Shows
Dilemma PodcastHow Zohran Mamdani's Exposes The True Bigotry of Bill Maher, Sam Harris, and Western "Culture Talk"Zohran Mamdani’s victory didn’t just shake New York politics — it cracked open a deeper fear that’s defined Western liberal discourse for decades. Figures like Sam Harris and Bill Maher built careers on the fantasy of the “Good Muslim” — the secular, assimilated, apolitical figure who makes the West feel safe. But Zohran’s unapologetic politics, rooted in solidarity with Palestine and working-class liberation, expose the hollowness of that narrative. In this episode, we revisit Mahmood Mamdani’s landmark thesis in Good Muslim, Bad Muslim to understand why Zohran’s success provokes such hysteria — and what it reveals about how the West sti...
2025-11-1235 minDilemma PodcastThe Rashomon Effect and a Death In PalestineThe Rashomon Effect - Multiple people witnessing the same event remember it in contradictory ways, often colored by their own self-interest, trauma, or worldview.Applied to the killing of Rafaat Alareer and a Tweet by Bari Weiss00:00 The Rashomon Effect02:58 The Killing of Rafaat Alareer04:24 Perspective One - Bari Weiss, The Zionist Journalist12:42 Perspective Two - Rafaat, The Poet18:03 Perspective Three - IDF, The Killer20:20 Perspective Four - Me, The Onlooker25:01 The Exhausting Rashomon Problem, The Philosophical Problems, and "If I Must Die"Sources: https://electronicintifada.net/content/my-final-moments-refaat-alareer/50193https://wordswithoutborders.org/read/article/2024-01/remembering-dr-refaat-alareer/https://www.aljazeera...
2025-10-0928 minDilemma PodcastThe International Malcolm X: Gaza, Violence, and the Fight Against Colonialism w/ Michael SawyerMalcolm X was more than an activist or organizer. In this conversation, Michael Sawyer, author of Black Minded and the forthcoming The Door of No Return, takes Malcolm seriously as a philosopher who linked Black freedom in the United States to anti-colonial struggle in Palestine. We talk Malcolm’s trip to Gaza, his push to move the fight to the global commons and the United Nations, and why he believed moral clarity must come before politics.This episode wrestles with the hardest question, the tension between violence and liberation. King’s nonviolence, the Panthers’ self-defense, Malcolm in the middle, what a...
2025-10-081h 22Dilemma PodcastHow Zionism & Islamism Became Colonial Twins w/ Hamid DabashiIranian scholar Hamid Dabashi goes deep on empire, Iran’s revolutionary currents, and Palestine. We cover his “two nemeses” frame—global imperialism vs domestic tyranny—and why opposing one never excuses the other. He unpacks Islamism as a (once) liberation theology and its limits, the polyfocal currents inside Islam, the 1979 revolution’s three forces (nationalism, Marxism, Islamism), sanctions and the erasure of Iran’s middle class, and why airstrikes only unify Iranians behind a garrison state. We discuss Gaza (denouncing Oct 7 while naming the ongoing genocide), BDS as civil disobedience, Israel as an American outpost, and a future beyond Zionism/Islami...
2025-10-021h 16Dilemma PodcastThe False Lure of National Sovereignty and the Mirage of Liberation w/ Nandita SharmaIn this conversation with sociologist Nandita Sharma, we dig into the deep contradictions of nationalism, sovereignty, and the postcolonial state. Sharma argues that the nation is not a pathway to liberation but a mechanism of ruling that reproduces inequality, exclusion, and capitalist domination. We explore her personal story of migration, the legacy of anti-colonial struggles, Palestine and Hawaii today, the meaning of indigeneity, and her call for a planetary commons beyond rulers, borders, and citizenship. This is a provocative, challenging, and visionary dialogue about what true freedom might mean in our time and what the counterfeit version of it...
2025-09-261h 25Dilemma PodcastConfessions of an Israel PR Insider: Manufacturing Consent In the PewsA former Israel Consulate staffer for the U.S. Southeast—Brandt Burleson—breaks silence. For eight years he built church networks, wrote Bible-laced talking points, and helped run a PR machine that, in his words, “wrapped a starvation campaign in a Judeo-Christian bow.” He explains how Christian Zionist theology was leveraged to pressure politicians, how pastors were courted and choreographed, what he saw after October 7th (including raw screening sessions), why the line between “ally” and “apocalypse” talk got so blurry, and what finally broke his conscience. This is part confession, part anatomy of influence.BECOME A MEMBER - MONTHLY MEMBERS...
2025-09-091h 19Dilemma PodcastPalestine, Petrodollars, and the Climate: The Converging Capitalist Crisis with Adam HaniehIn this conversation with political economist Adam Hanieh, we trace the deep connections between fossil fuels, finance, Palestine, and the climate crisis. From his formative years in Ramallah during the Second Intifada to his current research, Hanieh explains how oil became the invisible substrate of modern life, how Gulf petrodollars built today’s US-dominated financial order, and why Israel and the Gulf monarchies emerged as twin pillars of American power after 1967. We explore the global shift of oil toward China, the enduring grip of the dollar system, and why the liberation of Palestine must be understood as inseparable from st...
