🧠 The Thought Experiment Lab [public]

​Note: while there are many guests listed in the RSVP, most of these are carried over from previous events in this series. We don't expect much more than 30 to attend.

"Imagination without reason is mere fancy, but reason without imagination is sterile. That is partly why scientists and philosophers alike have always used imaginary scenarios to help sharpen their ideas and push them to their limits." - The Pig that Wants to be Eaten, by Julian Baggini

For this meeting (Oct 20), we'll be discussing issues of epistemic justification, and whether all beliefs must ultimately rely on unfounded assumptions:

• ​Please review this very brief primer on philosophy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gj3HesfWz4A2kEAMSY0x7hNxvJZNtiCexUeilJXVak8/edit?usp=drive_link

• ​It is highly recommended to also read this short paper on one particular theory of epistemic justification: https://spot.colorado.edu/~huemer/V.htm

​Some examples of topics we've discussed at past meetings:

• ​Do you survive being teleported?

• ​Is God required to have morality?

• ​What are the limits of free speech?

• ​Is it moral to breed pigs that want to be eaten?

• ​Should crimes be punished before they happen?

• ​Are there "higher" and "lower" pleasures?

• ​Do immoral people just have bad luck?

• ​Is monogamy unethical?

• ​Is the existence of evil a problem for belief in God?

• ​Should we try to become immortal?

• ​Are we obligated to do much more to the world's poor?

• ​Is it okay to deliberately create a disabled child?

• ​Is it permissible to kill and eat animals?

• ​Should we enter the experience machine?

• ​Is science the only source of knowledge?

• ​Is what is right or wrong a matter of opinion?

• ​On what basis should we care about the environment?

• ​Can we know we are not brains in a vat?

• ​What is a potential person worth?

• ​What is gender?

• ​What is philosophy and how is it done?

• ​Is abortion morally permissible?

​We'll be meeting in the 550 Room (down the stairs on the North side). Contact me by text if you're having trouble finding the location.

​On the Wednesdays when we're not running this event, we'll often be having similar discussions here: https://lu.ma/shortstories