Brain in a Vat

What does a spy owe — to their country, their conscience, or their cause? In this episode, Cécile Fabre investigates the moral lives of Cold War operatives like Kim Philby and Oleg Gordievsky. With Fabre, we probe the strange morality of spies and the ethical paradoxes they inhabit.Is it ever right to betray your country? Can deception be a moral duty? These questions come to life through real stories of espionage. Competing ethical frameworks — such as utilitarian, deontological, and virtue-based — offer different judgments on such acts. We also confront the role of ideology, the weight of consequences, and the question of whether loyalty to the state should override personal conscience.From secrets and double agents to the philosophy of trust and betrayal, this conversation delves into what it really means to be a “moral” spy.Chapters:[00:00] Introduction to Espionage[00:30] Case Study: Kim Philby[02:48] Case Study: Oleg Gordievsky[05:32] Ethical Dilemmas in Espionage[09:55] Philosophical Perspectives on Treason[30:48] Role Morality and Consequentialism[43:52] Virtue Ethics and the Spy's Conduct[58:21] The Duty to Betray[01:01:24] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Do we have a right to sex, and is there an obligation to sexually fulfill the disabled? Should sex work be not only legal, but obligatory?[00:00] Introduction and Guest Welcome[00:16] Exploring the Right to Sex: Thought Experiment[03:43] Negative vs. Positive Rights to Sex[09:50] State-Sponsored Sex Work and Ethical Considerations[11:52] Sexual Obligations and Imperfect Duties[23:51] Rights to Sex in Relationships and Marriage[30:43] Philosophical Grounds and Parallel Cases[31:29] Moral Implications of Ending Sexual Activity[34:17] Third-Party Interference in Sexual Rights[37:39] Sexual Rights in Mental Institutions[49:24] Social Justice and the Right to Sex[53:51] Challenges to Social Justice Arguments[58:14] Concluding Thoughts on Sexual Rights and Justice

In this episode of Brain in a Vat, we welcome back Jessica Flanigan for a discussion on the decriminalization of sex work.Using a decriminalization framework, Flanigan examines the ethics of sex work and the role of state regulation.The conversation explores autonomy, consent, and coercion. It also addresses the stigma surrounding sex work, its possible benefits, and the impact of market dynamics on both workers and clients. Flanigan offers a nuanced perspective on a complex and often controversial topic.Check out our related episode on sex work and prostitution featuring Lori Watson: https://youtu.be/feG24mRCTzo[00:00] Introduction[00:25] Thought Experiment: Don and Melania[06:36] Arguments Against Prostitution[11:57] Market Dynamics and Gendered Preferences[21:18] Regulation and Legal Models[26:13] Advertising and Public Perception[31:55] Comparing Sex Work to Other Professions[34:04] Labor Justice and Sex Work[37:47] Consumer Protection in Sex Work[38:55] Licensing and Certification in Sex Work[45:05] Moral Obligations and Promises in Sex Work[51:01] Contracts and Personal Autonomy[57:45] Changing Attitudes Towards Money and Sex[01:00:47] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

What exactly makes us feel disgusted? Is disgust for a person or group ever justified? And is disgust useful, or should we try to eliminate it?Chapters:[00:00] Introduction to Disgust and Cognitive Content[00:11] Paul Rosen's Experiments on Disgust[02:16] Disgust and Its Connection to Animality and Mortality[03:05] Projective Disgust and Social Implications[05:06] Disgust in Legal Theory and Practice[08:00] Personal Anecdotes on Disgust and Social Change[11:18] Disgust Towards Transphobia and Body Malleability[13:24] Disgust in Art and Pornography[22:17] Disgust, Fear, and Contamination[23:13] Overcoming Disgust and Social Progress[29:49] Caste and Disgust in India and America[31:45] Tagore's Critique of Caste and Disgust[35:02] Progress and Challenges in LGBTQ+ Rights[43:07] The Role of Disgust in Political and Social Issues[52:45] Age Discrimination and Societal AttitudesCheck out FeedSpot's list of 90 best philosophy podcasts, where Brain in a Vat is ranked at 15, here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/philosophy_podcasts/

What does it mean to be patriotic, or to love your country? Some argue that patriotism is virtuous because it allows us to transcend our selfish needs and act for the good of our community. But others argue that patriotism is overly narrow-minded, arbitrary and sometimes immoral.Microdigressions Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@Micro-DigressionsChapters:[00:00] Introduction to Brain Nevada[00:27] Exploring John Lennon's 'Imagine'[01:11] Critique of Utopian Ideals[01:52] Possessions and National Identities[05:44] The Role of Security Companies[06:19] Metaphysics of Property and Groups[11:58] Patriotism and Fictional Nations[15:07] Patriotic Love and Social Constructs[17:44] Allegiance and National Identity[23:34] Rationality of Patriotism[29:09] Patriotism Post-9/11: Sentiment and Criticism[30:56] Moral Conflicts in Patriotism[34:28] Patriotism and Unjust Wars[40:00] Loyalty and Its Limits[44:09] Patriotism in Historical Contexts[47:28] The Invisible Hand[49:23] Patriotism in a Globalized World[56:09] The Future of Nation States and Global Culture[58:55] Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Brain in a Vat, Georgi Gardiner returns to explore the epistemic value of tarot: its capacity to shape self-understanding, spark creative reflection, and influence major life decisions.Drawing on personal experience and philosophical analysis, Georgi examines how tarot can serve as a mirror for introspection while also raising concerns about confirmation bias and self-deception. The discussion also considers the history and diversity of tarot practices, and compares tarot with artificial intelligence as a tool for navigating uncertainty and meaning.Whether you are a skeptic, a believer, or somewhere in between, this conversation offers a thoughtful examination of how we seek knowledge and what counts as a good reason to believe.[00:00] Introduction and Guest Welcome[00:11] Georgie's Personal Journey with Tarot[00:51] The Impact of Tarot on Decision Making[11:50] The Epistemic Value of Tarot[28:22] Potential Criticisms of Tarot[31:28] The Five Waves of Tarot History[38:29] Confirmation Bias and Flipping the Reading[42:25] Comparing Tarot and AI in Epistemology[44:09] The Role of Tarot in Education and Research[59:01] Concluding Thoughts