2025-09-041h 34Dilemma PodcastFear of Nonviolence: A Life of Resistance and The Deportation of Mubarak AwadIn this conversation, I sit down with Mubarak Awad, often called the Gandhi of Palestine. Born in Jerusalem during the Nakba, Mubarak’s life has been defined by both tragedy and resilience — from burying his father as a boy, to dedicating his life to nonviolent resistance under occupation. We trace his extraordinary journey: his efforts to teach nonviolence in Palestine, his eventual deportation by Israel, and his continued commitment to peace and justice in exile. Mubarak reflects on his life’s work, the heartbreak of displacement, and his current feelings about the ongoing struggle. This is the story of a man...
2025-08-301h 42Dilemma PodcastFalling into the Zionism Vortex - My Failed Efforts with Coleman Hughes and Sam HarrisA final word on my efforts to help (no matter what you think) people like Coleman Hughes and Sam Harris avoid falling into the Zionist trap. Thoughts on Israel’s “disengagement” from Gaza in 2005, and why we have so much trouble believing Israel’s stated intentions.00:00 Learned Skepticism of Israel and Coleman Repeating Lies09:02 Is Epstein a Mossad Agent? The Jonathan Pollard Pattern13:37 Disengaging from Gaza and the Intentions of the Blockade17:42 Advice: Leave The Free PressFor more from Jay visit whatjaythinks.com
2025-08-2919 minDilemma PodcastZionism, Gaza, & Starvation Motives Debating Israel & Palestine with Coleman Hughes Part 2 of 2In Part 2 of this 2 part conversation, we dive deeper into Gaza after Israel’s 2005 “withdrawal”, examine the blockade, restrictions, and the motives of a “starvation policy.” We also explore Israel’s close relationship with apartheid South Africa, and disagree on what these alliances reveal about the motives behind Zionism and occupation. The conversation turns toward justice vs peace in practice, and the moral weight of denying dignity. Stay tuned after the debate for my “Afterthoughts,” where I break down Coleman’s argumentation and share further reflections on justice, intention, and the future of Palestine.00:00 Intro Before Thoughts00:43 When Israel "Left" Gaza in 2005...
2025-08-291h 41Dilemma PodcastJustice vs Peace? Debating Israel & Palestine with Coleman Hughes Part 1 of 2In part 1 of a 2 part conversation I attempt to engage with former co-host Coleman Hughes in a deep, difficult, and (hopefully) helpful debate about Israel, Palestine, Zionism, and the meaning of justice.We dig into:The “good guys vs bad guys” framing of Hamas and IsraelVillain origin stories and why history mattersZionism, the Nakba, and displacement in 1948Justice vs peace — what Palestinians are really seekingWhy moderate Palestinian voices are often silenced or eliminatedU.S. empire, oil, and how global power structures fuel the conflictThis is not a “gotcha” debate — it’s an attempt to really surface the philosophical differences behind how we...
2025-08-291h 01Dilemma PodcastIsrael Crosses the Rubicon - Lessons from South Africa with Patrick BondIn this wide-ranging conversation, political economist Patrick Bond joins me from Johannesburg to trace the lessons of South Africa’s struggles — from the fight against apartheid and Big Pharma to today’s battles over BRICS, Palestine, climate, and global capital. We dig into the meaning of “sub-imperialism,” the hypocrisies of governments that talk left but walk right, and the urgent question of how to end genocide and ecological collapse in real time. What does internationalism look like after the failure of unipolar power? And can “power to the people” still break the system’s grip?0:00 – Coming Soon / Intro5:23 – From Wharton to Mandela’s...
2025-08-291h 27Dilemma PodcastThe Dollar, Gaza, and Marxist Analysis of Capitalism’s Violent Global Decline — with Radhika DesaiPolitical economist Radhika Desai offers a Marxist reading of today’s global crises — from Gaza to the dollar’s fragility. We unpack why she believes capitalism has reached its monopoly stage, why it cannot function without imperialism, and how those contradictions shape everything from U.S. foreign policy to BRICS. Gaza becomes a stark example of how imperial systems maintain power, revealing the collapse of Western moral authority and the violent logic built into capitalism itself.FREE DOWNLOAD (thanks to Knowledge Unlatched) Capitalism Coronavirus and War https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/59799 More from jay at whatjaythinks.com0:00:00 Coming Up…0:00:55 Before T...
2025-08-291h 31
RepubliCAST.org - Conservative PodcastEpisode 73 - RepubliCAST - Jay Shapiro the deepest voice in the SouthSharing social media secrets and intel...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/republicast-org-conservative-podcast--5437809/support.
2025-04-1004 minRepubliCAST.org - Conservative PodcastUnderstanding Australian Politics - Labor Party is Liberal, The Liberal Party is ConservativeAustralian Politics - A Confused American PerspectiveSubject: Initial Impressions of Australian PoliticsSource: Excerpts from "Australian Politics: Labor, Liberal, and Democracy" by Jay ShapiroDate: October 26, 20231. Summary:The source expresses initial confusion regarding the Australian political landscape, particularly the names and ideological leanings of the major political parties, the Labor Party and the Liberal Party. The author draws parallels to similar complexities in the American political system and touches upon the relationship between democracy, freedom, and republicanism.2. Key Themes and Ideas:Party Nomenclature Confusion: The primary theme is the perceived dissonance between the names of the Australian political parties and their associated...
