The Philosopher's Arms

This week he's been offered an Experience Machine. It's a device that guarantees the sensation of a happy and fulfilled life. But it's not real. Should Matthew plug in? David Willets, Jo Wolf and David Geaney join him for a drink to explain the big thinkers behind this idea and debate the nature of happiness, drugs, reality and the role of government.

Each week in the Philosphers Arms Matthew is joined by a cast of philosophers and attendant experts to show how the dilemmas we face in real life connect us to some of the trickiest philosophical problems ever thought up. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Kant, Hume, Aristotle and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub in front of a live audience ready to tap their glasses and demand clarity and ask - what's this all got to do with me?

So questions such as should the government put prozac in the water supply? And my daughter is a robot, how should I treat her? Lead us into dilemmas, problems and issues from the treatment of mental illness to the structure of financial markets, from animal rights to homosexuality. And they will challenge a few of the assumptions and intuitions about life that we carry round with us.

Producer David Edmonds.

Should Matthew Sweet plug into a machine that grants a happy but illusory life?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

This week Matthew discovers that his adopted daughter is a robot. Should he treat her any differently from before? She's indistinguishable from a human so should she have the same status as a human? Philosopher Barry Smith, Autism mentor Robyn Steward; Artificial Intelligence creator Murray Shanahan and all join Matthew for a drink and a bit of advice.

Each week in the Philosphers Arms Matthew is joined joined by a cast of philosophers and attendant experts to show how the dilemma's we face in real life connect us to some of the trickiest philosophical problems ever thought up. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Kant, Hume, Aristotle and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub in front of a live audience ready to tap their glasses and demand clarity and ask - what's this all got to do with me?

So questions such as should the government put prozac in the water supply? And my daughter is a robot, how should I treat her? Lead us into dilemmas, problems and issues from the treatment of mental illness to the structure of financial markets, from animal rights to homosexuality. And they will challenge a few of the assumptions and intuitions about life that we carry round with us.

Producer James Cook.

Matthew Sweet discovers his daughter is a robot. Should this change how he treats her?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Welcome to the Philosopher's Arms - a place where philosophical ideas, logical dilemmas and the real world meet for a chat and a drink. Each week Matthew Sweet takes a thought experiment with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hume, Kant and John Stuart Mill. And all recorded in a pub in front of a live audience, ready to tap their glasses and demand clarity.

Questions we might confront along the way include: should the government put Prozac in the water supply? How should I treat my daughter if it turns out she's a robot? And is there anything morally wrong with having sex with a supermarket chicken? These will lead us into discussions about the treatment of mental illness, the structure of financial markets, and subjects as varied as happiness, infidelity and homosexuality. Our assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Producer: David Edmonds.

Matthew ponders the human capacity for greed and altruism. With Kin Binmore.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Each week presenter Matthew Sweet takes a puzzle with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, John Stuart Mill and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub with an audience, who'll have their own contributions to make - but whose assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Propping up the bar this year will be philosophers such as Julian Baggini and Nigel Warburton, and academic experts on memory, the law, art and computers. We'll be meeting bald men, a woman who used to be a man, and a woman who can't remember being a girl. Plus music from The Drifters - a far more philosophical group than you'd ever imagine.

This programme is a repeat

The producer was David Edmonds.

Matthew Sweet encounters a problem that affects Man City, criminal trials and the Drifters

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Welcome to the Philosopher's Arms - a place where philosophical ideas, logical dilemmas and the real world meet for a chat and a drink.

Each week presenter Matthew Sweet takes a puzzle with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, John Stuart Mill and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub with an audience, who'll have their own contributions to make - but whose assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Propping up the bar this year will be philosophers such as Julian Baggini and Nigel Warburton, and academic experts on memory, the law, art and computers. We'll be meeting bald men, a woman who used to be a man, and a woman who can't remember being a girl. Plus music from The Drifters - a far more philosophical group than you'd ever imagine.

This programme is a repeat

The producer was David Edmonds.

