The Uncertainty Podcast

Emily Adlam discusses the problems facing several interpretations of quantum mechanics: principal among them, the probability problem. Prepare for discussion of self-locating credences, branch-counting, and whether a mechanism deposits consciousness throughout the branching wavefunction of the universe.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:52 The problem of recovering empirical confirmation

00:04:47 The many-worlds interpretation

00:07:01 The measurement problem

00:08:42 The probability problem in many-worlds

00:12:06 The decision-theoretic approach to probability

00:16:33 Self-locating evidence and Everettian quantum mechanics

00:19:20 Pure vs. superficial self-locating credence

00:25:08 Can the Born rule constrain self-locating credence?

00:30:15 Interpretations vs. theories of quantum mechanics

00:34:51 Can we save science from quantum mechanics?

00:44:30 What happened to the Copenhagen interpretation?

00:46:45 What do physicists believe about quantum mechanics?

00:48:27 The anthropic argument for God

00:56:22 Multiverses, fine-tuning, and self-locating evidence

In the hundredth episode of this podcast, I discuss the use, and misuse, of probability in science and philosophy with John Norton. Prepare for a contentious conversation about fundamental issues in probability theory, induction, and cosmic fine-tuning. This one does not disappoint.

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:30 Formal vs. material theories of induction

00:04:58 Does material induction make induction redundant?

00:11:15 Bayesianism vs. the material theory

00:16:47 Can we say evolution is “probably” true?

00:19:23 Evidential support without probabilities

00:23:16 Can Bayesianism capture inference to the best explanation?

00:25:00 The outcome space dispute

00:29:47 Probability and the danger of false precision

00:31:03 The simulation argument and misapplied probability

00:35:39 The doomsday argument and self-locating evidence

00:38:33 Objective vs. subjective Bayesianism

00:43:36 The bootstrapping problem for probability

00:50:53 Probability in cosmology and the multiverse

00:57:59 Does inflation make our universe more probable?

01:00:19 What is John Norton most uncertain about?

Tim Mawson, professor of philosophy at Oxford, discusses the contours of the newly emerging philosophical investigation into the meaning of life. What does it mean to say that life's meaning is subjective versus objective? Would life be meaningful if we were immortal? And what difference does God make, and not make, to whether life means anything?

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:55 Open theism and God's relationship to time

00:11:09 Returning to the meaning of life

00:12:06 Why philosophers neglected the meaning of life

00:15:48 What does it mean for life to have meaning?

00:19:20 Objectivism, subjectivism and hybrid theories

00:28:23 Objective meaning, subjective states and purpose

00:35:00 Can there be no meaning to life?

00:39:47 What can God add to life's meaning?

00:43:25 Vocation, purpose and meaningfulness

00:50:50 Does God give some people more meaningful lives?

00:59:20 Death, immortality and the meaning of life

01:00:25 Would eternal life become unbearably boring?

01:07:48 Does infinite time destroy urgency?

01:13:23 Would praising God forever become boring?

01:18:14 What God cannot add to life's meaning

01:21:55 Can God's existence make a life less meaningful?

01:24:18 What is the meaning of life?

Kevin Scharp comes back on the podcast to discuss William Lane Craig’s eight-part case for the existence of God: contingency, cosmology, mathematics, fine-tuning, consciousness, morality, miracles, and experience.

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:20 Behind the scenes: Kevin vs. William Lane Craig

00:14:11 Craig on probability & inference to the best explanation

00:23:07 Divine psychology and fine-tuning

00:27:06 Argument #1 - Contingency

00:43:30 Does everything need an explanation?

00:49:48 Argument #2 - Kalam cosmological argument

00:51:35 Actual infinity and Hilbert’s Hotel

01:03:06 Argument #3 - Fine-tuning

01:09:53 What does the Big Bang actually tell us?

01:11:53 Divine psychology

01:27:08 Argument #4 - Applicability of mathematics

01:35:08 Argument #5 - Consciousness

01:40:47 Does consciousness really get us to God?

01:45:41 Argument #6 - Morality

01:54:43 Argument #7 - The resurrection of Jesus

01:58:27 Miracles and the laws of nature

02:08:25 Argument #8 - Experience of God

Ralph Weir answers all my questions about the mind-body problem, how we define "physical," whether I can conceive of philosophical zombies, and where panpsychism fits into all this.

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:35 How Ralph got into philosophy of mind

00:05:52 Eliminativism: do mental states exist?

00:09:00 What is illusionism?

00:10:56 What is phenomenal consciousness?

00:17:53 What are qualia?

00:21:33 What does “physical” actually mean?

00:29:03 Is panpsychism a form of physicalism?

00:35:45 Mapping the mind-body problem

00:45:16 Property dualism vs. substance dualism

00:53:10 What is the strongest case against physicalism?

01:00:32 Philosophical zombies and modal skepticism

01:10:23 Can science settle the mind-body problem?

01:18:20 Mental causation and physical anomalies

01:22:31 Does the evidence favor physicalism?

01:34:07 Which philosophical view is Ralph most uncertain about?

You do NOT want to miss this debate on the perennial question that human beings have wondered about for thousands of years: does God exist? Josh presents both a cumulative case for theism, as well as his signature argument from arbitrary limits. Mike presents his novel argument against God's infinite attributes.

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:48 Joshua Rasmussen’s opening statement

00:17:05 Michael Huemer’s opening statement

00:33:26 Moderated discussion begins

00:35:43 Infinity and the nature of God

00:45:18 What grounds an eternal reality?

