Brain in a Vat

Latest Episodes:

Why it's okay to eat meat - or is it? | Dan Shahar Oct 02, 2022

Show notes

Dan Shahar defends the view that eating meat is permissible, even though meat farming is not. Is this a coherent position?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Is Your Gender Up to You? | Shaun Stanley Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

Is gender a social construct? Is gender distinct from sex? And can you be wrong in your beliefs about your own gender?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

The Supreme Court and Abortion | Brian Leiter Sep 18, 2022

Show notes

Should Judges decide if and when women are entitled to abort their pregnancies? Should this choice be left up to congress? If abortion is immoral, should it be illegal?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

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Martha Nussbaum on Disgust Sep 11, 2022

Show notes

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?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Should we silence defectors? | Connor Kianpour Sep 04, 2022

Show notes

Do defectors generally do something wrong when they contradict their group's values or beliefs? And is it permissible for the group to silence them, especially if it's a minority group?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Trans Sports | Jon Pike Aug 28, 2022

Show notes

Are transathletes a minority group that warrant special protection? Is the purpose of sport to be inclusive or fair? Should the Olympics exclude the best athletes because they are professionals?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

The Problem with Democracy | Jason Brennan Aug 21, 2022

Show notes

If most voters are misinformed, is democracy legitimate? What sort of voting system should we have in its place? And should some votes count more than others?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Immortality | John Martin Fischer Aug 14, 2022

Show notes

Is immortality a blessing or a curse? Would eternal life be boring, meaningless, and amoral?

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen

Is Hate Speech Free Speech? | Nadine Strossen Aug 07, 2022

Show notes

Why is free speech valuable? Should there be any limits on what we are allowed to say? Should we tolerate words that are hateful?

Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Produced and Edited by James Mullen

Science and The Big Questions | Alexander Arnold Jul 31, 2022

Show notes

How do scientists and philosophers work together to make progress on the nature of the cosmos, the meaning of life, and what it means to flourish? The John Templeton Foundation funds work on the intersection of philosophy and science in some of the most important questions of our time.

Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff

Edited and Produced by James Mullen