Brain in a Vat

Recently, Eron Fasser and Mark Oppenheimer debated Hamza Tzortzis and Mohammed Hijab on whether Atheism or is Islam more rational. This episode discusses the arguments made and strategies employed by both sides. Were Hamza and Mohammed arguing in good faith? Or were they trying to derail a debate they were clearly losing?

Travis Timmerman, author of Exploring the Philosophy of Death and Dying, discusses the concept of death and whether it is good or bad. The podcast explores the metaphysics of death and the existential trade-offs in life decisions. It also delves into assessing well-being from objective and subjective perspectives, and explores the moral reasons for and against procreation.

Exploring the connection between luck and knowledge, using examples such as lucky guesses and mistaken identifications. Discusses challenges of determining truth in a polarized world and importance of media literacy. Explores real-world consequences and consistency in defining knowledge through legal cases. Examines attempts to eliminate knowledge-destroying veritic luck.

Explore the life and philosophy of influential philosopher Derek Parfit, with a focus on his rejection of an unchanging essence or soul and his emphasis on psychological continuity. Delve into thought experiments challenging personal identity and the connection to survival after death. Examine Parfit's views on the non-identity problem and the moral saintliness of his dedication to philosophical issues. Hear about the process of writing a comprehensive book on Parfit, including intriguing anecdotes and interviews with over 200 people.

A debate held at the University of Johannesburg. Does God Exist? How can something come from nothing? Are God's commands moral?

Would the world be better if we didn’t recognize genders? In such a world, there would be males and females, but nothing associated with what it means to be male or female other than biological facts. Men and women would be equally likely to be social leaders. And there would be no stereotypically male or female behavior. In this world, there’d be true sex equality, and, it seems, no need for trans activists. Should we fight for such a world?

Mark Oppenheimer presents a live seminar at St Andrews. The talk features footage from a prominent hate speech trial that Mark appeared in as a lawyer. What is hate speech? What is the value of free speech? Do some groups deserve special protection against hate speech? Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter Kaufman Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail

Oxford University Press refused to publish Alex Byrne's book on gender. We discuss whether women are adult human females and whether sex is the same as gender. Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter Kaufman Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Experiencing grief at the death of a person we love or who matters to us―as universal as it is painful―is central to the human condition. In Grief, Michael Cholbi presents a groundbreaking philosophical exploration of this complex emotional event, offering valuable new insights about what grief is, whom we grieve, and how grief can ultimately lead us to a richer self-understanding and a fuller realization of our humanity. Michael's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Philosophical-Guide-Michael-Cholbi/dp/069120179X/

Should we implement affirmative action when determining which students are admitted to universities? Should affirmative action be based on race or socio-economic status? Is diversity important when deciding on university admissions? And should we think about race and gender in the same way when considering affirmative action? Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter Kaufman Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop