Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Lance Bush returns to the channel to discuss the need for empirical research in philosophy, whether philosophers even want to find the answers to their questions, and, of course, phenomenal conservatism (which is true, btw).
This interview is also available as a podcast:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/91-philosophers-dont-want-to-solve-philosophy-and/id1776277450?i=1000776496322
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7Eh2UrP1b15YcSuvSWEnAe?si=0109f94559364fa7
Substack: open.substack.com/pub/mileskdonahue/p/91-philosophers-dont-want-to-solve?r=1pf1v9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Check out my Substack where you can get a paid membership because you're awesome: mileskdonahue.substack.com
To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating via Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/mileskdonahue.
Follow me on X: twitter.com/PhilosopherMKD
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:12 Common mistakes in student writing
00:06:54 Brevity and writing as a craft
00:09:34 Why Lance pursued psychology over philosophy
00:13:58 Studying moral language empirically
00:20:03 What psychology reveals about philosophical practice
00:24:59 A pragmatic theory of meaning
00:31:22 Does philosophy differ from science?
00:43:37 Why philosophers disagree
00:47:40 Could philosophy ever be solved?
00:56:31 Bias and the David Enoch debate
01:00:31 Competing philosophical starting points
01:05:58 Heterodox views and accusations of contrarianism
01:08:43 Debate mistakes and the possibility of a rematch
01:11:46 Michael Huemer and future conversations
01:13:39 Phenomenal conservatism
01:16:22 Epistemic blank checks
01:20:03 Defeaters and the psychology of seemings
01:24:57 Pragmatism and philosophical goals
Lance Bush returns to the channel to discuss the need for empirical research in philosophy, whether philosophers even want to find the answers to their questions, and, of course, phenomenal conservatism (which is true, btw).
This interview is also available as a podcast:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/91-philosophers-dont-want-to-solve-philosophy-and/id1776277450?i=1000776496322
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7Eh2UrP1b15YcSuvSWEnAe?si=0109f94559364fa7
Substack: open.substack.com/pub/mileskdonahue/p/91-philosophers-dont-want-to-solve?r=1pf1v9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Check out my Substack where you can get a paid membership because you're awesome: mileskdonahue.substack.com
To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating via Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/mileskdonahue.
Follow me on X: twitter.com/PhilosopherMKD
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:12 Common mistakes in student writing
00:06:54 Brevity and writing as a craft
00:09:34 Why Lance pursued psychology over philosophy
00:13:58 Studying moral language empirically
00:20:03 What psychology reveals about philosophical practice
00:24:59 A pragmatic theory of meaning
00:31:22 Does philosophy differ from science?
00:43:37 Why philosophers disagree
00:47:40 Could philosophy ever be solved?
00:56:31 Bias and the David Enoch debate
01:00:31 Competing philosophical starting points
01:05:58 Heterodox views and accusations of contrarianism
01:08:43 Debate mistakes and the possibility of a rematch
01:11:46 Michael Huemer and future conversations
01:13:39 Phenomenal conservatism
01:16:22 Epistemic blank checks
01:20:03 Defeaters and the psychology of seemings
01:24:57 Pragmatism and philosophical goals