Matthew Sweet encounters a problem that affects Man City, criminal trials and the Drifters

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Each week presenter Matthew Sweet takes a puzzle with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, John Stuart Mill and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub with an audience, who'll have their own contributions to make - but whose assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Propping up the bar this year will be philosophers such as Julian Baggini and Nigel Warburton, and academic experts on memory, the law, art and computers. We'll be meeting bald men, a woman who used to be a man, and a woman who can't remember being a girl. Plus music from The Drifters - a far more philosophical group than you'd ever imagine.

This programme is a repeat.

The producer was Estelle Doyle.

Matthew Sweet discovers his favourite painting is a forgery. But does it really matter?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Welcome to the Philosopher's Arms - a place where philosophical ideas, logical dilemmas and the real world meet for a chat and a drink.

Each week presenter Matthew Sweet takes a puzzle with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, John Stuart Mill and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub with an audience, who'll have their own contributions to make - but whose assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Propping up the bar this year will be philosophers such as Julian Baggini and Nigel Warburton, and academic experts on memory, the law, art and computers. We'll be meeting bald men, a woman who used to be a man, and a woman who can't remember being a girl. Plus music from The Drifters - a far more philosophical group than you'd ever imagine.

This programme is a repeat.

The producer was Estelle Doyle.

Matthew Sweet discovers his favourite painting is a forgery. But does it really matter?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Each week presenter Matthew Sweet takes a puzzle with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, John Stuart Mill and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub with an audience, who'll have their own contributions to make - but whose assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Propping up the bar this year will be philosophers such as Julian Baggini and Nigel Warburton, and academic experts on memory, the law, art and computers. We'll be meeting bald men, a woman who used to be a man, and a woman who can't remember being a girl. Plus music from The Drifters - a far more philosophical group than you'd ever imagine.

This programme is a repeat

Producer: David Edmonds

Editor: Jeremy Skeet.

Matthew Sweet asks: When exactly does a balding man become bald?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Welcome to the Philosopher's Arms - a place where philosophical ideas, logical dilemmas and the real world meet for a chat and a drink.

Each week presenter Matthew Sweet takes a puzzle with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, John Stuart Mill and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub with an audience, who'll have their own contributions to make - but whose assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Propping up the bar this year will be philosophers such as Julian Baggini and Nigel Warburton, and academic experts on memory, the law, art and computers. We'll be meeting bald men, a woman who used to be a man, and a woman who can't remember being a girl. Plus music from The Drifters - a far more philosophical group than you'd ever imagine.

This programme is a repeat

Producer: David Edmonds

Editor: Jeremy Skeet.

Matthew Sweet asks: When exactly does a balding man become bald?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Each week presenter Matthew Sweet takes a puzzle with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, John Stuart Mill and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub with an audience, who'll have their own contributions to make - but whose assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Propping up the bar this year will be philosophers such as Julian Baggini and Nigel Warburton, and academic experts on memory, the law, art and computers. We'll be meeting bald men, a woman who used to be a man, and a woman who can't remember being a girl. Plus music from The Drifters - a far more philosophical group than you'd ever imagine.

This programme is a repeat

Producer: David Edmonds

Editor: Jeremy Skeet.

Matthew Sweet wonders if we have any moral reason to obey the law.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Welcome to the Philosopher's Arms - a place where philosophical ideas, logical dilemmas and the real world meet for a chat and a drink.

Each week presenter Matthew Sweet takes a puzzle with philosophical pedigree and asks why it matters in the everyday world. En route we'll learn about the thinking of such luminaries as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, John Stuart Mill and Wittgenstein. All recorded in a pub with an audience, who'll have their own contributions to make - but whose assumptions and intuitions will be challenged and, perhaps, undermined.

Propping up the bar this year will be philosophers such as Julian Baggini and Nigel Warburton, and academic experts on memory, the law, art and computers. We'll be meeting bald men, a woman who used to be a man, and a woman who can't remember being a girl. Plus music from The Drifters - a far more philosophical group than you'd ever imagine.

This programme is a repeat

Producer: David Edmonds

Editor: Jeremy Skeet.