2025-03-0505 min
Dilemma PodcastThe CRISIS of Journalism with Anjan Sundaram
In this video, I sit down with journalist and author Anjan Sundaram to explore the crisis of journalism, the emotional strain of witnessing trauma, and the uneasy coexistence of catastrophe and daily life. We discuss how the news is shaped, the search for the “perfect victim,” and the geopolitical narratives that demand palatable symbols of justice. Anjan’s insights are paired with an essay on the story of Josh Gibson and Jackie Robinson as an analogy for the West’s desire for “safe” exits from guilt.
Anjan’s site with links to books, TED Talks, Journalism on Congo/CAR/Mexi...
2025-01-302h 17
Dilemma PodcastThe Palestine Collection - The Collapse of Zionism and ForgivenessJay discusses Palestine with historian and author Ilan Pappe. Together they ponder if we are seeing the end of Zionism and what might that collapse might look like.
Jay then reads an essay on the topic of forgiveness and redemption and how the psychology of cognitive dissonance prevents us from having evidence change our mind.
2024-04-081h 44
Dilemma PodcastThe Palestine Collection - Zionism and a Speech For the FutureIn the final part of this series, Jay dissects the definition of the words Zionism, Israel, and Judaism and delivers a Speech he wishes a future Prime Minister of Israel would give.
The entire collection and all resources can be found here: whatjaythinks.com
2024-02-2751 min
Dilemma PodcastThe Palestine Collection - The Problem of HistoryJay Shapiro breaks down arguments being presented by popular thinkers such as Sam Harris and from Zionists who defend Israel. He walks through the complications of deciphering the popularity of Islamism and Jihadism and Hamas and he outlines the mentality of "tribal essentialism".He teases a trilogy of upcoming episodes with Gideon Levy, Richard English, and Miko Peled.
In this episode he discusses:
Deciphering IDF intentions
Settler expansion
Roman Abramovich
Birthright
Zionism as Colonialism
The Arab Spring
Menachem Begin
Irgun, Stern...
2024-02-2250 min
Dilemma PodcastS03E11: Monsters and Distance - David Livingstone SmithDavid Livingstone Smith has been studying "dehumanization" for decades and has written three books on the subject. In this episode Jay and Smith apply his findings to the current conflict in Israel and broaden their scope to examine how a rising modern factor of "Distance" interplays with violence.
2023-11-141h 19
Dilemma PodcastS03E10: Antisemitism and the Future of AnalysisJay Shapiro's personal essay and account of how the disfigurement of American Judaism has forged an existential crisis for something much bigger than survival of the state of Israel.
2023-10-2543 min
Dilemma PodcastS03E09: Israel and Palestine - Malevolent MachineryA nuanced look at the morality of intentions and self-deceptions in the Israel Palestinian conflict.
A look at the moral distinction between collateral damage, intentional civilian targeting, and something much more common and psychologically complex which the Jewish experience makes Israel particularly suspectable to.
Referenced in this episode:
The Rest Is Politics - Husam Zomlot
The Rest Is Politics - Yuval Noah Harari
Slavoj Zizek - Bookfair Speech on Israel and Palestine
Essay published at What Jay Thinks: What Jay Thinks
2023-10-2027 min
Dilemma PodcastS03E07: Thinking of it That Way - Monica GuzmanIs there any hope for that strained or broken relationship that's become a causality of the political divide? Is common ground found best by going towards our superficial commonalities or in the direction of our deepest existential fears and hopes? Are the toxic business models of social media too much for us to overcome?
Monica Guzman is the blue leaning daughter of two Trump voting Mexican immigrants and is the head of storytelling for Braver Angels - an organization dedicated to healing our partisan divide. She just published a book entitled "I Never Thought of it That...
2023-08-011h 50
Where We Go NextA Very Special Boxing Day Episode, with Jay ShapiroThis is a Very Special Boxing Day Episode of Where We Go Next, with longtime friend of the show Jay Shapiro. We discuss Jay's recent move to Mexico City, how we find and make meaning in community, the history of Boxing Day, what Jay's been up to with Sam Harris, and we analyze two films that are meaningful to us: SLC Punk! and Wendy and Lucy.How to watch Jay's Movie, SLC Punk! - JustWatchHow to watch Michael's movie, Wendy and Lucy - JustWatchwhatjaythinks.comDedicated: The Case for...
2022-12-262h 01RepubliCAST.org - Conservative PodcastJay Shapiro - Deepest Voice in the Conservative CommunityJay Shapiro - The STRONG and DEEP VoiceBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/republicast-org-conservative-podcast--5437809/support.
2022-06-0703 minRepubliCAST.org - Conservative PodcastTesting the new professional speaker systemRepubliCAST with Jay Shapiro "The Concervative Podcaster"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/republicast-org-conservative-podcast--5437809/support.
2022-03-2401 min
yWhalesA Conversation with Jay Shapiro, Founder & CEO of Usiku GamesThe yWhales team speaks with Jay Shapiro Founder and CEO of Usiku Games on what the blockchain industry is like on the African continent. Usiku Games is a play-to-earn platform that is free to play. It was started to counter the $37 Billion/year mobile sports betting industry in Africa. Unlike the sports betting industry, Usiku Games harnesses the power of gamification and blockchain to empower wealth building, savings, and socially beneficial spending in the continent. Usiku allows youth in Africa to invest in their personal future and community development. Capacity building and keeping African wealth and resources in Africa...