00:48:13 God, consciousness, and omniscience

00:54:18 Platonism, infinity, and the digits of π

01:01:18 Can God have unlimited power?

01:07:29 Does theism best explain reality?

01:14:08 Fine-tuning and the multiverse

01:20:27 Does a multiverse actually explain life?

01:26:39 Suffering and the problem of evil

01:32:56 Closing statements

Emily McRae, professor of philosophy at the University of New Mexico, offers an overview of Buddhist philosophy. In particular, we discuss the different traditions within Buddhism - Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, and Zen - the doctrine of emptiness, the Four Noble Truths, and the ontology of Nirvana: annihilation, eternal bliss, or a state of mind in the here and now?

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:55 Moral ignorance in Buddhist philosophy

00:06:47 What drew Emily to Buddhist philosophy?

00:10:36 Analytic philosophy vs. Buddhist philosophy

00:13:41 What kind of ethical theory is Buddhism?

00:21:26 Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy?

00:24:37 The major schools of Buddhism

00:29:56 Emptiness and the Buddhist theory of the self

00:37:47 Why the Buddha refused to answer some questions

00:43:02 The Four Noble Truths

00:46:01 The first Noble Truth: suffering

00:51:04 The second Noble Truth: the causes of suffering

00:53:43 The third Noble Truth: the end of suffering

00:56:10 What is nirvana?

01:00:14 Does Buddhism ultimately teach annihilation?

01:07:15 Buddhism vs. Christianity on desire

01:12:18 The fourth Noble Truth: the Eightfold Path

01:16:16 What reason is there to believe Buddhism is true?

In my recent discussion with Ethan Muse, he made a case for the compatibility of God's perfect love and the doctrine of eternal conscious torment. Randal Rauser returns to the channel to respond. Are we far more wicked than we realize? Does any sin merit infinite punishment? What should we do if we struggle with fear of eternal hell? We discuss these questions and much else besides.

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:06 Randal’s approach to YouTube

00:03:08 Initial reactions to Ethan Muse’s defense of hell

00:08:34 Is the problem emotional or intellectual?

00:16:07 The authority of the Catholic Church

00:22:16 The three Christian views of hell

00:25:00 Are human beings wicked enough to deserve hell?

00:31:02 Does every sin merit infinite punishment?

00:36:29 Moral culpability and ignorance

00:43:08 Is rejecting God an infinitely serious sin?

00:47:08 Will most people go to hell?

00:53:19 Would creation be a net moral failure?

00:56:30 Did Jesus teach eternal conscious torment?

01:03:29 The central moral argument against eternal hell

01:07:18 Do the noetic effects of sin undermine moral intuition?

01:12:19 Should we trust the moral judgment of Catholic saints?

01:20:48 Does moral disagreement undermine our intuitions?

01:24:07 Different degrees of suffering in hell

01:28:16 How should Christians cope with the fear of hell?

This week's interview features...me! I have finally gotten around to answering all the questions you sent me when we hit 3,000 subscribers. Yes, this video is v late. Yes, it is v worth the watch. Prepare for a more informal, cheeky side of me.

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:20 Which guest has challenged you the most?

00:01:12 Are the fundamental constants independent?

00:02:44 What are your hobbies outside philosophy?

00:03:49 Were you ever an atheist?

00:03:52 Why is there something rather than nothing?

00:05:18 Have you ever considered becoming a model?

00:05:22 How much do you think about modality?

00:05:52 Have you ever had a religious experience?

00:06:13 What are the best arguments for theism?

00:07:27 What are the chances that universalism is true?

00:08:16 Were you always smart?

00:08:19 Paul Draper’s understated evidence objection

00:10:50 Will theism grow among philosophers?

00:11:43 An empirical approach to religion

00:12:42 The aesthetic argument for God

00:13:55 Will philosophy ever abandon materialism?

00:15:08 How have your views on theism evolved?

00:17:45 Is universalism true or theism false?

00:18:44 What is your journal acceptance rate?

00:18:57 What do you think about TAG?

00:19:27 How can someone find their life’s purpose?

00:20:00 Does universalism weaken the problem of evil?

00:21:56 What makes you doubt Christianity?

00:23:50 Has Paul Draper weakened your theism?

00:25:34 Which dead philosophers would you speak to?

00:27:46 Do theistic arguments depend on modality?

00:29:30 Where do you hope to be in ten years?

00:29:38 What if fine-tuning gave no support to theism?

00:29:54 Why does God exist?

00:31:02 Can you publish without a philosophy degree?

00:31:19 What does it mean to exist?

00:32:09 Are theistic arguments more technically vulnerable?

00:34:32 Who are you?

Philosopher Kevin Scharp discusses his experience working with A.I. agents, and what it portends for the future.

Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

Follow me on X because you’re awesome.EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:10 What AI agents are

00:03:22 Why AI agents remain under the radar

00:06:07 Creating research-level AI agents

00:08:44 How AI agents work

00:11:06 Are AI agents conscious?

00:17:59 Have AI agents already achieved AGI?

00:21:40 Embodied agents and what comes next

00:24:57 Automation, unemployment, and social unrest

00:27:05 AI as an unprecedented capacity for harm

00:28:46 Could governance and AI rights slow development?

00:32:00 Has ChatGPT become less useful?

00:39:34 AI, human extinction, and theism

00:43:08 Does AI favor naturalism over theism?

00:46:35 How to live under existential uncertainty

00:49:31 Atheism, agnosticism, and changing your mind