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Plato's Cave

Plato's Cave
Author: Jordan Myers
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© 2025 Jordan Myers
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I'm Jordan Myers and I'm a PhD student studying philosophy at USC. Plato's Cave is my attempt to exit... well, the cave. It's a philosophy podcast meant to help me guide my ascent to the real world, the truth, the place where life is worth living; and apparently that means giving up a regular job with good pay to pursue the security of the academic job market - the philosophy job market nonetheless! Join me on my journey as I cover philosophical works and speak with the best philosophical minds I can convince to come on the show!
84 Episodes
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In a much more enjoyable article, David Papineau argues for materialism with respect to consciousness by arguing that the mental and physical are identical, and identities don't need explaining. (Please excuse the instances of weird underwater-sounding audio...I have no clue what happened there.)
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://www.davidpapineau.co.uk/uploads/1/8/5/5/18551740/mindthegap.pdf
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
This was a weird episode in the sense that over half of the discussion never saw the light of day (or at least never saw your inner ear). We were quite frustrated with parsing this paper, and you can start to hear that in the final third. It's a paper called "Epiphenomenalism, Naturally," which I think is better read than discussed. But, either way, here's our discussion.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
In this episode, Adam and I discuss David Chalmer's formulation of the hard problem of consciousness.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guest: Adam (Reading Group Discussions).
In the second part of our series on the philosophy of mind, we discuss the second part of David Chalmer's seminal paper: Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness. We discuss the basics (and yes, it took 2 hours for the basics) of his nonreductive theory of consciousness.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
In the first episode of this new series on the philosophy of mind, we dive into Frank Jackson's famous paper, "What Mary Didn't Know." The paper and conversation raises questions about whether the mind is merely physical and how intuitions play a role in this philosophical debate.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/platoscavepodcast/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/
In the final discussion of the series, we dive into Franklin's work on the value of angry blame: can anger best--really, only--express certain features of am adequate response to wrongdoing?
For more on our sponsor, please visit http://www.newlane.edu/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
We dive into Srinivasan's amazing (but at the end of the day, I think not fully right) paper, "The Aptness of Anger."
For more on our sponsor, please visit http://www.newlane.edu/
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
Part two of Martha Nussbaum's book, Anger and Forgiveness.
For more on our sponsor, please visit http://www.newlane.edu/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
In the second episode of our series on anger, we dive into the first chapters of Martha Nussbaum's recent book, Anger and Forgiveness. The first two chapters focus on the myth of payback's value.
For more on our sponsor, please visit http://www.newlane.edu/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
Episode 1 of a new series on the philosophy of emotion--specifically, anger. We discuss some introductory questions and Seneca's 'On Anger.'
For more on our sponsor, please visit http://www.newlane.edu/
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
I speak with Sukaina Hirji about her (very) recent paper discussing a type of anger referred to as outrage: what it is, how it differs from other emotions, & how it functions in our emotional lives.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://www.sukaina-hirji.com/
https://philpapers.org/archive/HIROAT.pdf
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guest: Sukaina Hirji.
In the final episode of the series, we discuss Wolf's article "Two Levels of Pluralism" which investigates whether pluralism reduces into relativism. Spoiler--it doesn't!
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2381554
Intro beat: "Wild for the Night" by David Pizzaro -- @peez on twitter (https://www.patreon.com/posts/beats-without-7-85632085?utmmedium=postnotificationemail&utmcampaign=patronengagement&utmsource=postlink&token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJyZWRpc19rZXkiOiJpYTo1YWQ5NGE0OS00MGZkLTRhNGYtOGY0YS1kOTA3YWMwNDdhNTEiLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo4NTYzMjA4NSwicGF0cm9uX2lkIjoxMDM2MDAwNn0.zgQGZdKQYiw3CV6QGXGhmDztFYYmY04o8IYrdPoXd8)
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
In this episode, we discuss the seminal paper "Moral Luck" by Bernard Williams and a new replies to the problem of moral luck.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://bibliotecamathom.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/williams-moralluck.pdf
Intro beat: "Wild for the Night" by David Pizzaro -- @peez on twitter (https://www.patreon.com/posts/beats-without-7-85632085?utmmedium=postnotificationemail&utmcampaign=patronengagement&utmsource=postlink&token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJyZWRpc19rZXkiOiJpYTo1YWQ5NGE0OS00MGZkLTRhNGYtOGY0YS1kOTA3YWMwNDdhNTEiLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo4NTYzMjA4NSwicGF0cm9uX2lkIjoxMDM2MDAwNn0.zgQGZdKQYiw3CV6QGXGh_mDztFYYmY04o8IYrdPoXd8)
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
In this episode, Adam, Giffin, and I discuss two essays by Wolf: "The Role of Rules" and "Two Concepts of Rule Utilitarianism."
