Home › Topics › Ideas, Learning & Language
Philosophy & ethics: videos Hacker News recommends
Philosophy: ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, Stoicism, moral philosophy, free will, meaning of life, political philosophy, philosophers, thought experiments. Below: every video in this topic that at least three HN users linked with real commentary, in at least three different months (25 talks, 20 explainers, 15 interviews), best-scored first, with the comments on each video page.
- 10 HN recommenders 12 months 2019–2024F Farm Transparency Project · documentaryHN commenters push it, often forcefully, as the video to watch to see what factory farming really involves, and some say it changed their diet.
- 11 HN recommenders 12 months 2013–2025One of the most frequently recommended online lecture series on HN, praised for giving people vocabulary to examine ethical positions and for Sandel's skilled teaching.
- 12 HN recommenders 11 months 2018–2025HN commenters repeatedly recommend it in longevity and aging threads as a concise, fun case for fighting aging.
- 4 HN recommenders 11 months 2015–2026A Alain de Botton · documentaryHN recommends it as an illuminating, eye-opening long-form take on status, luck and how we judge the successful and unsuccessful.
- 11 HN recommenders 11 months 2010–2022S seandulac · explainerHN commenters post it in threads about purpose, ambition, burnout and career anxiety as a reframing that life is a dance, not a march toward eventual happiness.
- 7 HN recommenders 7 months 2020–2024HN commenters call it a beloved story and link the animation when threads touch on consciousness, empathy or identity.
- 4 HN recommenders 7 months 2012–2020B bitbutter · explainerHN commenters use it as a short introduction to anarcho-capitalist ideas about private law and how disputes could be resolved without a state.
- 6 HN recommenders 7 months 2019–2022J John Vervaeke’s Lectern · lectureHN recommends the series as a thorough, non-dogmatic look at meaning, spirituality and escaping nihilism.
- 3 HN recommenders 6 months 2015–2023Recommended in vegetarian and animal-welfare threads as an introduction to the psychology behind how we treat animals differently.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2011–2026HN commenters return to it for perspective, comfort and Sagan's soothing voice, and suggest watching it periodically.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2015–2026W withDefiance · interviewHN recommends it as a famous, revealing clash between two thinkers, though some note they largely talk past each other.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2018–2022HN users recommend it as a comforting, clear introduction to nihilism for anxiety, mid-life doubts and feeling behind in life.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2021–2025HN recommends it as an entertaining tour of how we define and categorize things, and it is cited when concept boundaries come up.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2014–2025C College of DuPage · lectureHN recommends it to engineers as a skeptical counterweight to technology boosterism, especially for those building AI and consumer tech features.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2018–2025HN commenters link it to argue for cooperation and engagement over isolation, and as an accessible statement of positive-sum thinking.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2016–2026J Jacob Edward · interviewCommenters post it whenever a thread touches on soft sciences, replication problems, or what counts as real science.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2022–2025M Michael Sugrue · lectureHN recommends it as a classic, clear introduction to Aurelius, with some saying it helped through hard times.
- 5 HN recommenders 4 months 2015–2022J Joe Mita · talkHN people point lost, lonely or burned-out readers to it as a short, humane piece of perspective on how to live.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2018–2023HN commenters recommend it as a compelling, concise argument for longevity research and a rebuttal to common objections to ending aging.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2018–2024Cited as an excellent entry point to Dennett's thinking on minds, memes and competence without comprehension.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2014–2016D Det Kgl. Bibliotek · interviewHN commenters call it an entertaining, complementary philosophical take on surveillance, with a funny story about jamming secret police.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2013–2017L Larken Rose · commentaryLibertarian-minded commenters post it in surveillance, government and constitution threads as a red-pill argument that political authority is illusory.
