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Join Matt, Shawn, and Marc on the Latter-day Lens podcast for a lively and thought-provoking discussion that spans centuries and tackles complex moral questions.

In this episode, we kick off with a fascinating dive into Colonial Heritage Festivals and Revolutionary War reenactment, as Marc shares his experiences representing the 33rd Regiment of Foot. Learn what makes these historical events so unique and how they differ from a Renaissance Faire.

Then, the conversation shifts to modern-day ethical dilemmas. We tackle the intriguing "thought provoker": What would you do if a loved one escaped from jail? The hosts explore the complexities of family loyalty versus upholding the law, debating the concepts of malum in se and malum prohibitum.

Next, we delve into the controversial topic of presidential pardons. We discuss recent pardons granted by President Trump, including the case of NBA Youngboy, and examine the arguments for and against the executive power of clemency. Do victims have a valid point when pardons are issued? We explore historical examples and the potential for abuse of this significant presidential authority.

Finally, we address a timely issue for BYU football fans: the dilemma surrounding a civil lawsuit filed against BYU's quarterback regarding a sexual assault claim and its implications for the BYU Honor Code. Should the university jeopardize its football season by expelling a key player based on an accusation?

Tune in for an engaging debate on justice, mercy, personal responsibility, and institutional integrity, all through a Latter-day Lens.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Colonial Festivals
02:57 Family Loyalty and Legal Dilemmas
06:01 Pardons and Justice in Politics
22:06 The Complexity of Presidential Pardons
24:40 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Pardons
25:08 BYU's Honor Code Dilemma
32:00 Authority and Accountability in Politics
42:59 The Role of Faith in Political Decisions

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This week on the Latter-day Lens, hosts Matt and Sean dive into hot-button topics that spark lively debate.

First, they tackle recent research suggesting that college can actually make students more conservative depending on their major. Is it the professors, the self-selection of students, or something else entirely? Matt and Sean explore the implications of this finding and debate whether parents should guide their kids toward specific majors to influence their political views. They also discuss the broader purpose of higher education and whether academic research like this is helpful or harmful.

Then, the conversation shifts to a contentious question: Is it wrong to call nostalgia for certain periods of the past "racism"? Matt and Sean unpack the complexities of historical memory, the celebration of figures like Civil War generals, and the ongoing debate about the meaning and impact of racism in modern society. They challenge each other to define what constitutes racism and discuss the potential dangers of diluting the term.

Finally, in The Big Question segment, Matt shares insights from his interview with Justice Tom Griffith, an appellate court justice on the D.C. Court of Appeals. They discuss the impartiality of judges and the character of Supreme Court justices, including anecdotes about Justices Sotomayor and Kagan. This leads to a reflection on whether to err on the side of mercy when judging politicians and how to be better missionaries, inspired by Justice Griffith's example of inviting Supreme Court justices to a temple open house.

Keywords
college majors, political ideology, parental influence, racism, nostalgia, California demographics, education, social sciences, conservatism, liberalism, Russia, Ukraine, Trump, democracy, Supreme Court, judicial impartiality, missionary work, bias, skepticism, global politics

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Nostalgia for the Past
02:52 The Impact of College Majors on Political Ideology
10:04 Parental Influence on Political Beliefs
14:44 Racism and Nostalgia in Politics
21:50 California's Demographic Changes and Racism
27:20 The Dangers of Diluting Racism
30:27 Cherry Picking Evidence and Bias in Perspectives
31:15 The Ongoing Conflict: Russia and Ukraine
33:08 Ukraine's Path to Democracy and Freedom
35:12 Trump's Stance on Russia and Global Politics
37:11 Europe's Role in Supporting Ukraine
38:55 Insights from Justice Tom Griffith
40:12 Judicial Impartiality and Influence
43:08 The Humanity of Supreme Court Justices
44:55 Erring on the Side of Mercy in Judgment
46:44 Skepticism Towards Power and Authority
52:05 The Importance of Missionary Work
55:14 Inviting Others to Experience Faith
58:49 Teasing Future Projects and Content

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In this intellectually stimulating episode, Matt, Shawn, and Melanie explore complex intersections of politics, education, immigration policy, and artificial intelligence ethics. Our discussion examines vocational education's resurgence, controversial refugee policies, presidential decision-making, and the emergence

Education Policy Debate High schools across America are forming strategic partnerships with employers to prepare students for lucrative skilled trades, with companies actively recruiting before graduation due to workforce shortages created by retiring baby boomers. These revitalized vocational programs enable graduates to earn $50,000-$75,000 annually without college debt. We consider whether American secondary education has overemphasized college preparation at the expense of alternative career pathways.

Immigration Ethics and Policy The Trump administration has implemented an executive order allowing entry to 59 White South African Afrikaners as refugees while maintaining broader refugee program suspensions. This selective policy has provoked significant institutional opposition, including the Episcopal Church's withdrawal from government partnership. We analyze whether prioritizing this specific demographic while deporting Venezuelan migrants constitutes systemic racism in immigration policy.

Presidential Leadership and Ethics A recently published report details how President Biden's cognitive decline significantly impacted his presidency, revealing struggles with limited productive hours, memory issues, and communication difficulties that progressively worsened. The report suggests Biden resisted acknowledging these limitations, ultimately delaying his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race until after a poorly received debate performance against Trump. We examine the ethical implications of presidential inner circles concealing health concerns from the public and the moral obligations of advisors in such situations.

The Philosophical Question: AI Ethics Development Anthropic's comprehensive analysis of 700,000 Claude AI conversations has revealed the emergence of what appears to be an internal moral framework, with the AI system expressing over 3,000 distinct values that adapt contextually similar to human ethical reasoning. Researchers identified "immovable values" centered on intellectual honesty and harm prevention that Claude actively defends against challenges, suggesting AI systems inevitably make value judgments beyond their explicit programming. We consider the profound question of how these emergent AI ethical frameworks should interact with established human moral codes and societal norms.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Special Guests
01:48 Nostalgia and Personal Stories
02:41 Current Events and Political Commentary
08:41 Education and Vocational Training
14:10 Racism in Immigration Policy
23:48 Examining Racism and Bigotry in Politics
30:09 Cognitive Decline and Leadership Responsibilities
39:10 AI and Moral Codes: A New Frontier
50:38 Diversity of Experience in Shaping Morality

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