Micro-Digressions: A Philosophy Podcast

Spencer Case
  • 4.8 (13)
  • PHILOSOPHY
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Philosophical excursions into interesting, and often controversial, topics. Hosted by Spencer Case. 

  1. Good and Bad Advice

    JAN 27

    Good and Bad Advice

    Tell Spencer your thoughts about this episode! Eric Wiland joins Spencer to discuss his book, Guided by Voices: Moral Testimony, Advice, and Forging a 'We'. In the ensuing discussion, Eric and Spencer cover a wide range of topics, including how moral testimony can generate moral understanding, what sort of responsibility those who give advice have for the actions of those who act on it, and further lessons about standpoint epistemology and collective agency.

    1h 6m
  2. AI Dangers (The Dark Side of Technology, Part 3)

    12/04/2025

    AI Dangers (The Dark Side of Technology, Part 3)

    Tell Spencer your thoughts about this episode! Full professor of philosophy at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and sometimes David Cross impersonator Ryan Jenkins returns to Micro-Digressions to discuss the dangers of AI. The conversation covers such matters as the AI-alignment problem and why Chat GPT can't be horny.

    1h 11m
  3. What is Hate Speech?

    11/25/2025

    What is Hate Speech?

    Tell Spencer your thoughts about this episode! Mark Oppenheimer from Brain in a Vat discusses controversies surrounding hate speech in South Africa.

    59 min
  4. Philosophical Horrors

    10/24/2025

    Philosophical Horrors

    Tell Spencer your thoughts about this episode! Philosophers J.P. Andrew, Mark Oppenheimer, Jason Werbeloff, Nicholas Delon, and Jason Brennan discuss their worst philosophical nightmares.

    1h 22m
  5. On Moderates and Extremists

    09/16/2025

    On Moderates and Extremists

    Tell Spencer your thoughts about this episode! Marcus Arvan returns to MD to talk about his new book, Why It's Ok to be a Moderate, which you can find here: Amazon.com: Why It's OK to Be a Moderate: 9781032613864: Arvan, Marcus: Books

    1h 6m
  6. What is Wokeness?

    08/15/2025

    What is Wokeness?

    Tell Spencer your thoughts about this episode! Nathan Cofnas joins Spencer Case to discuss the nature of the political ideology/movement known as "wokeness." Cofnas argues that wokeness follows from accepting environmental differences combined with post-Christian morality. Case partly agrees with this analysis, but places greater emphasis on moral egalitarianism than empirical egalitarianism. Both interlocutors agree that wokeness isn't going away anytime soon, despite wishful thinking to the contrary.  Cofnas' newsletter can be found here: https://ncofnas.com/

    1h 22m
  7. Conundrums of Academic Freedom

    07/23/2025

    Conundrums of Academic Freedom

    Tell Spencer your thoughts about this episode! Oliver Traldi challenges the standard conservative model of academic freedom in his article, "Defusing Academic Freedom." Link here: Defusing Academic Freedom Spencer and Oliver discuss. Topics include: does the university have a univocal purpose? Does a truth norm really justify academic freedom as it's ordinarily understood and practiced.

    57 min
  8. "You're Under Arrest!" On Ethical Policing

    06/22/2025

    "You're Under Arrest!" On Ethical Policing

    Tell Spencer your thoughts about this episode! Jake Monaghan joins Spencer to discuss his new book, Ethical Policing. The discussion covers such questions as: what makes policing legitimate? What sorts of considerations undermine that legitimacy? How can police appropriately balance order and respect for individual freedom in a non-ideal world?

    1h 32m
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4.8
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Philosophical excursions into interesting, and often controversial, topics. Hosted by Spencer Case. 

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