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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10 votes Vote

If you find money in a house that you've purchased should you return it?

A man recently found about $45,000 hidden in the house that he'd recently bought. (See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110520/ap_on_fe_st/us_found_money ) It was saved up by the prior owner, now dead. He returned it to the man's children. Should...

Anonymous, 20.05.2011, 19:19

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10 votes Vote

Is lobbying a proper career choice?

Lobbying involves asking for various kind of favors from the government. Is that a profession that someone who values free markets should avoid like the plague?

Nick, 25.06.2011, 02:05

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10 votes Vote

Why should a free country have open borders?

In your July 24th webcast, you agreed with the questioner that the current laws restricting immigration are wrong. Why? Shouldn't Americans be able to restrict immigration, if they so choose? What, if any, limits should be set on immigration?

Anonymous, 23.07.2011, 14:43

0 comments

10 votes Vote

How can I maintain my integrity in friendships with people of opposite philosophic views?

I struggle to keep good relations with family and friends who support our current political system in which some people are helped at the expense of others, which I regard as slavery. They support ObamaCare, EPA restrictions, and welfare programs....

Terry Taylor, 02.08.2011, 17:50

0 comments

10 votes Vote

Should a person contribute to animal rights or animal welfare organizations?

Is it morally right or wrong to give money to animal rights groups, animal welfare groups, and pro-vegetarianism or pro-veganism groups? Is it morally right or wrong to be friends with people who support such groups given that they may be working...

anonymous, 07.09.2011, 13:42

0 comments

10 votes Vote

Is it irrational when you're being "crazy about" your partner?

Is being "crazy about" your partner a part of loving him/her when it's an early stage of your relationship? (For instance, a person likes to keep his partner's used stuff.) Does the answer differ for more serious stages?

Anon, 10.10.2011, 01:57

2 comments

10 votes Vote

How should I respond to the constant demands to contribute to fundraisers from my child's school?

I am barraged with "requests" for contributions to school fundraisers. This week, for example, each student in the band is asked to put together a "buddy bag" with sweets (against my views), a toy (more plastic junk to fill the landfills), and a...

Laura, 12.11.2011, 05:43

1 comment

10 votes Vote

Should I reveal my atheism to strangers when asked?

I work at a hospital. One night a patient asked me if I'm religious. I answered yes. He then asked me if I believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins. I answered yes. Then he took my hand and prayed for me. Immediately, I felt...

scryer, 13.11.2011, 05:55

1 comment

10 votes Vote

Should I mull over my memories less frequently?

Is it unhealthy for a person to continuously mull over previous events and specific memories? I go over past events in my mind on a constant basis. I try to recall specific details (i.e., things I was thinking at the time, etc.) and keep a perfect...

Kat, 16.12.2011, 21:14

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10 votes Vote

Are women subservient to men in Objectivism like in Christianity?

The Bible and Christians teach that God made women to be subservient to men and not to be their leader. Ayn Rand thinks that women are naturally subservient to men and should not be their leader. Aside from the appeal to God, what's the difference?

Samuel Kennedy, 17.01.2012, 12:35

1 comment

10 votes Vote

Shouldn't freedom be "free"?

I often hear the bromide "freedom isn't free," or some variation of it, such as, "there's a price for freedom." But isn't freedom actually free? A person acts by right in pursuing his own life and happiness, and criminals do not have any right to...

Jason, 26.02.2012, 11:31

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10 votes Vote

Should I use the term "selfish" in conversation without explanation?

According to Ayn Rand, selfishness means acting for your own long-range life and happiness, and that's moral and proper. Yet most people think that selfishness means brutalizing other people, lying and cheating to satisfy your desires, or at...

Anonymous, 26.02.2012, 15:13

1 comment

10 votes Vote

Should I keep up with current affairs?

As we know, most reporting is pretty bad. In print, and especially on the rolling 24-hour news channels. It's myopic, biased, and lacking in any principled coverage. The reporters are just clueless, and are like children pointing at all the...

Rory, 14.04.2012, 07:01

0 comments

10 votes Vote

What should you do when your allies are exposed as hypocrites?

Just because a person advocates good ideas doesn't mean that he practices them. For example, a defender of free markets might use zoning laws to prevent the construction of a new building on land adjacent to his home, an advocate of justice and...

Anonymous, 02.04.2012, 20:21

0 comments

10 votes Vote

Should I mention we are atheists when interviewing babysitters?

I am looking for a babysitter. The question is how do I handle the fact that many of the candidates will be very very strong Christians? Should I bring up the fact we are atheists right away or would that be creating an issue when there could be...

Rose Wiegley, 08.04.2012, 14:21

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10 votes Vote

Is is second-handed to work hard to clean and repair your house before company arrives?

