Open to Truth

Does Self-Interest Matter Most?

We are self-interested - at least a little bit.  The question posed in this episode is whether we always act out of self-interest, and further if acting toward self-interest should be a foundational moral obligation.  Such views are known as Egoism and we explore both.  Does it spell doom for ordinary morality? Are there good arguments for and against it?

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How It Feels to Deconstruct

Going through a faith deconstruction process can be quite distressing.  Family, friends, and trusted pillars of your communities may have polarizing reactions. There is a psychological toll from the upheaval of deeply held beliefs.  And, the spiritual impact can bring peace one day and turmoil the next, regardless of the baggage you bring to the table.  

You are not alone.  You aren't bad for being in the thick of it.  

Join the conversation as Clint and Tony share about the emotional, psychological, and spiritual texture of their deconstruction experiences.

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Do We Have Free Will?

Freedom of the Will - it's one of the oldest philosophical topics.  People have wondered about it for ages and for good reason - whether we have it changes quite a bit about other aspects of our worldview.  We discuss some metaphors to help us understand the topic better and some key arguments for and against it.

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Should We Have Kids?

There are some who argue that engaging in procreation is morally wrong.  This view is often called anti-natalism.  The reasons for holding the view vary, but, of course, there are many who find the idea absurd.  At the very least, the ethics involved highlight some important flashpoints surrounding the ethics of procreation and how we view the value of a human life.  Clint is among the most guilty if the view turns out to be correct!  What do you think - should we have kids?

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Art, Icons, and Idols

As long as there has been religious thinking and behavior, there has been religious art.  Some pieces of religious art are among humanity's most celebrated and renowned works.  It is also not uncommon for religious art to make its way into a religious community's life of worship - in other words, iconography. 

There are those who worry that such iconography amounts to idolatry.  In this episode, we discuss the ideas of art, icons, and idols to see if we can arrive at some reasonable conclusions concerning how to think and act toward various versions of religious art.

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Lost in the Info Wars

Information is incredibly important.  It serves a crucial role in our process of reasoning and decision-making.  Unfortunately, knowing that your source of information is reliable is difficult.  Who do you trust? How do you know that the information those you trust are using was properly sourced?  This problem has many levels and is playing itself out in real time. 

In this conversation, we discuss our own process of deciphering what information to trust and how this impacts what we think about the biggest topics of our day.

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What We Mean by "Justice" - pt. 2

Few ideas have received more attention in recent memory than justice.  It is a foundational ethical notion that deserves a fair hearing.  We discuss how this concept relates to other prominent ideas such as fairness, equality, equity, rights, and more.  We try to locate justice in ethics broadly considered and what role it should play in our ethical theorizing and decision-making.

Stay Curious!

What We Mean by "Justice"? - pt. 1

Few ideas have received more attention in recent memory than justice.  It is a foundational ethical notion that deserves a fair hearing.  We discuss how this concept relates to other prominent ideas such as fairness, equality, equity, rights, and more.  We try to locate justice in ethics broadly considered and what role it should play in our ethical theorizing and decision-making.

Stay Curious!

Good Parenting Goals

We all want to be good parents, but it is a difficult job. No one gives you a manual when you take that baby home from the hospital that teaches how to raise virtuous, thriving people.

In this episode, we discuss general parenting wisdom and strategy, and then try to determine ways that our goals can be thwarted - and try to mitigate them! Is there some content that our kids ought never be exposed to under our watch? How do you go about correcting behavior? What are some of the most common parenting challenges?

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Do You Control Your Beliefs?

To what degree do we have control over what we believe? Of course, we are influenced by our experience and circumstance, but do you have "ultimate" control whereby you can decide whether to believe something?

In this episode, we explore the ethics of belief, the role we have in belief formation, and how a certain view on the matter might lend itself to more easily practicing the intellectual virtues.

Stay Curious!