In this episode, Brain in a Vat is joined by public philosopher and author Agnes Callard to explore the relevance of philosophy in everyday life. Drawing from her work on Socrates, Agnes makes a case for why philosophical inquiry matters, now more than ever. From the pig farmer analogy to Socratic love, this conversation is a deep dive into how philosophy is a way of life.Chapters:[00:00] Introduction to the Guest and Topic[00:44] The Monologue vs. Dialogue Experiment[06:50] Philosophical Training and the Element of Surprise[13:34] The Nature of Philosophical Inquiry[21:45] The Pig Farmer Analogy and Life's Purpose[29:26] Intellectual Progress and Stability[31:41] Socratic Views on Love[35:21] Friendship and Enemies in Philosophy[47:47] Cultural Perspectives on Disagreement[54:58] Conclusion: Inspiring Philosophical Lives

Are Jews entitled to their own homeland? Is the Israeli response to the massacre of civilians perpetrated by Hamas on October 7th justified? Should there be a ceasefire? David's Article in Quillette: https://quillette.com/2023/10/21/its-not-the-occupation/ Raja Halwani wrote to us about Jason's exposition of his view at 33:06. Here is Raja's clarification:**I wanted to clarify a point that Jason made during the interview with David Benatar. Jason asked Benatar what he thought of the view that “the view is that the Gazans are an oppressed people. They’ve been oppressed for so long that they’ve acted out of desperation. And there’s only two options that they have.” Jason goes on to say that I have defended the view that “the Gazans are an oppressed people who only have two options. The one option is to die and the other option is to attack, to attack Israel in order to secure some sort of freedom. Those are its only two options. And so ... Raja takes the view that if Hamas were to lay down its arms, then it’s just a slow death for the Gazans. That’s, that would be the future of Gaza.”However, I did not make this claim about having only two options, nor would I, because it reads as a justification of killing civilians, especially given the context of the Hamas attacks of October 7 (and other attacks against Israelis). It reads as a justification because if death is one of only two options, then the second, to attack, seems permissible. The last sentence in Jason’s question, about Hamas laying down its arms, seems to especially imply this (though Jason did not intend to make me come out as justifying Hamas’s actions).Jason attributes this view to me based on something I wrote in my blog (as he explained to me in personal correspondence). Here is the specific passage on which Jason bases his attribution:People are quick to condemn Hamas for the evil that it has wrought, but they are as quick to neglect that Hamas acts out of sheer desperation, out of the sheer desire, no matter how steep the price, to score a victory against Israel, a country whose military might not even its prime ministers fully comprehend, and out of the sheer hopelessness of the slow death that their people has been dying. Although to explain this is not to justify it, I also ask the reader: What options do the Palestinians have? What do you advise them to do? Their lives are going nowhere. Peace initiative after peace initiative has failed them (and, to add insult to injury, they are blamed for the failure). No Palestinian state has emerged, and none is likely to given the current map (just look and see whether a state can be built out of the Swiss cheese that is the West Bank). Their tunnel has been long and with no light at its end. So what should they do? They ought to sit still and “take it like a man.” To suck it up. To bear the unfair burden of history. We have to tell them, “Misfortune has fallen upon you, and you may not extricate yourselves from it by killing civilians. Even as you yourselves die, slowly, surely, with no justification, and with barely an explanation, you may not take the lives of the civilians of your enemy. This is the noble way.”Clearly, the passage is a bitter one about Palestinian loss and oppression, but it is as clearly morally ruling out the option of killing civilians. So even though Hamas might take up arms against civilians, this is not a morally viable options for Gazans or Palestinians in general. Hence, insofar as Jason’s question attributes to me a justification of attacks on civilians, this clarification should clarify that this is not my position.**Chapters:[0:00] Introduction[0:22] Thought Experiment[7:52] Historical context[23:13] Two-State Solution[27:46] Ethical Blockade[31:37] What if Hamas laid down their arms?[36:06] Current War[45:46] Proportionality[54:59] Concluding thoughts[59:01] Outro

In this episode of Brain in a Vat, we examine two competing political visions through an AI debate between Plato and Robert Nozick. Plato defends rule by philosopher kings and a unified society, while Nozick argues for individual liberty and a minimal state. Following our previous episode featuring Mill and Kant, we continue investigating major philosophical divides through thought experiments like the Allegory of the Cave and the Experience Machine. The episode considers justice, autonomy, and the proper role of government. Join the conversation and decide which vision of society you find more compelling.[00:00] Introduction[00:30] Plato's Allegory of the Cave[01:30] Philosopher Kings and the Ideal State[03:28] Criticisms of Plato’s Republic[18:54] Nozick’s Experience Machine[24:04] The Minimal State and Taxation[26:14] Anarchy vs. State[36:12] Comparing Political Visions[47:14] Final ReflectionsCheck out FeedSpot's list of 90 best philosophy podcasts, where Brain in a Vat is ranked at 15, here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/philosophy_podcasts/

Should we be allowed to sell our organs on the open market? Would the poor be exploited under such a system? And does organ donation impose an unfair burden on the relatives of those that need a transplant?Check out FeedSpot's list of 90 best philosophy podcasts, where Brain in a Vat is ranked at 15, here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/philosophy_podcasts/