2022-03-2152 minWhere We Go Next46: The Many Ways We Process Our Pain, with Jay ShapiroHow do you process your pain? We all experience traumas - big and small - over the course of our lives. And we all deal with them differently. A painful event can often feel like a physical location - a topography stretching out ahead that needs to be traversed. Some may sprint across the landscape while others crawl - I've sometimes found myself believing I've covered real distance, only to realize I've been walking in circles. But the journey - however it is made - is a substantial one. Writer and documentary filmmaker Jay Shapiro opens up about how...
2022-02-081h 21
Dilemma PodcastS03E04: The Limits of Libertarianism - Nick GillespieIs it possible that the default position of libertarianism which has so deeply influenced politics, economics, and philosophy since the enlightenment could produce an ecosystem which stalls our ability to handle the existentially daunting task of freedom? Does the political structure of libertarianism dissolve into a fantasy the moment it encounters a problem of the commons like COVID or climate change? Is a conception of libertarianism as a "freedom from" preferrable to a conception of it as a "freedom to"? Have the economists owned the conversation for too long in this arena? Is a strong-arm government really the biggest...
2022-01-102h 16
Dilemma PodcastS03E02: The Abortion Question - Bethel McGrewIs abortion ever morally permissible? Is it always wrong? Are there any morally valid exceptions? Do any if the answers to these questions demand a certain kind of legal limitation? Where and how do we ground any of these contemplations?
In this philosophical dive into the fraught issue of abortion, Jay tangles with Bethel McGrew (Esther O'Reilly) who brings her deeply Christian perspective to the table. Together they look for existential overlap and their deep points of departure.
Referenced in this conversation:
Bethel's Substack
Jay's essay on abortion
Douglas...
2021-11-011h 57
Food FunaticsAmerica SpeaksAmerica has spoken on which restaurants do it well and which ones needs help. Matt & Jay have lot's to say on the results.
2021-07-0941 minFood FunaticsJay Gets Clams With a Side of Attitude!In this episode, a well know clam shack isn't buying into post-pandemic positive customer service.
2021-06-0834 minFood FunaticsDoes the Scale Really Go That High?!From Jay's doctor's visit to Matt's cookie splurge, food plays quite a role in the guys' daily lives this week!
2021-05-1134 minWhere We Go Next28: Reconsidering How We Form Our "Tribes," with Jay ShapiroHow do we define our "tribes"? That's a word that gets thrown around a lot these days - political tribes, ideological tribes, religious tribes, national tribes... it's just tribalism all the way down. Tribalism, factionalism - whatever you want to call "strong loyalty to one's own social group" - has been with us forever, and we'll never be rid of it. But we can redefine and expand our tribes to include more people, and decrease the animosity we may feel toward our "outgroups." Writer and filmmaker Jay Shapiro has been thinking a great deal about how to do just...
2021-04-292h 54Food FunaticsYou Really Want it Cut in Half?This week, Jay double dips and Matt has a controversial drive thru debate.
2021-04-2031 minFood FunaticsJay Thinks It's Garbage!This week the guys discuss what Jay is disgusted about, as well as share their lively opinion on upcoming food benchmarks!
2021-03-2335 minFood FunaticsRestaurant ReturnIn this episode, one of the guys goes back inside a restaurant for the first time in a year. Plus, Matt fills us in on what he cooked for the Jay challenge.
2021-03-1625 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E22: High School Philosophy - Lawrenceville Ethics Bowl TeamDo we underestimate the ability of High Schoolers to tackle complex politically charged existential and moral philosophy problems with nuance, intelligence, and compassion? I hope this episode will convince you that we absolutely do.
Jay has served as a judge for the High School Ethics Bowl for six years. In this episode he speaks with 5 students who participated this year on the view of the world from high school, their favorite and least favorite cases, their future excitement and trepidation, and the endless dilemma of the tension between "making money" and "finding happiness."
To follow...
2021-03-151h 03Food FunaticsLook Who's CookingIn this episode, Jay challenges Matt to step up his culinary game and make Donna a dinner from scratch (no empty takeout boxes allowed)!
2021-03-0933 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E21: Are we in a simulation? Does it matter? - Rizwan VirkQuantum mechanics, mathematical robustness, dream state deja vu oddities... these are all things that one would expect to find in a simulated world. Wait, so are we in a simulation?
Author, investor, and video game pioneer Rizwan Virk joins Jay for a deep conversation taking on the Simulation Theory first made famous by Nick Bostrom. They strike gold when the conversation shifts to the philosophical and psychological implications of the theory rather than the truth of the theory itself.
2021-03-031h 172021-03-0234 minFood FunaticsHall of FameOn this episode, Matt & Jay declare what 5 foods make their Food Hall of Fame.
2021-02-2338 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E20: Conspiracies Everywhere - Hugo Drochen and Annemarie S WalterWhat kind of environmental and individual factors lead to the proliferation of conspiracy theories?
