When Do False Beliefs Exculpate? (Pt. I)
03
Dec 2020
Another month of pandemic... and another philosophical puzzle from me to distract you from it. This time, the puzzle concerns beliefs and specifically whether acting under the guidance of false beliefs can exculpate someone of a moral wrongdoing.
Read moreAre “Human” Embryos Human?
17
Dec 2020
Opponents of abortion argue that because embryos belong to our species, they are human embryos, and are therefore human beings. And as killing innocent human beings is wrong, abortion is wrong. But is it correct to say that human embryos are human beings?
Read moreFinding Minds in a Material World
11
Dec 2020
How did minds first evolve out of matter? Could consciousness have evolved more than once? How do we tell which living things have minds? Is there something it’s like to be a crab and live a crab's life? This week we’re thinking about “Minds and Matter.”
Read more2020: The Year in Poetry
25
Dec 2020
As 2020 draws to a close, we take a look back at the year that has been. One good thing happened this year: the Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Louise Glück. Tune into this week's show, "The Examined Year: 2020" to hear some of her poems, including my all-time favorite, “Ithaca.”
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