Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis

Philosophy for the People by Ben Burgis explores a variety of philosophical discussions, from critiques of modern atheism and Marxism to examinations of free will, justice, and logic. It blends deep analytical dives into specific philosophers' theories with reflections on current events, films, and societal issues, offering a rich, interdisciplinary approach to philosophy.

Philosophical Analysis Current Events Film and Storytelling Justice and Inequality Free Will Religion and Atheism Logic and Paradoxes Political Philosophy Ethics and Morality

The hottest Substack posts of Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis

And their main takeaways

Hitch and the Philosopher: A Look Back at Christopher Hitchens's Debate with William Lane Craig

379 implied HN points • 26 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Debates Critique Religion
  1. Christopher Hitchens had a compelling humanistic critique of Christianity and was skilled in debates, but struggled when debating with a philosopher of religion.
  2. William Lane Craig proved to be a challenge for Hitchens during their debate.
  3. The encounter between Hitchens and Craig highlighted the difference between moral critique and philosophical debate.

Is Analytic Philosophy Counter-Revolutionary?

399 implied HN points • 12 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Debate
  1. Analytic philosophy is criticized for being intellectually limited and connected to anti-communist liberalism.
  2. There is a debate regarding whether or not analytic philosophy is counter-revolutionary.
  3. Multiple perspectives exist on the role and impact of analytic philosophy in intellectual discourse.

Chomsky on ChatGPT: Are Machine Learning Systems Like Concentration Camp Guards?

339 implied HN points • 19 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Ethics AI
  1. Noam Chomsky and his co-authors discuss the 'moral indifference' of ChatGPT due to cognitive limitations, possibly overlooking a deeper point.
  2. There is a comparison made between machine learning systems like ChatGPT and the behavior of concentration camp guards, raising ethical concerns.
  3. The post shares insights on the Iraq bombing's anniversary and upcoming ground invasion anniversary, along with additional discussions available for paid subscribers.
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Would John Locke Have Been Upset About the Israeli Couscous?

179 implied HN points • 17 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Philosophy
  1. John Locke's 'Letter Concerning Toleration' defends the rights of religious minorities, which is relevant in today's political climate.
  2. Locke's writing style in his letter includes an initial vague insinuation followed by a more developed argument, resembling a Twitter rant followed by deeper analysis.
  3. The post discusses how John Locke's work can be interpreted in modern contexts, providing a fresh perspective on historical texts.

Of Course You Can Prove a Negative

279 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Logic
  1. Confident statements that you can't prove a negative are common online, but this idea isn't found in logic textbooks.
  2. There is a discussion happening about this essay on the This is Revolution podcast with Stefan Bertram-Lee, focusing on the essay from last week and this one.
  3. This specific post is for paid subscribers only.

Arguing with Slavoj Zizek About Free Will and Physics

179 implied HN points • 10 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Free will Compatibilism Moral responsibility
  1. The post discusses a debate with Slavoj Zizek about free will, compatibilism, and incompatibilism, as well as the role of microphysics in free will and moral responsibility.
  2. The author mentions a chat about the essay on the This is Revolution podcast with Stefan Bertram-Lee, happening at 4 PM East Coast time.
  3. The post is for paid subscribers only, with an option to subscribe and access the content.

The Liar Paradox (and Russell's Paradox) for Non-Logicians (UNLOCKED)

399 implied HN points • 22 Jan 23
📖 Philosophy Logic Consistency Reasoning
  1. The Liar Paradox questions whether statements can be both true and false, challenging fundamental logical principles like Bivalence and the Law of the Excluded Middle.
  2. Russell's Paradox, on the other hand, questions the existence of sets based on self-referential properties, leading to contradictions like a set that contains itself and doesn't.
  3. The debates around these paradoxes highlight the importance of classical logic principles like the Law of Non-Contradiction and Disjunctive Syllogism in everyday reasoning and understanding the world.