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://academic.oup.com/book/3673/chapter-abstract/145027481?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Intro beat: "Wild for the Night" by David Pizzaro -- @peez on twitter (https://www.patreon.com/posts/beats-without-7-85632085?utmmedium=postnotificationemail&utmcampaign=patronengagement&utmsource=postlink&token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJyZWRpc19rZXkiOiJpYTo1YWQ5NGE0OS00MGZkLTRhNGYtOGY0YS1kOTA3YWMwNDdhNTEiLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo4NTYzMjA4NSwicGF0cm9uX2lkIjoxMDM2MDAwNn0.zgQGZdKQYiw3CV6QGXGhmDztFYYmY04o8IYrdPoXd8)
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
In this episode, we discuss an underrated paper by Wolf. We discuss the connection between decency, moral duty, and reasonably violating your obligations.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/43153984
Intro beat: "Wild for the Night" by David Pizzaro -- @peez on twitter (https://www.patreon.com/posts/beats-without-7-85632085?utmmedium=postnotificationemail&utmcampaign=patronengagement&utmsource=postlink&token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJyZWRpc19rZXkiOiJpYTo1YWQ5NGE0OS00MGZkLTRhNGYtOGY0YS1kOTA3YWMwNDdhNTEiLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo4NTYzMjA4NSwicGF0cm9uX2lkIjoxMDM2MDAwNn0.zgQGZdKQYiw3CV6QGXGhmDztFYYmY04o8IYrdPoXd8)
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/
In this episode, Adam, Giffin, and I discuss Wolf's essay "Moral Obligations and Social Commands," which asks where the true authority of moral enforcement originates from.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://academic.oup.com/book/3673/chapter-abstract/145029050?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
A new (mini) series! This begins a 6 part series on the moral philosophy of Susan Wolf in conjunction with a graduate seminar I took at Rice in the Fall of 2022. This episode is a discussion of her famous essay "Moral Saints."
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/26834/files/3753058/download?verifier=m6bBkOI2cZxGBVt4DVnqJUaGQK9RjbeqUHx1wG50&wrap=1
Intro beat: "Wild for the Night" by David Pizzaro -- @peez on twitter (https://www.patreon.com/posts/beats-without-7-85632085?utmmedium=postnotificationemail&utmcampaign=patronengagement&utmsource=postlink&token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJyZWRpc19rZXkiOiJpYTo1YWQ5NGE0OS00MGZkLTRhNGYtOGY0YS1kOTA3YWMwNDdhNTEiLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo4NTYzMjA4NSwicGF0cm9uX2lkIjoxMDM2MDAwNn0.zgQGZdKQYiw3CV6QGXGhmDztFYYmY04o8IYrdPoXd8)
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guests: Adam (Reading Group Discussions) and Giffin (Reading Group Discussions).
I speak with Glen Pettigrove about his paper "Meekness and Moral Anger." We discuss his attempt to breathe new life into meekness as a virtue, his diagnosis of anger's downsides, and the ways in which meekness can avoid these pitfalls.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/663230?journalCode=et
https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/staff/glenpettigrove/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Pettigrove
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guest: Glen Pettigrove.
I speak with Cameron Boult about his series of papers and forthcoming book on epistemic blame: what it means, when it's appropriate, and how we modify our epistemic relationships with others.
Here's any links you'll need to dive deeper:
https://cameronboult.weebly.com/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/phpr.12726
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10670-021-00382-0
https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phc3.12762?af=R#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20emotion%2Dbased,culpably)%20violated%20some%20epistemic%20norm.
Twitter: @JordanCMyers
Personal Website: https://jordanmyers.org/
Email: platoscavepodcast@gmail.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1RiH1j-M6C59z1upPXkWw?disable_polymer=true
Plato's Cave Website: https://platoscave.fireside.fm/ Special Guest: Cameron Boult.