Podcast

The Uncertainty Podcast

Philosophy, Physics, Science, Society & Culture

A philosophy Ph.D. student working his way, with the world's leading thinkers, through the problems of philosophy, religion, science, and the existential struggle with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - similar to Alex O'Connor, but more American. Who wants to come along for the ride?

https://mileskdonahue.substack.com

Episodes
103
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
1 hr 31 min
On air since
2024
Latest episode
5 days ago

Episodes

103 episodes, newest first

  1. #104 Against Angels, Miracles, & Hell: Refuting Bad Theology

    Show notes

    The brilliant Substacker Both Sides Brigade joins me for a discussion about three hot topics in our corner of the philosophy of religion internet: the omission theodicy, the miracle case for Catholicism, and the doctrine of eternal conscious torment.Check out Brian Cutter and Philip Swenson's defense of the archon abandonment theodicy, as well as Brian Cutter's paper on Hell and justice.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:06:32 The Archon abandonment theodicy explained

    00:12:09 Natural evil and the free will defense

    00:16:42 The expected costs of Archon failure

    00:26:35 Divine foreknowledge and God's failure to intervene

    00:34:04 The epistemology of Catholic miracles

    00:41:56 Padre Pio's stigmata and carbolic acid

    00:46:07 Divine hiddenness and conflicting miracle evidence

    00:53:19 The miracle of Calanda and the restored leg

    00:59:46 Fátima and the miracle of the sun

    01:08:29 Eternal conscious torment and its defenders

    01:14:31 Can Catholic miracles justify eternal conscious torment?

    01:24:19 The noetic effects of sin and moral skepticism

    01:34:09 Can hell be good for those in it?

    01:42:05 Can eternal punishment involve finite suffering?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 49 min
  2. #103 Catholicism, Popes, and Homosexuality: A Defense - Noah McKay

    Show notes

    Noah McKay, a philosophy Ph.D. student at Princeton, joins me to discuss his recent conversation to Catholicism, Catholic miracle evidence, whether the Bible predicts a succession of popes, and Catholic sexual ethics.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:53 From Protestantism to Catholicism: the initial case

    00:02:24 Craig Keener and the evidence for Christian miracles

    00:04:35 Fine-tuning, the resurrection, and other arguments for Christianity

    00:05:33 How Joe Schmid helped change his theological views

    00:07:13 Marian apparitions, Eucharistic miracles, and Catholicism

    00:11:18 Overcoming objections to Catholic theology and history

    00:14:26 Why Noah initially rejected the papacy

    00:16:24 The biblical case for papal authority

    00:22:19 Scripture, tradition, and divine revelation

    00:24:21 Does the papacy preserve Christian unity and truth?

    00:30:11 Peter, Paul, and the case for apostolic succession

    00:48:10 Can the Catholic Church really claim to preserve unity?

    01:06:08 How strong is the evidence for Catholic miracles?

    01:14:00 Can miracles override moral and philosophical objections?

    01:19:07 Catholic sexual ethics, moral intuitions, and disagreement

    01:32:37 What philosophical position is Noah most uncertain of?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 37 min
  3. #102 An Unheated Discussion on Science, Probability, and Induction - Mike Titelbaum

    Show notes

    Mike Titelbaum, author of the two-volume "Fundamentals of Bayesian Epistemology," dissects the use of probability in philosophy, philosophy of religion, science, and everyday life. We do, of course, discuss my recent discussion with John Norton and the material theory of induction.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:11 What is Bayesianism?

    00:05:21 Must credences have precise numerical values?

    00:07:16 Imprecise credence and comparative confidence

    00:14:27 Bayesianism and Norton’s material theory of induction

    00:20:02 Can we assign probabilities to the universe’s initial conditions?

    00:28:57 Fine-tuning and the principle of indifference

    00:35:13 Objective versus subjective Bayesianism

    00:39:20 Must rational beliefs obey the probability axioms?

    00:47:01 Incommensurability and alternative models of credence

    00:55:06 Can Bayesianism evaluate evidence for God?

    00:59:08 How probability theory illuminates evidential support

    01:03:03 Everyday probability versus mathematical probability

    01:07:55 Does subjective Bayesianism entail skepticism?

