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Public Philosophy

Hotel Bar Sessions, Episode 21: Conspiracy Theories

August 6, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson conspiracy theories, critical thinking, Democracy, Ethics, Hotel Bar Sessions, Internet, Philosophy, podcast, Politics, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive Comments Off on Hotel Bar Sessions, Episode 21: Conspiracy Theories

The HBS hosts discuss conspiracy theories and what motivates people to believe in them.  The word “conspiracy” derives from the Latin con- (“with” or “together”) and spirare (“to breathe”), and it seems like more and more people are breathing in the thin air of dubious explanations and bonding together over them. From Q-Anon to flat earthers to anti-vaxxers to…

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Hotel Bar Sessions, Episode 20: Vulgarity

July 31, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Ethics, Hotel Bar Sessions, podcast, Politics, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Vulgarity Comments Off on Hotel Bar Sessions, Episode 20: Vulgarity

The HBS hosts lower themselves into the muck in this NSFW episode! Dr. Charles F. Peterson is in the hot seat for this discussion of vulgarity. What is the difference between obscenity, profanity, and vulgarity? Who determines what is “appropriate” or “inappropriate” in public (or in private)? Is the very concept of vulgarity elitist? When…

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Hotel Bar Sessions Ep 19: Laughter

July 25, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Aesthetics, Hotel Bar Sessions, humor, Philosophy, podcast, Politics, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Trump Comments Off on Hotel Bar Sessions Ep 19: Laughter

  In advance of Rick Lee’s forthcoming book, co-hosts Charles and Leigh ask him why he thinks all “theories” of comedy are inadequate. What exactly is the “joke” part of a joke? Why are philosophers not only hostile to comedy, but also categorically unfunny? Is comedy formulaic or does it resist systematic analysis? What is…

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Hotel Bar Sessions Ep 18: Digital Afterlives

July 23, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Artificial Intelligence, Biotech, Emergent Tech, Ethics, Hotel Bar Sessions, Philosophy, podcast, Politics, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values Comments Off on Hotel Bar Sessions Ep 18: Digital Afterlives

 Co-host Leigh M. Johnson is in the hot seat for this episode’s discussion of “digital afterlives.” If we consider the digital, i.e., information-based, self to be distinguishable from the living and breathing meatspace self, we should ask” how long can the Digital Me live on after the Meatspace Me dies? Technology already enables us to…

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Hotel Bar Sessions Ep17: Citizenship

July 23, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Democracy, Ethics, Hotel Bar Sessions, Justice, podcast, Politics, Public Philosophy, Race and Racism, RMWMTMBM Archive Comments Off on Hotel Bar Sessions Ep17: Citizenship

  This episode explores the political and ethical dimensions of the category of the “citizen.” In anticipation of his soon-to-be-released book Beyond Civil Disobedience: Social Nullification and Black Citizenship (August 2021!), Charles Peterson takes the “captain’s seat” for this episode’s discussion of the limits of citizenship, the failure of the state, and the construction of new…

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Hotel Bar Sessions podcast: A brief history

July 23, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Hotel Bar Sessions, Philosophy, podcast, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive Comments Off on Hotel Bar Sessions podcast: A brief history

I can’t be sure who’s still regularly checking in on this blog, but those of you who are have surely noticed that I’ve shifted my energies from blogging to podcasting over the last year. Beginning in November 2020, I did a 22-episode run of my first podcast BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, in which I interviewed philosophers,…

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BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 21: “Hang the DJ” with John Torrey

February 28, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Blog 2023+, Ethics, Philosophy, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values Comments Off on BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 21: “Hang the DJ” with John Torrey

  For Episode 21, I am joined by Dr. John Torrey to talk about whether or not we each have (and can find) “The One,” dating apps, the freedom to make bad choices, simulated relationships, and “Hang the DJ” (Season 4, Episode 4 of Black Mirror), which first premiered in 2017. This is the penultimate…

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BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 17: “White Bear” with Charles Mills

January 29, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Blog 2023+, Justice, Philosophy, Public Philosophy, Race and Racism, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values, Women and Gender Issues 1 Comment

For Episode 17, I am joined by Dr. Charles Mills to talk about punishment, non-ideal theories of justice, why philosophers love science fiction, and “White Bear” (Season 2, Episode 2 of Black Mirror), which first premiered in 2013. Listen/Download BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast episodes  Subscribe to BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast Support/Donate to BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast I’ve been…

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BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 16: “Arkangel” with Shannon Mussett

January 22, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Blog 2023+, Emergent Tech, Ethics, Philosophy, Public Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Technology, Technology and Human Values, Women and Gender Issues Comments Off on BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 16: “Arkangel” with Shannon Mussett

 For Episode 16, I am re-joined by Dr. Shannon Mussett to talk about surveillance technologies, helicopter parenting, the differences between Gen X and Gen Z childhoods, how we might avoid raising a generation of sociopaths, and “Arkangel” (Season 4, Episode 2 of Black Mirror), which first premiered in 2017. Listen/Download BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast episodes  Subscribe to BLACK…

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BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 13: “Be Right Back” with Samir Chopra

January 8, 2021 Leigh M. Johnson Black Mirror, Black Mirror Reflections, Blog 2023+, Emergent Tech, Ethics, Philosophy, Politics, Public Philosophy, Race and Racism, RMWMTMBM Archive, Samir Chopra, Technology, Technology and Human Values Comments Off on BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS, Ep 13: “Be Right Back” with Samir Chopra

  For Episode 13, I am joined by Dr. Samir Chopra to talk about intelligent robots, personhood, the complicated machinations of human grieving, and “Be Right Back” (Season 2, Episode 1 of Black Mirror), which first premiered in 2013. Listen/Download BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast episodes  Subscribe to BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast Support/Donate to BLACK MIRROR REFLECTIONS podcast My…

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