Episode · Modern Wisdom · 2020-08-27
Books mentioned on How Do We Define What Is Good & Bad? - Cosmic Skeptic - #214
Alex O'Connor is a philosopher & YouTuber. Get ready for a mental workout today as Alex poses some of the most famous and most difficult questions in ethics.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Precipice
The Precipice by Toby Ord is a rigorous philosophical and scientific assessment of existential risks that threaten the future survival of human civilization.
Recommended“one of my favorite books recently read the precipice by toby ord who i texted you about and said is he one of your lecturers at uni the press piece about existential rescues from the same future of humanity institute nick bostrom guy that i've read for tons and tons of time sits down with my favorite podcaster joe rogan”
Where to get it
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The Myth of Sisyphus
The Myth of Sisyphus is a philosophical essay by Albert Camus that explores the concept of the absurd and the search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless universe.
Discussed“albert camus in the myth of sisyphus says that for the man who does not cheat what he determines to be true must determine his actions and that sentence almost single-handedly made me go vegan”
Where to get it
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Justice
Justice by Michael Sandel is an acclaimed philosophical exploration of moral dilemmas, fairness, and the principles that govern a just society.
Recommended“i would recommend if you're just looking to get into ethics michael sandell's justice is a good place to start”
Where to get it
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Practical ethics
Practical Ethics by Peter Singer is an influential philosophical work that examines applied ethics, moral issues, and the definition of equality in modern society.
Recommended“you can also read peter singer's practical ethics where he he goes over and kind of discusses what does equality mean when is it okay to kill you know like all of these kind of these kind of questions it's a really good introduction”
Where to get it
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Mill on Utilitarianism
Mill on Utilitarianism by Roger Crisp is a detailed philosophical analysis and commentary on John Stuart Mill's classic ethical writings.
Recommended“if you're interested in the discussions on utilitarianism that we've been having then roger crisp's book mill on utilitarianism is the analysis that's worth reading and i think if you want to read utilitarianism by john stuart mill it's worth reading it alongside crisps analysis or reading crisps analysis first just to make sure you kind of understand everything that”
Where to get it
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Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill is a foundational philosophical text that defends and elaborates the moral theory that actions are right if they promote happiness and wrong if they produce the reverse.
Recommended“if you're interested in the discussions on utilitarianism that we've been having then roger crisp's book mill on utilitarianism is the analysis that's worth reading and i think if you want to read utilitarianism by john stuart mill it's worth reading it alongside crisps analysis or reading crisps analysis first just to make sure you kind of understand everything that”
Where to get it
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Meditations
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a timeless collection of personal reflections and Stoic philosophy written by the Roman emperor during his military campaigns.
Discussed“and understand that marcus aurelius's meditations where you need to have like someone or someone along for the ride who can actually explain what's going on”
Where to get it
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Ethics in the Real World
Ethics in the Real World by Peter Singer is a collection of accessible essays exploring pressing moral issues, poverty, animal welfare, and applied ethics.
Recommended“ethics in the real world is also a good collection of essays by peter singer as well”
Where to get it
