:32 Are we biased when judging other countries?00:13:09 Comparison with euthanasia 00:15:00 Should companies have all rights to their own products?00:18:10 Democratic decisions and social media manipulation00:21:00 The choice of the prisoner on how to die00:23:30 Asking prisoners how they want to die: is it cruel?00:28:33 Can governments kill their own citizens?00:31:00 John Rawls, original position, veil of ignorance00:36:32 Is death worse than lifelong imprisonment?00:40:55 Should people decide how they want to die?00:43:05 Flourishing makes a life worth living00:47:30 Arguments in favour of death penalty: Retribution00:48:04 Retribution vs vengeance00:52:14 Effect of death penalty on crime00:54:58 Do people have a right to life?00:56:15 Deontological (Kantian) ethics. Autonomy00:58:03 Should societies have higher moral standards?00:59:10 The irreversibility of death penalty01:00:40 The utilitarian argument01:03:20 The value of life and the possibility of redemption01:04:36 How can prisoners lead a flourishing life?01:05:15 A voluntary death penalty?Philosophers and theories mentioned:00:07:44 Relativism 00:28:33 Social contract00:31:00 John Rawls, original position, veil of ignorance00:48:04 Retribution vs vengeance00:56:15 Deontological (Kantian) ethics. Autonomy01:00:40 The utilitarian argumentNext episode: Is terrorism for a good cause ever justifiable?Accented Philosophy - Every Tuesday.

Chimeras: Animals as hosts for human organs?In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss the complex ethics of growing human organs in animal hosts. Are we in danger of creating human-like animals? Could such animals claim human rights? And are we sufficiently respecting the dignity of such animal hosts?Join us for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and take part in a thrilling exploration of the philosophical issues surrounding  modern transplantation medicine.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.Please note that we had some technical issues recording this episode, which resulted in us re-recording a few minutes of the episode at a different date. This is why a handful of short snippets of the recording sound a bit different from the rest. Don't worry, your ears are fine.00:00:35 Intro 00:01:30 Chimeras: Monkeys as hosts for human organs 00:02:42 What is new about chimeras? 00:04:00 The word “chimera” 00:06:06 Overview of the moral issues00:07:45 The need for organs 00:09:35 Intentions vs outcomes in ethics00:13:04 Is it ethical to kill anyone for their organs?00:14:10 The “trolley problem”00:15:30 The doctrine of double effect 00:17:16 The “humanity” of chimeras00:19:32 Do monkeys have different moral status from pigs?00:21:00 The problem of animal suffering00:22:21 The analogy to meat production00:24:36 Jeremy Bentham on animal suffering00:24:59 Peter Singer on speciesism00:30:08 Aristotle and the flourishing of humans and animals00:31:19 Kant: Autonomy and human dignity00:37:57 Deontological arguments00:39:15 Do pigs have dignity?00:40:13 Being human vs being a person00:42:16 Mary Anne Warren on personhood 00:44:20 The danger of creating human-like life accidentally00:49:30 Manipulating animal development00:50:21 The Christian argument00:56:02 The dignity of animals 01:00:01 Is high-tech medicine ethical?01:03:20 ConclusionPhilosophers and theories mentioned:00:14:10 The “trolley problem”00:15:30 The doctrine of double effect 00:24:36 Jeremy Bentham on animal suffering00:24:59 Peter Singer on speciesism00:30:08 Aristotle and the flourishing of humans and animals00:31:19 Kant: Autonomy and human dignity00:37:57 Deontological arguments00:42:16 Mary Anne Warren on personhood 00:50:21 The Christian argumentNext episode: The ethics of exporting deadly drugs for US executions.Accented Philosophy - Every Tuesday.

