

The Dissenter
Ricardo Lopes
My name is Ricardo Lopes, and I’m from Portugal. Thank you for visiting my podcast.
Over the past few years, I have conducted and released more than 900 interviews and talks with experts and academics from a variety of areas and disciplines, ranging from the Arts and Philosophy to the Social Sciences and Biology. You will certainly find a subject of your interest covered here.
New interviews are released on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Over the past few years, I have conducted and released more than 900 interviews and talks with experts and academics from a variety of areas and disciplines, ranging from the Arts and Philosophy to the Social Sciences and Biology. You will certainly find a subject of your interest covered here.
New interviews are released on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 14, 2025 • 55min
#1071 Marina García-Granero: Nietzsche, the Genealogical Method, the Death of God, and Nihilism
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This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: http://enlites.com/
Dr. Marina Garcia-Granero is an Assistant Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Valencia. She is a former postdoc from the Institute of Philosophy at KU Leuven in Belgium, where she worked in 2022 as an Associate Member of the ERC Project “Homo Mimeticus.” She has recently co-edited, along with Nidesh Lawtoo, a collective volume titled "Homo Mimeticus II: Re-Turns to Mimesis" (Leuven University Press, 2024). She is a Nietzsche scholar currently working on nihilism and teaches ethics and feminist philosophy. She is a member of multiple Nietzsche societies, including the Friedrich Nietzsche Society (United Kingdom), the HyperNietzsche International Research Group, and the Spanish Society for Nietzsche Studies (SEDEN).
In this episode, we start by talking about the goals genealogical method, and how they relate to nihilism. We then discuss the death of God, and whether it is the same as nihilism. We also discuss whether Nietzsche himself was nihilistic. Finally, we talk about how nihilism manifests in contemporary society, and whether it can be overcome.
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A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, EDWARD HALL, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, PAUL-GEORGE ARNAUD, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, AMAURI MARTÍNEZ, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, IGOR N, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, GEORGE CHORIATIS, VALENTIN STEINMANN, PER KRAULIS, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, MASOUD ALIMOHAMMADI, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, STARRY, MAURO JÚNIOR, 航 豊川, TONY BARRETT, BENJAMIN GELBART, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, AND TED FARRIS!
A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, AL NICK ORTIZ, NICK GOLDEN, AND CHRISTINE GLASS!
AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, BOGDAN KANIVETS, ROSEY, AND GREGORY HASTINGS!

Mar 13, 2025 • 26min
#1070 Cláudia Passos Ferreira: The Development of Consciousness and Morality
******Support the channel******Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenterPayPal: paypal.me/thedissenterPayPal Subscription 1 Dollar: https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuyPayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9lPayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpzPayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9mPayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao ******Follow me on******Website: https://www.thedissenter.net/The Dissenter Goodreads list: https://shorturl.at/7BMoBFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/Twitter: https://x.com/TheDissenterYT This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: http://enlites.com/ Dr. Cláudia Passos Ferreira is an Assistant Professor of Bioethics at New York University. Dr. Passos Ferreira has published on philosophy, psychology, and neuroethics. She has collaborated in cross-cultural research on moral development and social cognition (on topics such as empathy, fairness, ownership, intersubjectivity). Her current research program focuses on the development of consciousness, including what theories of consciousness say about infant consciousness and machine consciousness, and how these theories shed light on ethical issues. In this episode, we first talk about consciousness, how to determine that a being is conscious, early conscious states in preverbal infantas, and self-knowledge and a first-person perspective. We then discuss moral development, and the importance of empathy.--A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, EDWARD HALL, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, PAUL-GEORGE ARNAUD, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, AMAURI MARTÍNEZ, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, IGOR N, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, GEORGE CHORIATIS, VALENTIN STEINMANN, PER KRAULIS, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, MASOUD ALIMOHAMMADI, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, STARRY, MAURO JÚNIOR, 航 豊川, TONY BARRETT, BENJAMIN GELBART, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, AND TED FARRIS!A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, AL NICK ORTIZ, NICK GOLDEN, AND CHRISTINE GLASS!AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, BOGDAN KANIVETS, ROSEY, AND GREGORY HASTINGS!

11 snips
Mar 10, 2025 • 38min
#1069 Todd May: Should We Go Extinct?
Todd May, a Professor of Philosophy at Warren Wilson College and author of 'Should We Go Extinct?', dives into the provocative dilemma of human extinction. He explores the moral complexities surrounding our existence, weighing the value humanity brings against the harm we cause. The discussion touches on antinatalism, the ethics of factory farming, and the implications of effective altruism. Ultimately, May invites listeners to contemplate the worth of life itself and the difficult questions surrounding our impact on the planet.

