It finally happened: David and Tamler welcome special guest Joshua Weisberg to the podcast to talk about Turing machines, Chinese Rooms, and AI. What does it mean for a machine to acquire intelligence? What is the proper test? How much processing power would it take? Do computers shed light on how human beings think? Why is John Searle trapped in a Chinese room, anyway? Plus, a spoiler-filled discussion (beginning at 58:20) of the recent movie Ex Machina. David tries to assert his feminist bonafides but Tamler takes Eva's side, proving once again that he is the real feminist. And we have a quick 5-minute discussion of Mr. Robot Episode 4 (beginning at 1:24) and respond to a couple of emails from the authors of the Inside Out article we discussed in our previous episode.

David and Tamler go deep into the best TV show of the summer, "Mr. Robot. They talk about the moral ambiguity of its central character, the distorted vision of reality it portrays, and play a round of "Real or Not Real" with all the main characters. Plus, what the swooning critics ignore about Pixar's "Inside Out"--its irresponsible failure to reference the relevant literature in cognitive science and philosophy of mind.

Links

Two philosophers explain what Inside Out gets wrong about the mind [vox.com]

The James/Lange theory of emotion [wikipedia.org]

Mr. Robot [IMDB]

Unreliable Narrator [wikipedia.org]

Shoot the Dog Trope [tvtropes.org]

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Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, papers by Williams and movies from Sweden. Long graphic novels that celebrate being. These are a few of our favorite things. Dave and Tamler offer some moral psych-themed recommendations to help you get your summer off to a good start. Plus, is porn bad for you now that it doesn't come in brown paper packages tied up in string?

Links

• Pornucopia by Maria Konnikova [aeon.com]
• Maria Konnikova on Twitter [twitter.com]
• Zhana Vrangolova [zhanavrangolova.com]

Books

• Daytripper by Fabio Bá and Gabriel Moon [amazon.com affiliate link] [comixology link]
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro [amazon.com affiliate link]

Movies

• Force Majeure [imdb.com]
• Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter [imdb.com]

Academic Papers

• Kahane, G., Everett, J. A., Earp, B. D., Farias, M., & Savulescu, J. (2015). 'Utilitarian' judgments in sacrificial moral dilemmas do not reflect impartial concern for the greater good. Cognition, 134, 193-209.
• Williams, B. A. O., & Moore, A. W. (2006). Philosophy as a humanistic discipline. Princeton University Press. [verybadwizards.com]

TV Shows

• Mr. Robot [usa.com]
• Louie [imdb.com]
• Deadwood [imdb.com]
• The Americans [imdb.com]
• Sherlock [imdb.com]

Podcast (David's Extra)

• Robot or Not? Podcast [incomparable.com]

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Dave and Tamler try to figure out what we talk about when we talk about objectivity. In past episodes we've claimed that logic and science (when it isn't fraudulent) are objective. Tamler has claimed repeatedly that "Louie" is an objectively better TV show than "Jessie." Dave is constantly claiming that Kant is objectively the best philosopher. But to be honest, we say these things without being exactly sure what we're saying. Today we try to be sure--only to get more confused.

Plus, we get into a big fight over trigger warnings, the Kipnis affair at Northwestern, and other related issues. (The infamous Episode 45 was an ecstasy-fueled love fest in comparison.) However, we have spared our listeners the drama, and have only included a few lowlights. If you listen closely, you can even hear Tamler apologize.

Links

• Sexual Paranoia Strikes Academe by Laura Kipnis [chronicle.com]
• Laura Kipnis Is Cleared of Wrongdoing in Title IX Complaints [chronicle.com]
• Title IX [wikipedia.org]
• For Tamler's views on the campus climate and the Kipnis fiasco, check out his comments on this post. [leiterreports.typepad.com]

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Dave drags Tamler into the nerd abyss by making him watch an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation ("Tapestry," from the 6th season. It's available on Netflix instant in the US, and likely worldwide on many sites of varying legality). We talk about the themes of the episode: regret, risk aversion, the arrogance of hindsight, and the dream of living your past "knowing what you know now." What are the things that shape our character? Should we embrace our mistakes or would we change something if we could? How should we think of our lives--as one long continually unfolding story or as a series of unrelated episodes?

And speaking of regret, we reflect on our comedy episode and some listener dissatisfaction (we agree with much of it) and talk about yet another fraudulent study with sexy results. Plus, Dave finally learns what 'chuchma' means.

• "Science Retracts Troubled Gay Marriage Study." [retractionwatch.com]
• "Michael Lacour Responds to Critics." [latimes.com]
• "The Strangest Thing about Lacour's Response" (nymag.com)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation. "Tapestry" [en.memory-alpha.wikia.com]
• Best Episode Ever #30: Star Trek: The Next Generation [craveonline.co.uk]
• Patrick Stewart on Extras [youtube.com]

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Dave and Tamler break the cardinal rule of comedy by trying to analyze it. What are the origins and functions of humor? Can a theory explain what makes us laugh? Is humor entirely subjective? Why would anyone find Mr. Bean funny? Plus, we lose some geek cred by confessing some iconic comedians that we never liked, and ask why the American Psychologist Association loves to torture people.

