The P-Value Podcast Fri, 01 May 2026 17:18:46 +1000 https://thep-value.buzzsprout.com en-au © 2026 The P-Value Podcast yes a2c519ea-c320-5a82-8e8b-4aa2fa434c94 Rachael Brown episodic false Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Philosophy, Science, public policy, ethics, bioethics, philosophy of science, metascience, metareserach Rachael Brown https://storage.buzzsprout.com/i0vgjvhhkgjwquek4nybw9un2tm0?.jpg The P-Value Podcast Dr. Rachael Brown Did Darwin Kill Morality? Did Darwin Kill Morality? According to some philosophers Darwinian evolution offers us an explanation for our moral judgements that does not rest on moral truth and thus undermines our reason to trust those judgements. In this Darwin threatens morality. This episode of the P-Value introduces the idea of evolutionary debunking. What does the debunker's challenge entail? And, should we be persuaded by it?


Key References: 

  • Ruse (1986) Evolutionary Ethics: A Pheonix Arisen. Zygon, 21(1):95-112.
  • Street (2006) "Darwinian Dilemma for Realist Theories of Value" Philosophical Studies, 127(1): 109-166.
  • "Evolutionary AntiRealism - Early Efforts" from James, Scott M. (2011) An introduction to evolutionary ethics. Wiley Blackwell Oxford.


Note: This episode is based on a transcription of an original lecture of the same name by Dr. Rachael Brown. That material was adapted into a format suitable for podcast delivery with the assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI).

]]> According to some philosophers Darwinian evolution offers us an explanation for our moral judgements that does not rest on moral truth and thus undermines our reason to trust those judgements. In this Darwin threatens morality. This episode of the P-Value introduces the idea of evolutionary debunking. What does the debunker's challenge entail? And, should we be persuaded by it?


Key References: 

  • Ruse (1986) Evolutionary Ethics: A Pheonix Arisen. Zygon, 21(1):95-112.
  • Street (2006) "Darwinian Dilemma for Realist Theories of Value" Philosophical Studies, 127(1): 109-166.
  • "Evolutionary AntiRealism - Early Efforts" from James, Scott M. (2011) An introduction to evolutionary ethics. Wiley Blackwell Oxford.


Note: This episode is based on a transcription of an original lecture of the same name by Dr. Rachael Brown. That material was adapted into a format suitable for podcast delivery with the assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI).

]]> Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-19107473 Fri, 01 May 2026 17:00:00 +1000 908 3 2 full false Do your genes make you, you? Do your genes make you, you? We often talk about "genes for" traits such as depression, and anxiety but what is it for a gene to cause something? Is genetic causation as simple as it is frequently made out to be? In this episode we explore this question asking are your genes who you are? 


Use of AI disclosure: GenAI was used in drafting the script for this podcast episode to get feedback and suggestions on podcast style aimed at improving audience engagement.  

]]> We often talk about "genes for" traits such as depression, and anxiety but what is it for a gene to cause something? Is genetic causation as simple as it is frequently made out to be? In this episode we explore this question asking are your genes who you are? 


Use of AI disclosure: GenAI was used in drafting the script for this podcast episode to get feedback and suggestions on podcast style aimed at improving audience engagement.  

]]> Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-18801666 Sat, 07 Mar 2026 02:00:00 +1100 883 3 1 full false What are scientific models? What are scientific models? Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-13742903 Tue, 10 Oct 2023 01:00:00 +1100 793 2 5 full false Defining Life Defining Life Can we know the answer to the question "what is life?"? Could our definitions of life blinker us to new life forms we might find in the future? 

]]> Can we know the answer to the question "what is life?"? Could our definitions of life blinker us to new life forms we might find in the future? 

]]> Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-13634370 Fri, 22 Sep 2023 02:00:00 +1000 765 2 4 full false The Metaphysics of Pregnancy The Metaphysics of Pregnancy A bun in the oven? Eating for two? So many of our common phrases regarding pregnancy presume that pregnancy involves two distinct entities —the foetus and the maternal organism in which it resides. This sort of “container model’ of pregnancy pervades so much of our everyday discourse around pregnancy and in the academic sphere. Philosophical discussions of the ethics of maternal behaviour, for example, frequently claim that the location of a child, whether it be within the uterus, or outside is irrelevant to its ethical status. Socially, the tendency to see pregnant women as parents, with all the responsibilities that carries with it, even before they give birth is common. How justified is this view though? Does it have the sort of biological or scientific basis we might assume it to have?

