Workplace Diversity, Date Rape, and Dating Filters
Q&A Radio: 6 September 2015
I answered questions on workplace diversity, accusations of date rape, evaluating romantic prospects, and more on 6 September 2015. Arthur Zey was my co-host. Listen to or download this episode of Philosophy in Action Radio below.
The mission of Philosophy in Action is to spread rational principles for real life... far and wide. That's why the vast majority of my work is available to anyone, free of charge. I love doing the radio show, but each episode requires an investment of time, effort, and money to produce. So if you enjoy and value that work of mine, please contribute to the tip jar. I suggest $5 per episode or $20 per month, but any amount is appreciated. In return, contributors can request that I answer questions from the queue pronto, and regular contributors enjoy free access to premium content and other goodies.
My News of the Week: Next Sunday, I'll be having an awful blast in the Tough Mudder, so there won't be a live broadcast.
Listen or Download 
- Duration: 1:23:24
- Download: Enhanced M4A File (29.9 MB)
- Download: Standard MP3 File (28.7 MB)
You can automatically download that and other podcasts by subscribing to Philosophy in Action's Podcast RSS Feed:
- Enhanced M4A Feed: Subscribe via iTunes or another podcast player
- Standard MP3 Feed: Subscribe via iTunes or another podcast player
Share This Episode
Segments: 6 September 2015
Question 1: Workplace Diversity
Question: 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 impacts my work as an engineer. Some companies promote diversity statistics on their blog and claim that they're working to improve workplace diversity. In late July, Pinterest posted a similar blog entry and went even further by explicitly setting goals to hire women and people of "underrepresented ethnic backgrounds." Is this lack of diversity a problem in an industry? If so, what kinds of measures should be used to address it?
Answer, In Brief: The standard approach to "diversity" in the workplace is wrong and destructive to companies and potential employees. The problem of implicit bias based on race and sex is real, but more subtle and honest measures than "diversity hiring" are required to overcome that.
Tags: Bias, Business, Culture, Ethics, Justice, Objectivity, Personality, Racism, Self-Interest, Sexism, Values
Listen or Download 
Relevant Links
Comments
Question 2: Accusations of Date Rape
Question: What's the proper response to an accusation of date rape in the absence of hard evidence? When faced with this kind of serious accusation within a social group, what is the proper judgment and course of action? If the accuser seems believable, should the accused be shunned or banned from the group? Should private warnings be given to group members? Does refusing to engage in any public discussion of the matter constitute silent assent to the crime? Or should judgment and action be reserved until further evidence comes to light?
Answer, In Brief: In cases of accusation of rape, you shouldn't just believe the accuser or the accused, but gather as much information as you can, and see if you can come to a definitive or even tentative conclusion. Then, you can figure out who ought to warn.
Tags: Certainty, Crime, Epistemology, Ethics, Evidence, Law, Relationships, Sanction
Listen or Download
Comments
Question 3: Evaluating Romantic Prospects
Question: How can I efficiently evaluate potential romantic prospects? When introduced to a person – or out on a first or second date – it's often difficult to evaluate that person quickly and fairly as a potential romantic prospect. What should I look for? What questions should I ask? What kinds of qualities – moral and psychological – should I regard as particularly important, for better or worse?
Answer, In Brief: By identifying what's important to you – and seeking out that information – you can efficiently and effectively sort through romantic prospects to find the better ones.
Tags: Communication, Dating, Ethics, Hobbies, Objectivism, Politics, Religion, Romance, Values
Listen or Download
Relevant Links
Comments
Conclusion (1:22:00)
Thank you for joining us for this episode of Philosophy in Action Radio! If you enjoyed this episode, please contribute to contribute to our tip jar.
Support Philosophy in Action
Once you submit this form, you'll be automatically redirected to a page for payment. If you have any questions or further comments, please email me at [email protected].
Thank you for contributing to Philosophy in Action! You make our work possible every week, and we're so grateful for that!
If you enjoy Philosophy in Action, please help us spread the word about it! Tell your friends about upcoming broadcasts by forwarding our newsletter. Link to episodes or segments from our topics archive. Share our blog posts, podcasts, and events on Facebook and Twitter. Rate and review the podcast in iTunes (M4A and MP3). We appreciate any and all of that!
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].
Copyright Diana Brickell | Web | Email | Twitter | Facebook