Psyphilopod

Antisocial psychologists, Bo, Cory, and Lee discuss the peer review process in science--the reasons for it, the problems with it, and whether there is any compelling evidence for bias in peer review beyond their own anecdotal annoyances.

And Lee announces the launch of a new journal, Journal of Open Inquiry in Behavioral Science (JOIBS), which will test a new approach to peer review with complete transparency and minimal gatekeeping.

Follow Lee: https://twitter.com/PsychRabble

Follow Antisocial Psychs: https://twitter.com/AsocialPsychs

Learn about JOIBS: https://www.soibs.com/about-5

In the first episode of their Reunion Tour, Bo and Cory debate whether academics are as woke as they seem or whether they pretend to be wokier than reality out of fear for social and professional repercussions.

Note: Psyphilopod is rebranding to 'Antisocial Psychologists.' Follow on Twitter @AsocialPsychs.

In this special episode of Psyphilopod, Bo and original co-host Cory Clark are joined by the wonderful Diana Fleischman to discuss the ethics of our treatment of animals. First, they discuss utilitarianism, which is the basic moral framework through which Diana thinks about these issues. Then they get into the weeds of the morality of diets, asking and attempting to answer such questions as: Is it always wrong to eat animals? What’s a suffering footprint? Is hunting more ethical than fast food? How do we know that animals actually experience pain?

Fleischman’s article on veganism: https://worksinprogress.co/issue/practical-veganism/

Fleischman’s FAQ: https://dianaverse.com/2020/10/13/practicalveganism/

The moral status of animals: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-animal/

Peter Singer on animal liberation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOlN6d1CP9A

Roger Scruton for a different view: https://philosophynow.org/issues/27/Roger_Scruton

Follow Diana on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sentientist

Follow Psyphilopod on Twitter: https://twitter.com/psyphilopod

Building Biden's America: The infrastructure plan, Noem's kerfuffle, and the post-liberal order by Cobo Clargard

Bo and Ben discuss Josh Hawley and post-liberal conservatism. What is post-liberal conservatism? Is it actually post-liberal? Bo and Ben agree that it is largely a high-level philosophical criticism of some liberal principles that is remains within the liberal paradigm. But there is something real at stake in the debate. Bo has more sympathy for Ahmari and others than does Ben, but he agrees that their positive program is at best inchoate.

They then discuss Joe Biden’s economic vision, or “Bidenomics.” Does Biden have a coherent economic vision? And if he does, is it one we should want to promote? Bo and Ben agree that there is a kind of vision, that it’s mostly positive, but worry about the size of the stimulus package and think Biden should focus more on infrastructure.

Against Frenchism: https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2019/05/against-david-french-ism

French/Ahmari debate: https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/david-french-sohrab-ahmari-and-the-battle-for-the-future-of-conservatism

Hawley and post-liberalism: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/06/josh-hawley-could-be-the-face-of-the-post-trump-right.html

Bidenomics: https://thebulwark.com/the-birth-of-bidenomics/

Bo and Ben discuss Covid hypocrisy in the media. Andrew Cuomo was lionized for months, a champion of the scientifically minded left, a smooth, calming, honest communicator, a hero. Ron DeSantis, on the other hand, was denounced as a cavalier science-denier. But Florida’s numbers are much better than New York’s, and Cuomo has been mired in a scandal about not disclosing deaths from nursing homes.

Then they discuss some prominent Republicans: Kristi Noem, Ben Sasse, Tom Cotton, and the aforementioned Ron DeSantis. Who is the frontrunner for 2024? Does Ben Sasse, the most anti-Trump Republican in the Senate, have a chance? Is DeSantis the surprising choice for 2024?

Last, they discuss Ezra Klein and Kevin Williamson’s disagreement about the causes of California’s problems. Klein believes that California is superficially progressive, but operationally conservative. Williamson rejects this, seeing California as exactly what one gets with progressivism.

Cuomo and media hypocrisy: https://www.foxnews.com/media/mainstream-media-blatant-hypocrisy-ignoring-sexual-harassment-allegations-cuomo

Cuomo and Covid: https://www.statnews.com/2021/02/26/cuomos-nursing-home-fiasco-ethical-perils-pandemic-policymaking/

Cuomo and DeSantis: https://www.mycouriertribune.com/commentary-press-swapped-script-on-cuomo-vs-desantis/article_f00f0f24-77ae-11eb-bc06-33c8e3f56cc8.html

DeSantis and Covid: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article249521800.html

Ezra Klein on California: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/opinion/california-san-francisco-schools.html

Kevin Williamson on California: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/02/ezra-klein-misapprehends-californias-problems/

Bo and Ben discuss the impeachment vote. Although the impeachment failed, seven Republicans, including most surprisingly Burr and Cassidy, voted for conviction. After the vote, Mitch McConnell gave an absolutely withering speech, assailing Trump’s behavior throughout the months after the election, but claimed he voted against conviction because the Senate didn’t have constitutional authority. What was McConnell’s strategy? Was this an impulsive speech from a person appalled at Trump or was it calculated? It’s Mitch, so it must have been calculated! But for what? Does Mitch think he can defeat Trump?

Then they discuss the Biden administrations “war on fossil fuels.” Is this a smart look? Or is it a capitulation to environmentalist zealots in the Democratic coalition?

