
Thought experiments and conversations with philosophers. Hosted by Dr Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer.
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 281 | Founded | 6 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CulturePhilosophy | |||

Amy Wax joins us to discuss the ideological landscape of higher education. Wax reflects on her conflict with the University of Pennsylvania and argues that universities have become increasingly hostile to conservative viewpoints. The conversation exp... more
Tomás Bogardus joins to discuss his book "The Nature of the Sexes" and argues for a reproductive-functional account of biological sex. According to Bogardus, males and females are defined by the reproductive function their bodies are structured to pe... more
Brain in a Vat is back from hiatus with a deep dive into the philosophy of religion. Stephen Kershnar and Nathan Bray join us to ask whether God can be morally responsible and whether worship makes sense if God could not have done otherwise.
The dis... more
In this special episode of Brain in a Vat, Brad Duchaine from the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department at Dartmouth discusses prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) – a condition where individuals see distorted faces.
The episode explores various manife... more
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I agree that civil debate is of critical import. I have seen Kirk debate in ways that viciously undermine and promote the discrimination, discrediting and devaluation of people who are different from him. His performance of moral disgust should not be construed as tolerance. Lament his death as a human, yes, but committed to civil debate he was not.
Great exercise for the brain
Just listened to the ‘white privilege’ episode.. my first in this series… I am guessing it’s 3 white males bantering about how to “nuance” the concept of white male privilege in order to make the concept meaningless. The discussion reminded me of 3 kids coming up with ever more ridiculous “what about-isms” —- what about the colour of bandaids, what about all the animals, what about all the people who ever lived, what about really old people… the end goal is to say there’s nothing meaningful to s... more
Brain In A Vat offers engaging conversations with contemporary philosophers that are both fun and intellectually stimulating. Dr. Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer excel at making complex ideas accessible. Once you start, you'll find yourself eagerly exploring their archive for more insightful episodes.
An incredible podcast. Highly accessible, beautifully clear and well-argued philosophical discussions on a wide range of topics. A great option for anyone looking to examine their beliefs more deeply and learn more about philosophy.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
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Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Thought-provoking conversations centered on philosophical thought experiments, ethics, and contemporary dilemmas. Episodes span topics from gender and biology to artificial intelligence, cultural ethics, religion, espionage ethics, and the nature of rights, often featuring leading philosophers and well-versed scholars who challenge assumptions through rigorous reasoning and accessible dialogue. The show seems to attract listeners who enjoy rigorous debate, abstract reasoning, and nuanced positions on controversial topics, with a mix of academic and intellectually curious audiences. A standout aspect is the willingness to tackle provocative subjects with depth and playful thought experiments, making complex ideas approachable without sacrifi... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Brain in a Vat:
1. Philosophy Bites
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3. Philosophy For Our Times
4. The Good Fight
5. Quillette Podcast
Brain in a Vat launched 6 years ago and published 281 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Brain in a Vat include:
1. Amy Wax
2. Nathan Bray
3. Sebastian Purcell
4. Cécile Fabre
5. Raja Halwani
6. Jessica Flanigan
7. Martha Nussbaum
8. Spencer Case
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