Discussing moral realism with Rationality Rules and Cole Nasrallah @KaneB

Kane B As is probably obvious from my rather vague introduction, we didn't have a clear structure in mind for this conversation. Also, we occasionally refer back to previous times we have spoken. So, hopefully this all makes sense!

@rationalityrules on Sam Harris:
youtube.com/watch?v=4qQGwRHtQXQ

The video on Sam Harris I made with Cole:
youtube.com/watch?v=4f7fYWLKIFs

updated 3 years ago

Discussing moral realism with Rationality Rules and Cole Nasrallah

Kane B 2021-03-06 | As is probably obvious from my rather vague introduction, we didn't have a clear structure in mind for this conversation. Also, we occasionally refer back to previous times we have spoken. So, hopefully this all makes sense!

@rationalityrules on Sam Harris:
youtube.com/watch?v=4qQGwRHtQXQ

The video on Sam Harris I made with Cole:
youtube.com/watch?v=4f7fYWLKIFs

The Swamping Problem

Kane B 2023-08-01 | What makes knowledge more valuable than mere true belief?

0:00 - the swamping problem
3:10 - basic values
4:00 - who cares about truth?
8:47 - the perfect map
13:57 - the value of justification

Wagering Against Nihilism

Kane B 2023-07-27 | We cannot be harmed by believing that nihilism is false; we can be harmed by believing that nihilism is true. This is the basis of Guy Kahane's wager against nihilism. This video explains Kahane's argument and then discusses some objections.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/kanebaker91

Donate to my PayPal: paypal.me/kanebaker91

My Discord: discord.gg/RUjwFdDDtK

0:00 - Introduction
2:40 - An argument for nihilism
6:07 - The nihilist wager
12:44 - The no-difference view
16:30 - The difference view
Objections
29:14 - Beliefs cannot be chosen
31:16 - Beliefs vs concerns?
36:15 - Revolutionary changes in belief
42:15 - Extending the decision matrix
47:39 - The benefits of believing nihilism

Why does nobody care about philosophy?

Kane B 2023-07-23 | In defense of public philosophy.

0:00 - Philosophy in crisis
1:22 - The truths about chmess
4:25 - Public engagement
9:10 - Where philosophy went wrong
14:32 - Objection: lower standards?
16:39 - Objection: no novelty?

The Coherence Theory of Truth

Kane B 2023-07-18 | According to coherence theory, a proposition is true just in case it belongs to an ideally coherent set of propositions. In this video, I introduce coherence theory the outline some of the main challenges to the position.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
2:09 - What is coherence?
17:05 - Two views of truth
20:50 - Why believe coherence theory?
28:31 - The transcendence problem
32:53 - The many-systems problem
40:16 - The circularity problem
46:58 - The regress problem

Inconsistency in Science: An Argument for Dialetheism?

Kane B 2023-07-13 | Scientific realists hold that we are justified in believing that our best scientific theories are true. But what if those theories are inconsistent? This video examines the argument that realists are committed to believing that there are true contradictions.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
0:59 - Scientific realism
2:53 - Three kinds of inconsistency in science
8:14 - From realism to dialetheism
11:45 - The law of non-contradiction
14:31 - Theoretical virtues
19:41 - Belief vs ontology
25:54 - Consistency as a pragmatic necessity

Is Skepticism Self-Defeating?

Kane B 2023-07-07 | A standard objection to skepticism is that it is self-defeating. This video examines the self-defeat objection.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
Three kinds of self-defeat
1:35 - Incoherence
2:55 - Performative contradiction
6:49 - Methodological self-defeat
Responses
12:20 - Is skepticism a position?
17:02 - Skepticism as a challenge
21:41 - The paradox of skeptical self-defeat
26:02 - What's so bad about self-defeat?

The Correspondence Theory of Truth

Kane B 2023-07-02 | According to correspondence theory, a proposition is true just in case it corresponds to a fact. In this video, I introduce correspondence theory the outline some of the main challenges to the position.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/kanebaker91

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0:00 - Introduction
0:46 - Truth bearers
3:00 - Definition vs criteria
4:55 - Correspondence theory
14:33 - The no-access problem
19:30 - Truths without facts?
25:59 - Degrees of truth?
30:35 - The many-relations problem
35:57 - The Slingshot

There is no such thing as art

Kane B 2023-06-27 | There is nothing either art or nonart, and not even thinking makes it so.