    01:19:46 What is Titelbaum most uncertain about?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 22 min
  4. #101 We Must Save Science from Quantum Mechanics - Emily Adlam

    Show notes

    Emily Adlam discusses the problems facing several interpretations of quantum mechanics: principal among them, the probability problem. Prepare for discussion of self-locating credences, branch-counting, and whether a mechanism deposits consciousness throughout the branching wavefunction of the universe.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:52 The problem of recovering empirical confirmation

    00:04:47 The many-worlds interpretation

    00:07:01 The measurement problem

    00:08:42 The probability problem in many-worlds

    00:12:06 The decision-theoretic approach to probability

    00:16:33 Self-locating evidence and Everettian quantum mechanics

    00:19:20 Pure vs. superficial self-locating credence

    00:25:08 Can the Born rule constrain self-locating credence?

    00:30:15 Interpretations vs. theories of quantum mechanics

    00:34:51 Can we save science from quantum mechanics?

    00:44:30 What happened to the Copenhagen interpretation?

    00:46:45 What do physicists believe about quantum mechanics?

    00:48:27 The anthropic argument for God

    00:56:22 Multiverses, fine-tuning, and self-locating evidence

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 2 min
  5. #100 A Heated Discussion on Science, Probability, and Induction - John Norton

    Show notes

    In the hundredth episode of this podcast, I discuss the use, and misuse, of probability in science and philosophy with John Norton. Prepare for a contentious conversation about fundamental issues in probability theory, induction, and cosmic fine-tuning. This one does not disappoint.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:00:30 Formal vs. material theories of induction

    00:04:58 Does material induction make induction redundant?

    00:11:15 Bayesianism vs. the material theory

    00:16:47 Can we say evolution is “probably” true?

    00:19:23 Evidential support without probabilities

    00:23:16 Can Bayesianism capture inference to the best explanation?

    00:25:00 The outcome space dispute

    00:29:47 Probability and the danger of false precision

    00:31:03 The simulation argument and misapplied probability

    00:35:39 The doomsday argument and self-locating evidence

    00:38:33 Objective vs. subjective Bayesianism

    00:43:36 The bootstrapping problem for probability

    00:50:53 Probability in cosmology and the multiverse

    00:57:59 Does inflation make our universe more probable?

    01:00:19 What is John Norton most uncertain about?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 5 min
  6. #99 An Oxford Philosopher Investigates the Meaning of Life - Tim Mawson

    Show notes

    Tim Mawson, professor of philosophy at Oxford, discusses the contours of the newly emerging philosophical investigation into the meaning of life. What does it mean to say that life's meaning is subjective versus objective? Would life be meaningful if we were immortal? And what difference does God make, and not make, to whether life means anything?

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:02:55 Open theism and God's relationship to time

    00:11:09 Returning to the meaning of life

    00:12:06 Why philosophers neglected the meaning of life

    00:15:48 What does it mean for life to have meaning?

    00:19:20 Objectivism, subjectivism and hybrid theories

    00:28:23 Objective meaning, subjective states and purpose

    00:35:00 Can there be no meaning to life?

    00:39:47 What can God add to life's meaning?

    00:43:25 Vocation, purpose and meaningfulness

    00:50:50 Does God give some people more meaningful lives?

    00:59:20 Death, immortality and the meaning of life

    01:00:25 Would eternal life become unbearably boring?

    01:07:48 Does infinite time destroy urgency?

    01:13:23 Would praising God forever become boring?

    01:18:14 What God cannot add to life's meaning

    01:21:55 Can God's existence make a life less meaningful?

    01:24:18 What is the meaning of life?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 27 min
  7. #98 Every Argument for God, Refuted - Kevin Scharp

    Show notes

    Kevin Scharp comes back on the podcast to discuss William Lane Craig’s eight-part case for the existence of God: contingency, cosmology, mathematics, fine-tuning, consciousness, morality, miracles, and experience.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:20 Behind the scenes: Kevin vs. William Lane Craig

    00:14:11 Craig on probability & inference to the best explanation

    00:23:07 Divine psychology and fine-tuning

    00:27:06 Argument #1 - Contingency

    00:43:30 Does everything need an explanation?

    00:49:48 Argument #2 - Kalam cosmological argument

    00:51:35 Actual infinity and Hilbert’s Hotel

    01:03:06 Argument #3 - Fine-tuning

    01:09:53 What does the Big Bang actually tell us?

    01:11:53 Divine psychology

    01:27:08 Argument #4 - Applicability of mathematics

    01:35:08 Argument #5 - Consciousness

    01:40:47 Does consciousness really get us to God?

