Philosophy Bites

Are we purely physical beings? Is the mind or soul immaterial? These questions have vexed philosophers for millenia. Avicenna, born in the 10th Century, believed he had a thought experiment that showed that we are not purely physical beings, the Flying Man thought experiment. Peter Adamson explains in this interview with Nigel Warburton for the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Is conscious experience unified? A tricky question.  Philosopher of mind Tim Bayne investigates it in conversation with Nigel Warburton for this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

An important aspect of understanding morality is accurate description of what happens when people make moral judgments. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Nigel Warburton talks to psychologist and philosopher Liane Young about her experiments designed to shed light on moral intentions. 

How should we treat animals? Jeremy Bentham argued that we should weigh animal suffering in our moral decision making, and Peter Singer's concept of speciesism is a modern version of that utilitarian approach. Gary L. Francione argues that philosophers like Peter Singer who focus on animal welfare have not gone far enough: what matters is that we shouldn't use animals at all. He calls his approach abolitionism. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Richard Sorabji discusses Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence in this the 200th episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

How can we talk about things that don't exist? Tim Crane explores this question in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Consciousness of pain may seem straightforward, but as Michael Tye shows, in conversation with Nigel Warburton, a number of philosophical questions arise from the experience of pain. The Philosophy Bites podcast series is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

What is free will and why should we care about it? Daniel C. Dennett addresses these questions in a wide-ranging Philosophy Bites interview with Nigel Warburton. Philosophy Bites is made in association with The Institute of Philosophy.

Can science give us any insight into morality? In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, originally released on Bioethics Bites, neurophilosopher Patricia Churcland argues that it can. Bioethics Bites is made in association with the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics with a grant from the Wellcome Institute.

Is it true that words can't harm you? What about hate speech? In the US the First Amendment protects a wide range of free expression, far wider than  is tolerated, for instance, in the United Kingdom. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Rae Langton discusses the phenomenon of hate speech and some of the moral questions it gives rise to. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Can moral decision-making be affected by chemical means? And if so, should we use drugs for this purpose? Molly Crockett's research in this area is the basis of this Philosophy Bites interview which was originally released on Bioethics Bites and made in association with the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and with a grant from the Wellcome Institute.

Effects can't precede their causes, can they? The direction of causation is forwards not backwards. But this common belief doesn't mesh with every aspect of contemporary physics. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Huw Price discusses the counterintuitive idea that retro-causation might occur. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Does a diagnosis of personality disorder exempt an individual from moral responsibility? Hanna Pickard discusses this question with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode was originally released on Bioethics Bites which was made in association with the Uehiro Centre with a grant from the Wellcome Trust.

Is morality a matter of applying general principles? Jonathan Dancy, a moral particularist, thinks not. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he defends moral particularism in conversation with Nigel Warburton. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Can it ever be acceptable to sell human body parts. Tim Lewens discusses this increasingly pertinent moral question with Nigel Warburton. This episode of the  Philosophy Bites podcast was originally released on Bioethics Bites and made in association with the Uehiro Centre with a grant from the Wellcome Trust.

Is free market fairness an oxymoron? John Tomasi, author of Free Market Fairness, argues that economic freedom and social justice are compatible. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he explains his position in conversation with Nigel Warburton. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

How should health resources be distributed? Jonathan Wolff discusses this and related questions in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode was originally released on Bioethics Bites in association with the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust. 

Should morality be immune from luck? It seems so. Yet outcomes beyond participants' control seem to affect our judgements of culpability. Fiery Cushman, a psychologist in the area of experimental philosophy (x-phi), has been investigating the phenomenon of moral luck and our apparently conflicting judgements about culpability and luck. In this interview with Nigel Warburton for the podcast Philosophy Bites he discusses his research on conflicting moral intuitions about outcomes, intentions, wrongness, culpabiity and punishment. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Trust is crucial in areas of medicine and health. But what sort of explicit consent should doctors obtain before medical treatment? Onora O'Neill discusses the place of trust in areas of bioethics with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast (originally on Bioethics Bites, a series made in association with the  Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust).

Some recent research in neuroscience seems to point to the conclusion that free will is an illusion. That's certainly the conclusion that some have drawn. But Adina Roskies is sceptical. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast she explains to David Edmonds why she thinks that that conclusion isn't supported by the facts. Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.