Matthew Sweet wonders if we have any moral reason to obey the law.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet. Each week Matthew goes to the pub to discuss a knotty conundrum with an audience and a panel of experts. Free will, exploitation, sex, sexism, blame and shame are just some of the topics to be mulled over in this series of The Philosopher's Arms.

We look at the issue of 'free-riding', with Oxford philosopher Roger Crisp.

Producer: Estelle Doyle.

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet, discussing free riding and tiny harms.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet. Each week Matthew goes to the pub to discuss a knotty conundrum with an audience and a panel of experts. Free will, exploitation, sex, sexism, blame and shame are just some of the topics to be mulled over in this series of The Philosopher's Arms.

We look at the issue of 'free-riding', with Oxford philosopher Roger Crisp.

Producer: Estelle Doyle.

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet, discussing free riding and tiny harms.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet. Each week Matthew goes to the pub to discuss a knotty conundrum with an audience and a panel of experts. Free will, sex, sexism, blame and shame are just some of the topics to be mulled over in this series of The Philosopher's Arms.

What is 'exploitation' - with philosopher Alex Voorhoeve.

Producer: David Edmonds.

Pints and philosophical problems with Matthew Sweet - what is exploitation?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet. Each week Matthew goes to the pub to discuss a knotty conundrum with an audience and a panel of experts. Free will, sex, sexism, blame and shame are just some of the topics to be mulled over in this series of The Philosopher's Arms.

What is 'exploitation' - with philosopher Alex Voorhoeve.

Producer: David Edmonds.

Pints and philosophical problems with Matthew Sweet - what is exploitation?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Matthew Sweet is in the pub, discussing a knotty conundrum with an invited audience and a panel of experts. Today it's whether or not we have free will, with philosopher Wayne Martin of the University of Essex and neuroscientist Gemma Calvert, Managing Director of Neurosense. Also featuring Peter Mabbutt and Jo Russell.

Producer: Marya Burgess.

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet. Do we have free will?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Matthew Sweet is in the pub, discussing a knotty conundrum with an invited audience and a panel of experts. Today it's whether or not we have free will, with philosopher Wayne Martin of the University of Essex and neuroscientist Gemma Calvert, Managing Director of Neurosense. Also featuring Peter Mabbutt and Jo Russell.

Producer: Marya Burgess.

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet. Do we have free will?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet. Each week Matthew goes to the pub to discuss a knotty conundrum with an audience and a panel of experts. Free will, exploitation, sex, sexism, blame and shame are just some of the topics to be mulled over in this series of The Philosopher's Arms.
Tonight we look at historic wrongs. Can we blame people in the past who held views that we now regard as abhorrent, but which were then widely accepted? The programme features philosopher Miranda Fricker.

Producer: David Edmonds.

Matthew Sweet and philosopher Miranda Fricker look at historic wrongs.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and philosophical puzzles with Matthew Sweet. Each week Matthew goes to the pub to discuss a knotty conundrum with an audience and a panel of experts. Free will, exploitation, sex, sexism, blame and shame are just some of the topics to be mulled over in this series of The Philosopher's Arms.
Tonight we look at historic wrongs. Can we blame people in the past who held views that we now regard as abhorrent, but which were then widely accepted? The programme features philosopher Miranda Fricker.

Producer: David Edmonds.

Matthew Sweet and philosopher Miranda Fricker look at historic wrongs.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and Philosophical Problems with Matthew Sweet. In this series, Matthew asks whether the sun will rise tomorrow, whether one person should be poisoned to save five others and whether a female tennis champion deserves the same prize money as her male counterpart. This week, should we take a pill that would make us less racist and less aggressive? In the snug with Matthew is philosopher Julian Savulescu.

Matthew Sweet asks, should we take a pill to make us less racist?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and Philosophical Problems with Matthew Sweet. In this series, Matthew asks whether the sun will rise tomorrow, whether one person should be poisoned to save five others and whether a female tennis champion deserves the same prize money as her male counterpart. This week, should we take a pill that would make us less racist and less aggressive? In the snug with Matthew is philosopher Julian Savulescu.