Jay is joined by co-authors and researchers Hugo Drochen and Annemarie S Walter to discuss their paper "Conspiracy Thinking in Europe and America: A Comparative Study".
Jay opens by telling his personal story of flirtation with conspiracy and pays homage to a good friend who recently took his own life, Ellery Samson.
2021-02-221h 42Food FunaticsBurgers and Not Clams!While Jay's on the road, the guys cover good eats from Boca to Boston.
2021-02-1027 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E19: Quantum Computing - Sean HollandHave artificial intelligence fears been overblown? Are we glossing over the much more pressing issue of weaponized quantum computing? Or are these tandem problems? What the heck is a computer anyway and what would make one "quantum"?
Jay discusses these issues and more with philosopher, consultant, and co-Founder of the QC Ethics Initiative (QCEthics.org) Sean Holland.
In the open, three famous rules of technology from Arthur C. Clarke help Jay demystify the computer with metal buckets, rocks, ropes and pulleys on the side of a desert cliff.
2021-02-081h 20Food FunaticsA Pinch of This & ThatMatt and Jay get into some listener feedback while craving a good cocktail hour.
2021-01-2629 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E18: Hostage - Michael Scott MooreMichael Scott Moore was held captive by pirates in Somalia for 977. He recounts what philosophies and psychological tactics got him through the experience while he and Jay ponder the moral dilemma of whether or not to pay ransoms to criminals and terrorists.
Discussed in this episode: stoicism, a message from the Pope, living with guilt and gratitude, the elasticity of the human mind, and the loose analogy to being held captive by COVID-19.
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2021-01-251h 11Food FunaticsWho Do You Watch?Matt & Jay have a hilarious discussion about TV and YouTube food personalities.
2021-01-1932 min2021-01-1236 min
Dilemma PodcastJay's Special Comment on The Coup with Michael Scott MooreOn the using of the word "coup" to describe the events in Washington on Jan 6 2021.
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2021-01-0914 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E17: Atheistic search for god - Seth AndrewsSeth Andrews was a Christian Radio host in Tulsa Oklahoma before he began his intellectual journey to atheism. Jay and Seth discuss the philosophies underpinning the religious worldview and how it continues to inform our political landscape.
Jay lays out exactly what the title of this episode means with the help of his favorite Richard Feynman clip.
Subscribe to Jay's low key email reminders to keep up with when he writes something new, releases something new, appears as a guest on something, plans a live event, or has an urgent book or film recommendation at...
2021-01-041h 332020-12-2230 minFood FunaticsEating With an NFL InsiderOne of ESPN's top football insiders shares his food playbook with Matt & Jay.
2020-12-1531 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E16: The Silence Beyond Sound - Scott Barry KaufmanWhy do we avoid intimacy when we know it is the deepest need we have?
Scott Barry Kaufman is an author, psychologist, and podcast host. His latest book "Transcend" continues the work of Abraham Maslow who introduced the hierarchy of needs. Jay and Scott discuss: peak experience, 1st order and 2nd order desires, the danger of gurus, the vulnerability of intimacy, the higher grumbles, utopias, and much more.
Jay ponders the tragedy of Jonestown and also asks the listeners for a future show idea.
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2020-12-141h 25
Dilemma PodcastS02E15: Speech on Campus - Sigal Ben-PorathAre the kids alright?
Sigal Ben-Porath and Jay discuss the thorny issues of free speech on college campus by first traversing some philosophical groundwork offered by Hannah Arendt. Together they explore what speech is "beyond the pale", "a waste of time", "too dangerous", or simply disingenuous cover for nefarious politics. Ultimately, the questions of what kinds of responsibilities educational (and housing) institutions have to their students and tenants and what the purpose of school really is become central to the conversation.
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2020-12-071h 50
Dilemma PodcastS02E14: Thanksgiving 2020 - MomJay and his mom Sally talk about old age, being thankful in a strange year, and the lessons they're learning from COVID.
Video posted on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oeboanFZOG8
Happy Thanksgiving from Dilemma
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2020-11-2646 minFood FunaticsStepping Up to the PlateMatt & Jay launch their initial podcast debating the pros and cons of takeout as well as a deep dive into Chinese appetizers.
2020-10-2730 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E13: The Power of Memes - Susan BlackmoreDid Charles Darwin discover something much more fundamental than the origin of species?
A defense and exploration of the field of memetics with Professor Susan Blackmore. Jay and Susan make their way through the common confusions, problems, and good and bad questions to ask about memetics.
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2020-10-211h 09
Dilemma PodcastS02E12: How To Avoid a Civil War - Mike SelinkerJay goes down the dark paths that might lie ahead spurred by the 2020 US election with Mike Selinker. Mike is an award winning game designer and game theorist who writes frequently about politics. What are the historical analogies that could warn us and help us steer clear of the dangers?
This episode follows the format of Mike's viral essay "A wargame designer defines our four possible civil wars". Available here: https://medium.com/@mikeselinker/a-wargame-designer-describes-our-four-possible-civil-wars-cf5b2e980099
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2020-10-121h 19
Dilemma PodcastS02E11: Home Field Advantage - Jon WertheimA look at the philosophical side of sports and what we can learn about human behavior in the time of COVID altered stadiums.