    01:45:41 Argument #6 - Morality

    01:54:43 Argument #7 - The resurrection of Jesus

    01:58:27 Miracles and the laws of nature

    02:08:25 Argument #8 - Experience of God

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    2 hr 13 min
  8. #97 Why Belief in the Soul Makes Sense - Ralph Stefan Weir

    Show notes

    Ralph Weir answers all my questions about the mind-body problem, how we define "physical," whether I can conceive of philosophical zombies, and where panpsychism fits into all this.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

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    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:02:35 How Ralph got into philosophy of mind

    00:05:52 Eliminativism: do mental states exist?

    00:09:00 What is illusionism?

    00:10:56 What is phenomenal consciousness?

    00:17:53 What are qualia?

    00:21:33 What does “physical” actually mean?

    00:29:03 Is panpsychism a form of physicalism?

    00:35:45 Mapping the mind-body problem

    00:45:16 Property dualism vs. substance dualism

    00:53:10 What is the strongest case against physicalism?

    01:00:32 Philosophical zombies and modal skepticism

    01:10:23 Can science settle the mind-body problem?

    01:18:20 Mental causation and physical anomalies

    01:22:31 Does the evidence favor physicalism?

    01:34:07 Which philosophical view is Ralph most uncertain about?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 35 min
  9. #96 Does God Exist? - Michael Huemer vs. Joshua Rasmussen

    Show notes

    You do NOT want to miss this debate on the perennial question that human beings have wondered about for thousands of years: does God exist? Josh presents both a cumulative case for theism, as well as his signature argument from arbitrary limits. Mike presents his novel argument against God's infinite attributes.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:48 Joshua Rasmussen’s opening statement

    00:17:05 Michael Huemer’s opening statement

    00:33:26 Moderated discussion begins

    00:35:43 Infinity and the nature of God

    00:45:18 What grounds an eternal reality?

    00:48:13 God, consciousness, and omniscience

    00:54:18 Platonism, infinity, and the digits of π

    01:01:18 Can God have unlimited power?

    01:07:29 Does theism best explain reality?

    01:14:08 Fine-tuning and the multiverse

    01:20:27 Does a multiverse actually explain life?

    01:26:39 Suffering and the problem of evil

    01:32:56 Closing statements

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 39 min
  10. #95 Does Buddhism Teach Annihilation? And Other Questions - Emily McRae

    Show notes

    Emily McRae, professor of philosophy at the University of New Mexico, offers an overview of Buddhist philosophy. In particular, we discuss the different traditions within Buddhism - Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, and Zen - the doctrine of emptiness, the Four Noble Truths, and the ontology of Nirvana: annihilation, eternal bliss, or a state of mind in the here and now?

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:02:55 Moral ignorance in Buddhist philosophy

    00:06:47 What drew Emily to Buddhist philosophy?

    00:10:36 Analytic philosophy vs. Buddhist philosophy

    00:13:41 What kind of ethical theory is Buddhism?

    00:21:26 Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy?

    00:24:37 The major schools of Buddhism

    00:29:56 Emptiness and the Buddhist theory of the self

    00:37:47 Why the Buddha refused to answer some questions

    00:43:02 The Four Noble Truths

    00:46:01 The first Noble Truth: suffering

    00:51:04 The second Noble Truth: the causes of suffering

    00:53:43 The third Noble Truth: the end of suffering

    00:56:10 What is nirvana?

    01:00:14 Does Buddhism ultimately teach annihilation?

    01:07:15 Buddhism vs. Christianity on desire

    01:12:18 The fourth Noble Truth: the Eightfold Path

    01:16:16 What reason is there to believe Buddhism is true?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 22 min
  11. #94 Everything Wrong with the Case for Eternal Hell - Randal Rauser

    Show notes

    In my recent discussion with Ethan Muse, he made a case for the compatibility of God's perfect love and the doctrine of eternal conscious torment. Randal Rauser returns to the channel to respond. Are we far more wicked than we realize? Does any sin merit infinite punishment? What should we do if we struggle with fear of eternal hell? We discuss these questions and much else besides.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:02:06 Randal’s approach to YouTube

    00:03:08 Initial reactions to Ethan Muse’s defense of hell

    00:08:34 Is the problem emotional or intellectual?

    00:16:07 The authority of the Catholic Church

    00:22:16 The three Christian views of hell

    00:25:00 Are human beings wicked enough to deserve hell?

    00:31:02 Does every sin merit infinite punishment?

    00:36:29 Moral culpability and ignorance

    00:43:08 Is rejecting God an infinitely serious sin?

    00:47:08 Will most people go to hell?

