Friends and Fans — I have retired from my work as a public intellectual, so Philosophy in Action is on indefinite hiatus. Please check out the voluminous archive of free podcasts, as well as the premium audio content still available for sale. My two books — Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame and Explore Atlas Shrugged — are available for purchase too. Best wishes! — Diana Brickell (Hsieh)

Dr. Eric Daniels on Why Voting Doesn't Matter

Radio Interview: 24 October 2012

I interviewed Dr. Eric Daniels on "Why Voting Doesn't Matter" on 24 October 2012. Listen to or download this episode of Philosophy in Action Radio below.

Many people believe that voting is a crucial civic duty, and people often argue vociferously about who to vote for, particularly for US President. Are such arguments a waste of breath? Does your vote actually matter?

Dr. Eric Daniels is a research assistant professor at Clemson University's Institute for the Study of Capitalism. He has a Ph.D. in American History from the University of Wisconsin.

Tags: Elections, Politics, Voting


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  • Duration: 1:14:28
  • Download: MP3 File (17.1 MB)

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About the Podcast

The topics covered in this episode were:
  • Voting does not convey your beliefs to politicians
  • Single votes versus margins of error
  • What if nobody voted
  • What if everybody voted
  • The right to complain about politics
  • The importance of the franchise
  • How to make a difference in politics, apart from voting
  • Voting as a matter of activist credibility
  • Influencing elections via voting blocs
  • Influencing elections by influencing mass voting versus abstaining
  • The anarchist argument against voting

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About Philosophy in Action

I'm Dr. Diana Brickell (formerly Diana Hsieh). I'm a philosopher, and I've long specialized in the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. I completed my Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. I retired from work as a public intellectual in 2015.

From September 2009 to September 2015, I produced a radio show and podcast, Philosophy in Action Radio. In the primary show, my co-host Greg Perkins and I answered questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life. We broadcast live over the internet on Sunday mornings.

You can listen to these 362 podcasts by subscribing to the Podcast RSS Feed. You can also peruse the podcast archive, where episodes and questions are sorted by date and by topic.

My first book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, can be purchased in paperback and Kindle. 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 second book (and online course), Explore Atlas Shrugged, is a fantastic resource for anyone wishing to study Ayn Rand's epic novel in depth.

You can also read my blog NoodleFood and subscribe to its Blog RSS Feed.

I can be reached via e-mail to [email protected].

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