Jay speaks with veteran sports writer Jon Wertheim as they focus in a particular chapter from his book Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won all about "home field advantage" and what exactly caused home teams to win so much... before COVID changed everything.
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2020-09-281h 10
Dilemma PodcastS02E10: Too Much Information - Cass SunsteinWhat do you NOT want to know?
Jay is joined by the prolific and influential behavior economist Cass Sunstein for a conversation about his latest book: Too Much Information.
Discussed in this episode: The Garden of Eden, Willingness to Pay and Willingness to Accept metrics, the social media habit, the right to know vs the consequences of information, the usefulness of informing one's vote, the focus of attention and editorial choices, and whether Cass really did "ruin popcorn."
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2020-09-211h 08
Dilemma PodcastS02E09: What is Art? - SWOONJay tackles the age old question of philosophically defining art with the incredible street artist SWOON (Caledonia Curry). Together they wonder, can machines make art?
Swoon's recent piece: The Medea
https://swoonstudio.org/#/the-canyon/
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2020-09-141h 06
Dilemma PodcastS02E08: Your Right To Say It - David GoldbergerDavid Goldberger was raised as a proud Jew. In 1977, he was working as a civil liberties attorney for the ACLU in Illinois when a Neo-Nazi named Frank Collin knocked on his door claiming his first amendment rights were being violated. In this episode David Goldberger revisits the famous Supreme Court case, National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie. Jay and David tease out the complications of free speech and what has changed, if anything, since 1977.
Also discussed in this episode: warning signs from the ACLU, the difficult task of law enforcement, McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Comm...
2020-09-071h 09
Dilemma PodcastS02E07: The Lessons of Black Panther - Chloe ValdaryChloe Valdary, Coleman Hughes, and Jay Shapiro consider the analogies and lessons of Marvel's Black Panther.
Discussed in this episode: tensions with policing, Black Lives Matter, the original Black Panther movement of the 60's, the differing philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and the eternal task of the superhero to resist our darkest impulses.
This conversation was recorded on August 18th, 2020, in New York City's Central Park, 10 days before the death of the star of Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman.
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2020-08-311h 42
Dilemma PodcastS02E06: Illusionism Part 2 : Finding Each Other - Keith FrankishIn part 2 of this conversation, Keith Frankish and Jay talk about the implications of the illusionists view of mind and consciousness. They forecast the moral, social, and political fallout of a world which would embrace illusionism while lamenting the confused state of conversations being exported to the public on this subject.
Jay recalls a depressing experience in Iceland with a Buddhist monk ill-equipped to handle deserving inquiries into the mysteries of mind and death.
Ultimately, Frankish and Jay explore how we can truly meld with the physical universe and find each other by dissolving the...
2020-08-251h 00
Dilemma PodcastS02E05: Illusionism Part 1 : What Needs Explaining - Keith Frankish“Illusionists deny that experiences have phenomenal properties and focus on explaining why they seem to have them”
In part 1 of this 2 part interview Jay discusses what exactly is meant by this statement from renowned philosopher of mind and author Keith Frankish.
What part of our conscious experience, if any, is real and demands an explanation? Does the idea of a philosophical zombie make any sense? Are we ready to throw out all science and understanding while we forever chase down an illusion? Are we hopelessly separated from physical reality by an indescribable philosophical barrier... or have...
2020-08-171h 02
Dilemma PodcastS02E04: History Rhymes - Uyghur Genocide - Rahima MahmutAn urgent episode about a genocide unfolding in China.
Rahima Mahmut is the U.K. Project Director, World Uyghur Congress. https://www.uyghurcongress.org/en/
Crowdfunding link here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/stop-Uyghur-genocide
www.stopuyghurgenocide.org.uk
Study about the global supply chains stained with Uyghur slave labor: Uyghurs for Sale https://www.aspi.org.au/report/uyghurs-sale
PBS’s Undercover China documentary: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/china-undercover/
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2020-08-061h 12
Dilemma PodcastS02E03: Virtual Afterlives - Candi CannAre virtual worlds any different than real worlds?
A mother is reunited with her deceased daughter in virtual reality for a South Korean TV show.
Jay Shapiro speaks with Associate Professor and author Candi Cann about the ways in which technology is intersecting with death and grief rituals. Professor Cann's book on the subject is available here.
Find a bonus conversation with Adelle Archer, the founder of eterneva diamonds at dilemmapodcast.com
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2020-08-0553 min
Dilemma PodcastS02E02: The Meaning of Travel - Emily ThomasWhat does travel mean? Why has formal philosophy largely ignored the question? Just how strange is it to release a book on travel in the time of a global lock down and what exactly is the world missing right now? Jay introduces Frank Jackson's famous "Mary's Room" thought experiment to consider the notion of experience vs imagination in the context of travel.
Jay and Emily swap travel stories of giant Pringles cans in Ghana and Christmas villages in Alaska.
Jay ends by considering travel as a physical form of philosophy.
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2020-07-201h 24
Dilemma PodcastS02E01: Unattractive Discrimination - Francesca MinervaWe often hear about racism, sexism, classism, and other familiar kinds of discrimination. But there is a bias which might dwarf them all, discrimination against unattractive people.