0:00 - Breadcrumbs
0:50 - What is art?
4:27 - The framing view
6:36 - Framing without content
11:23 - Limitless art
14:44 - "This is art"
18:00 - There is no such thing as art

The Moral Realism Tier List (with Lance Bush)

Kane B 2023-06-23 | In this video, Lance Bush joins me to rank some of the arguments for moral realism.

Lance's channel: @lanceindependent
Lance's substack: lanceindependent.substack.com

0:00 - Introduction
3:26 - Companions in guilt
25:59 - Deliberative indispensability
44:36 - Moral convergence
57:52 - Phenomenal conservatism
1:12:25 - Moorean shift
1:20:30 - Face value of moral practice
1:55:11 - Expertise argument
2:39:20 - Moral fixed points
2:55:16 - Huemer's ontological argument
3:13:23 - Summary

The Principle of Explosion

Kane B 2023-06-19 | From a contradiction, anything follows. This is the principle of Explosion. This video outlines the proof of Explosion, and then considers how we might resist the proof.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
1:03 - The proof of explosion
4:42 - Troubles with explosion
9:35 - Rejecting disjunctive syllogism
19:00 - Why disjunctive syllogism fails
28:40 - Quasi-validity

Skepticism - The Apraxia Objection

Kane B 2023-06-16 | According to the apraxia objection, skepticism is incompatible with action. This video outlines the problem and some possible responses.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
1:14 - The apraxia objection
8:28 - Skeptics or skepticism?
14:01 - Is skepticism possible?
21:33 - Are there appearances?
25:16 - Further challenges to appearances
29:00 - Alternative explanations for action

There are true contradictions

Kane B 2023-06-10 | An argument for dialetheism.

Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/kanebaker91

Donate to my PayPal: paypal.me/kanebaker91

My Discord: discord.gg/RUjwFdDDtK

0:00 - dialetheism
0:25 - "wulture"
2:48 - defective concepts?
5:13 - vague boundaries?
9:52 - contradictions in the world
13:02 - perceiving contradictions
17:57 - facts and languages
22:19 - explosion
23:50 - moore's wands

AMA Responses, Part 2

Kane B 2023-06-07 | 0:00 – Lance Independent – counterfactual history of philosophy
6:18 – Lmaoh – where am I a realist?
6:53 – Lorenzo Mizushal – should you start with the Greeks?
8:30 – Lushian Confusion – environmental ethics and moral anti-realism
12:54 – Magnesium But in Cigarette – interpretation of quantum mechanics
15:40 – matteo pastrello – pragmatism
17:22 – MeowSin – truth
18:32 – MofoWoW – vegetarian
22:55 – momentum – obscure notions in philosophy
25:42 – Neo-Anarchist——Ecocentric Radical – process philosophy
– 27:55 – individualist anarchism
– 29:46 – languages
30:18 – nerd nerdius – evolutionary debunking argument in metaethics
41:43 – nichess – most important things
42:15 – Nicolas Giaconia – galaxy brain
43:24 – nychts0 – Stirner
– 48:07 – animals
– 53:26 – 4chan
– 54:30 – psychological egoism
– 59:57 – free will
– 1:01:30 – cosmicskeptic
– 1:01:47 – neurodivergence
– 1:02:23 – philosophy as rationalization
– 1:04:30 – psychoanalysis; Zizek
– 1:04:36 – trans people who don’t pass
– 1:07:08 – individualist epistemology
1:08:28 – Onion – scientific anti-realism and black holes
1:12:48 – ostihpem – goosebumps
1:13:55 – Pauly_99 – what do the 🔴 videos mean?
1:15:27 – Pine Cone – autism
1:15:51 – RadicOmega – why am I a physicalist/atheist?
1:19:58 – Reyna Singh – F, marry, kill: Nietzsche, Lao Tzu, Kant
1:21:52 – Richard Sia – cosmological arguments
1:27:08 – RoneTheGreat – metaphysics
1:30:08 – saint45 – Parfit’s metaethics
1:35:08 – Samuel Hill – noncognitivism and the Frege-Geach problem
1:41:22 – SAPERE AUDE – most important problem in philosophy
1:43:32 – scrobbles by DJ GUNBOUND – nothingness
1:49:10 – Seb M – Kant’s metaphysics
1:54:00 – shahid sultan – why am I so sensitive?
1:55:36 – Shadow T_T – epistemic regress problem
1:57:15 – Silas Abrahamsen – semantic nihilism
2:00:18 – Silvannetwork – Marxism
2:00:40 – sisyphus – favourite books
2:02:08 – skin san – suicide
2:03:15 – skube – debunking transphobic arguments
– 2:08:18 – capitalism vs socialism
– 2:09:09 – counterintuitive conclusions
2:13:11 – Stan S – nothingness
2:20:14 – Straw Egg – favourite youtube channel
2:21:34 – string theory – what is a belief?
2:23:49 – StunningCurrency – expressivism or error theory?
2:27:25 – Szilveszter Forgo – antinatalism
2:29:38 – T K – veganism (see response to MofoWoW)
2:31:27 – tabtyper – enjoying pain
2:37:17 – TheGlenn8 – furries
2:38:25 – TheJosh12694 – death or immortality?
2:41:36 – Till Le Maignan-Durand – Plotinus
2:42:32 – Tudor Mărginean – language
2:43:40 – Turk Baykal – why am I not Christian?
2:47:01 – Under stand – truth and logic
2:50:46 – Unstable PC – science
2:53:38 – Uri Katz – Parfit (see response to saint45)
2:56:26 – V. Tomazoni – AI
2:58:06 – Victor Barcellos – study routine
3:00:36 – Watcher – principle of explosion
3:03:29 – Wayne Rossi – destruction?
– 3:03:49 – most fruitful problem and least fruitful problem
3:06:47 – Will Dempsey – PhD advice
3:11:08 – William – Johnny Sins
3:12:14 – William Zuo – personal identity
3:13:40 – WizardSkyth – downloading or uploading?
3:14:24 – Wodan Burns – philosophy of law
3:14:34 – Yasemin Aydın – do I like youtube?
3:16:15 – YASSIR EL – where to start with analytic philosophy
3:18:44 – yzy szn – noncognitivism about art
– 3:19:20 – Wittgenstein
– 3:23:45 – GA Cohen
3:24:25 – zeebPC – name the trait
3:26:54 – Zeus Coleback – standards for behaviour
3:28:19 – Ziad Mahmoud – books
– 3:29:44 – metaphysics

