Who was Derek Parfit? | David Edmonds (Rebroadcast)

01/27/25 • 54 min

Parfit altered the landscape of the philosophy of identity. We speak to David Edmonds about his recently released biography on this influential philosopher, and ask: what made Parfit the man he was?

[00:00] Introduction to David Edmunds

[00:25] David's Personal Connection to Derek Parfit

[01:42] Derek Parfit's Early Life and Education

[04:17] Derek Parfit's Philosophical Contributions

[08:39] The Teletransporter Thought Experiment

[12:20] Derek Parfit's Views on Death and Identity

[24:45] The Non-Identity Problem

[28:47] David Benatar's View on Existence

[30:00] Climate Change Thought Experiment

[34:42] Derek Parfit's Life and Interests

[37:15] The Academic Saint

[43:17] Derek Parfit's Philosophical Impact

[48:45] Writing Derek Parfit's Biography

Parfit altered the landscape of the philosophy of identity. We speak to David Edmonds about his recently released biography on this influential philosopher, and ask: what made Parfit the man he was?

[00:00] Introduction to David Edmunds

[00:25] David's Personal Connection to Derek Parfit

[01:42] Derek Parfit's Early Life and Education

[04:17] Derek Parfit's Philosophical Contributions

[08:39] The Teletransporter Thought Experiment

[12:20] Derek Parfit's Views on Death and Identity

[24:45] The Non-Identity Problem

[28:47] David Benatar's View on Existence

[30:00] Climate Change Thought Experiment

[34:42] Derek Parfit's Life and Interests

[37:15] The Academic Saint

[43:17] Derek Parfit's Philosophical Impact

[48:45] Writing Derek Parfit's Biography

Previous Episode

The Philosophy of Severance | Travis Timmerman (Rebroadcast)

Ben Stiller's superb series, Severance, raises fascinating questions about the nature of personal identity. Are we minds or brains? Is it possible for two persons to inhabit the same body? And can a person survive gaps in their existence?

[00:00] Introduction to Severance

[01:24] Philosophical Questions on Personal Identity

[05:59] Real-Life Analogies and Thought Experiments

[11:26] Ethical Implications and Moral Questions

[22:20] Utilitarian Views and Moral Calculations

[30:57] Navigating Hypothetical Moral Dilemmas

[34:32] Severance and the Ethics of Suicide

[38:42] Retirement and the Ethics of Ending Lives

[41:02] Philosophical Puzzles of Personal Identity

[49:11] The Anesthesia Conundrum

[53:52] The Problem of Gradual Change in Identity

[01:00:28] The Intractable Nature of Personal Identity

Next Episode

Why It's Okay to Eat Meat - Or Is It? | Dan Shahar (Rebroadcast)

Dan Shahar defends the view that eating meat is permissible, even though meat farming is not. Is this a coherent position?

[00:00] Introduction and Thought Experiment

[00:48] The Alien Analogy

[02:20] Moral Implications and Human Relationships

[03:33] Vegetarian Perspective and Ethical Dilemmas

[08:01] Super Cow Hypothetical

[12:11] Real-World Ethical Challenges

[21:59] Voting and Social Activism

[26:39] Moral Implications of Indirect Harm

[32:58] The Role of Social Norms in Ethical Decisions

[37:01] Individual Actions and Collective Outcomes

[48:09] Balancing Moral Obligations and Personal Values

Check out FeedSpot's list of 90 best philosophy podcasts, where Brain in a Vat is ranked at 15, here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/philosophy_podcasts/