What exactly makes us feel disgusted? Is disgust for a person or group ever justified? And is disgust useful, or should we try to eliminate it?

Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction to Disgust and Cognitive Content

[00:11] Paul Rosen's Experiments on Disgust

[02:16] Disgust and Its Connection to Animality and Mortality

[03:05] Projective Disgust and Social Implications

[05:06] Disgust in Legal Theory and Practice

[08:00] Personal Anecdotes on Disgust and Social Change

[11:18] Disgust Towards Transphobia and Body Malleability

[13:24] Disgust in Art and Pornography

[22:17] Disgust, Fear, and Contamination

[23:13] Overcoming Disgust and Social Progress

[29:49] Caste and Disgust in India and America

[31:45] Tagore's Critique of Caste and Disgust

[35:02] Progress and Challenges in LGBTQ+ Rights

[43:07] The Role of Disgust in Political and Social Issues

[52:45] Age Discrimination and Societal Attitudes

Check out FeedSpot's list of 90 best philosophy podcasts, where Brain in a Vat is ranked at 15, here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/philosophy_podcasts/

What does it mean to be patriotic, or to love your country? Some argue that patriotism is virtuous because it allows us to transcend our selfish needs and act for the good of our community. But others argue that patriotism is overly narrow-minded, arbitrary and sometimes immoral.

Microdigressions Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@Micro-Digressions

Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction to Brain Nevada

[00:27] Exploring John Lennon's 'Imagine'

[01:11] Critique of Utopian Ideals

[01:52] Possessions and National Identities

[05:44] The Role of Security Companies

[06:19] Metaphysics of Property and Groups

[11:58] Patriotism and Fictional Nations

[15:07] Patriotic Love and Social Constructs

[17:44] Allegiance and National Identity

[23:34] Rationality of Patriotism

[29:09] Patriotism Post-9/11: Sentiment and Criticism

[30:56] Moral Conflicts in Patriotism

[34:28] Patriotism and Unjust Wars

[40:00] Loyalty and Its Limits

[44:09] Patriotism in Historical Contexts

[47:28] The Invisible Hand

[49:23] Patriotism in a Globalized World

[56:09] The Future of Nation States and Global Culture

[58:55] Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Brain in a Vat, Georgi Gardiner returns to explore the epistemic value of tarot: its capacity to shape self-understanding, spark creative reflection, and influence major life decisions.

Drawing on personal experience and philosophical analysis, Georgi examines how tarot can serve as a mirror for introspection while also raising concerns about confirmation bias and self-deception. The discussion also considers the history and diversity of tarot practices, and compares tarot with artificial intelligence as a tool for navigating uncertainty and meaning.

Whether you are a skeptic, a believer, or somewhere in between, this conversation offers a thoughtful examination of how we seek knowledge and what counts as a good reason to believe.

[00:00] Introduction and Guest Welcome

[00:11] Georgie's Personal Journey with Tarot

[00:51] The Impact of Tarot on Decision Making

[11:50] The Epistemic Value of Tarot

[28:22] Potential Criticisms of Tarot

[31:28] The Five Waves of Tarot History

[38:29] Confirmation Bias and Flipping the Reading

[42:25] Comparing Tarot and AI in Epistemology

[44:09] The Role of Tarot in Education and Research

[59:01] Concluding Thoughts