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Brain in a Vat

Brain in a Vat
Philosophy
Prostitution
Sex Work
Academic Freedom
Consent
Severance
Personal Identity
Artificial Intelligence
Affirmative Action
Art
Morality
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Factory Farming
Population Ethics
Ethics
Just War Theory
Demographic Changes
Gun Control
Gaming
Abortion

Thought experiments and conversations with philosophers. Hosted by Dr Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes295Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Brain in a Vat

Latest Episodes

Mark Schroeder discusses When Things Get Personal, his account of how we interpret one another and why those interpretations so often go wrong.

Our interactions are filled with noise, factors that don’t reflect the person themselves, complicating w... more

Christian Miller, author of The Honesty Crisis, joins to explore the nature and ethics of honesty. He examines what it means to be honest, when lying can be morally justified, and the difference between honesty and simply telling the truth. Miller co... more

Lionel Shriver returns to discuss her new novel, 'A Better Life,' and the philosophical debate over immigration and open borders.

Inspired by a proposed New York City program to pay residents to house migrants, the novel turns one family's home into... more

Nathan Cofnas, the academic who recently drew widespread attention for exposing plagiarism allegations against Cambridge professor Jason Arday, returns to Brain in a Vat to discuss academic freedom, institutional conformity, and his own controversial... more

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Recent Guests

Christian Miller
Author of The Honesty Crisis
Episode: The Truth About Honesty, Lies, and Deception | Christian Miller
Nathan Cofnas
Philosopher and author involved in high-profile free-speech dispute at Cambridge
Independent/Academic philosopher
Episode: The Man Who Exposed Jason Arday: Cancelled at Cambridge | Nathan Cofnas
Jimmy Mullen
Legal scholar focused on First Amendment law and school speech,
Brain in a Vat
Episode: Free Speech, Schools, and Children | Jimmy Mullen
Colin McGinn
Philosopher, author, and professor
Columbia University (as discussed in episode) or former university affiliations
Episode: Sexual Ethics on Campus: Consent and Power | Colin McGinn
Spencer Case
Philosopher and podcast guest
Independent philosopher/academic
Episode: The Philosophy of Pluribus | Spencer Case
Rivka Weinberg
Philosopher invited to discuss meaning of life
Episode: The Time-Meaning Conundrum | Rivka Weinberg
Jessica Flanigan
Philosopher and author discussed in episode
Episode: Should You Need Permission to Take Medicine? | Jessica Flanigan
David Benetton
Author featured in the episode, discussing his book Living with Adversity
Author, Living with Adversity
Episode: A World Without Scarcity | Steven Kotler
Kevin Allison
Runs the Risk Podcast, storyteller
Risk Podcast
Episode: Risky Storytelling | Kevin Allison

Hosts

Jason Werbeloff
Host with a focus on thought experiments and philosophy, often steering debates with rigorous questioning and curiosity.
Mark Oppenheimer
Co-host, contributes philosophical analysis and facilitates nuanced discussions with guests.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 204 ratings
  • Great!

    Really enjoyed the Free Speech episode with Dr. Carmichael!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RuitBier
    United States6 months ago
  • Kirk episode confusion

    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.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Willow Smithson
    Canada8 months ago
  • Amazing

    Great exercise for the brain

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    vampingo
    Germany2 years ago
  • Difficult to believe!

    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

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    PHoward61
    Canada2 years ago
  • Engaging and Thought-Provoking 👍👍

    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.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Anna [SOP]
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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A wide range of guests and topics keeps me coming back.
Engaging debates that challenge conventional wisdom.
Thoughtful, rigorous discussions that are accessible.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Truth About Honesty, Lies, and Deception | Christian Miller
Q: How should we weigh honesty against other values like compassion or social trust in cases like infidelity or political manipulation?
The discussion suggests that honesty is valuable but not absolute; weighing involves practical wisdom to balance competing values such as compassion, fidelity, and the overall impact on trust and relationships.
The Truth About Honesty, Lies, and Deception | Christian Miller
Q: Could someone speak honestly but utter false statements if they believe them to be true?
Yes; honesty is about the belief one expresses, so someone can be honest in reporting their beliefs even if those beliefs are false in an objective sense.
The Time-Meaning Conundrum | Rivka Weinberg
Q: Is ultimate meaning possible, even in an afterlife or immortal scenario?
No; ultimate meaning is metaphysically impossible because valued ends lie outside the ongoing projects that constitute a life, so eternity would still leave the meta-question unresolved.
Risky Storytelling | Kevin Allison
Q: How do you balance honesty with the potential harm of a story when it involves others?
The guest argues for a safe-space approach that allows telling ideas first and addressing repercussions afterward, while avoiding gratuitous harm and respecting boundaries, with contextual allowances for future reflection and apology.
The Bias against Conservatism in Higher Education | Amy Wax
Q: Do you think universities should curtail certain extremist or genocidal speech in classrooms?
She acknowledges some restrictions may be justified in pedagogy, but argues the principle should be carefully defined to avoid suppressing legitimate, though controversial, ideas while protecting students from harm; overall she opposes broad curtailment.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Brain in a Vat

What is Brain in a Vat about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful philosophy-focused show exploring cutting-edge ideas through rigorous dialogue and provocative thought experiments. Conversations span academic freedom, free speech in education, ethics of power and consent on campus, debates about torture and punishment, and provocative takes on meaning, adversity, and risk storytelling. Noteworthy are the wide range of expert guests—philosophers, legal scholars, ethicists, and authors—plus a steady balance between rigorous argument and accessible delivery. Listeners likely value clear reasoning, moral nuance, and challenging established norms, making it appealing to academics, students, and curious thinkers alike.

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1. UnHerd with Freddie Sayers
2. The Glenn Show
3. Philosophy For Our Times
4. The Good Fight
5. Quillette Podcast

How many episodes of Brain in a Vat are there?

Brain in a Vat launched 6 years ago and published 295 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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What guests have appeared on Brain in a Vat?

Recent guests on Brain in a Vat include:

1. Christian Miller
2. Nathan Cofnas
3. Jimmy Mullen
4. Colin McGinn
5. Spencer Case
6. Rivka Weinberg
7. Jessica Flanigan
8. David Benetton

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