Episode 152: Ruthlessness, Public and Private

Very Bad Wizards

Tamler Sommers & David Pizarro

Society & Culture, Philosophy

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 20 November 2018

⏱️ 81 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Tamler and David continue their Nagel-gazing by discussing another essay from Mortal Questions: "Ruthlessness in Public Life." Why do we treat the immorality of politicians, military leaders, and others in power differently than the immorality of individuals? Why does it seem less aversive to shake the hand of someone responsible for the death of thousands of civilians through military action than it does to shake the hand of a serial killer who has merely killed dozens? Are the rules we use to judge the moral atrocities of public officials different from the ones we use to judge private atrocities? Do they have the same basic foundations? Plus, we satisfy our listeners bloodlust by arguing about the new "Journal of Controversial Ideas" (because it would be cowardly not to).

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Very bad wizards is a podcast with a philosopher, my dad, and psychologist Dave Pizarro, having
0:06.6	an informal discussion about issues and signs and ethics.
0:09.8	Please note that the discussion contains bad words that I'm out of allow to say, and knowing
0:14.4	my dad some very inappropriate jokes.
0:17.4	Measant throat.
0:18.4	I don't hate my fellow man, even when he's tiresome and surly and tries to cheat at poker.
0:24.8	I figured that's just a human material.
0:27.6	And him it finds in it calls for anger and dismay is just a fool for expecting better.
0:57.6	Welcome to very bad wizards.
1:22.1	I'm Tamler Summers from the University of Houston.
1:25.4	Dave, a group of academics, including Peter Singer, are going to start a new journal of
1:31.8	controversial ideas.
1:34.6	What's your most controversial idea?
1:37.4	Oh shit.
1:39.4	I can't say them.
1:43.5	I can't say my most controversial idea.
1:45.3	I don't have a pseudonym.
1:46.6	Your child.
1:47.6	Everybody will know that it's coming from me.
1:50.4	You fear repercussions, professional repercussions?
1:53.7	Yeah, I do.
1:55.2	Let me guess that your real one involves Jews.
	...

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