Brain in a Vat
Episodes
Facial Distortions and Prosopometamorphopsia | Brad Duchaine (Rebroadcast)
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, Brad Duchaine from the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department at Dartmouth discusses prosopometamorpho...
Should We Stay or Should We Go | Lionel Shriver (Rebroadcast)
02 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When is death preferable to living? Are there fates worse than death? And what sort of future society should we build?Lionel Shriver discusses her lat...
Parental Licensing | Connor Kianpour (Rebroadcast)
26 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Should you be required to get a parental license from the State before you can raise your own children? Do the wishes of parents matter at all – or ...
Can AI Bring Our Loved Ones Back? Inside Reflekta AI’s Digital Afterlife | Miles Spencer
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, we step outside our usual format to interview Miles Spencer, founder of Reflekta — a company using cuttin...
Cultural Appropriation | Stephen Kershnar (Rebroadcast)
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is it permissible for members of one group to appropriate the cultural practices of another? Is there anything wrong with cultural appropriation at al...
Aztec Philosophy: What the Aztecs Knew About Life | Sebastian Purcell
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Aztecs understand life, morality, and human purpose? What can Aztec philosophy teach us about living well? Sebastian Purcell guides us thr...
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, Mark and Jasondiscuss the tragic assassination of political commentator, Charlie Kirk. The episode discusse...
Using AI to Fight Crime | David Boonin (Rebroadcast)
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is racial profiling always wrong, even if used by an AI to decrease crime? Should we use AI to judge criminal cases, recommend sentences for the guilt...
Are We Free at Work? Marx on Capitalism Today | Brian Leiter
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Brain in a Vat, we’re joined by Brian Leiter, co-author (with Jamie Edwards) of a new book on Marx. We explore whether workers in...
The Possible Worlds of David Lewis | Barry Lam (Rebroadcast)
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are possible worlds? Could you have been born to different parents, and could an object be both completely green and completely red? Barry Lam ex...
Procreative Ethics | Rivka Weinberg (Rebroadcast)
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is it wrong to bring new life into the world? Is adopting a child a moral obligation? Is parenting meaningful?
Imagine There’s No Gender | Holly Lawford-Smith [with Raja Halwani] (Rebroadcast)
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Would the world be better if we didn’t recognize genders?In such a world, there would be males and females, but nothing associated with what it mean...
The Moral Lives of Spies | Cécile Fabre
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does a spy owe — to their country, their conscience, or their cause? In this episode, Cécile Fabre investigates the moral lives of Cold War op...
The Right to Sex | Raja Halwani (Rebroadcast)
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do we have a right to sex, and is there an obligation to sexually fulfill the disabled? Should sex work be not only legal, but obligatory?[00:00] Intr...
Decriminalizing Sex Work | Jessica Flanigan
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Brain in a Vat, we welcome back Jessica Flanigan for a discussion on the decriminalization of sex work.Using a decriminalization fr...
Disgust | Martha Nussbaum (Rebroadcast)
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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?Chapter...
Patriotism Unpacked | Spencer Case (Rebroadcast)
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to be patriotic, or to love your country? Some argue that patriotism is virtuous because it allows us to transcend our selfish needs...
Is Tarot a Tool for Thought? | Georgi Gardiner
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Brain in a Vat, Georgi Gardiner returns to explore the epistemic value of tarot: its capacity to shape self-understanding, spark cr...
Living The Philosophical Life | Agnes Callard
22 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Brain in a Vat is joined by public philosopher and author Agnes Callard to explore the relevance of philosophy in everyday life. Draw...
The Israel Palestine Conflict | David Benatar
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are Jews entitled to their own homeland? Is the Israeli response to the massacre of civilians perpetrated by Hamas on October 7th justified? Should th...
The Ideal State: An AI Debate - Plato vs Nozick
08 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Brain in a Vat, we examine two competing political visions through an AI debate between Plato and Robert Nozick. Plato defends rule...
Organ Markets | James Stacey Taylor (Rebroadcast)
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Should we be allowed to sell our organs on the open market? Would the poor be exploited under such a system? And does organ donation impose an unfair ...
Academic Freedom in Universities | Eric Sampson and Rebecca Tuvel
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Sampson and Rebecca Tuvel explore the contested issue of academic freedom. They discuss the tensions that emerge when universities try to balance...
Children's Rights and Parenting | Connor Kianpour and Ella Coleman
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Connor examines involuntary commitment, substance abuse disorders, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding parenting and children's welfare. Should c...
Are Conspiracy Theories Right? | Jared Millson and Ella Coleman
11 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jared Millson delves into the intriguing world of conspiracy theories, exploring well-known cases like Pizzagate and lesser-known but historically sig...
