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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19 votes Vote

Which mind-altering or mood-altering substances are rational to take? (alcohol, caffeine, marijuana, etc.)

And what principles do you apply in deciding?

guest, 28.12.2010, 10:08

1 comment

19 votes Vote

What is love?

How would you distinguish between romantic love and platonic love? What is the difference between infatuation and love? How can a rational person know when he or she is "in love"?

Crystal, 09.02.2011, 05:06

0 comments

19 votes Vote

How should I deal with the idea of man-made global warming?

What is the proper approach to the whole idea? I can´t decide on my own whether it´s true or false without educating myself in climatology. And how should I treat others who believe in it just because many university professors do?

Student, 24.02.2011, 03:47

0 comments

19 votes Vote

What are the selfish benefits of being a blood donor (or organ donor)?

What are the egoistic benefits of being a blood donor (or an organ donor) in today's context, where you do it for free? Or should one instead fight for the right to be able to sell one's blood (or bone marrow etc.) in a free market, and...

anonymous, 18.03.2011, 13:31

3 comments

19 votes Vote

Why should I be an egoist?

How do you explain that in layman's terms to someone in your life?

Patrik Lundin, 16.04.2011, 22:33

0 comments

19 votes Vote

What value do you gain from reading literature?

I've never much connected with literature, particularly not the classics. I know that you read them routinely. What value do you find in them? Or, what am I missing?

Anonymous, 03.07.2011, 16:09

0 comments

19 votes Vote

Is corporal punishment of children ever proper?

The recent release of the video of Judge William Adams beating his daughter (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl9y3SIPt7o ) raises the question of whether it's ever necessary or proper to physically discipline children. Does the age of the...

Frank McKay, 02.11.2011, 16:00

0 comments

19 votes Vote

How important are a political candidate's views on abortion?

Why should we be worried about a political candidate's bad views on abortion if their views on other issues like economics are generally good? After all, someone like Herman Cain can't outlaw abortion even if he wanted to. But a good or bad...

Anonymous, 05.11.2011, 22:03

0 comments

19 votes Vote

It is wrong to pursue self-destructive pleasures?

Suppose that you know that drinking to excess is not good for your mind or body, but you want to enjoy the oblivion of drunkeness. Or perhaps you know that sleeping with your ex-girlfriend is a very bad idea, but you want the pleasure of sex with...

Joel S, 01.12.2011, 20:55

0 comments

19 votes Vote

What's the proper distinction between philosophy and psychology, if any?

Given that psychology concerns the mind, I don't see how to clearly distinguish it from philosophy. For example, when would emotions be of philosophic versus a psychological concern? In other words, where is the dividing line between philosophy...

Sophie, 10.12.2011, 13:49

0 comments

19 votes Vote

Does "no" always mean no in sex?

Does a woman give her tacit consent for sex solely by her acceptance of a man's invitation to his home or hotel room (or her invitation of him)? If so, is the man then free the man to have his way with her even if she says clearly, "I don't want...

Brian, 06.02.2012, 10:16

2 comments

19 votes Vote

What counts as art?

Ayn Rand defined art as "a selective re-creation of reality according to an artist’s metaphysical value-judgments." What does that mean? If art is a selective re-creation of reality, does that mean that anything can be art -- such as a shoe or...

Tjitze de Boer, 15.03.2012, 05:07

0 comments

19 votes Vote

What's the proper response to the dissolution of a friendship within a social group?

I loved your your May 6th, 2012 discussion of "unforgivable acts," and I have a follow-up question. Now -- after cutting my losses with a best friend, after years of giving second chances, talking with him repeatedly, and determining that there's...

Amy Nasir, 12.05.2012, 08:51

2 comments

19 votes Vote

Can a romance between an atheist and a religious believer work?

What are the major obstacles? Should the atheist attend church or church socials with his spouse? Should they have a religious wedding ceremony? Should they send their children to religious schools? Do the particular beliefs -- or strength of...

Nathaniel Schappy, 07.09.2012, 08:29

1 comment

19 votes Vote

Is ambition a virtue?

Is ambition properly regarded as a virtue? Ayn Rand defined ambition as "the systematic pursuit of achievement and of constant improvement in respect to one’s goal." If we apply ambition only to rational goals -- as happens with the virtue of...

Bryan, 05.11.2012, 13:32

1 comment

19 votes Vote

What is the relationship between Objectivism and libertarianism?