Matthew Sweet asks, should we take a pill to make us less racist?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and Philosophical Problems with Matthew Sweet. This week, trolleyology: how should you decide between two morally troubling courses of action? This is a question which affects both soldiers in the heat of action and decision-makers in the NHS. Matthew is joined in the snug by philosopher David Edmonds.

Producer: Luke Mulhall.

How should you decide between two morally troubling courses of action?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and Philosophical Problems with Matthew Sweet. This week, trolleyology: how should you decide between two morally troubling courses of action? This is a question which affects both soldiers in the heat of action and decision-makers in the NHS. Matthew is joined in the snug by philosopher David Edmonds.

Producer: Luke Mulhall.

How should you decide between two morally troubling courses of action?

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and Philosophical Problems with Matthew Sweet. This week, the problem of induction: are we justified in predicting the future on the basis of what's happened in the past? How do we know that the sun will rise tomorrow? In the snug with Matthew is philosopher Helen Beebee, discussing a conundrum which faces all of us in our daily life - and which raises profound questions about the nature of science.

Producer: Luke Mulhall.

Matthew Sweet asks what justifies our belief the sun will rise tomorrow.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and Philosophical Problems with Matthew Sweet. This week, the problem of induction: are we justified in predicting the future on the basis of what's happened in the past? How do we know that the sun will rise tomorrow? In the snug with Matthew is philosopher Helen Beebee, discussing a conundrum which faces all of us in our daily life - and which raises profound questions about the nature of science.

Producer: Luke Mulhall.

Matthew Sweet asks what justifies our belief the sun will rise tomorrow.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and philosophical problems with Matthew Sweet. Each week the programme examines a knotty philosophical issue: this week, sex equality and pay. Should we expect women to make up 50% of senior positions and, if they do not, is that evidence of discrimination? In the pub for this episode is the philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards.

Producer: David Edmonds.

Matthew Sweet and philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards explore sex equality and pay.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Pints and philosophical problems with Matthew Sweet. Each week the programme examines a knotty philosophical issue: this week, sex equality and pay. Should we expect women to make up 50% of senior positions and, if they do not, is that evidence of discrimination? In the pub for this episode is the philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards.

Producer: David Edmonds.

Matthew Sweet and philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards explore sex equality and pay.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit? A tough question for Matthew Sweet and the drinkers at The Philosopher's Arms, a pub offering both beer and philosophy. Among those helping him resolve this important conundrum are a Cambridge professor of philosophy and a former winner of the Great British Bake Off, who will be turning up in the pub with a very large, and possibly quite tasty, Jaffa Cake.
Producer: David Edmonds.

Is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit? One for the pub with both beer and philosophy.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit? A tough question for Matthew Sweet and the drinkers at The Philosopher's Arms, a pub offering both beer and philosophy. Among those helping him resolve this important conundrum are a Cambridge professor of philosophy and a former winner of the Great British Bake Off, who will be turning up in the pub with a very large, and possibly quite tasty, Jaffa Cake.
Producer: David Edmonds.

Is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit? One for the pub with both beer and philosophy.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

What's wrong with hypocrisy? The Philosopher's Arms, everyone's favourite abstract pub, is back with a pint and a philosophical conundrum. This week, presenter Matthew Sweet is joined at at the bar by philosopher Lisa Bortolotti and political scientist David Runciman. Plus human rights activist, Peter Tatchell, who in the past has publicly exposed people whom he has accused of hypocrisy.
Producer: David Edmonds.

What's wrong with hypocrisy? A question for everyone's favourite abstract pub.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

What's wrong with hypocrisy? The Philosopher's Arms, everyone's favourite abstract pub, is back with a pint and a philosophical conundrum. This week, presenter Matthew Sweet is joined at at the bar by philosopher Lisa Bortolotti and political scientist David Runciman. Plus human rights activist, Peter Tatchell, who in the past has publicly exposed people whom he has accused of hypocrisy.
Producer: David Edmonds.

What's wrong with hypocrisy? A question for everyone's favourite abstract pub.

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub

Matthew Sweet examines philosophical problems with a live audience in a pub