Webcast Q&A: Sunday, 29 May 2011
In the live broadcast of Philosophy in Action Radio on Sunday, 29 May 2011, I answered questions on the rights of the severely mentally disabled, the morality of risky sports, Francisco's slap of Dagny, imitating the 'rape' scene in The Fountainhead, accepting unauthorized discounts, buying votes in elections, and more. Tim Peck of Et in Arcadia ego was my co-host.
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Segments: 29 May 2011
Question 1: The Rights of the Severely Mentally Disabled (2:41)
Question: What rights do severely mentally disabled people have? If someone is mentally disabled to the extent that he or she will never be able to be rational and/or live independently, does that person have rights? Who should be financially responsible for the care of such people?
Answer, In Brief: A disabled person with some capacity to reason has rights, although may require the guidance and assistance of a guardian. However, humans born without any capacity to reason (such as anencephalics) cannot be said to have rights, since rights protect a person's capacity to act on his own rational judgment.
Tags: Disability, Ethics, Law, Politics, Rights
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Question 2: The Morality of Risky Sports (21:31)
Question: Are risky sports immoral? Some people engage in highly risky sports, such as freestyle skiing or snowboarding, mountain climbing in extreme conditions, surfing huge waves, skydiving, free (non-scuba) diving, super-technical mountain biking, and so on. Since life is the standard of value, is it wrong to risk your life (or limbs) in such pursuits? Should a person take pleasure in risks for its own sake? What is the value of such sports, if any?
Answer, In Brief: While the pursuit of risk per se is self-destructive, most extreme athletes have the skills required to safely perform the activity or risk only minor injuries.
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Question 3: Francisco's Slap of Dagny (33:16)
Question: Was Francisco justified in slapping Dagny? In their teenage years, when Dagny asked Francisco whether she should try to get D's in order to gain popularity in school, Francisco slapped her. I understand what he meant by the "unspeakable" thing that she said. But couldn't have he talked it over with her instead of slapping her – and shouldn't he have done so? Why does he use physical violence – and why does Dagny not just accept but relish in it?
Answer, In Brief: The slap in question was not just deliberately provoked, but necessary in the context of fiction to dramatize the tension and bond between them.
Tags: Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Ethics, Literature, Relationships, Rights, Romance
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Question 4: Imitating the 'Rape' Scene in The Fountainhead (37:49)
Question: Should a man ever act in real life as Howard Roark did in his first sexual encounter with Dominique? In your 24 April 2011 webcast, you said that a person should not act as Howard Roark did in the "rape" scene in The Fountainhead, implying it would be immoral. Could you explain why? Is the problem that you cannot know for certain what the woman wants? I've slept with a few women and only once have I ever been 100% certain that she wanted it that way and so I took it without any real permission and I was right. She even told me later she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I understand it is very dangerous to say to guys, "Hey, its okay to do this!" because most people are idiots, but wouldn't there be rare real-life cases in which a man would be right to act like Roark did?
Answer, In Brief: The "rape" scene is wonderful drama, but to do the same in real life would risk actually raping the woman – which is not merely horrible in and of itself, but also likely to result in years of imprisonment.
Tags: Ayn Rand, Crime, Ethics, Literature, The Fountainhead
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Question 5: Accepting Unauthorized Discounts (44:58)
Question: Is it moral to accept discounts for products and services when the person giving you the discount isn't a manager or owner of the business? Is it moral for a person to accept "nice face" discounts? I've had people (mostly women) tell me that they've received discounts or better service for being nice, dressing in low-cut shirts or short skirts, being cheerful or otherwise friendly to store clerks or employees (usually of the opposite sex). Is it moral to offer or accept such discounts?
Answer, In Brief: Businesses are free to offer discounts to any customers, and you should feel free to accept them. However, if you know that the discount is offered in secret, without the permission of the business owner or manager, you should refuse.
Tags: Business, Ethics, Honesty
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Question 6: Buying Votes in Elections (52:00)
Question: Should it be legal in a free society to buy votes? It doesn't seem that the practice would violate anyone's rights, so shouldn't it be legal for a person who wants to hold office to pay willing voters to cast their vote for him?
Answer, In Brief: To buy votes in an election would not only be wildly expensive but also likely ensure defeat. It's not an activity that could or should be banned.
Tags: Corruption, Elections, Free Society, Law, Politics, Voting
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Conclusion (59:40)
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Remember, Philosophy in Action Radio is available to anyone, free of charge. That's because our goal is to spread rational principles for real life far and wide, as we do every week to thousands of listeners. We love producing every episode, but each requires requires our time, effort, and money – week in and week out. So if you enjoy and value our work, please contribute to our tip jar. We suggest $5 per episode or $20 per month, but any amount is appreciated. You can send your contribution via Dwolla, PayPal, or US Mail.
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About Philosophy in Action Radio
I'm Dr. Diana Hsieh. I'm a philosopher specializing the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. I received my Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. My dissertation defended moral responsibility and moral judgment against the doubts raised by Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck."
My radio show, Philosophy in Action Radio, broadcasts live over the internet on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. On Sunday mornings, I answer four meaty questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life in a live hour-long show. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers co-hosts the show. On Wednesday evenings, I interview an expert guest about a topic of practical importance.
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