The Problem with Reading

Our Resident Consulting Bioethicist Alison returns for Bioethics round two and a host of sticky topics—from surrogacy and embryo rescue to “Pronatalist” Warhammer 40k tax evaders, from Canada’s continued spiral of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) to the OG transhumanism text. Also, there is a quiz and we crown the new Problem with Reading Bioethics Commissar (the answer will surprise you!). Have a listen!

Articles:

• “Medical assistance in dying can’t solve the problem of suffering. Canada’s system is a cautionary tale.” americamagazine.org/politics-society/2023/12/12/medical-assistance-dying-maid-canada-catholic-church-ethics-assisted

• “Surrogacy” cmf.org.uk/resources/publications/content/?context=article&id=640

• “A Catholic dilemma: Should IVF embryos be adopted?” cruxnow.com/life/2015/12/a-catholic-dilemma-should-ivf-embryos-be-adopted

• “INSTRUCTION ON RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE IN ITS ORIGINAND ON THE DIGNITY OF PROCREATION REPLIES TO CERTAIN QUESTIONS OF THE DAY” https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html

• “Meet the ‘elite’ couples breeding to save mankind.” telegraph.co.uk/family/life/pronatalists-save-mankind-by-having-babies-silicon-valley/

• “Transhumanism” researchgate.net/publication/247718617_Transhumanism

Would you take a person named Titan Invictus seriously?

To ring in the New Year and close out 2023, The Problem with Reading presents eight quality, or at least amusing, articles for your perusal and consideration as chosen by elite and erudite past podcast guests. From Paganism, to Furry Hackers, to Pro-Natalist Silicon Valley Freaks, to AirBnB Furniture—we have the best of 2023 all in one place. Have a listen!

• Critical Grace Theory: firstthings.com/article/2023/11/critical-grace-theory

• How 'Dear Sister' Changed Comedy: youtube.com/watch?v=DhpS_Zv7F2A

• I Thought I Was Saving Trans Kids. Now I’m Blowing the Whistle: thefp.com/p/i-thought-i-was-saving-trans-kids

• We Are Repaganizing: firstthings.com/article/2023/10/we-are-repaganizing

• Meet the Elite Couples Bre eding to Save Mankind: telegraph.co.uk/family/life/pronatalists-save-mankind-by-having-babies-silicon-valley/

• Man Up: firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2023/08/man-up

• US nuke reactor lab hit by 'gay furry hackers' demanding cat-human mutants: theregister.com/2023/11/22/nuclear_lab_hacked/

• The Age of Average: alexmurrell.co.uk/articles/the-age-of-average

The day has finally come to give DFW the treatment he deserves, and Stephen couldn’t be happier. We’ve brought on Liv as backup to explore the heavily foot- and endnoted fiction and non-fiction projects of David Foster Wallace. We discuss the importance of paying attention, the danger of entertainment, the struggle to escape postmodern cynicism, if the only way out is through, and finally what metamodernism may have to offer. Have a listen!

Articles:

-“This is Water” by David Foster Wallace (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCbGM4mqEVw)

-“A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again” by David Foster Wallace

-“The View from Mrs. Thompson's” by David Foster Wallace

-“ An Interview With David Foster Wallace” by Larry McCaffery

-“Philosophizing With Lightning?: a Review Of 'Metamodernism: The Future Of Theory'” by By Peter Fousek (https://www.hamptonthink.org/read/philosophizing-with-lightning-a-review-of-metamodernism-the-future-of-theory?)

We conclude our journey through expressive individualism and the modern self with the final two chapters of Carl Trueman's "The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self." Also, Stephen watches the Exorcist (maybe a few of them) and Brevin and Sam have stressful family admin meetings.

We continue the journey through "The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self" by Carl Trueman in this penultimate episode covering chapters 8 and 9 documenting the twin triumphs of the erotic and the therapeutic. But also, Paganism! Have a listen...

It's summer at the movies as Jensen joins us to review the top three movies of the summer (by our count, at least): Oppenheimer, Barbie and Wes Anderson's Asteroid City. Plus, we pitch our own films to ruthless Hollywood execs. Have a listen!

Freud and the various species of 20th century thinkers downstream of him take center stage in chapters 6 and 7 of "Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self." How many double entendres can you spot? Also, Stephen waxes poetic about the edgy music of his youth, Brevin reveals the Age of Average, and Sam finds the best song on the internet.

Article:

alexmurrell.co.uk/articles/the-age-of-average

We dive into Chapter 5 "Plastic People" and blaze through everyone's favorite band of misfits: Marx, Darwin, and Nietzsche! Also, Stephen is sure the Boomers have cursed us all, Sam hates buying guitars, and Brevin wants to practice his new tourniquet skills in real life.

Chase joins Brevin and Stephen to discuss the looming AI threat. Robots can chat, paint, seduce lonely (mystic) programmers, and write their own code. So will civilization be ended by Terminators or overly friendly Chatbots? The answer will surprise you. Also--reminiscences about beating kids in card games, how to make a ham sandwich according to Pope Francis, and why you shouldn't buy new things.

Articles:

~ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence

~youtube.com/watch?v=jPhJbKBuNnA

~science.org/content/article/ai-learns-write-computer-code-stunning-advance

~cbc.ca/news/science/ai-consciousness-how-to-recognize-1.6498068

~theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/12/chatgpt-openai-artificial-intelligence-writing-ethics/672386

~vice.com/en/article/akex34/chatgpt-is-a-bullshit-generator-waging-class-war

~mashable.com/article/microsoft-bing-ai-chatbot-weird-scary-responses

~wired.com/story/picture-limitless-creativity-ai-image-generators

~unherd.com/2022/05/the-anti-christ-now-rules-us-all/

~medium.com/@lindynewsletter/is-culture-stuck-eb3171262f9e

~medium.com/@lindynewsletter/refinement-culture-51d96726c642

~nytimes.com/2022/04/24/business/akihiko-kondo-fictional-character-relationships.html