AMA Responses, Part 1

Kane B 2023-06-06 | 0:00 – ꧁ ۞《 𝒯𝓊𝒷𝒶𝓁 𝒞𝒶𝒾𝓃 》۞ ꧂ – antinatalism
6:26 – 13part – St Petersburg paradox; logic
9:31 – A E – quantified modal logic
11:19 – AAAAAAAAAAAA – life advice
14:17 – AC – do mountains exist?
– 17:40 – why do scientists like Popper?
20:11 – Ada Fas – why did I delete the neckbeard videos?
21:03 – Ahmed Ragab – best and worst arguments for God
– 25:06 – why do I lean towards idealism?
28:35 – Alex Ksyniuk – clarity and novelty
30:39 – Alfred Adler – antirealism about natural selection
36:32 – Allusionsxp – modal realism
38:04 – AnalyticMinded – Liar paradox
41:41 – Arthas – discord
42:31 – Athony Allen – pragmatism
51:08 – baZ pretty cute – why am I an antirealist?
54:17 – ben zur – why am I not skeptical of skepticism?
58:40 – Ben.14p – why not judge beliefs by the way a person lives?
1:00:46 – Big OL – metaphysical grounding
1:06:43 – Björn Alvinge – why be moral?
1:11:00 – Bob Tom – international cooperation
1:12:40 – Boulanger – unalive
1:12:48 – c – noncognitivism about philosophy
– 1:15:18 – rationality; belief
– 1:18:39 – van Fraassen on the ego
– 1:21:10 – skepticism; empirical evidence
1:21:56 – Сакен Кужамсугуров – favourite movies and books
1:23:15 – carlos rodriguez – meritocracy
1:23:36 – CG – instruments
1:25:20 – Chocodrum03 – beer
1:26:21 – Christopher Mora – pragmatism – see response to Athony Allen
1:26:39 – Cobaj – undergrad in philosophy
1:27:42 – D1 – self-introduction
1:29:11 – Daniel M – deprivation account of death
1:31:06 – Dark – old earth creationism
1:35:27 – Darwin 27 – changing my mind; moral antirealism
1:38:16 – David Öhrström – rationality
1:41:38 – Dominic – philosophy of science
1:44:28 – Edu Dam – political philosophy; the direction of the world
1:48:05 – Emmanuel Perez – consciousness and matter
1:51:22 – Entertainment Maker – perplexing views; theory of language
– 1:52:33 – cigarettes
1:57:08 – Félix Mugot – favourite philosophers
1:57:59 – Forbes Beckum – biblical criticism
1:58:24 – Freedom Club – heaven plan
1:59:15 – Fritz – principle of sufficient reason
– 2:04:21 – Kaczynski on leftists
2:06:27 – Fyodor Slepov – willpower
2:10:15 – ghuthguhd – animals; travelling
2:12:34 – Gottfried Leibniz – Davidson’s critique of the scheme/content distinction
2:18:21 – gugugu gugu – unjustified assumptions in philosophy
2:22:10 – HegelsMonster – small channels
2:23:03 – hi hello – real life friends
2:26:08 – Hugo B. – guest appearances
2:26:52 – Ikari7704 – Hacking’s manipulation argument
2:31:41 – Inventive Harvest – memes
2:32:12 – Italozazen projects – voter’s paradox
2:35:57 – Jacques Rossier – neoliberalism
2:40:07 – Jason Push – effective altruism
2:41:41 – JGD – David Lewis
2:42:34 – Johannes Heinle – John Dupre
– 2:47:38 – my most controversial opinion
2:48:57 – Jon Rogers – apples
2:49:11 – Jonas Jensen – trolley problem; wacky positions; infants
2:51:24 – josh – Pokemon
2:51:34 – José González – Nietzsche
2:52:39 – JTG21 – strongest argument for moral realism
2:57:16 – Juan Diego Naranjo – success of science
2:59:15 – just another Homo sapian – Lamar or West
2:59:27 – Justus – idealism
– 3:03:48 – mother
3:04:00 – KaneqHomme – why don’t I believe in God?
3:07:13 – Karl Covella – collabs
3:08:04 – Khaosstyx – dreams
3:10:00 – Krak – AI art
– 3:15:03 – Rawls vs communitarianism
3:18:41 – Krusader2976 – strongest argument for scientific antirealism
3:22:09 – Kugelblitzed – laws of nature
– 3:33:08 – metaethics
– 3:41:47 – logical problem of evil
– 3:46:48 – learning philosophy

