Philosophy In Action

Every Sunday morning, philosopher Dr. Diana Hsieh answers your questions on the principles for living a happy, virtuous, and free life in her live Philosophy In Action Webcast. It's at 8 am PT / 9 am MT / 10 am CT / 11 am ET at http://www.PhilosophyInAction.com. Submit your questions here!

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21 votes Vote

Is it moral to post information on security flaws that can help criminals better commit crimes?

Some people publish information on how to pick locks or how to bypass computer password protection programs. Yes, sometimes this information might be used by good people to better protect themselves, but it's likely that criminals will use it to...

Anonymous, 01.08.2011, 10:22

0 comments

21 votes Vote

Isn't beauty in the eye of the beholder?

In your November 13th webcast discussion of aesthetic body modification, you rejected the idea that beauty is just a matter of personal taste or cultural norms. What's your view -- and why?

Anonymous, 14.11.2011, 12:43

1 comment

21 votes Vote

Is free will merely an illusion?

While I dislike the idea that we're just puppets of physics and natural law, I wonder whether our seemingly "free'' decisions are actually determined by the combination of our biology and our environment. After all, if our brain is merely a...

nada, 01.12.2011, 08:06

1 comment

21 votes Vote

Should rational people describe themselves as "ignostics" rather than "atheists"?

By rational principles, no cognitive consideration should be given to arbitrary assertions. Since the concept of God is invariably a floating abstraction and incoherent in its definition, shouldn't the claim that God exists be dismissed as...

Terry Verhoeven, 06.12.2011, 00:55

0 comments

21 votes Vote

Are some religions better than others?

Do certain religions encourage rationality more than others? Do some promote better moral systems than others? I am curious both about different forms of Christianity (Catholic, protestant, unitarian, Mormon, etc.), as well as other religions...

Hanah, 12.12.2011, 13:08

0 comments

21 votes Vote

Is it wrong to be friends with subordinates at work?

Work is a place where you have a certain contractual and moral obligation to the company you work for to put the company's interests ahead. With workplace friendships, particularly with subordinates, this can lead to problematic situations,...

Santiago Valenzuela, 12.04.2012, 10:17

0 comments

21 votes Vote

How would antibiotic misuse be handled in a free society?

It may be possible that antibiotic-resistant bacteria acquire such resistance by exposure to low doses of antibiotics. Such low doses may come from misuse of antibiotics, for example when taken to combat a cold or flu, which are viral infection...

Katarina G. Carpenter, 06.10.2012, 15:58

0 comments

21 votes Vote

How forthcoming should I be with new people I meet about my checkered past?

My past is not a source of pride for me. Over four years ago, I read "Atlas Shrugged." That book radically altered the radical change I was already bringing into my life -- for the better. I've recently begun meeting Objectivists in real life, and...

Anonymous, 20.08.2013, 14:08

-1 comment

20 votes Vote

Is revenge moral or not?

Is it wrong to want to hurt people who have hurt you? It is wrong to make them hurt?

FormSpring, 24.11.2010, 22:31

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Is it moral to not defend yourself if you will get into legal trouble for doing so?

As I understand laws on self-defense, you must be "in immediate danger of death or grievously bodily harm" in order to use lethal force. How is this reconciled with the morality of "shooting before he shoots you" or "hitting before you get hit"?...

David, 17.02.2011, 12:11

2 comments

20 votes Vote

What do you think of long-distance relationships?

Do you see any dangers in long-distance relationships? Hasn't the internet made such relationships nearly as good as living in the same city?

Anonymous, 18.03.2011, 15:37

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Should age matter in romance?

Is it in your rational best interest to date someone who is significantly older or younger than you? Assuming that both individuals are mature, is there anything wrong with an 18 year old dating someone who is 38? Or a 40 year old dating someone...

Annonymous, 30.03.2011, 08:28

0 comments

20 votes Vote

How and why should a person introspect?

What benefits does a person gain from introspection? What are the costs of not introspecting? How does a person introspect?

Anonymous, 01.05.2011, 03:47

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Is it wrong to stockpile medication now in the event of an economic crash in the future?

We are concerned that increasing economic troubles will raise the prices of some prescription and over-the-counter medications, and make them hard to find in the future. Is it okay to start a stockpile of some medications (most of which have a...

Jenn Casey, 29.07.2011, 06:47

0 comments

20 votes Vote

How can I achieve a better balance between introspection and productive work?

Particularly I've made some mistake, I'll get wrapped up in the process of introspection until I get the problem sorted out. However, that consumes time -- and often my projects suffer and I miss deadlines. How can I find a better balance...

