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!

Managers

3 votes Vote

When is a person obliged to report a crime?

About ten years ago, as a nurse, I heard a patient planning to do something illegal -- particularly, to lie to an insurance company about the relationship between her injuries and the car accident so that she could keep all the settlement money....

Rachel Miner, 18.03.2015, 10:48

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3 votes Vote

Is vulnerability of value?

In a recent blog post, you stated "...I’m opting for a “vulnerability through strength” and “strength through vulnerability” route..." Could you please explain this idea? Why is vulnerability something that should be cultivated in the...

James, 14.07.2015, 11:23

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2 votes Vote

Should supporters of Gary Johnson vote for him on a Libertarian Party ticket?

Would this be a sign that the Libertarian Party is improving and deserves consideration? Or is getting rid of Obama so critical that it would be better to vote for a bad Republican over a better Libertarian? Should the Republicans keep losing,...

Martin Cade, 01.12.2011, 09:32

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2 votes Vote

Should I leave my inmate boyfriend?

I am in a dilemma. My current boyfriend is in prison serving a 6 year sentence. He has been away for a year and a half. It took over two years for the legal matters to be settled and for him to finally get a sentence. This is also my first...

Evelina, 01.10.2013, 20:13

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2 votes Vote

How strongly should a student object to a professor's objectionable views?

I am a senior undergraduate in liberal arts major at a public university. I'm currently taking a class with the bleak subject matter of genocide. My blatantly socialist teacher presents her views in discussions of the Armenian genocide, the...

Tom, 25.09.2013, 10:20

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2 votes Vote

How can people improve the quality of politicians in office?

Although it's easy to condemn all politicians, some are better than others. How can we get more of the better politicians into office? Should people committed to rights run for office? Or should those people work to elect better (but still...

Tjitze de Boer, 16.02.2013, 08:47

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2 votes Vote

How can abortion rights be more effectively defended?

Although the biblical case against abortion is weak, the religious right has gained much traction against abortion rights in the last decade or two. The "personhood" movement is growing every year, and incremental restrictions on abortion have...

Anonymous, 31.03.2013, 14:52

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2 votes Vote

Should DDoS attacks be illegal?

Should distributed denial of service computer attacks be illegal, like they are in the United Kingdom? Are they analogous to convincing people to send many letters to an organization or to calling on the phone repeatedly, thereby crippling its...

Roberto Sarrionandia, 24.04.2013, 12:32

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2 votes Vote

Is it wrong to protect my competitive advantage in sport by refusing to share information?

I am an aspiring MMA fighter. I've done a lot of work studying personal fitness, how to prevent and fix personal injuries, and how to maximize force output. I recently signed up for a MMA gym to prepare for some amateur fights. I'm concerned that...

Anonymous, 12.08.2013, 07:27

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2 votes Vote

How much generosity is too much?

Generosity seems like a trait that would fit well into your theory of moral amplifiers. But how does one best deal with someone who is being overly generous? I recently relocated to a new city and one of my coworkers with whom I am friendly has...

Trey Peden, 13.05.2014, 08:29

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2 votes Vote

Why aren't people grateful for what others do for them?

I volunteer a lot, and I try to be very generous with my time and efforts in the groups that I'm involved with. Mostly, I just want people to express thanks and gratitude for what I've done for them. Mostly though, they don't thank me -- or...

Anonymous, 23.07.2014, 18:39

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2 votes Vote

Should judges refuse to hear cases from lawyers behind frivolous suits?

In your 15 May 2014 show, you expressed curiosity about possible improvements to the justice system. I came up with the following idea after sitting on a jury for a civil trial where, after the plaintiff presented his case, the judge dismissed...

George, 07.08.2014, 20:42

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2 votes Vote

Is the distinction between needs and wants valid?

Anti-capitalist philosophers such as Giles Deleuze accuse the capitalist system of depending on blurring the distinction between needs and wants and tyrannizing over us by implanting artificial needs into our minds. In contrast, George Reisman...

Adam , 13.09.2014, 16:04

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2 votes Vote

How should a doctor respond to questions about her religious beliefs?

My wife recently told me about a colleague of hers -- a physician and an atheist -- being caught off guard when asked by the parents of one of her cancer patients in the hospital if she believed in God. These parents wanted their son treated...

Jose, 01.01.2015, 08:06

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2 votes Vote

It is moral to advocate for the boycott of a business?

Over the holidays, my brother and I discussed cases in which businesses are compelled by government to provide services against their will. For example, the Colorado courts demanded that a bakery make cakes for gay couples or face fines. We agreed...

Patrick L Black, 30.12.2014, 08:21

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2 votes Vote

Is it wrong to take up a hobby for the sake of dating?

