Social Influence, Accepting Welfare, Government Scientists, and More
Q&A Radio: Sunday, 10 November 2013
I answered questions on winning friends and influencing people, accepting government welfare, mercenary essay contest writing, government scientists in a free society, and more on Philosophy in Action Radio on Sunday, 10 November 2013. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was my co-host. You can listen to or download the podcast below.
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 doing that, but each episode requires our time, effort, and money. 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.
My News of the Week: I've been busy recording a reading of Chapter One of my new book Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, which has been remarkably painful. I've also been re-listening to all of Jane Austen's novels at a rapid pace!
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My first book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, is available for purchase in paperback, as well as for Kindle and Nook.
Does the pervasive influence of luck in life mean that people cannot be held responsible for their choices? Do people lack the control required to justify moral praise and blame? In his famous article "Moral Luck," philosopher Thomas Nagel casts doubt on our ordinary moral judgments of persons. He claims that we intuitively accept that moral responsibility requires control, yet we praise and blame people for their actions, the outcomes of those actions, and their characters – even though shaped by forces beyond their control, i.e., by luck. This is the "problem of moral luck."
In Responsibility & Luck, I argue that this attack on moral judgment rests on a faulty view of control, as well as other errors. By developing Aristotle's theory of moral responsibility, I explain the sources and limits of a person's responsibility for what he does, what he produces, and who he is. Ultimately, I show that moral judgments are not undermined by luck. In addition, this book explores the nature of moral agency and free will, the purpose of moral judgment, causation in tort and criminal law, the process of character development, and more.
Responsibility & Luck is scholarly but accessible to active-minded people interested in philosophy. You can preview the book by reading Chapter One and Chapter Three as PDFs – or by listening to my reading of Chapter One.
Segments: 10 November 2013
Question 1: Winning Friends and Influencing People (4:07)
Question: Should a person try to "win friends and influence people"? In the classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie offers a wide range of advice on how to get what you want from other people. Some of this seems manipulative or second-handed, but is that right? Is the advice in the book of genuine value to a rational egoist seeking honest trade with others?
Answer, In Brief: How to Win Friends and Influence People is a mixed work in so many ways. Yet its basic advice on treating other people with genuine interest and respect can be of great value for people concerned to work and play well with others.
Tags: Communication, Egoism, Ethics, Relationship, Respect, Self-Interest
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Question 2: Accepting Government Welfare (23:44)
Question: Should a person without other options accept welfare from the government? I've had generalized anxiety disorder for as long as I can remember. I live in Sweden, and my government has so many labor regulations that no business can hire me, and charities don't exist to help me. Is it wrong, in such a case, to accept government assistance? I don't have any savings, and it seems like my only other options are criminal activity and suicide.
Answer, In Brief: A moral person without the ability to support himself can accept government welfare in the short term, but the long-term goal must be to create a meaningful, purposeful, and self-sufficient (as much as possible) life for oneself.
Tags: Career, Ethics, Meaning, Mental Health, Purpose, Welfare
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Question 3: Mercenary Essay Contest Writing (32:48)
Question: Is it wrong to write essays I don't believe to win contest money? I am a current university student with severe financial limitations. I've found that one of my best assets is my knack for writing a solid, persuasive essay. Recently, I've come across a trove of very generous scholarship essay contests. I feel confident that I could write a solid essay for most of them. The problem is that the majority are funded by organizations whose values I don't support. Specifically, I'd have to write essays in favor of social and political policies with which I disagree. Would it be moral for me to enter these writing competitions? If I did, would I just be demonstrating my writing ability - or misleading the sponsor into thinking that I agree with what I've written?
Answer, In Brief: Writing false essays for contest money means promoting wrong ideas, plus eroding your own character and reputation. No amount of cash is worth that!
Tags: Ethics, Honesty, Integrity, Moral Amplifiers, Skills
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Question 4: Government Scientists in a Free Society (48:30)
Question: Would the government of a free society employ scientists? In a fully free society, would there be any scientists employed full-time by the government for police, legislative, or judicial services? If not, how would judges obtain the necessary scientific knowledge to make proper rulings in the court cases that would replace today's environmental and other regulations? Might scientists be hired by the government of a free society for the military or other purposes?
Answer, In Brief: In a free society, the government's sole function would be to protect rights. In some few areas, that would require employing scientists, but most science should be privatized,
Tags: Crime, Law, Military, Politics, Rights, Science
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Rapid Fire Questions (59:25)
- Does the credible testimonies of pilots, military personnel, and other non-yahoos about UFO encounters justify not dismissing the subject?
- Would it be good for public health if people could be held civilly liable for transmitting their serious diseases? For instance, if I gave someone an STD, what if that person could sue me for transmitting that STD?
- Is knowledge power?
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Conclusion (1:08:19)
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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 first book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, is available for purchase in paperback, as well as for Kindle and Nook. The book defends the justice of moral praise and blame of persons using an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility, thereby refuting 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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For regular updates, commentary, and humor, read my blog NoodleFood and subscribe to its Blog RSS Feed. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter and connect on social media too.
I can be reached via e-mail to [email protected].
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