Guest Post on Marxism by Tibor Rutar

239 implied HN points • 27 Aug 23
🚌 Education Philosophy Podcasts
  1. Tibor Rutar responds to criticism on Marxism by Ben Burgis, leading to a public discussion.
  2. The discussion about Marxism and changing ideologies is happening on a podcast, with information on where to watch.
  3. The post by Tibor Rutar is available for paid subscribers only on benburgis.substack.com.

Harry Frankfurt (1929-2023): A Tribute (UNLOCKED)

219 implied HN points • 06 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Free will Moral responsibility Determinism Compatibilism
  1. Harry Frankfurt's work had a significant impact on the philosophical debate on free will and moral responsibility.
  2. Frankfurt's argument challenges the Principle of Alternate Possibilities in determining moral responsibility, leading to a new understanding of free will.
  3. His work on free will and moral responsibility has sparked decades of discussion, reshaping philosophical perspectives and raising important questions about human agency.

Slavoj Zizek and the Case for Compatibilism (UNLOCKED)

299 implied HN points • 19 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Free will Compatibilism Determinism Moral responsibility
  1. Compatibilism can feel contradictory at first, but it offers a way to reconcile deep intuitions about control and responsibility with determinism.
  2. The debate around free will and determinism involves conflicting intuitions about moral responsibility, cosmic freedom, and the control condition for responsibility.
  3. The definition of free will can shift from a day-to-day understanding to a radical, cosmic sense when framed within the context of determinism, highlighting the complexity of philosophical concepts.

Tim Pool, Sam Seder, and Thanos: Is Lesser-Evil Voting Like Pushing People Onto Trolley Tracks? (UNLOCKED)

239 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Consequentialism Free will Justice
  1. Tim Pool's comparison of lesser-evil voting to the Trolley Problem and Thanos lacked depth and accuracy in understanding consequentialism and deontology.
  2. It's important to consider moral complexities beyond simple consequentialism when debating electoral strategies like third-party voting versus lesser-evil voting.
  3. The debate between deontology and consequentialism in voting ethics can lead to deeper discussions on philosophical principles and their application in political decision-making.

On the (Alleged) Plurality of Worlds

159 implied HN points • 11 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics
  1. David Lewis was a brilliant philosopher who made a case for concrete possible worlds that some found flawed.
  2. The post explores disagreements with David Lewis's theory of concretely existing possible worlds.
  3. The discussion touches on the multiverse and Lewis's philosophical view on possible worlds.

Thinking Harder About Time Travel Paradoxes

159 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Time travel Determinism
  1. In a deterministic universe, individuals might not have the ability to do anything they don't end up doing, even regarding time travel paradoxes.
  2. The idea of equally skilled marksmen with equally reliable weapons targeting equally defenseless individuals is explored in the context of time travel assassinations.
  3. The post delves into complex scenarios involving time travel assassinations and the intricacies of such paradoxes.

Marx vs. Proudhon

119 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Reflections Teaching Political theory
  1. The author is starting a new class on Proudhon's 'The Philosophy of Poverty' and Marx's 'The Poverty of Philosophy'.
  2. The author reflects on having taught a class on 'Capital' and mentions skipping a YouTube chat with Stefan.
  3. The author reminisces about teaching their first class, 'Introduction to Symbolic Logic', at Western Michigan University in fall 2004.

Two Ways of Approaching Marx's Capital

2 HN points • 06 May 24
🚌 Education Philosophy Economics History Politics Literature
  1. Approach Marx's Capital as a critical reader, engaging with the arguments and questioning premises to truly understand the insights presented.
  2. Under capitalism, exploitation is centered on workers surrendering part of their labor to capitalists due to inherent power dynamics and lack of viable alternatives, not solely based on the Labor Theory of Value.
  3. Marx's Capital is primarily a class analysis of capitalism, emphasizing the structural inequalities embedded in the system and highlighting the potential for societal change.