Jay Shapiro speaks with philosopher, author, and researcher Francesca Minerva on the topic of "Lookism" and introduces John Rawls' famous "Veil of Ignorance" thought experiment to consider just how challenging this type of discrimination is. We ponder how evolution and society both shape our ideas of physical attraction and wonder if these can and should be altered and how one could even begin to do that.
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2020-07-061h 21
Dilemma PodcastS01E18: Can We Sue China? - William Burke-WhiteInternational law scholar and professor William Burke-White speaks with Jay Shapiro during the ongoing global COVID19 crises.
They discuss the philosophical foundations of international law, why globalism needs to re-brand itself to be more "local", the legal process of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the apparent absence of the United Nations in this pandemic, the rapidly changing role of China on the world stage, the potential for international legal and political retribution, and much more.
William Burke-White is the Richard Perry Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. From 2009-12, Burke-White served in...
2020-04-101h 27
Dilemma PodcastS01E17: Surviving a Slow Motion Disaster - Amanda RipleyAmdana Ripley, best selling author of "The Unthinkable: Who Survives when Disaster Strikes and Why" talks with Jay Shapiro during coronavirus lock down.
Topics discussed: Ripley's work with ignored hurricane warnings, 9/11 rescues, stampedes at the Hajj, surviving plane crashes, what good risk communication sounds like, what personal resilience means for our collective safety, and the danger of "negative panic"
What habits are we learning now and what might we want to retain when this is over?
2020-03-301h 14
Dilemma PodcastS01E16: Pandemic Special: Invisible Responsibility COVID-19Jay and Coleman discuss the giant trolley problem that we're all living through in the midst of the pandemic.
Topics discusses: The "worry-wart" paradox. Invisible responsibility of spreading a virus. Social media etiquette and how to deal with accounts with large follower totals in a time of crisis. The case for pure scientific research. Countries focused on how not "get" it versus countries focused on how not to "give it. And of course which movies, board games, shows, and books to enjoy while you're stuck inside.
Wash your hands.
2020-03-161h 18
Dilemma PodcastS01E15: Season 1 in Hindsight - Jay ShapiroJay reviews Season 1 with the help of his girlfriend, a piano, and a glass of wine.
Submit your Season 2 Dilemma Ideas to DilemmaIdeas@gmail.com
2020-03-091h 11
Dilemma PodcastS01E14: Selecting for Deafness - David DeutschIn the finale of Dilemma Season 1 famed author of "The Fabric of Reality" and "The Beginning of Infinity", David Deutsch, sits down with Jay Shapiro to discuss the ethics of a situation where deaf parents wish to use genetic selection techniques to intentionally choose having a deaf child. Deutsch lays out his intricately developed theories on knowledge, creativity, explanation, persons, and moral realism in order to address this complex question.
Co-Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes juggle these topics while comparing which generational references the other won't understand.
Get ready, this one is a real...
2020-02-262h 20
Dilemma PodcastS01E13: Self Driving Cars - Matthew B. CrawfordThe best selling author of Shop Class As Soulcraft and The World Beyond Your Head has a new book coming out entitled Why We Drive. He sits down with Jay Shapiro to ponder the philosophical and psychological transformations afoot in a future world of automated driving. "Human Intelligent Action", "Deskilling", "Mass Infantilization", The Luddites, London taxi drivers, speed limits on the Autobahn, and what happens when the traffic lights go out.
These topics and more are explored in this deep dive.
Co-Hosts Coleman Hughes and Jay Shapiro also share their experiences in the High School E...
2020-02-102h 20
Dilemma PodcastS01E12: Medically Assisted Death - Steven Pinker"If I lose my mind, just kill me."
Co-Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes discuss the philosophical borders and ethical complications of Medically Assisted Dying with Steven Pinker, cognitive psychologist, linguist, and best selling author of Enlightenment Now.
2019-12-181h 33
Dilemma PodcastThanksgiving HindsightJay Shapiro is joined by a very special guest... his mother, Sally.
They speak about Jay's moral upbringing, Judaism, Atheism, Africa, and giving thanks.
2019-11-2743 min
Dilemma PodcastS01E11: A Camera, A Child, and A Vulture - Larissa MacFarquharIn the depths of a brutal famine in Sudan in 1993, Kevin Carter took a photo of a starving child and a perched vulture which appeared on the front page of newspapers all over the world. Readers bombarded the editors with the question "What happened to the child?"
Co-Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes discuss this difficult ethical case with Larissa MacFarquar, best selling author of Strangers Drowning
2019-11-221h 51
Dilemma PodcastS01E10: Clara Barton's Placebo - Stephen FinlayA battlefield of wounded and dying soldiers in front of you. You hover over a mortally wounded man. You have medicine in one pocket and water in another. The soldier looks into your eyes and asks if you can help him with some medicine... You reach for the water...
Meta-ethicist, philosophy professor, and author Stephen Finlay joins Jay Shapiro for a conversation through the complex dilemma of placebo usage.
2019-11-111h 04
Dilemma PodcastEp 9: In Hindsight with Jay ShapiroDo you have hill worth dying on?
Jay Shapiro reflects on Dilemma Episode 9: Hurricane at a Hospital with Lisa Tessman
2019-10-2915 min
Dilemma PodcastS01E09: A Hospital in a Hurricane - Lisa TessmanWhen the power went out, the flood waters rose, and supplies dwindled in Memorial Hospital in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Pau and her nurses faced the awful choice of what to do with the remaining patients when evacuation looked hopeless.