Animal Liberation Now | Peter Singer (Rebroadcast)
04 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Singer delves into difficult ethical questions regarding animal rights, the morality of factory farming, and difficult human-related ethical dil...
End Taxes? | Jessica Flanigan
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jess Flanigan argues that personal income tax is illegitimate. But is the state ever justified in extracting money from its population to pay for publ...
The Problem with Democracy | Jason Brennan (Rebroadcast)
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Mass Shootings | Kurt Blankschaen
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Does our common understanding of mass shootings help us to prevent them?Blankschaen argues that our common beliefs and media narratives around gun own...
The Problems with Virtue Ethics | Travis Timmerman
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Through comparisons to consequentialism and deontological ethics, Travis dissects the core principles and critiques of virtue ethics. Along the way, w...
The End Goal of Wokeness | Nathan Cofnas
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the underlying logic of woke ideology? Is it consistent, and can it justify the pursuit of equality of outcome, such as redistributing wealth ...
Effective Altruism and Making a Difference | Jacob Bauer
23 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How should we allocate our donations to address global issues effectively? Jacob discusses the principles guiding Effective Altruism, the importance o...
Ultimate Meaning | Rivka Weinberg (Rebroadcast)
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible for us to lead meaningful lives? Is there an ultimate point to our existence? Can we enrich our lives with the pursuit of love, knowled...
Affirmative Action and Medical School | Stephen Kershnar
09 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a provocative episode on Brain in a Vat as we rejoin the infamous Stephen Kershnar, whose prior discussions have made headlines. This epis...
Should Only Queer Actors Play Queer Roles? | Kurt Blankschaen & Travis Timmerman
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Was Kit Conner obligated to reveal his queer sexual orientation to play his role as a queer character on ‘Heartstopper’? Timmerman and Blankschaen...
The Moral Circle: Are AI and Animals Included? | Jeff Sebo
23 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who should be included in our 'moral circle' when we make our moral decisions? Jeff discusses the ethical responsibilities we might have towar...
Don't Vote | Chris Freiman with Rebecca Tuvel
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Freiman argues that we’re justified in ignoring politics. Freiman, whose book 'Why It's Okay to Ignore Politics' delves into this ...
Alix Spiegel on Storytelling | Alix Spiegel
09 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode, Alix Spiegel, host and producer of ‘Invisibilia’ and journalist for ‘This American Life’, joins us to talk about stor...
Why It's Okay to Eat Meat - Or Is It? | Dan Shahar (Rebroadcast)
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Shahar defends the view that eating meat is permissible, even though meat farming is not. Is this a coherent position? [00:00] Introduction and...
Who was Derek Parfit? | David Edmonds (Rebroadcast)
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Parfit altered the landscape of the philosophy of identity. We speak to David Edmonds about his recently released biography on this influential philos...
The Philosophy of Severance | Travis Timmerman (Rebroadcast)
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Stiller's superb series, Severance, raises fascinating questions about the nature of personal identity. Are we minds or brains? Is it possible for...
Anti-Semitism | Mark Oppenheimer (Rebroadcast)
12 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do anti-semites and ultra-orthodox Jews have in common? How did the ivy league discriminate against Jews? Is America still a safe haven for Jews?...
What Is a Woman? | Alex Byrne (Rebroadcast)
05 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Oxford University Press refused to publish Alex Byrne's book on gender. We discuss whether women are adult human females and whether sex is the same a...
Sex Work or Prostitution? | Lori Watson (Rebroadcast)
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is sex work actually work? Is prostitution always a form of exploitation? And show we legalize or decriminalize prostitution? [00:00] Introduction ...
Is Monogamy Wrong? | Harry Chalmers (Rebroadcast)
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is the restriction on having additional sexual or romantic partners similar to the restriction on having additional friends? Should you allow your par...
The Privacy Paradox | David Boonin (Rebroadcast)
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is observing people in a public space from the privacy of your home an infringement of their rights? Can the widespread use of CCTV cameras be justifi...
Benatar on Bullshit | With Rebecca Tuvel
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are there different kinds of bullshit? Do bullshitters know they are full of it? What should we do to stem the tide? [00:00] Introduction [00:19...
Unravelling “White Privilege” | Spencer Case
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can the definition of privilege be nuanced enough to address the broad range of individual experiences and historical contexts? Does recognizing and d...
Cultural Appropriation | Stephen Kershnar
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it permissible for members of one group to appropriate the cultural practices of another? Is there anything wrong with cultural appropriation at al...
Determinism, Free Will, and the Meaning of Life | Stephen Maitzen
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Maitzen argues that the world is deterministic. But if all of our choices are determined, how should we understand free will, the meaning of l...
Abortion: An AI Debate - Mill vs Kant
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We explore the complex moral landscape of abortion through the perspectives of two philosophical giants, John Stuart Mill and Immanuel Kant, as simula...
