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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42 votes Vote

What does (or should) it mean for a person to be a citizen of country?

Suppose that America were a free country, with open borders. What would it mean for a person to be just a resident rather than a citizen? How would that affect a person's relationship to the government? How would a person (including someone...

Anonymous, 23.07.2011, 14:39

1 comment

42 votes Vote

Is it moral to smoke, drink, or eat unhealthy foods if one recognizes the costs of doing so?

Suppose a friend makes a deliberate decision to eat foods he know to be unhealthy (such as frequent sugary desserts). He knows that it might harm his health, but he says that the personal enjoyment and satisfaction outweigh the risk of shortened...

Anonymous, 05.11.2011, 21:36

0 comments

41 votes Vote

Why are more men than women attracted to Objectivism?

Men seems to be more prevalent than women in Objectivist circles. Why is that? And does it matter?

anonymous, 08.04.2011, 14:11

0 comments

41 votes Vote

Should circumcision be banned?

Residents of San Francisco will soon vote on a ballot measure that would ban circumcision, except in cases of medical necessity. See: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/05/18/national/a130240D07.DTL Is circumcision of...

Anonymous, 22.05.2011, 14:53

1 comment

41 votes Vote

When is it moral to break the law?

Laws should be written to protect individual rights. Unfortunately, many laws today violate rights. When should I abide by a rights-violating law, and when is it proper to break it?

Kjetil Knausgård (from Norway), 10.11.2011, 07:56

0 comments

40 votes Vote

Is pirating music immoral? Why or why not?

In one way I think it must be immoral because it involves gaining the unearned, but there have been (granted I know little of the music industry) many claims that illegal file sharing has actually been good for the music industry in a number of...

Kyle Serrecchia, 04.01.2011, 13:27

2 comments

40 votes Vote

Is it moral to work for the IRS?

Is it morally wrong to work for government agencies like the IRS (or equivalent tax bureaus), IAS (Indian Administrative Services), or the EPA? I'm an advocate of free markets. Would I be a hypocrite to work for such illegitimate government...

Saketh Karavadi, 08.09.2011, 08:22

0 comments

40 votes Vote

Are "friends with benefits" relationships a mistake?

It is moral and/or wise to pursue "friends with benefits" relationships -- where you have sex with a friend, but you're not in a romantic relationship? What are some of the benefits and/or pitfalls? If it's a mistake, what should a person do to...

Marc, 29.09.2011, 12:36

0 comments

40 votes Vote

What should I do if I have a good job but not a burning professional ambition?

I have a good job that pays well. I perform my job well to the best of my ability. But I don't feel about it the same way that Howard Roark felt about the field of architecture in "The Fountainhead" or that Dagny felt about the railroad business...

Anonymous , 05.11.2011, 21:44

0 comments

39 votes Vote

Would you recommend buying Nathaniel Branden's 'Vision of Ayn Rand' or not?

Given Nathaniel Branden's history of dishonest attacks on Ayn Rand and Objectivism, would you recommend that anyone buy his "Vision of Ayn Rand"? (That's the book version of his "Basic Principles of Objectivism" course.) I've thought about...

Formspring, 06.12.2010, 06:21

0 comments

39 votes Vote

What is the proper purpose of bankrupcy laws?

When should a person renegotiate his debt with lenders, if ever? Should a person be able to wipe his debt clean by going into bankruptcy? You've suggested that a person shouldn't be able to do that, but shouldn't lenders be responsible for who...

Anonymous, 12.07.2011, 11:13

0 comments

38 votes Vote

Why do you think most women typically have disdain for men who are 'too nice'?

Anonymous, 03.01.2011, 07:03

0 comments

38 votes Vote

What is the relationship between personality and sense of life?

What is the difference between them? How does a person's sense of life relate to his personality? Does understanding someone's sense of life help us to understand his personality and vice versa?

Anonymous, 12.06.2012, 05:34

0 comments

38 votes Vote

Is it ever okay to tell a lie as part of a happy surprise for someone else?

This question is from Ryan (age 11) and Morgan (age 8). We bought birthday presents for our brother Sean, and we had to sneak them into the house. We wanted Sean not to know what we were doing. At first, we thought we should make up a story...

Jenn Casey, 18.06.2013, 16:59

0 comments

37 votes Vote

Is it wrong to jokingly use the term "that's so gay" among friends?

I have many friends who are homosexual, and they and I and anyone I use this term with know there's nothing wrong with homosexuality. But sometimes this term does feel natural to use, even though I am not thinking about any negative association...

