<p>Tomás Bogardus joins to discuss his book &quot;The Nature of the Sexes&quot; and argues for a reproductive-functional account of biological sex. According to Bogardus, males and females are defined by the reproductive function their bodies are structured to perform: producing sperm or eggs. Even when that function is not realized and no sperm or eggs are produced, a person’s sex remains the same, because it is grounded in biological organization. To defend this view, Bogardus considers intersex and DSD cases, critiques contextualist accounts that treat sex as domain-dependent, and argues for a unified meaning of “male” and “female.” The conversation later turns to whether sex is essential or changeable, as well as debates about pronouns, sports, and medical interventions for minors.</p><p><br></p><p>[00:00] Introduction to the Debate on Sex</p><p>[00:23] The Delivery Room Thought Experiment: &quot;It’s a Boy/Girl&quot;</p><p>[02:04] Sex as Reproductive Function</p><p>[07:41 ]Gametes, Competitor Theories, and the Non-Producers Objection</p><p>[11:29] Intersex &amp; DSD Cases</p><p>[19:23] Contextualism and Cluster Concepts: Sex in Sports, Bathrooms, Dating?</p><p>[26:23] Conjunction Reduction &amp; Animal Examples: Rooster vs Crocodile</p><p>[30:24] One Unified Meaning of Sex Terms</p><p>[32:06] Are ‘Man’ and ‘Woman’ Social Roles or Biological Sexes?</p><p>[37:15] Is Sex Essential or Contingent? Souls, Brains, and Hylomorphism</p><p>[42:23] Surgery and Embryo Gene Editing</p><p>[47:15] Fairness in Sports/Prisons</p><p>[54:38] Should Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Minors Be Criminalized?</p><p>[01:04:09] Conclusion</p><p><br></p><p>Read &quot;The Nature of the Sexes: Why Biology Matters&quot;: https://www.routledge.com/The-Nature-of-the-Sexes-Why-Biology-Matters/Bogardus/p/book/9781041029533</p><p><br></p><p>Subscribe to the Brain in a Vat Substack: https://braininavat.substack.com/</p>