Will Machines Rule the World? | Barry Smith
03 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does Searle’s Chinese Room show that AI is not intelligent or creative? Does AI learn the way humans do? And could AI ever be capable of truly creat...
Reimagining Democracy as Lottocracy | Alexander Guerrero (With Travis Timmerman)
27 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
'Lottocracy' is a system where political representation is determined randomly. Is this a better system than democracy? We discuss the shortcomings o...
Navigating Kinky Sex: Ethics, Safety, and Risk | Georgi Gardiner
20 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Georgi Gardiner discusses the intricate philosophy of safe sex, kink, and BDSM. She delves into the complexities of power dynamics, moral judgments, a...
Comedy, Satire, and Laughing at the Uncomfortable | John Vlismas
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dive into the intersection of comedy and philosophy with South African comedian John Vlismas. We explore the power of humor as a political tool, its r...
The Value of Bad Movies | Matt Strohl (with Travis Timmerman)
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join hosts Mark Opennheimer and Travis Timmerman as they dive into the world of bad movies with Matt Strohl, author of 'Why It's Okay to Love Bad Movi...
Refugees and Border Control | Bradley Hillier-Smith
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bradley Hillier-Smith argues that states have a duty not to harm refugees, and a duty to improve the lives of refugees. He argues that wealthier natio...
Exploring Alien Civilizations | Isaac Arthur
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isaac Arthur, president of the American National Space Society, discusses the nature and likelihood of alien civilizations. What sort of alien civili...
Can Animals Create Art? | Yolandi Coetser
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This live episode of Brain in a Vat investigates the boundaries of animal creativity through real-life examples, thought experiments, and philosophica...
Population Decline and Pronatalism | Paul Morland
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Paul Morland, author of 'No One Left', joins the Brain in a Vat podcast to discuss demographic changes and Pronatalism. Paul explores the idea...
Love and Limerence | Georgi Gardiner
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the difference between love, limerence, crushes and squishes? Can someone be mistaken about whether they’re in love? And is limerence harmfu...
Aliens, Social Groups, and the Golden Record | Jason Werbeloff
25 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How would we explain our social structures to aliens? Can we define our social groups in a way that is easy to articulate and understand? Jason Werbe...
Ayn Rand and the Ethics of Selfishness | Tara Smith
18 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Has selfishness been misunderstood? Is there a way of defending Ayn Rand’s egoism? Tara Smith confronts challenging questions about morality, indiv...
The Fine-Tuning Argument for God’s Existence | Aaron Zimmer (with Nathan Bray)
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is intelligent design the best theory for how perfectly calibrated our universe is? How does God as an explanation compare with competing theories, li...
Fatphobia | Kate Manne (with Travis Timmerman)
04 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Manne discusses how fatphobia impacts the lives of fat-bodied people in various domains, including healthcare, education, and employment. Manne ...
Money, Institutions, and Social Groups | J. P. Smit
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the nature of social institutions? Is Searle correct that collective agreement is the key to understanding social phenomena, or should we purs...
Left vs Right, Polarization, and Political Legitimacy | Oliver Traldi
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Oliver Traldi explores the polarization of modern politics, mechanisms of belief political formation, the influence of social costs on public reasonin...
The Ethics of Swearing | Rebecca Roache [with Travis Timmerman]
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we find swearing offensive, and should we? Is it wrong to use swear words despite causing offense? This episode is an eye-opener into the ofte...
Patriotism Unpacked | Spencer Case
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to be patriotic, or to love your country? Some argue that patriotism is virtuous because it allows us to transcend our selfish needs...
The Ethics of Dark Humor | David Shoemaker
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
David Shoemaker explores the intricate relationship between humor and morality. What makes a faux insult funny? Can wisecracks be both humorous and hu...
Is Israel’s War Unjust? | Mark Oppenheimer vs Raja Halwani
23 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for an intense debate featuring Mark Oppenheimer, who defends Israel’s war as just, and Raja Halwani, who argues Israel’s war is unjust. T...
Gaming and Friendship | Nicholas Baima
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do digital interactions, specifically through gaming, form genuine friendships? Nicholas Baima challenges the traditional notion that physical pre...
Gaming: Dangerous or Beneficial? | Sarah Malanowski
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Should we consider gaming as potentially addictive? Sarah Malanowski argues gaming is much like any other beneficial hobby: it provides a sense of com...
The Edges of Philosophy: Good, Bad, and the Controversial | Travis Timmerman
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What makes for good philosophy? How has philosophy impacted popular culture? Can sci-fi be good philosophy? And can we inspire philosophical inquiry d...
