Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Philosophical ethics discussions • Moral dilemmas • Societal issues • Political philosophy • Metaphysics • Utilitarianism • Moral relativism • "What-if" scenarios • Fictional short stories • Thoughtful analysis
This podcast, recognized as one of the "Top 20 Philosophy Podcasts" for multiple years, delves into philosophical and ethical themes through discussions centered on short stories. It explores a broad array of philosophical fields, including ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, and more. This podcast often uses "what-if" scenarios as a framework to delve into complex moral questions and situations.
Recurring topics include the morality of significant societal issues such as human enhancement, artificial intelligence, environmental ethics, and the intersection of technology and humanity. Episodes frequently pose ethical dilemmas related to governance, personal freedom, familial relationships, and societal norms. Discussions often center around the implications of advanced technology, such as general AI and genetic modifications, questioning the ethics behind human enhancement and technological dependency.
Many episodes are set in futures or alternative realities that highlight current ethical concerns, prompting listeners to reflect on their beliefs and the potential trajectory of society. Philosophical debates are often rooted in vivid fictional narratives that involve situations like confronting the existence of evil, responsibility to family, or personal legacy. Episodes also explore the governance of resources and human behaviors, assessing moral and cultural relativism in various hypothetical and speculative worlds.
The format often includes a brief summary of a philosophical short story, followed by a deep dive into the ethical questions it raises. Discussions frequently address the complexity of these questions without providing clear-cut answers, encouraging listeners to engage critically with the material. Overall, this podcast provides a platform for thoughtful reflection on a wide range of philosophical concepts through engaging storytelling and dialogue.
Episodes:
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E71. "Season Five Recap" - After Dinner Conversation editor Kolby answers listener questions.
2023-Jan-29
18 minutes
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E70. "The Growing And Weeding Of Dandelions" - Can the stakes ever be so high that genocide of a species is a reasonable option?
2022-Nov-06
40 minutes
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E69. "For Your Safety" - How do you know if the government-imposed limits on personal freedom “for your protection” have gone too far?
2022-Oct-20
40 minutes
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E68. "Cruel Means, Bitter Ends" - Should war be "won" at any cost?
2022-May-10
36 minutes
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E67. "Exodus" - What makes a “religious” holiday?
2022-Apr-18
26 minutes
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E66. "Rose-tinted Glasses" - Can you stop yourself from "growing up?"
2022-Apr-04
33 minutes
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E65. "The Wrong Side Of History" - How far would you go to protect your legacy?
2022-Mar-21
37 minutes
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E64. "The Machine" - Would you help create general AI?
2022-Mar-07
25 minutes
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E63. "Bugs In The Valley" - How do you decide who gets scarce medical treatments?
2022-Feb-21
31 minutes
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E62. "Appreciating Hate" - Should we stop consuming art from vile artists?
2022-Feb-07
37 minutes
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E61. "Conscience Cleaners" - Does a criminal need to remember his crime?
2022-Jan-24
33 minutes
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E60. "Home For The Holidays" - Do you ever give up on family?
2022-Jan-10
33 minutes
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E59. "Claim" - Should sexual assault allegations be an insurable risk?
2021-Dec-27
29 minutes
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E58. "Season Four Recap" - After Dinner Conversation editor Kolby answers listener questions.
2021-Nov-29
21 minutes
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E57. "The Devil You Know" - Do you ALWAYS have an obligation to confront evil?
2021-Nov-15
47 minutes
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E56. "Blackorwhite" - At what point are you old enough to be punished for life?
2021-Nov-01
45 minutes
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E55. "The Perfect Daughter" - Should you betray your morals to give your child every legal advantage in life?
2021-Oct-18
38 minutes
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E54. "The Freedom Machine" - What's wrong with getting a little AI advice?
2021-Oct-04
44 minutes
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E53. "Step Back" - Is our "natural" biology always the best choice?
2021-Sep-20
42 minutes
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E52. "Guilt-Edge Security" - How would you live your life, if you lived forever?
2021-Sep-06
32 minutes
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E51. "A Wolf On The Bus" - How do you know if you’ll protect others?
2021-Aug-23
26 minutes
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E50. "Prey" - How do you break the cycle of living?
2021-Aug-09
52 minutes
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E49. "Take-em!" - When is a request from a loved one emotional manipulation?
2021-Jul-26
42 minutes
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E48. "Reach" - Should we know "the story" of the people behind the products we purchase?
2021-Jul-12
33 minutes
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E47. "Echo" - What natural rights does a human in an artificial body deserve?
2021-Jun-28
48 minutes
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E46. "Sienna's Monster" - How do you escape the monster inside you?
2021-Jun-14
54 minutes
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E45. "Bill And The Tooth Fairy" - When is it wrong to have a sincerely held belief?
2021-May-31
52 minutes
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E44. "Simon" - What would happen if you killed the devil?
2021-May-17
39 minutes
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E43. "Season Three Recap - Listener Questions"
2021-May-03
22 minutes
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E42. "People Used To Die Every Day" - Is sleep a waste of time?
2021-Apr-19
54 minutes
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E41. "Teddy And Roosevelt" - Do role models really matter?
