In searching on YouTube for “ethics” and “Neurology,” I came across a number of results on “neuro ethics,” which seems primarily concerned not with the neural basis for ethical reasoning, but with ethical issues involved in performing neurological research. Here’s Dr. Eric Racine giving a lecture called “Ethics and the Public Understanding of Neuroscience: Perspectives from the Media” in June Continue Reading …
Magnetic Morality Modulation
This September, PBS will re-broadcast an interesting episode of NOVA ScienceNOW, which touches on some points raised in PEL’s interview with Patricia Churchland. The episode demonstrates a procedure called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), which can influence a person’s moral judgments as they are being made, simply by messing with the neural activity located within the brain’s Right TemporoParietal Junction (RTPJ): If you find Continue Reading …
Churchland Ep. Name Drop #1: W.D. Ross
Our Churchland episode was exceptional in that we suspended some of our regular rules, including, I think, the one on name dropping, so I want to fill in some of the gaps through this blog by giving you readers an idea who some of these people are. I brought up W.D. Ross in the context of trying to fill out Continue Reading …
Episode 41: Pat Churchland on the Neurobiology of Morality, Plus Hume’s Ethics (Citizens Only)
We spoke with Patricia Churchland after reading her new book Braintrust: What Neuroscience Tells Us About Morality. We also discussed David Hume’s ethics as foundational to her work, reading his Treatise on Human Nature (1739), Book III, Part I and his Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (1751), Section V, Parts I and II. Learn more.
End song: “Bring You Down” by The MayTricks from Happy Songs Will Bring You Down.
PREVIEW-Episode 41: Pat Churchland on the Neurobiology of Morality (Plus Hume’s Ethics)
Patricia Churchland on her new book Braintrust: What Neuroscience Tells Us About Morality. We also discussed David Hume’s ethics as foundational to her work, reading his Treatise on Human Nature (1739), Book III, Part I and his Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (1751), Section V, Parts I and II.
Scruton on Philosophy vs. Neuroscience
The talk is somewhat misleadingly titled “Roger Scruton – Persons and their Brains”, but what he’s really concerned to do is point out the limits of neuroscience and justify a place for philosophy in the study of human behavior. Not sure if that’s a straw man or not, but he has some critical things to say of our podcast guest Continue Reading …
Topic for #41: Pat Churchland on the Neurobiology of Morality (Plus Hume’s Ethics)
With special Guest Pat Churchland herself! Listen to the episode. What does the physiology of the brain have to do with ethics? We were contacted by Pat Churchland’s publisher and invited to speak with her about her new book Braintrust: What Neuroscience Tells Us about Morality. She was good enough to chat with us (Mark and Dylan) for a full, Continue Reading …
Topic for #41: Pat Churchland on the Neurobiology of Morality (Plus Hume’s Ethics)
With special Guest Pat Churchland herself! What does the physiology of the brain have to do with ethics? We were contacted by Pat Churchland’s publisher and invited to speak with her about her new book Braintrust: What Neuroscience Tells Us about Morality. She was good enough to chat with us (Mark and Dylan) for a full, regular length show yesterday, Continue Reading …