Some libertarians -- and some Objectivists, including John Allison -- claim that Objectivism's politics is a type of libertarianism. Is that true? What is the essence is libertarianism? Should Objectivists ally themselves with libertarians,...

Matt Jones, 28.11.2012, 19:55

1 comment

19 votes Vote

What is the meaning and value of a central purpose?

In "The Objectivist Ethics," Ayn Rand says that "productive work is the central purpose of a rational man's life, the central value that integrates and determines the hierarchy of all his other values." I find that confusing. What constitutes a...

Anonymous, 18.06.2013, 17:58

0 comments

19 votes Vote

Why aren't women strongly condemned for sexual relationships with underage boys?

A few years ago, I saw a flurry of news stories about female teachers in their twenties committing statutory rape by having sex with their teenage male students. At the time, many public commentators and comedians said that they didn't see how the...

legendre007, 25.01.2014, 02:14

0 comments

18 votes Vote

What's the best way to mentally focus on one activity when I can't stop thinking about another?

Sometimes I get overly focused on or worried about a problem I'm having at work, and then I have difficulty focusing in class. Similarly, sometimes I'll think about an issue I'm having with a close friend, and I know I should focus my energy...

Anonymous, 13.02.2011, 13:18

0 comments

18 votes Vote

Should you tell someone else's secret to a spouse?

I know a lot of times when I share personal information with my best friend, I assume that she will (and am okay with) her sharing some or all of that information with her significant other. I think she makes the same assumption, that I will share...

Jenn Casey, 02.03.2011, 13:12

0 comments

18 votes Vote

Is it morally obligatory to engage in activism?

I want to fight for a better, more rational culture. But I know that I'm not a good writer or speaker. If I instead give my money to those who are, isn't that a good division of labor? Is it obligatory that I myself attempt to engage in such...

Concerned Objectivist, 01.03.2011, 14:54

0 comments

18 votes Vote

Are people in real life as evil as in Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged"?

In Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand presents almost every bad person as very evil. I understand the purpose of that in the novel, but are their equivalents in real life (meaning the legislators passing similar laws nowadays) as evil as that -- or are...

Kyle Serrecchia, 20.04.2011, 19:37

0 comments

18 votes Vote

What do you think of the term Randroid?

The term "Randroid" is supposed to imply that Objectivists are unthinking, mindless drones. However, I happily use this term to describe myself -- after first calling myself an Objectivist, of course -- because I think it squashes a lot of the...

Kyle Serrecchia, 26.04.2011, 08:48

3 comments

18 votes Vote

What should you do for a person that you injured in a car accident that was your fault?

Does a person have moral obligations -- over and above any legal obligations -- to the victim, since the accident was due to your own carelessness or mistake?

Anonymous, 12.07.2011, 01:55

0 comments

18 votes Vote

When should a person maintain a relationship with his parents -- or not?

When, if ever, should an adult child distance himself from his parents -- or cut them off completely? Does it matter if the parent was awful years ago, but since then, he's seemed to reform his ways?

Anonymous, 12.07.2011, 11:17

1 comment

18 votes Vote

Are my interests as a parent always aligned with the interests of my child?

I have a two-month-old daughter. She is of great value to me, so to protect and provide for her is in my self-interest. However, might our interests sometimes diverge? If so, should I give priority to her interests or mine?

Jassar, 29.09.2011, 19:22

0 comments

18 votes Vote

What's wrong with the principle of sustainability?

In your October 9th webcast discussion of "sustainable agriculture," you didn't discuss what's right or wrong about the basic principle of the "sustainability movement," namely "that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the...

Anonymous, 11.10.2011, 13:28

0 comments

18 votes Vote

Is the death penalty moral?

I understand why people are opposed to the death penalty when there might be genuine doubt as to whether the accused person really committed the crime. Certainly, we've seen cases where DNA evidence has exonerated someone who was convicted...

Anonymous, 05.11.2011, 22:36

0 comments

18 votes Vote

Are cynicism and sarcasm unhealthy?

I know some very bright people who also frequently express cynicism and sarcasm towards world events, public figures, etc. Their remarks can often be quite witty and insightful. But is there something unhealthy about looking at the world in this...

Anonymous, 05.11.2011, 22:44

1 comment

18 votes Vote

Is an interest in fantasy and theology literature proper?

I'm fascinated with fantasy as a literary genre. I find it easier to get excited about a fantastic story rather than about a realistic one, and I'm also really interested in fantasy with a certain sophistication: the extremely well-constructed...

Fabian Bollinger, 07.11.2011, 14:17

1 comment

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