Finally, they examine Tom Cotton, the Senator from Arkansas who terrifies progressives, but might be the best hope to unite the conservative coalition. He’s a populist who worked closely with Trump, but he also avoided the excesses of other populists, such as Hawley, and refused to vote against certification.

Impeachment vote: https://www.npr.org/sections/trump-impeachment-trial-live-updates/2021/02/15/967878039/7-gop-senators-voted-to-convict-trump-only-1-faces-voters-next-year

Mitch McConnell and GOP war: https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/539514-trump-mcconnell-rift-impacts-gop-donors

Mitch McConnell’s failed strategy: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/us/trump-mcconnell-republicans.html

Biden’s “attack” on fossil fuels: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/27/climate/biden-climate-executive-orders.html

Cotton continuing the Trump mission: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sen-tom-cottons-next-mission-carrying-trump-banner-after-trump-11591542001

Cotton horrifies progressives: https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/tom-cotton-trump-2-0/

Bo and Ben discuss the issues of the week. Impeachment trial. Some of the prosecutors, especially Jamie Raskin from Maryland, were incredibly effective. However, the Democrats lamentably chose highly partisan members to prosecute, including Swalwell (IA) and Castro (TX), almost provoking Republicans to acquit, like so that they can keep the connection between Trump and the GOP for the 2022 midterm. Still, Bo and Ben agree that, on the merits, Trump deserves to be convicted.

The Romney plan. Romney forwarded an intriguing bill, called the Family Security Act that would pay families 350 dollars a month for each child they have up to 15,000 dollars per year. His idea has provoked spirited debate, with most people praising the plan for its boldness and pro-family, pro-fertility aspirations. However, some conservative, including Marco Rubio, have criticized it for potentially disincentivizing work. Bo and Ben both like the plan and think the criticisms are largely overstated.

Finally, West Virginia. A state that is a symbol for spatial inequality. Beautiful mountains and rivers, but a slave to the industries of the past. Poor. And hemorrhaging population. How can West Virginia be saved? Answers to this question are difficult but crucial going forward for the United States.

Impeachment: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/02/11/us/impeachment-trial

Romney plan Vox: https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22264520/mitt-romney-checks-parents-4200

Rubio criticism of Biden’s plan: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/02/bidens-child-care-plan-is-wrong-for-families-and-ignores-the-lessons-of-the-past/

West Virginia: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/08/upshot/west-virginia-manchin-stimulus.html

UBI around the world: https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/2/19/21112570/universal-basic-income-ubi-map

Bo and Ben discuss the issues of the week. Biden’s proposed 1.9 trillion- dollar stimulus. Biden is clearly going big, having learned from the Obama stimulus debates. Republicans countered with a much more moderate 618 billion-dollar proposal, but Democrats seem intent on their larger, more generous bill. Bo and Ben largely agree that going big has real political downsides and would like Biden to compromise now and go big later on an infrastructure bill.

Biden also signed three more EOs on immigration. These three appear relatively insignificant, but might have larger effects down the road; they are also all part of a clear immigration-friendly agenda, which will almost certainly result in more legal and illegal immigrants. Unsurprisingly, Bo, the resident restrictionist, is not a fan. The performative populists suffered a few setbacks this week. Liz Cheney kept her leadership position by overwhelming vote. And many condemned Marjorie Taylor Greene’s conspiracism. But they remain a force on the Right that will likely not disappear soon.

Then Bo and Ben and discuss Avik Roy’s piece in the National Review, “Restoring the Conservative Conscience.” They agree that it lays out a positive, hopeful vision, but is too similar to the Reagan-conservativism that largely failed in the early 2000s. What is needed is a kind of fusionism that is more sympathetic to the concerns of preservationists, contends Bo. Ben and Bo agree that Roy's vision ignores the salient problems of the the day, such as rising inequality and the decline of social capital and civic engagement.

Liz Cheney survives: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/02/liz-cheney-wins-big-matt-gaetz-hardest-hit/

Biden Executive Orders: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/us/politics/biden-immigration-executive-orders-trump.html

Larry Summers on the stimulus: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/04/larry-summers-biden-covid-stimulus/

Avik Roy’s piece: https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2021/02/08/restoring-the-conservative-conscience/

Bo’s piece on conservatism: https://quillette.com/2021/01/25/a-return-to-tradition-creating-a-post-trump-conservatism/

Bo and Ben discuss Biden’s early presidency, including his EO lifting Trump’s transgender ban in the military, and his push for a 1.9 trillion-dollar relief package that has a 15-dollar minimum wage tucked inside. They discuss some of the research for and against a higher minimum wage.

They end by discussing the filibuster. Should the Democrats end it? What function does it serve? Does it buffer the people from the tyranny of the majority or does it in fact block the will of the people by allowing minorities in the Senate to stifle legislation?

CBO on minimum wage: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-07/CBO-55410-MinimumWage2019.pdf

Robert VerBruggen on minimum wage: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/01/the-new-old-minimum-wage-debate/

Ezra Klein on ending the filibuster: https://www.vox.com/21424582/filibuster-joe-biden-2020-senate-democrats-abolish-trump

Biden lifts transgender ban: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/25/us/biden-transgender-ban-military.html