The Track Record Argument for Utilitarianism

Kane B 2023-06-01 | Utilitarianism has a strikingly good track record: utilitarians in previous centuries made moral claims that were considered outrageous at the time, but which have since become widely accepted. Is this a reason to believe utilitarianism?

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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My Discord: discord.gg/RUjwFdDDtK

0:00 - Introduction
1:00 - The track record argument for utilitarianism
5:55 - What did early utilitarians believe?
9:55 - Theories vs theorists
15:25 - Why does a track record matter?
18:23 - The circularity problem
23:38 - Roads to moral knowledge

Taking the Philosopher Personality Test

Kane B 2023-05-29 | In this video, I talk about myself for an hour.

The test: idrlabs.com/philosopher-personality/test.php

0:00 - Introduction
0:48 - "I make use of long chains of arguments..."
3:44 - "Our minds can never comprehend reality..."
5:17 - "Beautiful language is not important..."
7:03 - "My view of life is often misunderstood"
7:28 - "Animals are better..."
7:40 - "There is a clear right and wrong..."
8:25 - "I shock people by saying offensive things"
13:28 - "Good writing must be beautiful"
13:50 - "Only the highest humans interest me"
16:28 - "Absence of pain is better than presence of pleasure"
19:05 - "Crazy questions"
19:40 - "We can never know with certainty"
21:33 - "I stir up controversy for its own sake"
22:43 - "Base desires are vulgar"
23:44 - "I confront people who challenge me"
25:48 - "People need to be controlled"
26:03 - "People fuss too much over banal problems"
28:19 - "I shock people with crass actions"
28:53 - "Measurement is better than pie-in-the-sky thinking"
32:27 - "Wise people avoid power and fame"
37:02 - "Beauty is proof of a transcendent world"
40:16 - "Most people can't think for themselves"
41:14 - "I have a flair for controversy"
41:34 - "Attraction leads to bad situations"
42:51 - "The mind is like a machine"
44:21 - "People think I am harsher than I am"
45:15 - "The best insight is gained..."
46:36 - "I am a creature of habit"
47:43 - "Simple pleasures are the best"
49:09 - "I mock people..."
49:35 - "Evil people are merely ignorant..."
50:53 - "Moral saints are lesser beings"
53:33 - "I mock religious beliefs"
55:01 - "The highest truths are not rational..."
57:25 - "Concern for objective truth is weakness"
1:01:33 - Results

Scientific Representation: A Dilemma for Realism

Kane B 2023-05-26 | Individualism or non-representation?