Helpful Abortion Restrictions? | Perry Hendricks
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Perry Hendricks argues that abortion restrictions are beneficial, especially to black women, by preventing them from engaging in what he presupposes i...
Race and IQ | Nathan Cofnas
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nathan Cofnas argues that distinct populations have developed specific cognitive abilities due to varying environmental challenges. The conversation e...
Lionel Shriver on the Dangers of Manic Equality
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We welcome back Lionel Shriver to discuss her latest novel, 'Mania'. Shriver explores how egalitarian principles push us to ignore obvious tru...
Gun Control | Eric Sampson (Rebroadcast)
05 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A discussion on gun control, exploring philosophical, legal, and ethical aspects of the issue. Eric Samson offers a range of arguments and counter...
Ethical Quandaries of Autonomous Weapon Systems | Afonso Seixas-Nunes
28 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with Father Afonso about the use of weapon systems in warfare. The discussion explores a thought experiment involving two states at war and t...
Paediatric Gender Medicine | Moti Gorin and Holly Lawford-Smith
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We begin by imagining a world where children are separated by sex at birth and raised without exposure to traditional gender norms. We debate whether ...
Peter Singer on Animal Liberation Now
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Singer delves into difficult ethical questions regarding animal rights, the morality of factory farming, and difficult human-related ethical dil...
We Should Want Immortality | John Martin Fischer
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
John Martin Fischer argues that life constantly offers new experiences and perspectives that prevent it from becoming monotonous. He delves into the i...
Against Immortality | Stephen Cave
31 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Cave unpacks the ethical and practical problems of living forever. He highlights ongoing research in anti-aging and the potential societal and...
Immigration and Borders | Stephen Kershnar
24 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Featuring Stephen Kershnar, we discuss the complexities of immigration ethics, the rights to immigrate, and the morality of borders, keeping in mind d...
Cascading Catastrophic Risks | Trond Undheim
17 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Trond Undheim delves into catastrophic risks facing humanity, including climate change, governance breakdown, and technological threats. Through di...
The Ethics of Political Commemoration | Hans Gutbrod
10 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of 'Brain In A Vat', Hans Gutbrod addresses the gap in philosophy in understanding the ethics around statues, street names, an...
Facial Distortions and Prosopometamorphopsia | Brad Duchaine
03 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, Brad Duchaine from the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department at Dartmouth discusses prosopometamorpho...
Pornography and Free Speech | Nadine Strossen and Holly Lawford-Smith
25 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We welcome back Nadine Strossen for a comprehensive discussion about pornography and free speech. She highlights points from her re-released book 'Def...
Unravelling “White Privilege” | Spencer Case
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can the definition of privilege be nuanced enough to address the broad range of individual experiences and historical contexts? Does recognizing and d...
The Privacy Paradox | David Boonin
11 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is observing people in a public space from the privacy of your home an infringement of their rights? Can the widespread use of CCTV cameras be justifi...
Dissecting Morality: Error Theory | Matt Lutz
04 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if our understanding of morality is fundamentally flawed? Should the absence of objective moral facts alter the way we live and interact? Is the ...
The Morality Maze | Spencer Case
28 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is morality real, a social construct, or non-existent? Can we rely on our moral intuitions? And are moral truths inaccessible to us?
Why Israel's Response to Hamas Was Justified | Natasha Hausdorff
21 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is a proportional response to a terrorist attack? What does genocide involve? And is South Africa's case at the International Court of Justi...
The Trouble with Gender | Alex Byrne
14 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does the biology you were born with trump self-identity when determining your sex or gender? Is gender innate, or can it change? And what can real-lif...
John Rawls: Justice as Fairness | Paul Weithman (Rebroadcast)
07 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
John Rawls is widely regarded as the greatest modern liberal philosopher. Does his theory of justice lead to a fair society?
Near-Death Experiences | John Martin Fischer (Rebroadcast)
31 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is there life after death? Are near-death experiences meaningful? Are they similar to other altered states like meditation and drug-induced hallucinat...
How To End Global Poverty | Andy Kuper (Rebroadcast)
24 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Andy Kuper, the founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments, tells us how his PHD in philosophy led him to marry profit with purpose, by creating investme...
Evolutionary Psychology | Justin Garson (Rebroadcast)
17 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is evolution the root cause of racism, rape, and disgust? Are differences between men and women a result of both nature and nurture? Are some forms of...
Trans women in sport: Is it fair? | Stephen Kershnar (Rebroadcast)
10 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lia Thomas, a trans woman, has sparked controversy by competing in and winning women’s collegiate swimming events. Should Thomas and other trans ath...
David Chalmers on Virtual Reality and The Simulation Argument (Rebroadcast)
03 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Could you be a brain in a vat, or be living in a simulated or virtual reality? Could you live a meaningful, valuable existence even if you were?