Walter (https://twitter.com/wrwveit & https://walterveit.com/) is an interdisciplinary scientist, philosopher & writer focusing on biology, minds & ethics. He publishes the ‘Science & Philosophy‘ series on Psychology Today & Medium.
In these Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important questions: “what’s real?” & “what matters?" Sentientism is "evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings."
Our conversation is also here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xxSGItuaSn4.
We discuss:
- Defending Descartes, as a child!
- Studying philosophy, politics, economics & science
- Writing a PhD on the philosophy of consciousness. How sentience came to arise in a purely physical universe
- Growing up in an agnostic family, attending church but "grumbling"
- Finding it strange learning about god at school. Asking annoying questions :)
- A brief early teenage phase of believing in god, then reverting to atheism
- Church seemed like a "weird cult-like thing." "It just didn't make sense."
- There are thousands of religions. They can't all be right. Just disbelieving in one more than religious people do
- Being a "hard-core naturalist" but still feeling the pull of superstition
- Finding naturalism reassuring. Can abandon the "f*cking scary stuff" (monsters, ghosts, hell)
- We can just enjoy our lives & explore the universe
- The pull of being part of something larger. The universe, a tribe, a sports team fan group...
- The hesitation in Germany about collectivism
- "It's a peculiar world we live in - it's exciting"
- Does morality crumble without the normative force of a god. "A dude in the sky making up laws and we just have to follow them"
- People sceptical of morality aren't sceptical about laws. You can break them but there might be consequences
- Too much of morality seems arbitrary. But Bentham almost proposed utilitarianism as a sort of science, not morality
- Utilitarians in the UK were engaged in politics & in improving the world
- Instead of considering morality - just consider the facts re: "What do animals want from their own point of view"
- Facts: animals exist. They can be harmed. They don't like suffering
- Humans evolved as a social species. That makes us care
- "Morality" might create more harms than benefits!
- There is no dividing line between humans and other animals because we all have interests
- Both morality and religion have been used to divide humans & animals
- Even oppressive groups have divided people through an appeal to morality
- The deep connection between morality and spirituality/religion. Often naturalists & atheists don't see the danger
- Naturalists are attacked for being amoral but are no less moral
- And much more... Full show notes are on Sentientism.info. I ran out of space!
Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More at https://sentientism.info/.
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Thanks, Graham for the post-prod: https://twitter.com/cgbessellieu.