Majesty of Reason Philosophy Podcast

Here I explain what's wrong with the moral argument for God.Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE00:00 Intro1:14 Overview of criticisms16:40 Different kinds of arguments18:43 Morality is independent of God’s stances23:16 Why is it so effective?26:50 Euthyphro dilemma38:31 Bruteness48:37 A trilemma for the moral arguer51:09 Essences under naturalism53:12 Wielenberg’s view59:33 But some atheists disagree with me!1:05:43 Animal morality1:11:20 Evolutionary debunking1:22:44 Q and ALINKS(1) The original video with  @intellectualcatholicism : https://www.youtube.com/live/eScm9Aoc05E?si=jxnqALAx9wxj3UJK(2) A brief survey of literature criticizing Craig-style moral arguments: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xjweiT6HE9kNVsWJeqVxpGekrWpnddnXiZryKSAZcJI/edit?usp=sharing(3) The notes I used in this video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O-VhI6Tt7c6l6bB-rineREWtAKkdooBj/view(4) Moral Arguments playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkaUcAQpHXN9ZNF2RxZLe7U_(5) Response Videos playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkaNtpoOwEZm9fuJq423BUrW(6) The video from  @TruthUnites  to which I'm responding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbFXWmadid0(7) My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs/dp/3031193148/ (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid

I'm joined by Dr. Daniel Linford and Phil Halper to explain what Craig gets wrong about science's bearing on the beginning of the universe. Specifically, we respond to a recent video by  @ReasonableFaithOrg .Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro2:22 Craig’s video9:22 Material causality18:14 Beginning to exist20:05 Big Bang and cosmological models33:18 No particular model is probable?36:26 Past finitude doesn’t imply beginning51:57 Quantum gravity55:51 Window shade analogy1:00:10 BGV Theorem1:17:13 Vilenkin’s paper1:26:00 Sean Carroll and Guth1:38:12 The fixed Kalam1:41:20 Abstract object counterexamples?1:51:45 Second law of thermodynamics1:55:10 The universe as a counterexample?1:57:56 Document! Don’t just assert!2:06:45 ConclusionNOTEAt 1:15:05, I wanted to summarize the problems with Craig’s use of the BGV theorem. I didn’t provide the most helpful summary in the video, so here’s a summary:(1) At best, the BGV theorem shows that a spacetime region which has been expanding on average throughout its history could not have been expanding forever. Such an expanding region must have begun its expansion at some finitely distant point in the past. This does *not* imply that all of spacetime *itself* has a beginning because all of spacetime may not have been expanding on average throughout its history. In such a case, the BGV Theorem would be inapplicable to the whole of spacetime itself. In fact, as pointed out in the video, both Guth and Vilenkin explicitly say that the BGV theorem only shows that the *inflation* of the universe has a beginning, it doesn’t show that the *universe as a whole* or *spacetime as a whole* has a beginning.(2) Recent literature purports to give grounds to doubt the BGV theorem. Whether or not this recent literature is correct, it reveals that this is not a settled issue. Instead, it is an active area of research and debate. Relevant papers here include Lesnefsky et al (2023) https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.107.044024, Geshnizjani et al (2023) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP10(2023)182, Nomura (2012) https://arxiv.org/abs/1205.5550, and Aguirre (2007) https://arxiv.org/abs/0712.0571.(3) The BGV theorem is only a theorem about classical spacetimes. But we probably don’t live in a classical spacetime. We have good reasons internal to the standard model and general relativity for thinking that these theories will be surpassed by a new theory able to incorporate both. So our current understanding of spacetime will be replaced by something else. So the BGV theorem does not apply to the spacetime we live in.(4) Even if we do live in a classical spacetime, the Malamant-Manchak theorems show that, in all likelihood, we couldn’t ever know enough about the global structure of spacetime to know that *all* of spacetime had a beginning.(5) Even if the BGV theorem shows that the past is finite — and, as explained above, it does not — we cannot infer that the universe (i.e., the totality of all physical reality) began to exist, for the reasons given in the section of the video entitled “Past finitude does not entail beginning to exist”.

