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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0 votes Vote

Should I cheat the system to get my job back?

For my main source of income, I work as a virtual call center agent through a freelance company that hires people as independent contractors rather than employees. I don't love the job, but the flexibility it provides is vital to my way of life...
Donut Man, 15.09.2015, 16:06
0 comments
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
0 comments
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
0 comments
0 votes Vote

When is delegation in a marriage irresponsible or unwise?

There are some parts of normal adult life that I'm really bad at, in part due to social anxiety. Examples include calling or meeting with companies (airlines, banks, etc) to make changes, writing emails that involve stress or conflict, scheduling...
Sarah, 24.06.2015, 20:11
0 comments
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
0 comments
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
0 comments
7 votes Vote

How can I be less annoyed with "Atlas Shrugged"?

I love Ayn Rand's ideas, and I thoroughly enjoy her non-fiction. I want to enjoy Atlas Shrugged and her other fiction more, but I'm often annoyed with the aesthetics of her work. I acknowledge the fact that the novels are great, but every time I...
Drew, 05.05.2015, 00:03
0 comments
4 votes Vote

What should a person do to make up for a past unpunished crime?

Suppose that a man, say when between 9 to 12 years old, committed a serious offense such as sexual assault or rape. At the time, he did not realize the effect of his actions. Now, as an adult, he is living a decent life -- meaning that he's gotten...
Harsha, 25.04.2015, 15:25
0 comments
11 votes Vote

Is the United States finished as a free country?

Lately, I have seen a lot of people in my circles claim that the United States as a free country is dead and done, that tyranny advances each day and it's not isolated, it's everywhere. These are mostly reactions to articles reporting seeming home...
Ash, 21.04.2015, 09:38
1 comment
6 votes Vote

Are waivers to rights-violating laws good or bad?

There are many examples of immoral laws in which the government initiates force against individuals. There are also many examples of groups of people being carved out of the application of such laws via "waivers." Some waivers are based on...
Andrew, 01.04.2015, 15:33
1 comment
5 votes Vote

What are the philosophical underpinnings of growth versus fixed mindsets?

At SnowCon, we discussed the negative impact of the doctrine of Original Sin on Western culture over breakfast one morning. We saw that this idea -- which tells people that they are hopelessly flawed by nature -- could encourage fixed mindsets....
Anonymous, 24.03.2015, 22:10
1 comment
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
0 comments
6 votes Vote

Does intuition have any validity?

Intuition is defined as "the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning." Assuming that we're not talking about mystical insight, is this possible? When, if ever, should a person rely on such intuitions?...
Anonymous, 03.02.2015, 07:56
1 comment
3 votes Vote

Do parents have a moral duty to vaccinate their children to improve "herd immunity"?

My doctor is currently making the case for my son (age 12) getting the Gardasil/HPV vaccination, arguing that even though HPV won't really harm him, he could become a carrier and spread HPV to women he has sex with at some time in the future, and...
Jenn Casey, 02.02.2015, 07:30
0 comments
4 votes Vote

What are the signs of emotional repression?

It's very important not to repress your emotions, especially if you are a person with rationalistic tendencies. But how might a person identify when he's repressing some emotions? What are the signs? What can be done to avoid and overcome the...
Adam, 01.02.2015, 17:17
0 comments
4 votes Vote

How can I avoid coming out as an atheist to my boyfriend's parents?

I'm gay and my boyfriend recently came out to his parents. They are older and pretty religious, but they are doing their best to be accepting to our relationship. However, my boyfriend says that they believe that I am changing him for the worse in...
Trey, 25.01.2015, 12:48
0 comments
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
0 comments
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
0 comments
4 votes Vote

How does personality theory affect ethics?

In your 21 December 2014 discussion of the relationship between philosophy and science, you stated that your grasp of personality theory has given you a fresh perspective on ethics and changed your understanding of the requirements of the virtues....
Andrew, 29.12.2014, 15:41
0 comments
6 votes Vote

Should I pursue a career that interests me even if I don't have much aptitude for it?

I have a strong interest in the field of bioengineering for what it can potentially accomplish. However, in my own estimation, I have little aptitude for hard science and seriously doubt whether I can succeed academically in the areas necessary...
Donovan Bailey, 23.12.2014, 08:48
1 comment
3 votes Vote

What is the moral status of actions aimed at tending to one's body?

In an egoistic ethics, the ultimate end of moral action is the growth and continuation of one's own life. Ayn Rand elaborated on discussed many of the kinds of actions required to achieve this goal, but she didn't discuss matters of "bodily care,"...
Adam, 21.12.2014, 00:44
0 comments
3 votes Vote

How should nuisance limits be set for new technology?

Often new technologies initially involve negative side effects, and sometimes those side effects impact even those who didn't choose to use the new technology. Here's an example: supersonic flight. Supersonic aircraft are generally noisier than...
Blake Scholl, 14.12.2014, 22:22
0 comments
4 votes Vote

How much confidence should a person express in his/her own opinions?

I work with a woman who constantly makes declarative statements about things for which she lacks sufficient facts and knowledge. The result is that she is often contradicted and people have to tell her, "That's not true." She will argue with them...
Trey, 10.12.2014, 09:08
0 comments
9 votes Vote

How should the police respond to people resisting arrest?

Recently, Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in New York City have made headlines because they were killed by police officers who, many feel, used excessive force during their respective encounters. While the two cases were quite...
Sajid Anjum, 04.12.2014, 12:18
1 comment
4 votes Vote

Should I cut ties with my homophobic family?

My boyfriend and I visit my family every year for Christmas, and every year they treat him rudely and unfairly. This is solely because they do not accept my sexuality, and they blame him for it. I have made it very clear that if their behavior...
Brad, 30.11.2014, 20:48
0 comments
8 votes Vote

What is the value of "political correctness"?

I used to be a fairly typical 'right-winger' who would regularly cry out 'political correctness has gone mad!' While I still come across politically correct ideas that I find ridiculous (e.g. the ban bossy campaign), I'm finding myself more...
MTobias, 17.11.2014, 18:33
0 comments
4 votes Vote

Should I do something nice for a coworker I dislike?

There's a lady at work that I dislike. My conflict with her is primarily merely a conflict of personality. I find her defensive, passive-aggressive, and awkward to the point of rudeness. I am also not very impressed with her work products, but...
Boris Cubemole, 04.11.2014, 13:56
0 comments
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
0 comments
4 votes Vote

Do people have a right to food and shelter?

I recently had a conversation with a Facebook friend who stated that food and shelter are more than necessities, they are rights. I posed the question, "How does one exercise their right to food and shelter?" No one answered the question, so I...
Patrick Sherrill, 29.10.2014, 09:51
1 comment
6 votes Vote

Is it wrong to use racist epithets to insult the truly evil?

A now-former Facebook friend used a racist epithet in reference to Islamic terrorists. I asked him if he understood that it was a racist term and he said he did and said that he used it on purpose to insult those evil-doers because they are so...
Muck Raker, Esq., 24.10.2014, 08:25
0 comments

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