Mar 7, 2025 • 1h 13min
#1068 Kristen Ghodsee: Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism
******Support the channel******Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenterPayPal: paypal.me/thedissenterPayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9lPayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpzPayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9mPayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao ******Follow me on******Website: https://www.thedissenter.net/The Dissenter Goodreads list: https://shorturl.at/7BMoBFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/Twitter: https://x.com/TheDissenterYT This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: http://enlites.com/ Dr. Kristen Ghodsee is an award-winning author and professor and chair of Russian and East European Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She also serves as a member on the graduate groups of Anthropology and Comparative Literature. Dr. Ghodsee’s articles and essays have been translated into over twenty-five languages and have appeared in publications such as Dissent, Foreign Affairs, Jacobin, The Baffler, The New Republic, Quartz, NBC Think, The Lancet, Project Syndicate, Le Monde Diplomatique, Die Tageszeitung, The Washington Post, and the New York Times. She is the author of 12 books, including Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence. In this episode, we focus on Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism. We start by talking about the premise of the book, and discuss what state socialism is. We then talk about the lives of women in socialist countries, how state socialist countries failed women, the transition to capitalism, work and the economic situation of women, motherhood and gender roles, women in leadership positions, and women’s sex lives. Dr. Ghodsee responds to some criticisms of her book. Finally, we talk about the current state and future of capitalism.--A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, EDWARD HALL, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, PAUL-GEORGE ARNAUD, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, AMAURI MARTÍNEZ, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, IGOR N, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, GEORGE CHORIATIS, VALENTIN STEINMANN, PER KRAULIS, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, MASOUD ALIMOHAMMADI, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, STARRY, MAURO JÚNIOR, 航 豊川, TONY BARRETT, BENJAMIN GELBART, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, AND TED FARRIS!A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, AL NICK ORTIZ, NICK GOLDEN,AND CHRISTINE GLASS!AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, BOGDAN KANIVETS, ROSEY, AND GREGORY HASTINGS!

20 snips
Mar 6, 2025 • 53min
#1067 David Benatar - Very Practical Ethics: Engaging Everyday Moral Questions
David Benatar, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town, dives into practical ethics and the moral dilemmas we face daily. He discusses the nuances of sexual morality, environmental responsibility, and the ethics of smoking and meat consumption. Benatar tackles the impact of language and the importance of using preferred pronouns, emphasizing context in moral discussions. With a touch of humor, he explores the ethics of humor itself, inviting listeners to reflect on their moral choices in a complex world.

25 snips
Mar 3, 2025 • 39min
#1066 Karl Friston: The Free Energy Principle, Culture, 4E Cognition, and Physics
Karl Friston, a leading theoretical neuroscientist and expert in brain imaging, delves into the fascinating intersection of culture and the free energy principle. He discusses how this principle shapes decision-making and belief systems, contributing to the formation of echo chambers. Friston also connects his theories to physics, exploring relationships with quantum mechanics and general relativity. Additionally, he examines the implications of the free energy principle on understanding mortality, revealing insights about human existence and the nature of reality.

Feb 28, 2025 • 57min
#1065 Daniel Williams: Is the Science of Misinformation Reliable?
Daniel Williams, a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sussex, dives deep into the intricate world of misinformation. He explores its role as a symptom of societal issues, challenging the idea that it's simply a result of external campaigns. The conversation scrutinizes who is responsible for combating misleading information and addresses the rising influence of AI in this landscape. Williams also evaluates the efficacy of fact-checkers, revealing the complexities behind their impact on public understanding.

9 snips
Feb 27, 2025 • 1h 3min
#1064 Costica Bradatan - In Praise of Failure: Four Lessons in Humility
Costica Bradatan, a Professor of Humanities and author of "In Praise of Failure: Four Lessons in Humility," dives deep into the transformative power of failure. He discusses four distinct types of failure, illustrating how personal and societal struggles can foster profound lessons. The conversation touches upon the dangers of striving for perfection, the allure of political movements, and the complex legacy of Yukio Mishima. Ultimately, Bradatan encourages embracing mortality and failure as vital elements for personal growth and humility.

Feb 24, 2025 • 53min
#1063 Menelaos Apostolou: The Evolution of Singlehood
In this engaging discussion, Menelaos Apostolou, an Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia and expert in evolutionary psychology, dives into the intricacies of singlehood. He distinguishes between voluntary and involuntary singles, illuminating the challenges of modern dating. Apostolou shares strategies for enhancing mate appeal, while also tackling fears around commitment and past relationship experiences. Ultimately, he examines the emotional implications of being single versus in a relationship, advocating for quality over quantity in connections.

Feb 21, 2025 • 52min
#1062 Nandita Bajaj: We Have an Overpopulation Problem
Nandita Bajaj, Executive Director of Population Balance and a senior lecturer at Antioch University, dives deep into the pressing issue of overpopulation. She explores the historical context and ecological implications of human expansion, emphasizing the need for sustainable growth. The conversation also tackles the societal pressures of pronatalism and its impact on women's reproductive rights. Additionally, Nandita challenges the misconception that higher birth rates are necessary to support aging populations, advocating instead for a focus on elder care.