Trent Horn ( @TheCounselofTrent ) recently explained the new case for God's existence. In this video, I rebut his new case for God's existence.Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro1:04 Trent’s preliminaries3:49 Argument from change27:14 Kalam29:27 Scientific case30:59 Hilbert’s Hotel1:08:09 Benardete paradoxes1:24:40 Modal contingency argument1:49:42 Fine-tuning argument2:00:29 Argument from miracles2:18:45 Moral argument2:33:18 Conclusion2:34:16 A story2:41:38 Bonus soccerLINKS(1) Want the script? Become a patron :)(2) Trent's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22qUGVZXlGg&pp=ygUKdHJlbnQgaG9ybg%3D%3D(3) Kalam playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkZzH2YffI32ViTZ73Tu8jSR(4) Argument from Change playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXka2JpwLJaSaXdDZlBYkd9Cn(5) Response Videos playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkaNtpoOwEZm9fuJq423BUrW(6) Moral Arguments playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkaUcAQpHXN9ZNF2RxZLe7U_(7) Contingency Argument playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkZkl5I5QDUXW5CauOfO_bs1(8) Classical Theism playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXka0E9laGDA83gN2UbQoa4F2(9) Design Arguments playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkax5OrwZmkqE1fY446O4i6g(10) My Free Will playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXka4SMFOH-KH-hdJoTz6fG5F(11) My Common Mistakes playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkY8lCiJY7XZFkfBChK1VdMK(12) My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs/dp/3031193148/ (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid

Today I’m joined by Justin Mooney and Luis Oliveira to discuss a new aspects of the problem of evil.Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro1:45 Summary of the paper28:40 Symmetry argument34:33 Necessary evil theodicies56:32 Necessary permission theodicies1:12:03 Divine right theodicies1:26:28 Final thoughts1:34:00 ConclusionRESOURCES(1) Justin's website with all his papers: https://www.justinmooney.net/(2) Luis' PhilPeople profile with all his papers: https://philpeople.org/profiles/luis-r-g-oliveira(3) Luis' article "God and gratuitous evil: between the rock and the hard place": https://philpapers.org/archive/OLIGAG.pdf(4) My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs-ebook/dp/B0BNMHRW63 (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid

If the pro-life view is correct, should we prioritize abortion over every other issue in politics and voting? Dustin Crummett argues that the answer is no.Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro0:50 Overview3:30 Body Count Reasoning8:04 Four notes13:18 Embryo Rescue Case19:17 Objection: death vs. unjust killing20:57 Objection: committing unjust killing23:25 Objection: cooperating with evil29:22 Objection: timing of abortion31:59 Objection: non-inferential beliefs38:20 Crummett himself52:02 ConclusionRESOURCES(1) Crummett (2023), "Is abortion the only issue?", https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article/id/2270/(2) McNabb and DeVito's response paper, "Basic Beliefs, the Embryo Rescue Case, and Single-Issue Voting", https://www.pdcnet.org/ncbq/content/ncbq_2021_0021_0002_0203_0208?file_type=pdf(3) Debate between  @TheCounselofTrent  and  @dustin.crummett : https://youtu.be/RKfa4vAAaPI?si=uaDtEoQXZ-6-_jgR(4) Crummett's interview on  @going_awoll : https://youtu.be/7m0fSYIWn8g?si=U04p-u-Hc4dzzB8c(5) My Applied Ethics playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkaYPueOwJRE0CPj6xyIWfxb(6) My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs-ebook/dp/B0BNMHRW63 (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid