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Scientific realism
1:21 - Truth and representation
4:50 - Indeterminacy of representation
12:45 - Individual usage
14:35 - A dilemma: individualism or non-representation?

Why Trust Experts?

Kane B 2023-05-20 | Many of our beliefs about the world are based on what we are told by experts. But why trust what the experts say? This video introduces some of the problems with trusting expert testimony.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/kanebaker91

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My Discord: discord.gg/RUjwFdDDtK

0:00 - Introduction
1:32 - The reliability argument
12:17 - Who are the experts?
13:45 - Evidence and arguments
20:03 - Agreement from other experts
22:11 - Meta-experts
25:13 - Bias and deceit
40:06 - Track records
48:54 - Values
53:10 - Non-expert testimony

Debating moral realism

Kane B 2023-05-17 | I was recently invited to discuss moral realism by the youtuber Bilosophy:
youtube.com/@bilosophy1504

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - introduction
4:15 - appealing to the moral skeptic
7:51 - stance-independent reasons and desire-independent reasons
11:48 - what are reasons?
23:44: arguing for desire-independent reasons
29:13 - the possibility of moral knowledge
38:20 - subjective goodness and objective goodness
45:04 - seeking moral knowledge
49:08 - will seeking moral knowledge help you find moral knowledge?
1:00:52 - seeking moral knowledge through arguments
1:13:23 - seeking moral knowledge using many methods
1:42:32 - is this a desire-independent reason?
1:46:44 - would the moral facts motivate me?
1:53:31 - end

Metaethics - Moral Deference

Kane B 2023-05-10 | This video outlines the moral deference problem for moral realism, plus some potential realist responses.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
1:30 - The puzzle of moral deference
7:13 - Explaining the deference datum
12:22 - Trivial facts
14:53 - Expertise
18:12 - Knowledge-how
27:45 - Trouble for antirealism?
32:42 - Rejecting the deference datum

Schopenhauers Pessimism

Kane B 2023-05-04 | "Everything in life proclaims that earthly happiness is destined to be frustrated, or recognized as an illusion. The grounds for this lie deep in the nature of things..."

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
0:36 - Phenomena/noumena
4:27 - Knowing the thing-in-itself
11:28 - World as Will
19:34 - Will and suffering
30:21 - Pleasure as privation
36:48 - Objections

Against Gettier cases

Kane B 2023-04-29 | 0:00 - What is knowledge?
1:24 - Gettier cases
6:17 - Why most Gettier cases don't work
15:35 - Inescapability of counterintuitive consequences
23:21 - Why analyze knowledge?

Epistemic Minimalism

Kane B 2023-04-20 | According to epistemic minimalism, knowledge is mere true belief; no other conditions are required. This video outlines the motivation for epistemic minimalism and discusses some objections.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
0:38 - What is knowledge?
4:49 - Epistemic minimalism
5:47 - Sartwell cases
12:24 - Why do we care about justification?
16:04 - Objections to Sartwell cases
26:48 - The argument from inquiry
35:41 - Means and ends
38:32 - Justification as an intrinsic value
41:50 - Incoherence?

The Knowability Paradox

Kane B 2023-04-14 | This video outlines the knowability paradox, one of the central challenges for antirealist theories of truth.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
0:37 - Theories of truth
9:45 - Knowability
The knowability paradox:
13:15 - The basic idea
16:18 - More formally
20:28 - The complete argument

Metaphysics - Carnap on Ontology

Kane B 2023-04-10 | This video outlines Rudolf Carnap's deflationary approach to ontological questions, presented in his article "Empiricism, Semantics, and Ontology", then discusses some challenges to the Carnapian approach.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
2:48 - Linguistic frameworks
6:27 - Internal and external questions
12:33 - Pragmatic-external vs factual-external
17:52 - Objects, properties, etc
25:48 - Fictionalism
32:41 - Conflicting frameworks
41:05 - Norms for selecting frameworks
47:34 - The regress problem

The Problem of Other Minds

Kane B 2023-04-03 | How can I know that other people have minds? This video outlines the skeptical challenge to belief in other minds then considers three attempts to justify the belief: the argument from analogy, behaviour, and inference to the best explanation.

