HeyJaredBrain in a Vat
Thought experiments and conversations with philosophers. Hosted by Dr Jason Werbeloff and Mark Oppenheimer.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 5
- Latest publication
- Sep 23, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 28, 2026
Latest episodes
The Truth About Honesty, Lies, and Deception | Christian Miller (opens the original)
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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 considers these questions through cases involving deepfakes, delusion, infidelity, and our obligations to tell the truth. Chapters: [00:00] Introducing Christian Miller [00:29] The Nazi at the Door [07:17] Honesty or Compassion [14:24] The Importance o
The Costs of Open Borders | Lionel Shriver (opens the original)
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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 a thought experiment about immigration and humanitarian obligations. Shriver examines the arguments for and against open borders, as well as challenges surrounding assimilation and national identity. She also considers what happens when abstract comm
The Man Who Exposed Jason Arday: Cancelled at Cambridge | Nathan Cofnas (opens the original)
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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 departure from Cambridge. Cofnas argues that universities create incentives for academics to conform, particularly when scholarship challenges prevailing political and moral assumptions. He recounts the backlash to his writing on race and intelligen
Free Speech, Schools, and Children | Jimmy Mullen (opens the original)
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Former Brain in a Vat producer Jimmy Mullen returns to discuss free speech in schools, exploring how educational institutions should balance student expression with their responsibility to maintain an environment conducive to learning. Drawing on constitutional law and landmark cases on student free speech, the conversation explores viewpoint neutrality, the role of political disagreement in education, and the limits of school authority. It ultimately considers how schools can prepare children t
Sexual Ethics on Campus: Consent and Power | Colin McGinn (opens the original)
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Colin McGinn joins to discuss sexual ethics on campus. Drawing on thought experiments and his own experiences in academia, McGinn argues that universities too often conflate harassment with consensual relationships while overstating the role of power imbalances. He explains why he believes current policies can undermine academic freedom, due process, and the proper limits of institutional authority. Chapters: [00:00] Introduction [00:16] A Thought Experiment [08:19] Microenticements [12:09] Hara
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