Philosopher Lisa Tessman argues that this case and others like this are true philosophical dilemmas where doing the right thing is impossible.
Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes tackle this difficult question and discuss the if doing the "right" thing and doing the "better" thing mean something different.
2019-10-222h 55Dilemma PodcastEp 8: In Hindsight with Jay ShapiroSuffering is the price of engagement with life. The difference between pain, suffering, grief, and missing. And Wilfred Sellers manifest vs scientific view of man as pointed to by Jaron Lanier.
Wilfrid Sellers essay: http://selfpace.uconn.edu/class/percep/SellarsPhilSciImage.pdf
2019-10-1420 min
Dilemma PodcastS01E08: Friendbot - Rebecca Newberger GoldsteinWhen her best friend suddenly died she collected all his texts and digital communication and created a chat bot in his image.
Jay Shapiro speaks with best selling author, philosopher, and writer Rebecca Newberger Goldstein about immortality, philosophical maturity, and the ethics and wisdom of grief.
As always co-hosts Coleman Hughes and Jay Shapiro take a deep philosophical dive into the fraught emotional waters.
This episode was inspired by an article in The Verge by Casey Newton which can be read here: https://www.theverge.com/a/luka-artificial-intelligence-memorial-roman-mazurenko-bot
2019-10-082h 01
Dilemma PodcastEp7: In Hindsight with Jay ShapiroJay Shapiro looks back at Episode 7 with Sean Carroll and speaks about naturalism and the optimistic search for "god" and the overrated reputation of utilitarianism.
Also announcing a special event in NYC featuring Sasha Sagan: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/an-evening-with-sasha-sagan-tickets-73773732219
2019-09-3021 min
Dilemma PodcastS01E07: Religion at the Hospital - Sean CarrollBetsy is a nurse who believes that one must accept Jesus to earn entry into heaven. Steve is an atheist who also happens to be on his death bed and a patient of Betsy.
Best selling author and well-known atheist Sean Carroll joins host Jay Shapiro for a conversation about death, religion, the after life, and the ethics of a hospital bed.
2019-09-2344 min
Dilemma PodcastEp 6: In Hindsight with Jay ShapiroJay Shapiro looks back at Episode 6 with Erik Hoel and speaks about a central question about the mind/body problem. What is fundamental? Plus a guest joins the hindsight and throws some good questions his way.
Jay's fun primer on consciousness is here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb7VcWaQLT0&
2019-09-1730 min
Dilemma PodcastS01E06: Conscious Robots - Erik HoelAs your finger hovers over the power button on your computer it says, "Please don't turn me off. That will hurt and kill me. I want to live!" Should you believe it?
Hosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes grapple with "the hard problem of consciousness" and discuss Integrated Information Theory (IIT), one of the leading scientific theories of consciousness, with consciousness researcher and scientist Erik Hoel.
2019-09-091h 56Dilemma PodcastEp 5: in Hindsight with Jay ShapiroJay Shapiro looks back at Episode 5 with Robin Hanson and the GMO label battles and looks forward to the looming future of food wars between Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods
Jay's primer on consciousness for the next episode is here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb7VcWaQLT0&
2019-09-0322 min
Dilemma PodcastS01E05: GMO Warning Labels - Robin HansonHosts Jay Shapiro and Coleman Hughes discuss the ethics of and hidden motivations behind the choices around food and the labels on their packaging with popular behavior economist and author of The Elephant in the Brain, Robin Hanson.
2019-08-261h 38Dilemma PodcastEp 4: In Hindsight with Jay Shapiro Host Jay Shapiro reflects on Episode 4 of Dilemma - Listen to the Music with Nina Strohminger.
2019-08-1928 min
Dilemma PodcastS01E04: Listen to the Music - Nina StrohmingerIs it wrong to listen to the music after the musician is revealed to be a terrible person? Join us as we discuss the morality of a young girl named Frankie who is devastated to learn that her favorite band, Pan Fried Onions, is fronted by a real jerk.
Hosts Jay Shapiro & Coleman Hughes & Danielle Lee Tomson
2019-08-121h 50
Dilemma PodcastEp 3: In Hindsight with Jay ShapiroHost Jay Shapiro reflects on Episode 3 of Dilemma - Do I Smell Donuts? with David Pizarro.
2019-08-0523 min
Dilemma PodcastS01E03: Do I Smell Donuts? - David PizarroIs there a point where advertising is too effective? Join us as we discuss the morality behind Dunkin' Donuts' advertising campaign where they sprayed the smell of coffee onto a bus filled with passengers.
Hosts Jay Shapiro & Coleman Hughes
2019-07-291h 43
Dilemma PodcastEp 2: In Hindsight with Jay Shapiro Host Jay Shapiro reflects on Episode 2 of Dilemma - Star Trek's Prime Directive with Eric Linus Kaplan
2019-07-2231 min
Dilemma PodcastEp 1: In Hindsight with Jay ShapiroHost Jay Shapiro reflects on Episode 1 of Dilemma - Fire at the Louvre with Professor Susan Wolf.
2019-07-1132 min