Best Dr William Gildea Podcasts (2025)

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Is envy a virtue? W. Prof Sara Protasi | ep. 6 56:43

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4d ago56:43

56:43

Envy is seen as a deadly sin. But not by Professor Sara Protasi, who argues that envy is often good – even *virtuous*. Envy drives progress, she claims. Feeling envious is natural. And without it, we might never leave the couch. But how can such a destructive emotion be morally good? And even if envy makes us more productive in the short term, does…

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Do AIs have moral rights? | Ep. 5 31:36

1M ago31:36

31:36

We normally think: how can we stop AI harming humans? We may also have to ask: how can we stop humans harming AI? After all, there’s a surprisingly strong case for the rights of future AIs. If future (or present!) AIs have rights, why? And what actual specific rights could some future ChatGPT assistant even have? Will AIs wake up, and become consci…

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Should the state ban smoking, restrict calories, and stop us harming ourselves? | Prof Sarah Conly on paternalism | Ep. 4 58:50

2M ago58:50

58:50

We think of ourselves as rational agents, able to choose well for ourselves. Professor Sarah Conly calls this into question. She argues that we’re reliably bad at making certain decisions. So much so that governments should step in, and make many bad choices like smoking illegal – for our own good. But where does she draw the line? Aren't some deci…

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Is pleasure all that matters in life? | Ep. 1 22:03

3M ago22:03

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Hedonists claim that pleasure is all that makes for a good life. Are they right that relationships, achievements, and meaningfulness have no intrinsic value? We explore the surprising arguments on both sides of this debate about wellbeing, including a version of Nozick’s infamous experience machine thought experiment. Would you plug into an experie…

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Do animals have moral rights? | Ep. 2 25:10

3M ago25:10

25:10

Society assumes that animals do not have moral rights. But what could this be based on? How could we argue that humans are the only animals to have rights? And where do we draw the line? These questions about animal ethics also raise the question: why does each of us human beings, ultimately, matter as an individual? Podcast website for contact det…

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Is monogamy morally wrong? | Ep. 3 25:56

3M ago25:56

25:56

Some philosophers now argue that monogamy is morally wrong. Imagine your friend came and told you that you can’t have any other friendships. You’d be bemused. But what’s the difference between this and exclusivity in love relationships? Is jealousy a good reason to be monogamous? Or is ethical non-monogamy – such as open relationships or polyamory …

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Trailer 1:15

4M ago1:15

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A trailer briefly outlining Surprising Ethics, a new podcast launching on 1st September 2025. Podcast website for contact details and more: surprisingethics.buzzsprout.com Instagram: @surprising_ethics_podcast tinyurl.com/surprisingethicsBy Will