Anonymous, 17.10.2011, 13:14

2 comments

20 votes Vote

Is it wrong for an atheist to patronize religious businesses?

Is it an endorsement of religion or failure of integrity for an atheist to buy goods or services from a religious business, such hiring an explicitly religious (and advertised as such) plumber or joining the local YMCA?

scryer, 16.11.2011, 04:52

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Should people be willing to "walk on eggshells" around tempermental people?

Some people -- often very talented -- are known to be highly temperamental. They'll explode in anger if others disagree with them, make innocent mistakes, or just act differently than they'd prefer. Is that a moral failing, and if so, what is...

Anonymous, 14.11.2011, 12:26

0 comments

20 votes Vote

What's the relationship between free will and moral responsibility?

To me, the concept of free will found in debates about determinism seems different than the concept of free will relevant to questions of moral responsibility. The former is a metaphysical concept, and a person either has free will or not. The...

Michael Mansberg, 23.11.2011, 13:51

1 comment

20 votes Vote

Is it a sacrifice for a soldier to fight for his country?

Most people regard fighting for one's country to be a glorious sacrifice. The soldier risks life and limb, but gets little in return. Assuming a proper government and a just war, is serving in the military a sacrifice? And if so, is that...

Anonymous, 07.12.2011, 08:33

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Is it wrong to browse in a local store but then buy online?

Suppose that you shop for an item in a brick-and-mortar store, taking advantage of the opportunity to browse and get recommendations for staff, but then make your purchases at a discounted online retailer -- for example, browsing through a local...

Tori Press, 05.12.2011, 18:33

0 comments

20 votes Vote

If cloning humans were possible, would it be wrong?

In your December 4th webcast, you said that the standard arguments against cloning people are not persuasive on closer examination. What are those arguments? Why are they wrong? If those arguments are unsuccessful, should we conclude that...

Anonymous, 06.12.2011, 15:54

0 comments

20 votes Vote

What is the proper role of government in adoption, if any?

Many religious people recoil at the notion of gay marriage due to its implications for adoption. They fear that the government will then allow gay couples to adopt on a broader scale. I suspect that the government is taking too great a role in...

Nate, 03.01.2012, 21:02

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Is it moral or practical to vote for third-party candidates?

The Founders created a two-party political system. With features like geographic representation, first-past-the-post voting for Congress, and the Electoral College for voting for President, it is clear that the Founders wanted parties consisting...

Ed Powell, 10.01.2012, 20:19

2 comments

20 votes Vote

Should people with severe genetic diseases take active measures to prevent passing the disease to their children?

Some people have severe hereditary diseases -- such as Huntington's or Multiple Sclerosis -- that might be passed on to their biological children. If that happens, the child will be burdened with the disease later in life, perhaps suffering for...

Ryan Bell, 16.01.2012, 12:04

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Is "gay marriage" really a kind of marriage?

Many people support civil unions for gays, but they think that such unions shouldn't be called marriage. Usually, they claim that marriage is essentially religious, that procreation is central to marriage, or that marriage concerns a man and a...

Anonymous, 20.01.2012, 12:48

1 comment

20 votes Vote

What do you think of the "Five Love Languages"?

The basic idea of the "Five Love Languages" is that every person has "a primary way of expressing and interpreting love," and that "we all identify primarily with one of the five love languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts,...

Kelly Elmore, 21.01.2012, 14:16

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Can a person choose an ultimate value other than his own life?

Ayn Rand claims that each person's life is his own ultimate value. Similarly, Aristotle says that each person's final end is his own flourishing (or happiness). Are they saying that a person cannot have another ultimate value or final end? Or...

Anonymous, 02.04.2012, 20:43

1 comment

20 votes Vote

What justifies punishing people for committing crimes?

In your 2006 graduate paper, "The Scope Problem in Punishment" (http://www.dianahsieh.com/docs/tspip.pdf), you criticize utilitarian theories of punishment that aim for deterrence of future crimes on the grounds that they don't punish all and only...

Anthony, 25.10.2012, 06:27

0 comments

20 votes Vote

Is mental illness nothing more than a myth?

Is "mental illness" a valid concept? It seems that many members of the free-market movement are enthused about the theory, promulgated by the likes of Thomas Szasz and Jeffrey A. Schaler, that there is no such thing as mental illness. They say...

legendre007, 06.01.2013, 07:00

0 comments

20 votes Vote

How should the feminist movement be judged?

Does the feminist movement today promote individual rights, or is it a force which often seeks special powers or favors for women at the expense of men? If it's mixed, how should the movement be judged, overall? Should better feminists eschew...

Scott Connery, 28.03.2013, 21:10

1 comment

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