- 1 HN recommenders 3 months 2009–2023D Dani Dögenigt · talkCited as the origin of the 'culture/philosophy as operating system' metaphor and as a quick introduction to McKenna's ideas.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2024Recommended for its account of competence without comprehension, relevant to evolution and to debates about AI.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2025B Bill Hicks · comedy videoOffered as a pick-me-up and calming perspective when people feel lost or stressed.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2026N nebulajr · interviewHN returns to it constantly as a classic on the difficulty of explaining fundamentals and the limits of analogies.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2026C Christian G · commentaryHN cites it as a concise, memorable explanation of ideology, often in threads about advertising, propaganda or AI-shaped narratives.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2024T The Actualization Agent · talkHN commenters bring it up when urging empathy, patience and attention to the everyday instead of snap judgement.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2024U UW Video · interviewRecommended in threads on language purity and standardization for its clear take that languages are fluid and that national languages are constructed.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2011–2022Frequently linked in threads on philanthropy, ethical consumption and billionaire giving as a short, approachable critique of charity.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2025C CraftHub Events · talkHN commenters recommend it as a good talk on ethics in software engineering, and Cantrill himself cites it as capturing his views.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2026Recommended as a worthwhile real-world experiment whenever trolley problems or moral dilemmas come up.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2023S SXSW · talkShared in simulation-argument threads as an entertaining, hacker-minded take, though some commenters criticize Hotz himself.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2026L lasagnacat · comedy videoHN cites it as the prime example of going absurdly deep on a tiny subject, and as a favorite among long YouTube videos.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2012–2024HN uses it to argue that systems rather than bad apples drive cruelty, and for its section on how anonymity changes behavior.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2010–2022Recommended as a relatively clear introduction to Zizek's thinking, especially his account of ideology and unknown knowns.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2026J Jonas Čeika - CCK Philosophy · explainerRecommended as a clear introduction to hauntology and lost futures in discussions of Mark Fisher and cyberpunk.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–20255 52 Living Ideas · lectureHN readers recommend it as the way to learn what Boyd actually meant by OODA, straight from a collaborator, rather than from the popularized loop diagram.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2021H Hoover Institution · interviewHN points to it as a primer on Thiel's thinking and as an example of Peter Robinson's skill as an interviewer.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2019J Joscha Bach · talkHN recommends it as an inspiring summary of a computational model of mind and a first lecture in a series on the brain as a computer.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2022I Intelligence Squared · talkHN recommends it as a good long debate for the recurring question of whether Orwell or Huxley was right.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2023R Rebel Wisdom · interviewRecommended to people interested in propaganda, misinformation and how to improve public discourse.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2022A Andy80o · lectureRecommended as a lucid, insightful lecture on the limits of human knowledge and the study of mind, one commenter calling it among the best lectures ever.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2026J Jeffrey Kaplan · lectureHN recommends it as the best short exposition of Singer's argument for a duty to give.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2025K kunc · commentaryHN commenters recommend it as one of the best short clips on YouTube for illustrating Balkan versus Central European identity.
- 1 HN recommenders 2 months 2012–2016T TheAnimalHolocaust · talkSome commenters credit it with persuading them to go vegan, while others dismiss parts of it as pseudoscience.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2026HN points to it as a short, tight introduction to Deutsch's idea of hard-to-vary explanations.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2022Pointed to as an antidote to pessimism about the future, tied to Deutsch's ideas in The Beginning of Infinity.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2024T TED Blog Video · explainerHN uses it again and again as shorthand for the idea that resentment of unfair pay and inequality is built into primates, including us.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2026HN users share it as a chance to hear Russell speak himself and get a sense of his values and outlook.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2022C Carefree Wandering · lectureCited in threads on social media and online identity as a framework of sincerity, authenticity and profilicity.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2010–2014X x1x2x3ct · videoIt is the standard reference whenever a thread turns to rote labels versus real understanding.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2025A Alex O'Connor · explainerHN treats it as the origin of the full-wine-glass meme and an illustration of how models lack concepts missing from their training data.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2024T The Partially Examined Life · lectureRecommended as a much easier way into Baudrillard's ideas than reading his own writing.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2025P Premier Unbelievable? · interviewPointed to for Penrose's own explanations of the Big Bounce and his three-worlds idea.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2024J Jonas Čeika - CCK Philosophy · commentaryHN commenters recommend it as a deeper philosophical look at human rights from a critical Marxist angle.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2021HN recommends it as a simple entry point to Foucault, especially on mental health and institutionalization.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2012–2017A Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc · talkHN commenters point to it as a liberating account of present-moment awareness and mindfulness.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2026C Charlie Chaplin · videoCommenters cite it as inspirational and relevant whenever power, technology and humanity are in tension.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2021Cited in animal-welfare and environmental threads as a short, thought-provoking piece on how humans treat animals.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2012–2021Z Zero · lectureHN uses it to illustrate Feynman's wry view of philosophical questions and perception.