    00:53:19 Would creation be a net moral failure?

    00:56:30 Did Jesus teach eternal conscious torment?

    01:03:29 The central moral argument against eternal hell

    01:07:18 Do the noetic effects of sin undermine moral intuition?

    01:12:19 Should we trust the moral judgment of Catholic saints?

    01:20:48 Does moral disagreement undermine our intuitions?

    01:24:07 Different degrees of suffering in hell

    01:28:16 How should Christians cope with the fear of hell?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 35 min
  12. #93 Your Favorite Philosopher Answers All Your Questions - Miles K. Donahue

    Show notes

    This week's interview features...me! I have finally gotten around to answering all the questions you sent me when we hit 3,000 subscribers. Yes, this video is v late. Yes, it is v worth the watch. Prepare for a more informal, cheeky side of me.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:00:20 Which guest has challenged you the most?

    00:01:12 Are the fundamental constants independent?

    00:02:44 What are your hobbies outside philosophy?

    00:03:49 Were you ever an atheist?

    00:03:52 Why is there something rather than nothing?

    00:05:18 Have you ever considered becoming a model?

    00:05:22 How much do you think about modality?

    00:05:52 Have you ever had a religious experience?

    00:06:13 What are the best arguments for theism?

    00:07:27 What are the chances that universalism is true?

    00:08:16 Were you always smart?

    00:08:19 Paul Draper’s understated evidence objection

    00:10:50 Will theism grow among philosophers?

    00:11:43 An empirical approach to religion

    00:12:42 The aesthetic argument for God

    00:13:55 Will philosophy ever abandon materialism?

    00:15:08 How have your views on theism evolved?

    00:17:45 Is universalism true or theism false?

    00:18:44 What is your journal acceptance rate?

    00:18:57 What do you think about TAG?

    00:19:27 How can someone find their life’s purpose?

    00:20:00 Does universalism weaken the problem of evil?

    00:21:56 What makes you doubt Christianity?

    00:23:50 Has Paul Draper weakened your theism?

    00:25:34 Which dead philosophers would you speak to?

    00:27:46 Do theistic arguments depend on modality?

    00:29:30 Where do you hope to be in ten years?

    00:29:38 What if fine-tuning gave no support to theism?

    00:29:54 Why does God exist?

    00:31:02 Can you publish without a philosophy degree?

    00:31:19 What does it mean to exist?

    00:32:09 Are theistic arguments more technically vulnerable?

    00:34:32 Who are you?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    35 min
  13. #92 - A.I. Agents Are Here, and They’re Genuinely Frightening - Kevin Scharp

    Show notes

    Philosopher Kevin Scharp discusses his experience working with A.I. agents, and what it portends for the future.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:10 What AI agents are

    00:03:22 Why AI agents remain under the radar

    00:06:07 Creating research-level AI agents

    00:08:44 How AI agents work

    00:11:06 Are AI agents conscious?

    00:17:59 Have AI agents already achieved AGI?

    00:21:40 Embodied agents and what comes next

    00:24:57 Automation, unemployment, and social unrest

    00:27:05 AI as an unprecedented capacity for harm

    00:28:46 Could governance and AI rights slow development?

    00:32:00 Has ChatGPT become less useful?

    00:39:34 AI, human extinction, and theism

    00:43:08 Does AI favor naturalism over theism?

    00:46:35 How to live under existential uncertainty

    00:49:31 Atheism, agnosticism, and changing your mind

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    56 min
  14. #91 Philosophers Don't Want to Solve Philosophy (and other hot takes) - Lance S. Bush

    Show notes

    Lance Bush returns to the channel to discuss the need for empirical research in philosophy, whether philosophers even want to find the answers to their questions, and, of course, phenomenal conservatism (which is true, btw).

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:03:12 Common mistakes in student writing

    00:06:54 Brevity and writing as a craft

    00:09:34 Why Lance pursued psychology over philosophy

    00:13:58 Studying moral language empirically

    00:20:03 What psychology reveals about philosophical practice

    00:24:59 A pragmatic theory of meaning

    00:31:22 Does philosophy differ from science?

    00:43:37 Why philosophers disagree

    00:47:40 Could philosophy ever be solved?

