Cofnas Podcast

Amy Wax is Professor of Law at Penn. Get full access to Nathan Cofnas’s Newsletter at ncofnas.com/subscribe

Michael Huemer is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder. He’s written several books, most recently Progressive Myths, and he writes the Fake Nous Substack.Nathan Cofnas’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Timestamps and sources0:27 – Why no one wants to read peer-reviewed philosophyMH: “Publishing in Philosophy”50:40 – What is wokism?MH: Progressive MythsNC: “Was I Wrong about Woke?”1:05:05 – Vegetarianism: For and againstMH: Dialogues on Ethical VegetarianismNC: “Is Vegetarianism Healthy for Children?”F. Leroy & NC: “Should Dietary Guidelines Recommend Low Red Meat Intake?”1:26:00 – Is ethics real?MH: Ethical IntuitionismMH: “A Liberal Realist Answer to Debunking Skepticism”NC: “A Debunking Explanation for Moral Progress”NC: “How Gene–Culture Coevolution Can—but Probably Did Not—Track Mind-Independent Moral Truth”2:17:27 - Closing Get full access to Nathan Cofnas’s Newsletter at ncofnas.com/subscribe

Nicholas Wade, a former New York Times science journalist and author known for his book 'A Troublesome Inheritance,' discusses the complex interplay between race, intelligence, and environmental influences. He explores the historical context of societal behaviors, critiques academic censorship, and highlights the challenges faced in publishing controversial ideas, especially regarding the origins of COVID-19. Wade advocates for confronting racial taboos in education, emphasizing the need for a more open academic discourse to address these contentious topics.

Noah Carl, a sociologist and former researcher at Oxford and Cambridge, dives into the heated debate over hereditarianism and its potential impact on wokeism. He challenges traditional views on racial disparities in intelligence, advocating for a nuanced understanding that considers both historical injustices and the complexities of genetic influences. The conversation also critiques modern woke ideologies while exploring the evolving dynamics between gender, politics, and societal values, shedding light on how these issues shape contemporary discourse.

Amy Wax, a prominent law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, tackles the contentious topics of race and wokism in academia. She highlights her controversial assertion that not all cultures are equal, advocating for open discussions about cognitive ability gaps. Amy critiques the oversimplification of social hierarchies in woke ideology and defends the role of meritocracy. She also emphasizes the challenges faced by right-leaning thinkers in academic spaces and the need for broader ideological engagement among young conservatives.