Who Owns Space?In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss the ownership of resources in space. Is space the new frontier of colonialism? Is it likely that we will explore space peacefully and in a civilised way, or are we about to repeat the mistakes of the past? And who owns the night sky? From the Tragedy of the Commons to whether we need to ditch capitalism in order to become a space-faring civilisation.Come along for an hour-long dose of your Daily Philosophy and understand the arguments surrounding the exploration and exploitation of space.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:01:10 Parallel to history of colonisation00:03:34 Space treaties, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, Bogota declaration, Artemis accords00:05:46 Is space still in the State of Nature?00:07:13 Social contract theories00:07:26 Aristotle00:09:03 Thomas Hobbes00:10:31 John Locke’s theory of property rights00:14:03 Perpetuating earthly inequality in space00:16:05 Space resources are not necessarily unlimited00:17:10 G. Hardin, Tragedy of the Commons00:18:02 Starlink satellites and the night sky00:19:13 The utilitarian argument for Starlink’s internet00:20:20 Does nature have intrinsic value?00:22:53 Who is “we” when we talk of space? Relativism and access00:26:13 Can the UN regulate access to space?00:29:44 Rousseau and the “general will”00:32:45 Tragedy of the Commons, part 2: solutions?00:36:38 Why do we want to go to space?00:38:05 Exploration or exploitation?00:40:29 Is capitalism to blame?00:45:01 Local regulation, global effects00:47:48 Should we divide up space?00:49:45 What drives us to explore space?00:51:44 Panspermia hypothesisPhilosophers and theories mentioned:00:07:26 Aristotle00:09:03 Thomas Hobbes00:10:31 John Locke’s theory of property rights00:17:10 G. Hardin, Tragedy of the Commons00:29:44 Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the “general will”Next episode: Should we create genetic hybrids of humans and other species? Accented Philosophy -- Every Tuesday.

The Ethics and Politics of Drug LegalisationIn this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss whether we should legalise (or de-criminalise?) the use of recreational drugs. What are the arguments in favour of and against legalising drugs? What about coffee and tobacco? And is there perhaps a value in exploring altered states of mind?Come along for an hour-long dose of your daily philosophy and understand the arguments surrounding drugs legalisation.Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com. Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.00:01:03 Examples of drug legalisation00:03:17 Netherlands: drug tourism and organised crime00:08:46 Different forms of legalisation00:12:15 Consequentialism: Benefits of legalising drugs?00:15:05 Downsides of legalising drugs00:16:02 Social determinism: are we free to choose?00:20:20 US opioid epidemic00:21:46 Libertarian argument against drug regulation00:23:25 The role of state regulation00:24:56 Sugar, coffee and tobacco00:27:35 Are drug users free to choose?00:29:11 Autonomy and second order volitions00:33:27 Positive freedom00:34:45 Can we avoid state involvement?00:38:00 Parallels to abortion00:38:59 Safe drug taking infrastructure00:39:32 Does the state need to support BASE jumping?00:42:40 Will outlawing drugs drive down consumption?00:45:48 Alcohol, tobacco and other legal drugs00:48:15 Do we have a duty to stay healthy?00:49:00 The normative force of widespread practices00:54:58 Are there benefits to drug use?00:55:42 Drugs as exploration of inner spaces00:56:56 Good Friday experiment00:59:07 Griffiths experiment00:01:02 Should we have access to hidden inner worlds?01:03:30 Are drug experiences anti-social?01:06:58 ConclusionsPhilosophers and theories mentioned:00:12:15 Consequentialism: https://daily-philosophy.com/classic-utilitarianism/00:16:02 Social determinism00:21:46 Libertarian argument00:29:11 Autonomy, Harry Frankfurt and second order volitions00:31:37 Charles Taylor: Hierarchy of desires00:31:52 Isaiah Berlin: Negative freedom00:48:43 Virtue ethics: https://daily-philosophy.com/how-to-live-an-aristotelian-life/00:55:42 Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary and Ernest Hemingway00:56:20 Shamanism, entheogens00:56:56 Good Friday experiment (1963)00:59:07 Roland R Griffiths01:06:30 Utilitarianism: https://daily-philosophy.com/classic-utilitarianism/