Episode 3 - Antinatalism with Minesh Fernando

Papadam Philosophy

Is existence suffering? Were you wronged by being born? Is it moral to have kids? Freddie Mercury may have sometimes wished to have never been born at all, but what about the rest of us? Antinatalism is a philosophy which states that the rest of us should probably feel the same way Freddie did. The question of whether human life is worth living and the nature of human suffering has been a long-standing one, both in philosophy as well as in major religions. It tells us just why our lives suck so much, and why it may have been a bad idea for your parents to conceive you.

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On this episode we talk to Minesh Fernando, a philosophy enthusiast and political analyst, about perspectives on suffering (both religious and non-religious), the rise in discussion around antinatalism and some popular objections to it. We also discuss implications an antinatalist worldview may have for religion, justice, human rights and even artificial intelligence. On top of all this, we try to discuss the future of antinatalism and how, even if it doesnt catch on, what it has to tell us about our lives, our relationships to each other, and the question of having children.

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Follow Minesh on Instagram: @mineshhhhh

Follow the show (and me!) on Instagram: @papadamphilosophy / @the_antisocial_extrovert_