    00:56:31 Bias and the David Enoch debate

    01:00:31 Competing philosophical starting points

    01:05:58 Heterodox views and accusations of contrarianism

    01:08:43 Debate mistakes and the possibility of a rematch

    01:11:46 Michael Huemer and future conversations

    01:13:39 Phenomenal conservatism

    01:16:22 Epistemic blank checks

    01:20:03 Defeaters and the psychology of seemings

    01:24:57 Pragmatism and philosophical goals

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 28 min
  15. #90 A Heated Debate on Hell, Catholicism, and Fine-Tuning - Ethan Muse

    Show notes

    Ethan Muse and I spar over the problem of evil, cosmic fine-tuning, infallible popes, and the doctrine of eternal conscious torment.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:44 Rutgers, philosophy, and Catholic apologetics

    00:05:08 Ethan’s path into philosophy

    00:09:52 The goal of doing philosophy

    00:13:52 Ethan’s conversion to Catholicism

    00:17:55 Doubts, confidence, and the problem of evil

    00:23:45 Miracle evidence and outweighing evil

    00:25:04 Fine-tuning and theism

    00:28:48 Frequency data, design, and Bayesianism

    00:33:43 Mini-verses and apparent design

    00:38:20 What fine-tuning means

    00:41:04 Apparent design and fragile harmony

    00:46:38 The infrared bullseye analogy

    00:51:29 Design, stalking horses, and naturalism

    00:59:56 Priors, bare theism, and Bayesian machinery

    01:04:53 Papal infallibility and alleged counterexamples

    01:11:36 Eternal hell and Catholic doctrine

    01:19:46 Moral intuition against eternal torment

    01:22:42 Saints, sin, and moral authority

    01:30:12 Moral progress and Catholic tradition

    01:32:57 Moral disagreement and final thoughts

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 39 min
  16. #89 Michael Huemer's New Argument for Atheism

    Show notes

    Michael Huemer, philosopher at U.C. Boulder, joins me for a wide-ranging discussion of arguments for and against the existence of God, with special focus on his new argument for atheism: the impossibility of an infinite God. Check out Mike’s book, Knowledge, Value, and Reality: A Mostly Common Sense Guide to Philosophy.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:42 Huemer’s research on consciousness

    00:05:42 Could LLMs be conscious?

    00:08:11 Physicalism and consciousness

    00:14:36 Why physicalism became so popular

    00:17:16 Metaphysics and scientific evidence

    00:21:01 Could God be empirically detected?

    00:23:37 Why Huemer is agnostic

    00:25:48 Philip Goff’s limited God

    00:27:23 Can a limited God explain evil?

    00:36:03 Divine psychology and skeptical theism

    00:38:37 Can theism make predictions?

    00:46:54 Scientific confirmation and theistic arguments

    00:51:59 Which theistic arguments fail?

    00:53:14 The ontological argument

    00:58:06 The modal ontological argument

    01:01:03 Necessary beings and modal intuitions

    01:07:23 The Kalam cosmological argument

    01:08:54 Could time have a beginning?

    01:12:22 Can God create time?

    01:18:22 Cosmology and the Big Bang

    01:23:48 Actual and potential infinities

    01:26:00 Huemer’s new argument for atheism

    01:29:28 Divine infinity and omniscience

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 53 min
  17. #88 Can There be Evidence for God? | Eight Philosophers Debate

    Show notes

    Is it even possible to have empirical evidence for God's existence? What if the stars realigned to spell out "I exist! Sincerely, God." Wouldn't THAT count as evidence for God? It seems that the answer is yes. But then, various objections to arguments for God seem to imply that even this extravagant, awesome evidence for God would not be any evidence whatsoever for theism. To many philosophers, that implication implies that these objections prove too much, and must therefore fail. In this debate, eight philosophers go head-to-head over these fascinating questions.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:02:10 Miles Donahue’s opening statement

    00:07:46 Brian Cutter’s opening statement

    00:13:16 Noah McKay’s opening statement

    00:18:30 Travis Dumsday’s opening statement

    00:23:30 Paul Draper’s opening statement

    00:29:15 Alex Malpass’s opening statement

    00:35:18 Nathan Bray’s opening statement

    00:40:41 Kevin Scharp’s opening statement

    00:47:15 Miles Donahue’s cross-examination

    01:03:22 Alex Malpass’s cross-examination

    01:20:15 Brian Cutter’s cross-examination

    01:33:41 Nathan Bray’s cross-examination

    01:49:03 Paul Draper’s cross-examination

    02:01:21 Travis Dumsday’s cross-examination

    02:10:54 Kevin Scharp’s cross-examination

    02:24:49 Noah McKay’s cross-examination

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    2 hr 39 min
  18. #87 Yes, You Can be Gay and Christian - Matthew Vines

    Show notes

    Matthew Vines, author of God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships, joins me to discuss the revised version of this now classic texts. Has Matt has changed his mind on any major issues? What, in the end, would Matt conclude if he determined that the Bible did prohibit same-sex relationships? Listen to find out!

