Plato's Cave

I spoke with Max Kiener about his work in moral responsibility, consent, and Strawson's reactive and objective attitudes. We discussed applied cases of the objective stance, such as manipulating someone into getting the Covid vaccine, undergoing a medical operation, or for someone's best interests. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://maximilian-kiener.weebly.com/ https://theconver...

I spoke with the philosopher Eddy Nahmias about his work in Free Will and Moral Responsibility. What type of freedom do we have, or want to have? And does the increasing understanding of the brain threaten our sense of acting freely? Find out all this and more in my talk with Eddy. We use two paper of his as background for the conversation: "Your Brain as the Source of Free Will Worth Wanting" and...

In this episode, I speak with Seth Shabo about Mysterianism, a view originated by Peter van Inwagen. We also touch related topics: determinism's relevance to responsibility, reactive attitudes, and the Luck Objection to free will. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://philpeople.org/profiles/seth-shabo https://philpapers.org/rec/SHATTL-5 https://thefreewillshow.com/episode-19/ Twitt...

In this episode, I speak with Adam Kadlac about a chapter in his newly published book, The Ethics of Sports Fandom. We discuss the pitfalls of objectification within various areas of athletics and from different perspectives. You can purchase the full book now! Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://www.routledge.com/The-Ethics-of-Sports-Fandom/Kadlac/p/book/9781032122311 https://www...

In this episode, I speak with Matthew Flummer about various episodes and topics from his podcast, The Free Will Show. We discuss Frankfurt cases, God's Foreknowledge as a threat to freedom, and the type of control needed for responsibility. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://matthewflummer.weebly.com/ https://thefreewillshow.com/about/ If you learned something from this episode,...

In this episode, I speak with Paul Russell about his 2008 paper, "Free Will, Art, and Morality," along with more general topics within the responsibility debate, which are included in Paul's chapter in the Oxford Handbook on Moral Responsibility (forthcoming). We discuss his case for compatibilism between determinism and moral responsibility. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://si...

In this episode, I speak with Susan Wolf about her first two papers, "Asymmetrical Freedom" and "The Importance of Having Free Will." These papers have been influential to me and I was lucky enough to discuss them with Dr. Wolf. We discuss her views on moral responsibility, reactive attitudes, and her upcoming projects. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://philosophy.unc.edu/people...

In this episode, I speak with John Martin Fischer about his semicompatibilism about moral responsibility. We use his 2012 paper, "Semicompatibilism and its Rivals" as a framework for the discussion. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://alaw003.wixsite.com/johnmartinfischer If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordan...

In this episode, I speak with Gregg Caruso about this recent book, Just Deserts, co-authored with Dan Dennett. We discuss his claims about rejecting deep moral responsibility while still preserving many distinctions that compatibilists like Dan find important. We also dive into the divide between he (and myself) and Dennett. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: http://www.greggcaruso.com/...

In this episode, I speak with Per Milam about his recent work on letting go as an alternative to forgiveness. These topics naturally touch on the practices of blame and responsibility and Strawson's reactive attitudes. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: http://www.pererikmilam.com/ If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jor...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Derek Leben about his recent Philosophy Now article, Pascal’s Artificial Intelligence Wager. We talk about Pascal's wager applied to AI, the control problem, consciousness, our ability to control the course of AI development, and the meaning that grounds moral realism. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://philosophynow.org/issues/139/Pascals_Artifi...

In this episode, I speak with philosopher Tamar Schapiro about her work on weak willed action from a Kantian perspective. This all relates to her forthcoming book, Feeling Like it: a Theory of Inclination and Will. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/feeling-like-it-9780198862932?facet_narrowbyreleaseDate_facet=Released%20this%20month&lang=en&am...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Phillip Goff about Panpsychism. We discuss what we mean by consciousness, why materialist reductionism doesn't satisfy as an explanation of its existence, and what Panpsychism can offer as a theory of consciousness. Paperback versions of Philip Goff's book, Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness, are now available in UK and US. Twitter: ht...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Patrick Lee Miller about two episodes of the phenomenal Netflix series, Black Mirror: BE Right Back and The Entire History of You. We discuss the episode's themes of grief, loss of self to technology, memory, loved ones, relationships, jealousy, and more. This was a ton of fun and I hope you enjoy it as well! Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://ww...

In this episode, I speak with Brandon Warmke about his new book, Grandstanding, which he co-authored with Justin Tosi. Brandon is a professor of philosophy at Bowling Green State University. I highly recommend the book, and I hope this talk does it justice. I very much enjoyed speaking with Brandon, and I hope you enjoy our conversation as well. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https:/...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Brandon Robshaw about his recent piece in Philosophy Now on Nietzsche's Eternal Recurrence. We also discuss his new book, 'Should a Liberal State Ban the Burqa?' (The short answer is no.) Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://brandonrobshawtheenglishlanguage.com/ https://twitter.com/BrandonRobshaw https://philosophynow.org/issues/137/Eternal_Recurre...

In this episode, I talk with David Papineau about his rejection of the Hard Problem of Consciousness, how dualism infects thinking about theory of mind, and how materialism is the best account of why we have experiences. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://iai.tv/articles/we-must-shed-our-metaphysical-assumptions-auid-1367 https://www.davidpapineau.co.uk/unpublished-talks.html htt...

In this episode, I speak with Bernardo Kastrup, who holds a PhD in Philosophy and Computer Engineering, about the hard problem of consciousness, idealism, theory of mind, panpsychism, and why materialistic reductionism cannot account for the fact of conscious experience. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://www.bernardokastrup.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itSSn6jj8iQ&t=...

In this episode, I speak with the Philosopher Russell Blackford about his edited book with Damien Broderick on the problems of philosophical progress, pop-philosophy, academic isolation, interdisciplinary work, and more. This was a wonderful insight on the niche details of the field, and will be of interest to both PhD's and fans of philosophy alike. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: ht...

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Jon Rosen about his Facebook discussion group Fair Game and about how to have difficult conversations generally. We discuss the challenges, what it means to be a reasonable interlocutor, and more. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fairgame If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: htt...

In this episode, I sit down with Matthew McManus to discuss the new book he co-authored: Myth and Mayhem: A Leftist Critique of Jordan Peterson. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://twitter.com/MattPolProf https://left2right.webflow.io/ https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Mayhem-Leftist-Critique-Peterson-ebook/dp/B085WB8FXF/ If you learned something from this episode, please consider suppo...

In this episode, I speak with Public Historian Just Clark about the current social and economic situation surrounding COVID and about the underlying philosophy and logic of different political ideologies in general. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: If you learned something from this episode, please consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/jordanmyers Every dollar that comes...

In this episode, I discuss the Stanley Milgram and Phil Zimbardo experiments and what they say about our human nature. These experiments are also tied into the Browning vs Goldhagen debate on how he German population was convinced to do such terrible acts during the holocaust. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment https://en.wikipedia...

In this episode, I speak with Ben Burgis for a second time about free will compatiblism in a deterministic world. We speak about the metaphysics of free will and determinism, and what should constitude ground for moral responsibility. We also discuss my grad school writing sample and Christine Korsgaard's work. Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper: https://twitter.com/BenBurgis https://www....

In this episode, I spoke with Professor Alastair Wilson about his newly released book, The Nature of Contingency: Quantum Physics as Modal Realism. We spoke about contingency, counterfactuals, the multiple worlds interpretation of quantum physics, free will, and more. This was a true education for me with a great mind and a great writer, and I hope you find this conversation valuable as well. Here...