Rory, 20.01.2011, 12:30

0 comments

37 votes Vote

Is it moral to live as an Objectivist without being an activist?

Is it moral to live one's life to the best of one's ability based on objective principles, without becoming an activist for a rational morality and against the relativism so prevalent in society? Is it moral to be able to see what is wrong around...

SMacklin, 17.05.2011, 11:14

2 comments

37 votes Vote

Why is it "better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer"?

As of writing this, Troy Davis is on his way to be executed by the state of Georgia in spite of many serious doubts about his guilt. Would you care to comment as to why it is a greater injustice for an innocent man to be punished than a guilty man...

Trey Peden, 21.09.2011, 19:52

4 comments

37 votes Vote

What's the best way to refute social-science-type arguments for egalitarianism?

The 2009 book "The Spirit Level" argues that income inequality has a broad range of negative effects on society. "It claims that for each of eleven different health and social problems: physical health, mental health, drug abuse, education,...

Rory, 24.10.2011, 16:08

0 comments

37 votes Vote

What's wrong with anarcho-capitalism?

Libertarian anarchists -- such as Murray Rothbard, Roy Childs, and Stefan Molyneux -- claim that anarcho-capitalism is the only political system compatible with the "non-aggression principle." Is that right? Must any government initiate force by...

markcoldren, 04.04.2012, 07:05

2 comments

37 votes Vote

What is the individualist response to claims about "white privilege"?

You recently published a blog entry entitled, "Personal Motives for Benevolence" where you introduced the idea that prejudice is often formed by favoritism and not overt bigotry. Clearly, favoritism can extend to race too, in the same way it...

Doug H., 10.05.2013, 03:38

1 comment

36 votes Vote

Is it immoral to cheat on your taxes?

It's essentially a lie to protect the products of your labor.

Anonymous, 20.01.2011, 07:34

2 comments

36 votes Vote

Is revenge ever moral?

There is a famous song that is performed by singer Carrie Underwood in which she describes trashing her boyfriend's truck after she finds out that he cheated on her. Is it ever moral to seek out revenge like this on someone who has lied to you or...

Anonymous, 29.03.2011, 13:02

1 comment

35 votes Vote

Would it be wrong to steal from a thief?

If an individual were placed in a position where they could steal from a con-man or a common burglar, and they did, would their decision to steal from a thief be moral or immoral and why?

Formspring, 06.12.2010, 06:08

0 comments

35 votes Vote

Can men and women be "just friends"?

This is a follow-up to the discussion on infidelity from January 23rd. Where is the line crossed from friendship to something more intimate that would be a threat to a committed relationship? Is it fair for me to expect a romantic partner to...

Crystal, 23.01.2011, 09:07

0 comments

35 votes Vote

What's the difference between a good friendship and an emotional affair?

Where do you draw the line between having a good friendship and an "emotional affair"?

Anonymous, 23.01.2011, 16:12

0 comments

35 votes Vote

Can you give some art recommendations?

Specifically, what would say would be your 2-3 favorites in the following categories, and why? Fiction/literature Paintings/sculpture Music Movies/television

Anonymous, 01.03.2011, 10:47

0 comments

35 votes Vote

Should I recycle?

When I don't have to go out of my way to recycle--if both bins are right in front of me, say--should I? And what if I am sharing an apartment with someone who will fish recyclables out of the trash and put them in the recycling bin? Are there...

Anonymous, 21.03.2011, 16:37

5 comments

35 votes Vote

Did Ayn Rand draw inspiration from the serial-killer William Hickman?

My question comes from reading the article on Alternet: http://www.alternet.org/books/145819/ayn_rand,_hugely_popular_author_and_inspiration_to_right-wing_leaders,_was_a_big_admirer_of_serial_killers?page=1 To summarize the article, Rand...

Joe, 15.04.2011, 09:35

3 comments

35 votes Vote

Are "introversion" and "extroversion" valid as psychological types?

Sometimes, people classify themselves and others as "introverts" and "extroverts." What does that mean? Is the distinction valid and useful? Why or why not?

Anonymous, 10.08.2011, 08:56

0 comments

34 votes Vote

Should private citizens be legally obliged to keep government secrets?

Should it be a crime for private citizens to divulge "top secret" information? That is, if I have no specific security agreement or contract with the government to keep information confidential if I come to posess it through no fault of my own?...

Emily, 05.01.2011, 21:55

1 comment

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