Ambient arrangement of "Catacombs" from Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Originally composed for piano. Ebow guitar, fretless bass, industrial percussion samples, mixed in Ableton Live.

Catacombs (Mussorgsky, arr. Bobro)

This is my introduction to what is covered in my Ethics classes. What Ethics is, what it is not, and why it is needed. Any questions let me know!

Why Ethics?

Instrumental track, inspired by goth and Miles Davis, but probably sounding like neither.  
Bass guitar, piano, guitar: Marc Bobro.
Drums: Cedric Bobro of Trout Club.

Dialogues On An Unknown Mode

Ethics podcast introducing the topic of abortion and discussing Mary Anne Warren's famous defense of abortion rights. This is the first installment of three.

Abortion—Intro & Warren (Ethics Podcast)

she stabbed mo.wav

This electronic piece by the Department of Electrophilosophy is the study of how a single point, whether it is a mathematical unit or even the soul of a person, connects with all else in the universe. A unity within a vast multiplicity. It expresses wordlessly the philosophy of the Monadology of the German polymath Leibniz. Well, that's one way to look at it...

First track off of upcoming EP, to be released in the Fall by Solemne Records.

Monadlogic

In this podcast, I will look at John Finnis’ influential 1994 article titled, “Law, Morality, and ‘Sexual Orientation’.” I will go through his line of argument and then critique it. Thanks for listening!

Finnis On Law, Morality, And Sexual Orientation

This podcast episode deals with Robin West’s article about the harms of consensual sex. West tries to answer the following question: “Are consensual, non-coercive, non-criminal, and even non-tortious [that is, it does not violate any rights], heterosexual transactions ever harmful to women?”

The Harms Of Consensual Sex

This episode deals with sexual consent, wrongness, and harm. It generally follows the detailed analysis given by the philosopher Karamvir Chadha, with some of my own thoughts of course. Chadha’s paper, simply called “Sex and Consent,” reads like a summary of the current state of the debate over sexual consent, wrongness, and harm.

Sexual Consent, Wrongness, And Harm

Don't Give A Damn

For sexual encounters to be moral, at minimum both parties must consent. What exactly does this mean? This episode explores this question, especially from the perspective of the philosopher and ethicist Thomas Mappes.

Consent & Sexual Morality (Ethics Podcast)

Podcast on The Vatican Declaration on Some Questions of Sexual Ethics. Summary and criticism.

The Vatican Declaration (Ethics Podcast)

Podcast on John Corvino's comprehensive defense of homosexuality against the main objections to its morality.

A Defense Of Homosexuality

A podcast on human reproductive cloning, what it is, applications, and a critique of objections to cloning from Leon Kass.

Cloning & Some Objections To It (Ethics Podcast)

Second podcast on the ethics of cloning. This time I discuss Gregory Pence's defense of the morality of human cloning.

Cloning & Its Defense (Ethics Podcast)

Podcast on the morality of genetic enhancement—arguments for and against—based on essays by Michael Sandel and Francis Kamm.

Genetic Enhancement (Ethics Podcast)

Podcast about animal rights, specifically Peter Singer's defense and Carl Cohen's challenge. (Music intro and outro: some acid bass)

Animal Rights (Ethics Podcast)

Ethics podcast on vegetarianism and factory-farming. This will probably be the first of two installments on vegetarianism. (Acid bass intro and outro.)

Vegetarianism (Ethics Podcast)

Ethics podcast on Judith Jarvis Thomson's defense of abortion rights and Don Marquis' argument that abortion is almost always seriously wrong. Second installment of two.

Abortion—Thomson & Marquis (Ethics Podcast)

Podcast on world aid. What, if anything, should we do about world poverty? This episode focuses on Garrett Hardin's argument against aid.

World Aid—Hardin (Ethics Podcast)

Second of two podcasts on world aid. What, if anything, should those of us not living in poverty do about world poverty? This episode focuses on Peter Singer's argument for aid. (Digital image created and copyright by David Revoy.)

World Aid—Singer (Ethics Podcast)

Channeling a little Brian Eno here by improvising in fretless bass over ambient bass.

Bass Improvisations In B

The study of ethics is not entirely preoccupied with argument, but it is probably an essential component. According to the discipline of philosophy, of which ethics is a part, what does it mean to argue? And what does it mean to argue well?

Philosophy With Argument (Ethics Podcast)

Here I discuss two of Plato's dialogues: Meno and Theaetetus. The focus is on knowledge and relativism.

Plato On Knowledge & Relativism

A short lecture on Aristotle's account of knowledge, including a discussion of his four "causes."

Aristotle On Knowledge

Discussion of Parmenides on Being and Zeno on his paradoxes of motion.

Parmenides & Zeno's Paradoxes

A fairly short episode on Plato's Theory of Forms. I explain what they are, what they are not, and common objections to the theory itself.

Plato's Theory Of Forms

Here I talk about applying Virtue Ethics to the problem of abortion, through the lens of Rosalind Hursthouse.

Abortion & Virtue Theory

A short episode on the Stoic account of happiness, especially Cicero's account. Here I assume that you already have a basic understanding of the Stoic view of emotion. Either way, you should get something out of it.

Stoics On Happiness

This is a Crying 4 Kafka song that I've morphed and tripped out for any summertime raves that you might be having. My son Cedric Bobro is on drums. I am on a Dave Smith monosynth, plus homemade guitar and bass. No vocals. For that you'll have to wait for the real, punk version.

Disconcerting—instrumental (not to be listened to more than twice)

Instrumental version of Anvil Wind's "Sink to the Sea." The lyrics are awesome, so sorry about their absence. Recorded and sampled with Ableton Live.

sinktothesea

Podcast episode on Immanuel Kant's account of sexual objectification. I both clarify and critique that account. As a comparison and contrast, I also discuss Catharine MacKinnon's and Andrea Dworkin's feminist analysis of pornography.

Kant On Sexual Objectification

Philosophy and music, sometimes simultaneously. Professor of philosophy at Santa Barbara City College. Also, the bassist (plus euphonium, theremin, and synths) for the post-rock band Sink to the Sea and the experimental project Department of Electrophilosophy, which is featured on this platform. Also included are philosophy podcasts that I have produced for my classes, plus some of my older random music. I hope you find something here of interest.

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