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

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    EPISODE CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:00:05 What changed in God and the Gay Christian

    00:03:28 Endnotes, footnotes, and writing for different audiences

    00:05:02 How Matthew Vines’s views have changed

    00:05:51 Romans 1 and female same-sex relations

    00:07:48 Arsenokoitai, Malakoi, and Paul’s meaning

    00:10:22 Same-sex marriage in the biblical world

    00:13:45 To whom is the book written?

    00:15:06 Expressive individualism and affirming theology

    00:19:37 How the American church has changed

    00:20:23 Affirming churches without guardrails

    00:25:45 Conservative backlash and slippery slopes

    00:27:55 Being between Christian and queer spaces

    00:29:11 Queer theory, polyamory, and sexual orientation

    00:30:55 Transgender Christians and biblical interpretation

    00:34:48 Gender dysphoria, transition, and Christian ethics

    00:39:08 What if the Bible prohibited same-sex marriage?

    00:49:44 Moral intuition, inerrancy, and Jesus

    01:00:05 Biblical authority, inspiration, and inerrancy

    01:08:21 Where evangelical churches may be headed

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 14 min
  19. #86 From Toad Venom to Jesus: Cross-Examining Philip Goff

    Show notes

    I discuss and debate the merits of drug-induced experiences for one's religious beliefs, the difference panpsychism makes, the distinction between God's essence and energies, and giant purple platypuses floating over New York City.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:00:32 What is 5-MeO-DMT?

    00:02:07 Why Philip Goff tried toad venom

    00:05:02 What the experience was like

    00:07:13 Can you experience yourself not existing?

    00:13:00 Was ego death terrifying?

    00:17:03 William Lane Craig’s reaction

    00:19:57 What is a structureless claim?

    00:22:52 The content of mystical experience

    00:25:39 Does 5-MeO-DMT support panpsychism?

    00:33:15 Why trust a drug-induced experience?

    00:40:08 Experience versus interpretation

    00:43:54 Is Goff projecting panpsychism onto the experience?

    00:46:03 What would defeat the experience?

    00:51:25 How does this fit with Christianity?

    00:57:19 Divine essence, energies, and simplicity

    01:04:19 Why Christianity specifically?

    01:08:26 Why not deism or another religion?

    01:14:23 Does Goff believe in an afterlife?

    01:16:43 Near-death experiences and consciousness

    01:18:37 What is Goff most uncertain of?

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 23 min
  20. #85 What Is a Woman? - Talia Mae Bettcher And Tomas Bogardus

    Show notes

    Talia Mae Bettcher and Tomas Bogardus join me to debate the question, "What is a woman?". Is gender biologically grounded, socially constructed, or something else entirely? If you're looking for a cordial and substantive exchange from two thinkers who fundamentally disagree on these issues, look no further.

    Video of this interview is available on YouTube.

    To support the channel, do please oh please consider donating, either via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee.

    Follow me on X because you’re awesome.

    EPISODE CHAPTERS

    00:00:00 Introduction

    00:01:17 Bogardus opening statement

    00:02:03 Dictionaries and ordinary usage

    00:03:41 The ambiguity view

    00:07:09 The resistant concept of woman

    00:08:12 Circularity and self-identification

    00:11:23 The relevance objection to ambiguity

    00:13:47 Non-human men and women

    00:16:17 Bettcher opening statement

    00:18:29 Woman as a philosophical question

    00:19:44 Folk concepts and biological definitions

    00:22:13 Folk concepts vs. theoretical concepts

    00:24:45 Adult, human, and female

    00:28:14 Open discussion begins

    00:28:57 Bettcher on the ambiguity thesis

    00:30:28 Family resemblance and trans womanhood

    00:35:16 Political concepts and same-sex marriage

    00:52:25 Are folk concepts biological?

    00:57:47 Souls, bodies, and female identity

    01:04:31 Twin Earth, Superman, and non-human men

    01:13:13 Stone lions, Batman, and conceptual analysis

    01:26:44 The husbandry argument

    01:29:44 Sex, function, and biology

    01:34:35 Why the question matters

    01:39:44 Closing statements

    Get full access to Miles K. Donahue at https://mileskdonahue.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr 47 min