Episode 25: Burning Armchairs (with Joshua Knobe)

Josh Knobe, the Michael Corleone of experimental philosophy, joins us to talk about taking philosophy into the lab and the streets.   We discuss how people moralize everyday concepts like intention, causation, and innateness.  Dave wonders if X-phi people are just doing social psychology, and Tamler tries his best to get Josh mad with his critique of Josh's experimental work on free will.  He might have succeeded but that argument had to be cut a little short this time.  We'll have to have Josh back for the rematch!  Links Experimental philosophy Anthem [youtube.com] Experimental Philosophy [fun 3 minute overview, youtube.com]  The Experimental Philosophy webpage.  Josh Knobe's webpage  Person as Scientist, Person as Moralist by Joshua Knobe Philosophy meets the real world  [slate.com]  In Memoriam: The X-Phi Debate by Tamler Sommers [Philosophers Magazine]  Experimental Philosophy and Free Will: An Intervention by Tamler Sommers Experimental Philosophy [wikipedia.org]  Using the Knobe effect as an implicit measure of homophobia:  Inbar, Y., Pizarro, D.A., Knobe, J., & Bloom, P. (2009). Disgust sensitivity predicts intuitive disapproval of gays, Emotion, 9, 435-439.       Special Guest: Joshua Knobe. Support Very Bad Wizards