I offer private tutoring in philosophy. For details please email me: kanebaker91@gmail.com

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0:00 - Introduction
2:32 - Two skeptical challenges
6:37 - The argument from analogy
10:16 - Objections to the argument from analogy
25:38 - Behaviourism
31:28 - Objections to behaviourism
35:36 - Inference to the best explanation
39:35 - Objections to best explanation

In Praise of Uselessness

Kane B 2023-03-28 | Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.

0:00 - practicalism
3:45 - what is uselessness?
6:19 - philosophy for philosophy's sake
11:50 - truth vs utility
18:45 - impractical practicalism
21:55 - public philosophy

Aesthetic Realism vs Moral Realism

Kane B 2023-03-20 | This video outlines aesthetic realism and suggests that aesthetic realism is at least as plausible as moral realism.

0:00 - Realisms, aesthetic and moral
4:41 - Motivating aesthetic realism
Why aesthetic realism might be on better footing
11:08 - Aesthetic oughts
19:19 - Aesthetic values as theoretical virtues
26:12 - The scope of aesthetic value
Why is moral realism more appealing?
33:31 - Morality matters more
37:46 - Dependence on perceptual capacities

The Personite Problem

Kane B 2023-03-12 | For every person, there are countless personites. It seems that if persons matter, then so do personites. But this raises serious challenges to ordinary moral thinking.

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0:00 - Introduction
0:40 - Personites
3:00 - Moral status
8:39 - Practical reason
19:25 - Interactions with others
22:07 - Do personites exist?
29:30 - Maximality
30:59 - Dependence
35:18 - Ethics without persons

Indeterminacy of Meaning

Kane B 2023-03-08 | This video outlines Quine's arguments for the indeterminacy of translation.

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0:00 - Introduction
1:37 - Radical translation
6:13 - Translation and meaning
15:04 - The argument from below
30:36 - The argument from above

The Evil Demon

Kane B 2023-02-28 | Why we should take the evil demon hypothesis seriously.

0:00 - skepticism and the evil demon
1:41 - taking skeptical hypotheses seriously
3:47 - arguments for a creator
6:11 - pain and suffering
10:41 - the deceptive world
14:55 - deception resistance as a pragmatic virtue
22:48 - conclusion

Skepticism vs Externalism

Kane B 2023-02-22 | One of the purported benefits of externalism in epistemology is that it provides a straightforward response to skepticism. This video outlines the externalist response and then discusses the challenge that externalism makes knowledge too easy.

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0:00 - Introduction
0:46 - Externalism
6:41 - Defeating skepticism?
Objections
15:08 - Non-response
17:32 - A conditional response
20:35 - Circularity
27:23 - Companions in guilt 1
29:16 - Companions in guilt 2
34:34 - Dialectical inefficiency
39:37 - Brute intuition

Do abstract objects exist?

Kane B 2023-02-14 | Yes (😉).

0:00 - intro
1:57 - taking concrete for granted
4:26 - challenges for ordinary objects
9:28 - constructing concrete
11:57 - abstraction
15:45 - the abstract in the concrete

AMA responses, part 2

Kane B 2023-02-11 | 0:00 – MC – favourite films
3:22 – momentum – titles
3:50 – Muba – imagery of ages
– 5:05 – subjective time dilation
– 8:15 – ordering food
– 8:34 – success of others
– 8:45 – how do I heat my room?
– 8:55 – how many languages do I speak?
– 9:00 – enjoyment of learning
– 9:32 – daydreaming
– 10:06 – imposter syndrome
– 10:31 – optimization
– 10:49 – sleep schedule
– 11:51 – procrastination
12:51 – Nicolas Giaconia – solipsism
– 15:36 – abstract objects
– 22:18 – understanding solutions to problems
– 23:26 – particle qualia
– 27:20 – other traditions
– 27:30 – instruments
– 28:15 – Bostrom
– psychedelics [see part 1, answer to Boulanger]
– 28:34 – debate
28:57 – Noah – karma
– 29:34 – causation and expectation
– 34:06 – fascism and skepticism
40:15 – Noriac – conservative views of relationships
48:10 – OBGynKenobi – am I a nominalist? [see response to Nicolas Giaconia on abstract objects]
48:36 – Onion – is philosophy a failure?
55:59 – Pacificl L – what if everything exists?
1:02:18 – Plastic – knowing one thing without a doubt
1:02:39 – Push – methanol
1:02:52 – QuestionQuanderer – what assumptions are required to do philosophy?
1:06:31 – Richard Sia – AI and understanding
1:10:31 – Sai – realism about psychological objects
1:14:20 – Secular70 – dilemma for relativism
1:18:14 – Siegbert Pseudo – Nietzsche
– 1:19:07 – free will
– 1:19:12 – vasectomy
– 1:22:29 – what can be known for certain
– 1:24:29 – which philosopher do I share most views with?
– 1:28:24 – political views
1:29:12 – Stanley Evans – are you obliged to save a drowning child?
1:35:30 – The Aspiring Humanist – existential inertia
1:39:58 – The Piano Man – utility of philosophy in daily life?
1:46:01 – TheGlenn8 – semantic arguments
– 1:50:04 – dishonest debate tactics
1:54:51 – Theo Camp – grounding in metaphysics
1:59:36 – Under Stand – god
1:59:43 – vlassius – intelligent alien life
2:02:10 – yzy szn – modal antirealism
2:02:58 – Xob Driesestig – overrated and underrated topics
2:09:00 – Wodan Burns – philosophy of law
2:09:52 – ZeRealityHD – favourite music

