32 debates
Debates
The great disagreements, laid side by side. Each position gets its best argument, its strongest objection, and its reply. Then you decide.
- I.Free will or determinism?Libertarian free will · Hard determinism · Compatibilism · Illusionism4 positions
- II.Are freedom and determinism compatible?Classical compatibilism · Hierarchical compatibilism · Reasons-responsiveness · Incompatibilism4 positions
- III.Does anyone deserve blame?Responsibility is real and requires freedom · Responsibility is a social practice · Nobody deserves anything3 positions
- IV.What is consciousness?Physicalism: it will be explained · Illusionism: there is no hard problem · Dualism: mind is something extra · Panpsychism: experience goes all the way down · Mysterianism: we may never know5 positions
- V.Is the mind just the brain?Substance dualism · Identity theory · Functionalism · Idealism4 positions
- VI.Can a machine be conscious?Yes, in principle · No: computation is not enough · We cannot know3 positions
- VII.What makes you the same person over time?Psychological continuity · Animalism · No persisting self3 positions
- VIII.Is the self real?The self is an illusion · The self is real and simple · The self is a construction, and real3 positions
- IX.Why is there anything at all?A necessary being · A brute fact · Nothing is unstable, or impossible · The question is meaningless4 positions
- X.What is time?Presentism · Eternalism: the block universe · The growing block · Time is unreal4 positions
- XI.What does quantum mechanics say reality is?Many worlds · Collapse is real · Hidden variables (pilot wave) · Do not ask4 positions
- XII.Is morality objective?Moral realism · Relativism · Expressivism · Error theory4 positions
- XIII.Consequences, duty or virtue?Consequentialism · Deontology · Virtue ethics3 positions
- XIV.How much do animals matter?Equal consideration of interests · Animal rights · Indirect duties only · Graded moral status4 positions
- XV.Where does meaning come from?Meaning comes from God or a transcendent order · Meaning is objective but natural · Meaning is created · The absurd · Nihilism5 positions
- XVI.Is death bad for the one who dies?Death is nothing to us · Death harms by deprivation · Death gives life its meaning3 positions
- XVII.Is there a human nature?Existence precedes essence · There is a human nature · Freedom within limits3 positions
- XVIII.Can you know anything?Radical skepticism · Common sense (Moore) · Contextualism · Deny closure4 positions
- XIX.Is it rational to trust the past?Induction cannot be justified · Science does not need induction · Induction is rational by definition · Probability can help4 positions
- XX.Is science the only route to knowledge?Science is the only path · Scientific realism · Anti-realism and paradigms · Many paths to truth4 positions
- XXI.Does Libet disprove free will?Conscious will is an illusion · Libet's own view: free won't · The readiness potential is not a decision3 positions
- XXII.What does Mary learn?Mary learns a new fact · Mary gains an ability · Old fact, new concept · Mary learns nothing4 positions
- XXIII.Is a zombie you possible?Zombies are possible, so physicalism is false · Zombies are inconceivable · Conceivable but impossible3 positions
- XXIV.Does the Chinese room understand?Searle is right · The systems reply · The robot reply · The intuition is unreliable4 positions
- XXV.Which is the real ship?Continuity of form wins · Original matter wins · Both are partly right · Four-dimensionalism4 positions
- XXVI.Is teleportation travel or death?It is travel · It is death · Identity does not matter3 positions
- XXVII.Would an upload be you?Uploading would be survival · Uploading would be death · There would be no one there3 positions
- XXVIII.Are we living in a simulation?We are probably simulated · The trilemma holds, but not option three · The argument does not work · It would not matter much4 positions
- XXIX.Would you kill one to save five?Push the man · Means versus side effect · Doing versus redirecting · Do nothing4 positions
- XXX.Is pleasure all that matters?Do not plug in: reality matters · Status quo bias · Plug in3 positions
- XXXI.Must we save distant strangers?Singer is right · Distance and directness matter · Charity is good but not required · Charity misses the point4 positions
- XXXII.What would you choose behind the veil?Rawls: justice as fairness · Utilitarian choice · Entitlement, not design · The veil removes too much4 positions