Exploring Minds

Ellen is a biology professor at UNC. She tells about her research on the human eye and about her experiences with exploring different faiths throughout her life. 

MIT Philosophy PhD student Thomas Byrne argues that the bystander who pulls the lever in the trolley problem doesn't actually 'kill' anyone under most of definitions of killing and further argues that most definitions of killing are inadequate and inconsistent. 

Mormon missionaries Elder Skimore & Elder Johnston share their reasons for becoming missionaries and their opinions on controversial topics related to Mormonism such as gay marriage, traditional gender roles, and polygamy. They've asked us to clarify that the views expressed here are their personal views and are not necessarily the official beliefs of the Mormon church. 

Magnus Vinding is the author of Why We Should Go Vegan, You Are Them, and Suffering-Focused Ethics: Defense and Implications. He argues that the problem of extreme suffering is the greatest problem of all. He holds the view that not only it is the moral obligation of humans to minimize inflicting suffering on one another, but there is also a moral obligation to reduce suffering amongst animals in nature.

Will describes owns a vintage 90's clothing store in NYC that was frequented by celebrities like Aziz Ansari. He also talks about his experiences being on the MTV reality show '90s House' and describes the strategies they used to instigate drama between participants. His store is now exclusively online due to covid, and can be found at deepcoverny.com.

Nadir is an Islamic apologist who argues that the Qur'an makes numerous accurate scientific predictions, and these "scientific miracles" support the credibility of the Qur'an in areas that cannot be verified. He further argues that there are no scientific errors in the Qur'an, and he believes this distinguishes it from other religious texts. Here is a link to Nadir's youtube channel for a more in depth look on his perspective: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm8ah67Ank7CD42CUF51hRw/featured

Glen Cotten and his wife Isik have been prominent members of the Baha'i Faith and community for over three decades. With a lifetime of pursuing the mission of justice and unity of humanity, Glen lives and breathes the principles of the Faith every day. We discuss Glen's upbringing, how it affected his look on the world, his time serving in Haifa at the Baha'i World Center, and how he met and married his wife.

Ian shares his experiences delving into the hypercompetitive (but surprisingly wholesome) world of speedsolving Rubik's cubes whilst writing book on the topic. Currently an English teacher, he also shares his perspectives on ways that teaching and testing can be improved. His book is called Cracking the Cube: Going Slow to Go Fast and Other Unexpected Turns in the World of Competitive Rubik's Cube Solving.

Caroline is a 32-year veteran nurse. In this episode, Bobby and Caroline talk about some of the highlights and lowlights of being a medical professional for over three decades, and what Caroline has learned from her experiences in the hospital.

Angela is a Duke philosophy grad student who argues that some species of animals  (and theoretically even plants and bacteria) can be considered moral agents. We also explore methods for studying animal cognition, personhood, and the nature of our ethical obligations towards other animals.