The Grim Reaper Paradox does not support the Kalam cosmological argument. In this video, Troy and I explain why.Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro & Outline1:44 Benardete Paradoxes6:43 Connection to the Kalam8:31 Finitist B-Arguments10:20 Grim Reaper Argument21:40 Our first objection22:41 A finite Benardete-like paradox24:24 Our first premise27:45 Our second premise34:49 Our second objection43:14 Diagnosis45:48 ConclusionLINKS(1) Troy's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Friction(2) Troy's other links: https://link.space/@Friction(3) The paper discussed in the video is “Grim Reaper Paradoxes and Patchwork Principles: Severing the Case for Finitism”, Journal of Philosophy (Forthcoming): https://philarchive.org/rec/SCHGRP-4(4) My Kalam playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkZzH2YffI32ViTZ73Tu8jSR(5) Blog post, "Responses to the Grim Reaper Kalam", https://majestyofreason.wordpress.com/2024/05/28/responses-to-the-grim-reaper-kalam/(6) Other papers of mine mentioned in the video:(6.1) “Branching Actualism and Cosmological Arguments”, Philosophical Studies (2023, with Alex Malpass): https://philpapers.org/rec/SCHBAA-22(6.2) “Benardete paradoxes, patchwork principles, and the infinite past”, Synthese (2024): https://philpapers.org/rec/SCHBPP-3(6.3) “The End is Near: Grim Reapers and Endless Futures”, Mind (Forthcoming): https://philpapers.org/rec/SCHTEI-19(6.4) "Benardete Paradoxes, Causal Finitism, and the Unsatisfiable Pair Diagnosis", Mind (Forthcoming, with Alex Malpass): https://philarchive.org/rec/SCHBPC(7) My Springer book with Dr. Dan Linford: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs/dp/3031193148/ (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2(8) The Majesty of Reason: A Short Guide to Critical Thinking in Philosophy: https://www.amazon.com/Majesty-Reason-Critical-Thinking-Philosophy/dp/B086FW6XV4THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid

Molinism is a popular view of divine providence, but it has serious problems. I'm joined by Daniel Rubio to explore these problems and more.Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro1:50 Key definitions19:30 Molina’s argument23:34 Theological utility35:00 Mooney’s argument37:37 Hasker’s ‘might’ argument44:42 Objective probability argument48:30 Grounding objection58:42 TSB argument1:03:55 Bruteness argument1:08:15 Explanatory priority argument1:14:28 Swenson’s dilemma1:24:00 Explaining freedom away1:31:50 God’s unlucky day1:33:37 Voodoo Argument1:41:07 Kryptonite argument1:45:45 Providential collapse argument1:54:54 Tier List1:56:59 ConclusionRESOURCES(1) Dr. Rubio’s website: https://www.danielkfrubio.com/(2) Climenhaga & Rubio, “Molinism: Explaining Our Freedom Away”: https://philpapers.org/archive/CLIMEO.pdf(3) Rubio, “Still Another Anti-Molinist Argument”: https://ojs.uclouvain.be/index.php/theologica/article/view/84353(4) Law, “If Molinism is true, what can you do?”: https://philpapers.org/archive/LAWIMI.pdf(5) Rasmussen, “On creating worlds without evil given divine counterfactual knowledge”: https://philpapers.org/rec/RASOCW(6) Rusavuk, “Molinism’s Kryptonite: Counterfactuals and circumstantial luck”: https://philpapers.org/archive/RUSMKC.pdf(7) Zimmerman, “Yet another anti-molinist argument”: https://fas-philosophy.rutgers.edu/zimmerman/Anti.Molinist.arg.proofs.pdf(8) Mooney’s argument for molinism (by  @TheAnalyticChristian ): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzv37U2alAo(9) Swenson’s argument against molinism (by  @TheAnalyticChristian ): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE0fxXY3hjE(10) My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs-ebook/dp/B0BNMHRW63 (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid

Effective altruism faces a serious dilemma. How might the effective altruist solve it? I'm joined by Dr. Travis Timmerman to explore this question as well as the actualism/possibilism debate in ethics.Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro1:18 Effective altruism9:22 Actualism and possibilism18:20 Not Demanding Enough Objection22:11 Bad Behavior Objection25:25 Non-Ratifiability Problem29:03 Worst Outcome Objection34:34 Asymmetry Objection38:58 Hybridism51:40 Dilemma for effective altruism1:08:21 A hybridist solution?1:15:15 Other practical implicationsRESOURCES(1) Dr. Timmerman's website: https://www.travistimmerman.com/(2) "Effective Altruism's Underspecification Problem": https://philpapers.org/rec/TIMEAU(3) Dr. Timmerman's co-authored SEP entry on actualism and possibilism: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/actualism-possibilism-ethics/(4) "Sweatshops and Free Action: The Stakes of the Actualism/Possibilism Debate for Business Ethics": https://philpapers.org/rec/TIMSAF(5) My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs-ebook/dp/B0BNMHRW63 (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid

Here's your comprehensive guide to the modal ontological argument for God's existence!Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro & Outline2:06 General structure of MOA12:55 Representative argument15:16 Simpler variant16:17 Criticisms26:43 Symmetry Breakers32:59 Presumption of possibility40:45 Conceivability45:07 Deontic56:12 Ontomystical1:06:33 Motivational centrality1:11:05 Godelian1:27:25 Maximal God1:33:07 Modal continuity1:44:23 Desire1:54:08 Open-mindedness1:59:30 Explicability2:06:39 ConclusionRESOURCES(1) My co-authored SEP entry with Oppy and Rasmussen: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ontological-arguments/(2) The paper on PhilPapers: https://philpapers.org/rec/SCHSBF-2(3) Ontological Arguments playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkZ7oLLpd6Joxl2VS1gOce6t(4) My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs-ebook/dp/B0BNMHRW63 (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid

How should we solve paradoxes of infinity like the Grim Reaper Paradox? One candidate solution is causal finitism. In this video, Alex Malpass and I argue that there’s a better solution: the unsatisfiable pair diagnosis (UPD).Like the show? Help it grow! Consider becoming a patron (thanks!): https://www.patreon.com/majestyofreasonIf you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josephcschmidOUTLINE0:00 Intro1:45 Summary of the paper3:08 Grim Reaper paradox8:07 The Kalam9:52 Causal finitism12:55 The UPD23:16 Problems with causal finitist solution44:30 Mysterious force objection56:47 Patchwork objection1:13:20 Finite Benardete-like paradoxes1:15:35 Final notesLINKS(1) The original video from  @PhilHalper1 : https://youtu.be/vgLzMkxhEiQ?si=cIM4SZzykNmoOvod(2) The paper discussed in the video is “Benardete Paradoxes, Causal Finitism, and the Unsatisfiable Pair Diagnosis”, Mind (Forthcoming, with Alex Malpass): https://philarchive.org/rec/SCHBPC(3) My Kalam playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxRhaLyXxXkZzH2YffI32ViTZ73Tu8jSR(4) Here are four other papers of mine mentioned in the video:(4.1) “Branching Actualism and Cosmological Arguments”, Philosophical Studies (2023, with Alex Malpass): https://philpapers.org/rec/SCHBAA-22(4.2) “Benardete paradoxes, patchwork principles, and the infinite past”, Synthese (2024): https://philpapers.org/rec/SCHBPP-3(4.3) “The End is Near: Grim Reapers and Endless Futures”, Mind (Forthcoming): https://philpapers.org/rec/SCHTEI-19(4.4) “Grim Reaper Paradoxes and Patchwork Principles: Severing the Case for Finitism”, Journal of Philosophy (Forthcoming, with Troy Dana): https://philarchive.org/rec/SCHGRP-4(5) My Springer book with Dr. Dan Linford: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-Inertia-Classical-Theistic-Proofs/dp/3031193148/ (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19313-2(6) The Majesty of Reason: A Short Guide to Critical Thinking in Philosophy: https://www.amazon.com/Majesty-Reason-Critical-Thinking-Philosophy/dp/B086FW6XV4THE USUAL...Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uNcGselvKphtKSKvHJoin the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreasonMy website: https://josephschmid.comMy PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/joseph-schmid