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2020Linked in threads about lobster welfare as an easy way to take in Wallace's essay.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2025S someoddstuff · interviewRecommended as more thought-provoking than the usual pill-popping take on Huxley.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2023B Beyond Carnism · talkHN offers it as a short, light introduction to carnism and the language bias around eating animals.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2022V Vivekananda Samiti, IIT Kanpur · lectureRecommended in threads about consciousness and reality as a clear exposition of the Vedantic view of waking, dreaming and deep sleep.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2024HN points people to it as an accessible explanation of what qualia are.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2023HN recommends it as a short route to Dennett's view of consciousness as a bag of tricks, often in AI and cognition threads.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2022Offered as an accessible introduction to Camus and absurdism.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2022R Rational Animations · explainerRecommended as a short explanation of a non-intuitive anthropic reasoning argument.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2020Pointed to in threads about mind uploading and teleportation as a good, accessible look at personal identity.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2019S Science, Technology & the Future · interviewOffered as a less technical introduction to Bostrom's simulation paper.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2015–2017Used as a source for Searle's own argument in Chinese room discussions, though some find nothing new in it.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2025HN points to it as the short cliff's-notes version of the essay and as a charming introduction to The School of Life.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2021C Closer To Truth · interviewHN commenters recommend it as a thoughtful and nuanced take on the philosophy of mathematics.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2026S SisyphusRedeemed · talkHN uses it as a reference for epistemic humility and how wrong even the smartest people have been.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2021S School Sucks · commentaryCited as a critique of libertarianism, including as a reply to the 'you can always leave' argument.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2021HN quotes it in censorship and moderation threads for Chomsky's principle that free speech must cover speech you dislike.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2021HN mostly cites it as the go-to critique of Peterson when his positions or advice come up.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2024Pointed to as an accessible introduction to intuition pumps as thinking tools, and shared in remembrance after Dennett's death.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2023HN commenters share it as a clear explanation of the block universe and relativity of simultaneity.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2023HN uses it as a reference for the scale of future human population and long-term thinking.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2009–2021HN cites it in discussions of wealth, status and the moral blame placed on the unsuccessful.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2023HN mentions it mostly in passing as a Taleb talk on market volatility and predicting crises.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2023B Big Think · commentaryHN shares it as a short, provocative counterpoint in threads on purpose, goals and the pursuit of happiness.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2024P Philosophy Tube · commentaryCited in privacy and surveillance threads as a thoughtful treatment of being compelled to share data and the nothing-to-hide argument.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2015–2019R RepublicansSuckDlCK · commentaryHN uses it as an example of cost-benefit reasoning about product safety in threads on recalls, security spending and Boeing.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2021HN uses it as a reference for Zizek's views and as an exercise in critical thinking, not as a strong recommendation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2023HN mentions it occasionally as a source for Wolff's views, such as on worker co-ops, rather than as a widely recommended watch.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2026D Diego Cumplido · comedy videoMostly posted as a joke in toilet-related threads, especially for the line about German hermeneutic stool inspection.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2020A American Museum of Natural History · talkLinked in simulation-hypothesis threads as an expert panel that takes the idea seriously, and listed among best technical talks.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2026S Sprouts · explainerHN commenters cite it when discussing Bonhoeffer's idea that stupidity is a moral failing rather than an intellectual one.
- cited 5× 0 months 2017–2024M mr1001nights · interviewHN commenters repeatedly cite it for Fromm's line about selling one's personality at work, especially in threads on careers, mental health and labor.
- cited 3× 0 months 2017–2026J Jamie Anderson · commentaryHN uses it as shorthand for the divide between systematizing and humanistic outlooks, applied to arguments about science, society and language.
- cited 3× 0 months 2015–2017A Ali · news clipHN commenters cite it as the source of the known/unknown unknowns framing, sometimes noting he was unfairly ridiculed for it.
- cited 3× 0 months 2019–2026HN links it as the original footage of the famous framing of knowledge and ignorance.
- cited 10× 0 months 2009–2023S safvio · commentaryUsed as a quick reference clip in capitalism and greed debates.
- cited 4× 0 months 2017–2022F FreeScienceLectures · interviewHN cites it whenever someone worries that explanation or analysis spoils wonder, as a compact statement that knowledge deepens appreciation.
- cited 3× 0 months 2016–2025Cited for its optimistic argument that there are few limits to knowledge and human progress.
Questions
What is the most recommended philosophy & ethics video on Hacker News?
Dominion (2018) - full documentary [Official] by Farm Transparency Project: HN commenters push it, often forcefully, as the video to watch to see what factory farming really involves, and some say it changed their diet.
How is this philosophy & ethics list ranked?
By HackerTube's score: the number of distinct months in which an HN comment recommended the video, plus half a point for every month with a strong recommendation. One viral thread counts less than steady recommendations over years.
Where do the videos come from?
From every Hacker News comment between 2007 and 2026 that linked a YouTube video, labeled by an AI model as a recommendation, a citation, a joke or a criticism. The list is published by HackerTube under ODC-By 1.0; this edition adds indexable pages and the comment context.
Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.