Links

• Report Claims American Psychological Association Secretly Supported Torture Policy [time.com]
• The philosophy of humor [iep.utm.edu]
• Key and Peele: Gay Wedding [youtube.com]
• Key and Peele: Awesome Hitler Story [youtube.com]
• Goodfellas: How the Fuck Am I Funny? [youtube.com]
• Steven Wright: Birthday Present [youtube.com]
• Hannibal Burress: Pickle Juice [youtube.com]
• George Carlin on Fat People [youtube.com]
• Jerry Seinfeld on Airport Security [youtube.com]
• Louis CK: Pig Newtons [youtube.com]
• Curb Your Enthusiasm: Rash [youtube.com]
• Eddie Murphy: Barbecue [youtube.com]
• Bill Burr on Trying to Buy a Pumpkin [youtube.com]

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Special guest Yoel Inbar (author of Hitchcock's Women: From Margaret Sullivan to Tippi Hedren) joins us to talk about Hitchcock's long take masterpiece/gimmick Rope. Based loosely on the case of Leopold and Loeb, Rope tells the story of two young men who have read Nietzsche and decide to murder a schoolmate in order to cement their Übermensch status. Did they read Nietzsche correctly? Is conventional morality nothing but a construct to keep the inferior masses in line? Are professors accountable for what they teach? (Please God, no.) Plus, we delve deeper into Julie and Mark's motivation, and Yoel plays a round of "Does the government deem this trademark scandalous?"

Links

• Yoel Inbar [yoelinbar.net]
• Very Bad Wizards Episode 22: An Enquiry Concerning Slurs and Offensiveness [verybadwizards.com]
• Rope [IMDB.com]
• Leopold and Loeb [wikipedia.org]
• Leopold and Loeb's Criminal Minds (Smithsonian Magazine)
• The Leopold and Loeb Trial Page (UMKC Law)
• Paul Gauguin [wikipedia.org]
• The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham [wikipedia.org]
• Nietzsche's Moral and Political Philosophy [plato.stanford.edu]
• Damasio, A. "Remembering When," Scientific American, 2002. [antonellapavese.com]
• What's the matter with a little brother sister action? by Tamler Sommers [psychologytoday.com]

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Holy crap, it's the apocalypse!!!!

...for philosophy. Maybe. Has this 2500 year old discipline become too technical, too disconnected from the real world? Is it just a handmaiden to the sciences? (Which would make Tamler Dave's handmaiden.) And what the hell is conceptual analysis? Plus, a short excerpt of Tamler's interview with Simon Blackburn, and definitive proof that worms have free will (sorry Sam). And only one more week to buy our t-shirt!

Links

• Free Will? Analysis of worm neurons suggest how a single stimulus can trigger different responses [sciencedaily.com]
• Strawson, P. F. (1962). Freedom and resentment. [princeton.edu]
• Doomen, J. (2015). The end of philosophy. Think, 14(39), 99-109. [verybadwizards.com]
• For a Non-Ideal Metaphysics by Justin Smith [jehsmith.com]
• Concepts [plato.stanford.edu]
• Harry Frankfurt says Philosophy is in the Doldrums [http://leiterreports.typepad.com]
• Simon Blackburn's Website [phil.cam.ac.uk]

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Dave and Tamler talk about the human tendency to believe in a just world. Why do we have the belief? Does it make us less motivated to fight injustice? How does it connect to our beliefs about free will and punishment? Plus, the SAE incident—a case where the twitter mob did some good? And Tamler changes his mind about Harmony the Hamster.

Links

• As Two Oklahoma Students Are Expelled for Racist Chant, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Vows Wider Inquiry [nytimes.com]
• Just World Hypothesis [wikipedia.org]
• System Justification [wikipedia.org]
• The Future of The Culture Wars is Here, and it's Gamergate [deadspin.com]
• Lerner, M. J., & Simmons, C. H. (1966). Observer's reaction to the "innocent victim": Compassion or rejection? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4(2), 203–210. [MIT.edu]
• Clark, C. J., Luguri, J. B., Ditto, P. H., Knobe, J., Shariff, A. F., & Baumeister, R. F. (2014). Free to punish: A motivated account of free will belief. Journal of personality and social psychology, 106(4), 501. [sharifflab.com]
• Sommers, T. (2007). 4 The Illusion of Freedom Evolves. Distributed Cognition and the Will: Individual Volition and Social Context, 61.
• Pizarro, D.A. & Helzer, E. (2010). Freedom of the will and stubborn moralism. In Baumeister, R.F., A.R. Mele, and K. D. Vohs (Eds.) Free will and consciousness: How might they work? (pp. 101-120) Oxford University Press. [peezer.net]
• Sartre is Smartre [vimeo.com]

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Sam Harris gets back in the VBW ring for another round on moral responsibility, ethical theories, and the grounds for our obligations to other people. Are we at a genuine stalemate when it comes to blame and desert? Is Tamler a closet consequentialist? Is Sam a closet pluralist? Why is Dave such a big Wagner fan? Plus, Twitter shaming: what is it good for? Settle in, get comfortable, pour yourself a drink, you're in for the long haul on this one.

Links

• How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco's Life [nytimes.co]
• The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris [samharris.org]
• Value Pluralism [plato.stanford.edu]
• Bill Burr vs. Philly [youtube.com]

Special Guest: Sam Harris.

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