Follow up references:
https://bump.group/
https://philpapers.org/rec/CLATPO-15
https://philpapers.org/rec/CLATMR-2

]]> A bun in the oven? Eating for two? So many of our common phrases regarding pregnancy presume that pregnancy involves two distinct entities —the foetus and the maternal organism in which it resides. This sort of “container model’ of pregnancy pervades so much of our everyday discourse around pregnancy and in the academic sphere. Philosophical discussions of the ethics of maternal behaviour, for example, frequently claim that the location of a child, whether it be within the uterus, or outside is irrelevant to its ethical status. Socially, the tendency to see pregnant women as parents, with all the responsibilities that carries with it, even before they give birth is common. How justified is this view though? Does it have the sort of biological or scientific basis we might assume it to have?

Follow up references:
https://bump.group/
https://philpapers.org/rec/CLATPO-15
https://philpapers.org/rec/CLATMR-2

]]> Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-13464407 Fri, 25 Aug 2023 01:00:00 +1000 1186 2 3 full true What is Disease? What is Disease? Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-13376746 Thu, 10 Aug 2023 01:00:00 +1000 915 2 2 full false Is there such a thing as human nature? Is there such a thing as human nature? It's not uncommon to hear "human nature" trucked out to explain all sorts of phenomena from war to human nurturing and cooperation. How scientifically valid are such claims? Is there such a thing as human nature? If so, what is it? In this episode of the P-Value, the first in our philosophy of biology season, we ask where there is a scientifically respectable notion of human nature?

]]> It's not uncommon to hear "human nature" trucked out to explain all sorts of phenomena from war to human nurturing and cooperation. How scientifically valid are such claims? Is there such a thing as human nature? If so, what is it? In this episode of the P-Value, the first in our philosophy of biology season, we ask where there is a scientifically respectable notion of human nature?

]]> Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-13270632 Sun, 23 Jul 2023 22:00:00 +1000 1172 2 1 full false Do scientists have a moral obligation to be public champions of science? Do scientists have a moral obligation to be public champions of science? Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-11556914 Tue, 25 Oct 2022 01:00:00 +1100 908 1 8 full false Inductive Risk: Why social and ethical values should influence which hypotheses scientists accept Inductive Risk: Why social and ethical values should influence which hypotheses scientists accept Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-11450308 Fri, 07 Oct 2022 01:00:00 +1100 961 1 7 full false Is good science value-free? Is good science value-free? Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-11413337 Fri, 30 Sep 2022 22:00:00 +1000 1011 1 6 full false Choosing The Best Possible Child: The Ethics of Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis Choosing The Best Possible Child: The Ethics of Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis Pre-Implanatation Genetic Diagnosis is a technology with the great potential to reduce suffering but it also can be mis-used. What purposes should we use PGD for? Where should we draw the line?

]]> Pre-Implanatation Genetic Diagnosis is a technology with the great potential to reduce suffering but it also can be mis-used. What purposes should we use PGD for? Where should we draw the line?

]]> Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-11187872 Tue, 23 Aug 2022 21:00:00 +1000 960 1 5 full false Personal Genomics: Who owns your genome? Personal Genomics: Who owns your genome? What is personal genomics? What is it used for? What sort of ethical issues surround this technology in society?

EDIT: At 7:54 I describe Huntington's Disease as recessive but it is dominant

]]> What is personal genomics? What is it used for? What sort of ethical issues surround this technology in society?

EDIT: At 7:54 I describe Huntington's Disease as recessive but it is dominant

]]> Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-11153859 Wed, 17 Aug 2022 23:00:00 +1000 965 1 4 full false Dual-Use Dilemmas and the Responsibility of Scientists for the Misuse of their Work Dual-Use Dilemmas and the Responsibility of Scientists for the Misuse of their Work Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-11126848 Fri, 12 Aug 2022 22:00:00 +1000 852 1 3 full false The Ethics of Human Subjects in Research The Ethics of Human Subjects in Research Buzzsprout-11073870 Wed, 03 Aug 2022 17:00:00 +1000 775 1 2 full false The Ethics of Animal Experimentation The Ethics of Animal Experimentation Rachael Brown Buzzsprout-11029602 Tue, 26 Jul 2022 22:00:00 +1000 564 1 1 full false