I'm single, and I want to meet more women. Is it wrong or unwise to take up hobbies like dancing, acting, painting, singing, or guitar just to have some skill to show and to meet women interested in those activities? I wouldn't take up these...

Cyrus, 21.06.2015, 05:09

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2 votes Vote

Should I change my name when I marry?

I'm a gay man who is engaged to be married. The question has come up about whether or not either of us would change our last name and historically we've said no. We have just thought we would just maintain our given names. My fiance doesn't want...

Givens White Peden III, 21.06.2015, 09:14

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1 vote Vote

Should I support Gary Johnson for US President?

What's the proper evaluation of his principles and record on the budget, health care, national defense, immigration, the drug war, abortion, and gay marriage? Does Johnson deserve the vote of advocates of individual rights in the primary or the...

DianaHsieh, 04.12.2011, 21:58

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1 vote Vote

Morality in video games

Most games that feature a morality mechanic either let you be Super Jesus from the planet Kantian or Caligula mac Nietzsche. Usually represented by a sliding scale where being generally nice for a while can make up for burning down an orphanage....

Response from the site administrator

DianaHsieh, 02.05.2012

Since I don't play video games, I've made this into a rapid fire question.

Tjitze de Boer, 26.04.2012, 01:53

0 comments

1 vote Vote

Can an ordinary person do something unforgivable?

Could a friend act in a way that would make rational forgiveness impossible? Might a person do something so hurtful or unfair that you couldn't ever trust them again? In such cases, how should the person wronged acted towards the unforgivable...

Anonymous, 02.05.2012, 08:16

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1 vote Vote

Does a doctor violate a woman's rights by refusing to perform an abortion?

Many people on the left claim that a doctor who refuses to perform an abortion -- or a pharmacist who refuses to dispense Plan B -- is thereby violating the rights of the woman. Those doctors and pharmacists, however, claim that they're exercising...

Anonymous, 28.08.2012, 19:55

1 comment

1 vote Vote

Are the NFL owners guilty of "greed" in their dispute with the referees?

The NFL has been a labor dispute with its referees, and so far this season, the league has chosen to use replacement referees rather than meet the demands of the regular referees. Those replacements, however well-meaning, simply aren't capable of...

Anonymous, 25.09.2012, 14:14

1 comment

1 vote Vote

How is American culture better today better than people think?

I've heard lots of depressing claims about the abysmal state of American culture lately, particularly since Obama won the election. You've disputed that, arguing that America is better in its fundamentals that many people think. What are some of...

Anonymous, 12.12.2012, 09:44

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1 vote Vote

Should spouses always share activities?

A friend of mine is loathe to pursue any hobbies or interests that her husband doesn't share. He's not controlling: he's the same way. Although I know that they want to spend time together, that seems really limiting to me. Is that a reasonable...

Anonymous, 29.01.2013, 16:59

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1 vote Vote

Should the military ban marital infidelity?

On June 2nd, 2013, you answered the question: "Should marital infidelity be illegal?" I agree with you that infidelity shouldn't be illegal. However, might some government organizations -- such as the military -- legitimately ban and even...

Kyle Serrecchia, 02.06.2013, 11:14

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1 vote Vote

How can a person gain the self-confidence required to ask for a promotion at work?

I know some people who don't socialize much, and they really seem to struggle during interviews for promotions. They seem to lack confidence in themselves. How can they gain it? Does that kind of self-confidence depend on social acceptance and...

Anonymous, 12.08.2013, 07:28

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1 vote Vote

Should a person punish herself for wrongdoing by depriving herself of a value?

A friend of mine destroyed her phone in a fit of anger over a difficult situation that wasn't her fault. Now my friend feels guilty about her outburst. She thinks that she doesn't deserve to properly replace her phone, as that would reward her...

Anonymous, 25.06.2014, 14:12

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1 vote Vote

Is charity to strangers virtuous?

In a recent podcast, you answered the following question: "Does providing voluntary, non-sacrificial help to innocent, unfortunate poor people qualify as virtuous? In a free society, would such charity be a moral obligation?" You said that it's...

Jon, 15.08.2014, 08:48

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1 vote Vote

Should I put my cat down rather than leave him in a shelter?

After listening to the podcast question about the woman who lived in Philadelphia and wanted to get out of the ghetto, I got the motivation to land a great new job in Seattle. I am moving to a new city in a few weeks and will be traveling quite a...

Lissa, 02.11.2014, 18:04

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1 vote Vote

Is the lack of racial and sexual diversity in the workplace a problem?

Lately, there have been a lot of discussions about the lack of diversity in the tech industry. I have been asked to fill out surveys indicating my gender and race, which I politely refuse to complete. I don't see how my sex or the color of my skin...

J.P. Cummins, 30.07.2015, 13:13

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