AMA responses, part 1

Kane B 2023-02-11 | 0:00 – היבול החדש של הגברים – god
3:58 – AC – suicide
5:25 – Alex Parks – note-taking
7:42 – ame – what doth life?
7:50 – Animore – empiricism and innate ideas
14:26 – Athony Allen – fitting attitude theories
17:32 – attack dog – abortion
19:56 – Ben – Stirner
27:07 – Boarders – antirealism and the past
– 30:33 – weirdness in culture
33:05 – Boulanger – psychedelics and philosophy
37:03 – c – indifference towards politics and voting
– 41:17 – rights
– 41:35 – God
– 42:01 – moral theorizing for antirealists
44:59 – CASYAN – 20 again
45:34 – Dolores Zhang – death
46:18 – Dominic – studying modal logic
48:20 – Drag0 7878 – numbers
48:59 – Edgar Qer – god and moral value
– 51:43 – moral error theory
– 55:57 – eating fish
56:15 – Emmanuel Perez – time
59:03 – Exalted Citharode – skepticism
– 1:03:51 – psychologism
– 1:10:50 – ontology of rules
1:12:20 – Frozen Tomb – Stirner
– 1:15:44 – magic mushrooms
– 1:15:47 – Richard Rorty
– 1:16:58 – Taoism
1:18:13 – Furniture Kanon of Ushiromiya – terror management theory
1:18:28 – Giraffe – Taoism [see response to Frozen Tomb]
1:18:34 – HarmonicaLuke – Agrippa’s trilemma
1:22:34 – Helvetica Neptune – backpacking
1:25:12 – Himalayan Tongue-tied Verisimilitude
1:25:34 – Human Evolution – beard
– 1:25:48 – Stoics
1:26:22 – Inventive Harvest – Lakatos
1:35:22 – Jacques – why does your audience hate me?
1:40:32 – Jayan Amandakone – Aumann's agreement theorem
– 1:45:25 – rationalist movement
1:46:12 – Jobin Biju – Singer’s drowning child
1:51:10 – Josh Schultz – moral error theory
1:56:22 – Julio C Silva – Reality+
1:59:25 – Log – discussions/debates
1:59:39 – Majesty of Reason – favourite philosopher of science
2:02:45 – Marco Acuna – what percentage of the books have I read?
2:02:55 – Maze – time and antinatalism

Putnams Argument Against Skepticism

Kane B 2023-02-03 | This video outlines Hilary Putnam's argument that I cannot conceive that I am a brain in a vat.

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0:00 - Skepticism
2:40 - Reference and meaning
12:20 - Brains in a vat
20:45 - Could I be a brain in a vat?
Objections
26:00 - Against externalism
29:09 - Real brains and real vats
32:02 - Other skeptical hypotheses
36:38 - Skepticism strengthened?

Realism in Art

Kane B 2023-01-28 | This video outlines some challenges to the notion of realistic representation in artworks.

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0:00 - Introduction
1:50 - Feature selection
9:02 - The innocent eye
15:49 - Perspective
25:01 - Realism and information

Dreams vs Reality

Kane B 2023-01-23 | What if dream worlds are real worlds?

0:00 - What we do in the shadow worlds
4:16 - Physicalism and causal closure
10:41 - Continuity and coherence
15:20 - Simplicity
18:28 - Worlds intertwined
22:40 - Dreaming as imagination

The Limits of Logic

Kane B 2023-01-16 | What happens to logic when we turn from truth to approximate truth?