I'm constantly fighting a battle to get my house looking reasonable. Then, right before company arrives from out-of-town, I make an extra big push to get it as clean and tidy as possible. I'd like it to always be that way, but I'll work a lot...

Rose, 21.08.2012, 16:16

0 comments

10 votes Vote

Isn't mandated child support basically just welfare for needy children?

What is the moral difference between compelling parents to support their children and compelling all people to support the needy in society? Many critics of the welfare state believe that parents should be compelled to support their children with...

Dylan Baker, 05.11.2012, 10:27

0 comments

10 votes Vote

Is it wrong to have children in an increasingly irrational and statist culture?

People should think about the long-range effects of their actions, and act based on principles. So if a person thinks that our culture is in decline -- and perhaps even slipping into dictatorship -- is it wrong for that person to have children?...

RussK, 09.11.2012, 12:50

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10 votes Vote

What's the rationale for declaring some physically mature people too young to have children?

Given that nature has dictated that both male and female humans can procreate in their early teens and given that morality is deduced from reality, why would sex and procreation at that young age be immoral? Isn't that what nature intended? More...

Joel, 31.03.2013, 10:18

1 comment

10 votes Vote

How should I respond to my morally corrupt sister?

My 20 year old sister is morally destitute. She is an unapolegetic shoplifter. Her justifications amount to things like: "My shoplifting is not an addiction because I can stop any time I want to," "everyone does it," "you have to lie and cheat...

Sable Levy, 09.06.2013, 10:40

0 comments

10 votes Vote

Should I end my friendship with a persistent and devout Christian?

I am an atheist who has been befriended by a very devout Christian (read: an ex-missionary). I often find that our philosophical differences prevent me from expressing myself the way I would like. However, this friend has been very devoted to...

Anonymous, 18.06.2013, 23:34

3 comments

10 votes Vote

Isn't every action selfish, ultimately?

Unless coerced, people act however they deems best at that moment. Even if that action is self-destructive, aren't they acting selfishly, so as to satisfy their own desires? Even paragons of altruism act because they want to help people, please...

Anonymous, 16.07.2013, 08:33

1 comment

10 votes Vote

Is it wrong to discipline other people's children when they refuse to do so?

I was eating lunch at an outdoor market. A woman and her son stopped near me, and the boy (who was probably around 8 years old) leaned over my table and stuck his finger in my food. Then he started laughing and ran around in circles. The mom look...

Carrie, 20.07.2013, 11:22

2 comments

10 votes Vote

Should driving drunk be illegal in a free society?

Should the government of a free society forbid and punish people for activities potentially harmful to others when they've impaired their judgment via drugs or alcohol? Basically, should driving or shooting a firearm while drunk be illegal? Or...

Adam, 01.08.2013, 04:37

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10 votes Vote

How can I maintain my sense of self when surrounded by people I don't relate to deeply?

At places like work I have trouble relating to my coworkers on a significantly deep level. For the most part, we just don't share the deepest or most important aspects of life, such as a genuine interests in ideas, various nuances of the culinary...

Benjamin (Benpercent), 28.08.2013, 13:28

0 comments

10 votes Vote

Are public shamings morally justifiable?

I often read of judges handing down sentences designed to humiliate the offender, such as standing at a busy intersection wearing a sandwich board apologizing for their offense. Many people favor these kinds of punishments in lieu of jail time...

Luke Alberts, 01.11.2013, 07:27

0 comments

10 votes Vote

Is it wrong to participate in superstitious rituals without taking them seriously?

If I make some perfunctory observance or participation in some superstitious ritual, and do not believe the superstitious ritual is of any literal importance, am I still promoting irrationality? If I regularly read the horoscope in the newspaper,...

legendre007, 08.04.2014, 16:16

2 comments

10 votes Vote

What advice would you give to a new Objectivist?

In late May, you led a discussion at ATLOSCon on "What I Wish I’d Known as a New Objectivist." Personally, I wish I could tell younger self that the term "selfish" doesn't mean the "screw everyone else, I'm getting mine" behavior that most...

Jonathan Townley, 09.05.2014, 08:46

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10 votes Vote

Can I reclaim lost personality traits?

When I was a kid (probably until the age of about 12 or 13), my personality had a strong 'I' element (as in the DISC model I). I was fun, energetic and confident. I was willing to express myself openly (and loudly) and do silly things for the sake...

Adam, 01.06.2014, 07:18

0 comments

9 votes Vote

Is it moral for atheists to perform religious music?

I love to sing classical music, and that usually means performing with a group that does religious music, including Catholic mass and other religious songs. Some of these groups are secular and perform it for the artistic value alone, but other...

Hanah, 17.07.2011, 09:13

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