2021-Apr-05
37 minutes
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E40. "The Waiting Room" - Is it selfish to abandon your natural abilities to follow your dream?
2021-Mar-22
50 minutes
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E39. "The Crate" - Is it better to strip away judgment, or to be judged?
2021-Mar-08
43 minutes
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E38. "In Their Image" - What happens when a Teddy can't find its purpose?
2021-Feb-22
39 minutes
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E37. "Externalities" - While facts are unchanging, is 'truth' contextual?
2021-Feb-08
45 minutes
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E36. "Everyone's Gay In Space" - What if your clone was gay?
2021-Jan-23
38 minutes
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E35. "Sacrificing Mercy" - Would you let your spouse die for their faith?
2021-Jan-10
33 minutes
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E34. "Performance" - Are you simply what you repeat?
2020-Dec-28
40 minutes
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E33. "Love Sounds" - How much should you let family with mental health issues into your life?
2020-Dec-13
39 minutes
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E32. "The Mind Reader" - Is it in our nature to be ruled by a Fascist?
2020-Nov-29
45 minutes
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E31. "Idle Horns" - What do you do when it's punishment to punish?
2020-Nov-16
37 minutes
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E30. "Farewell, Odysseus" - Would you get a human as a pet?
2020-Nov-02
43 minutes
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E29. "All My Tomorrows" - How many tomorrows would you give up for a single yesterday?
2020-Oct-19
47 minutes
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E28. "The Seven Absent Sins" - Are all sentient species hard-wired to sin?
2020-Oct-05
55 minutes
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E27. "Two-Percenters" - Should we make everyone special?
2020-Sep-21
44 minutes
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E26. "Snitch" - When doing a moral good, do the ends justify the means?
2020-Sep-07
56 minutes
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E25. "Pneumadectomy" - Would you remove your soul, to save your life?
2020-Aug-24
54 minutes
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E24. "Choose" - What if death is the only option?
2020-Aug-10
50 minutes
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E23. "Prevention" - Would you turn on your son, to save his school?
2020-Jul-27
48 minutes
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E22. "An Infinite Game" - Is everyone selfish, when death is on the line?
2020-Jul-13
44 minutes
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E21. "Prohibition" - Can you blame an addict for not following the law?
2020-Jun-29
40 minutes
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E20. "How The Cockroach Lost Its Voice" - When cockroaches could talk, and humans were still unhappy.
2020-Jun-15
30 minutes
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E19. "The Orphan's Dilemma" - Is getting a future worth forgetting the past?
2020-Jun-01
41 minutes
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E18. "The Book Of Approved Words" - Are there words so horrible they shouldn’t even exist?
2020-May-18
35 minutes
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E17. "A Change Of Verbs" - What if you just said what you meant?
2020-May-04
39 minutes
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E16. "Abrama's End Game" - If god told you she was ending your world, would you fight back?
2020-Apr-20
29 minutes
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E15. "Ruddy Apes And Cannibals" - If a civilized cannibal invited you to dinner, would you attend?
2020-Apr-06
37 minutes
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Video Podcasts And More!
2020-Apr-05
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E14. "Give The Robot The Impossible Job!" - Can teaching methods go too far when murder is on the line?
2020-Mar-23
43 minutes
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E13. "Believing In Ghosts" - How much power are you willing to give to AI?
2020-Mar-09
43 minutes
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E12. "A Community of Peers" - Would you cast the first stone?
2020-Feb-24
34 minutes
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E11. "Rainbow People Of The Glittering Glade" - Does society have the right to tell you you’re worthless?
2020-Feb-10
37 minutes
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E10. "The Alpha-Dye Shirt Factory" - Is suicide ever the rational choice?
2020-Jan-27
29 minutes
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E9. "The Truth About Thurman" - Is there a "better" decision, when both cause someone to die?
2020-Jan-13
31 minutes
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E8. "Lay On" - Can a person be evil in their mind, or must it be in the act?
2019-Dec-30
31 minutes
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E7. "Are You Him?" - If someone is crying, are you the kind of person that would stop?
2019-Dec-16
35 minutes
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E6. "As You Wish" - If you could change anything about yourself, would you ever stop?
2019-Dec-02
29 minutes
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E5. "Pretty Pragmatism" - Can a good idea come from a horrible source?
2019-Nov-18
34 minutes
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E4. "This I Do For You" - Can you be a hero, if you didn’t know you volunteered?
2019-Nov-04
30 minutes
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E3. "The Shadow Of The Thing" - Would you take a pill that showed you the truth about the world?
2019-Oct-21
33 minutes
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Podcast Release Schedule
2019-Oct-17
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E2. "My Fellow (Immortal) Americans" - Don't you have a right to immortality?
2019-Oct-06
30 minutes
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2nd Podcast This Monday @ 8am
2019-Oct-05
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E1. "Patchouli Lost" - How far would you go to help a friend, who is unwilling to help themselves?
2019-Sep-24
27 minutes
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Done Taping!
2019-Sep-22
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Working on the podcast intro
2019-Sep-13
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Podcasts - Coming Soon!
2019-Aug-15
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