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0:00 - deductive logic
3:11 - approximate truth
10:27 - indeterminate concepts

🔴

Kane B 2023-01-12 | 🔴

Unbelievable Theories

Kane B 2023-01-08 | This video outlines the view that there might be theories that are true, and for which we can give sound arguments, but that cannot be believed. See Bart Streumer's book "Unbelievable Errors".

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0:00 - Introduction
0:51 - Normative error theory
3:31 - What is belief?
11:34 - Why we cannot believe error theory
13:20 - Is unbelievability a problem?
15:52 - Moorean paradoxes
21:32 - Reflective equilibrium
31:16 - How unbelievability can strengthen a theory

What is Reality?

Kane B 2023-01-03 | This video outlines several answers to the question, "what is reality?"

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0:00 - Introduction
1:05 - Existence
9:44 - Casual powers
16:47 - Mind-independence
19:42 - Non-illusoriness
24:29 - Pragmatism

In Praise of Self-Refutation

Kane B 2022-12-28 | Interesting philosophy sometimes destroys itself.

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Metaethics - The Ontological Argument

Kane B 2022-12-23 | This video outlines the ontological argument for moral realism, given by Michael Huemer in "An Ontological Proof of Moral Realism".

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0:00 - Introduction
6:33 - The Probabilistic Reasons Principle
13:21 - The Anti-Torture Argument
30:29 - Objective Moral Reasons

Answering the Science vs Religion Compass

Kane B 2022-12-19 | sciencereligioncompass.org

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The Hard Problem of Everything

Kane B 2022-12-15 | Science can't fully explain consciousness, but it can't fully explain anything else either.

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0:00 - the hard problem of consciousness
3:24 - explanatory projects beyond science
10:34 - constitutive connections
17:08 - escaping the "why?" regress

Philosophy Without Justification

Kane B 2022-12-09 | There is no justification, but there is nothing irrational about holding beliefs without justification.

Why Believe Physicalism?

Kane B 2022-12-02 | This video outlines some of the arguments in favour of physicalism.

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0:00 - Introduction
3:18 - The explanatory argument
14:11 - Causal closure
31:01 - Simplicity
37:47 - Methodological naturalism

-- Melnyk, Andrew. (1994). "Being a physicalist: How and (more importantly) why." Philosophical Studies 74(2): 221-241.
-- Papineau, David. (2001). "The rise of physicalism." In Physicalism and its Discontents, eds. Carl Gillett and Barry Loewer: 3-36. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
-- Russell, Bertrand. (1913). "On the notion of cause." Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 13: 1-26.
-- Norton, John. (2003). "Causation as folk science." Philosophers' Imprint 3(4): 1-22.
-- Seager, William. (2014). "Why physicalism?" Mind and Matter 12(2): 143-195.

What is a physical property?

Kane B 2022-11-28 | Many philosophers endorse physicalism, the view that everything is physical. But what is a physical property?

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0:00 - Physicalism
1:53 - Physical theory
10:11 - Ostensive definition
19:53 - Naturalistic explanation
25:08 - Is physicalism a monism?

Challenges to Folk Psychology

Kane B 2022-11-20 | The video outlines challenges to the view that "folk psychology", the attribution of propositional attitudes such as beliefs and desires to predict and explain behaviour, plays a central role in social coordination. I am drawing primarily on the work of Jose Luis Bermudez and Matthew Ratcliffe.

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0:00 - Folk psychology
Social cognition without folk psychology
6:48 - Heuristic strategies
15:42 - Social scripts
What's wrong with folk psychology?
22:43 - Computational complexity
26:38 - Holism
29:45 - Meta-representation
33:48 - Attitudes beyond folk psychology
39:10 - Vacuity
Conclusion
43:00 - Consequences

-- Bermudez, Jose Luis. (2004). Philosophy of Psychology: A Contemporary Introduction. New York: Routledge.
-- Bermudez, Jose Luis. (2005). "Arguing for eliminativism." In Paul Churchland: Contemporary Philosophy in Focus, ed. Brian L. Keeley: 32:65. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
-- Morton, Adam. (1996). "Folk psychology is not a predictive device." Mind 105(417): 119-137.
-- Ratcliffe, Matthew. (2007). Rethinking Commonsense Psychology. London: Palgrave Macmillan.