Webcast Q&A: Sunday, 15 April 2012
In the live broadcast of Philosophy in Action Radio on Sunday, 15 April 2012, I answered questions on the morality of breaking the law, the morality of vigilantism, stealing valor, selling sub-optimal products, and more. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was my co-host.
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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Segments: 15 April 2012
Question 1: The Morality of Breaking the Law (3:44)
Question: When is it moral to break the law? Laws should be written to protect individual rights. Unfortunately, many laws today violate rights. When should I abide by a rights-violating law, and when is it proper to break it?
Answer, In Brief: A person does not have any moral obligation to submit to violations of his rights. However, the proper course – whether complying with the law, breaking the law overtly, or breaking the law covertly – depends on the particulars of the situation. Mostly, get legal advice first!
Tags: Ethics, Free Society, Government, Law, Rights
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Question 2: The Morality of Vigilantism (20:48)
Question: Where is the line between justice and vigilantism? When is it moral to take the law into your own hands – meaning pursuing, detaining, and/or punishing criminals as a private citizen? Suppose that you know – without a shadow of a doubt – that some person committed a serious crime against you or a loved one. If the justice system cannot punish the person due to some technicality, is it wrong for you to do so? If you're caught, should a judge or jury punish you, as if you'd committed a crime against an innocent person?
Answer, In Brief: The vigilante is not an agent of justice, but a threat to innocents and to the foundations of civilized society.
Tags: Anarchism, Crime, Ethics, Government, Law, Rights
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Question 3: Stealing Valor (36:37)
Question: Should "stealing valor" be a crime? Rencently, a man was arrested by the FBI in Houston and charged with "stolen valor." This is the charge made against someone who falsely poses as a decorated soldier. Is it proper to make this a crime? Why or why not?
Answer, In Brief: Undoubtedly, "stealing valor" is reprehensible, but not everything reprehensible should be a crime. The legal response to "stealing valor" ought to be the same as for other kinds of credentials fraud, whether protect speech, civil fraud, or criminal fraud.
Tags: Constitution, Ethics, Fraud, Free Speech, Government, Law, Rights
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Question 4: Selling Sub-Optimal Products (48:50)
Question: What should a businessman do if he decides that his product or service is not really good? More specifically, what should a businessman do if he's rises up in the business world on promoting a particular product or service, only to learn decades into the ventures that there are better alternatives? As a fictional example, let's take a mattress manufacturer CEO. He has spent decades of his life trying to make the most comfortable mattresses possible, but then read scientific studies that concludes that there is no healthier sleeping surface than the solid floor, and in using his honest judgment he agrees. Being so high up and so long involved in the mattress world, what are the moral range of options for him?
Answer, In Brief: Morality in business does not requires producing optimal products, but only good products for honest trade. In this case, the businessman has a range of options, including some moral pitfalls to avoid.
Tags: Business, Ethics, Perfectionism
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Rapid Fire Questions (58:52)
- Why are vigilante movies so popular?
- How is a citizen's arrest different from vigilantism?
- Is there a lower threshold for when it's okay to break a regulation?
- Given the lack of Antonin Scalia's "New Professionalism" in police action, is the exclusionary rule is an important safeguard?
- If a government actor has ruined your life unjustly is vengeance a moral option?
- Is moral perfection a habit and if so is it one of yours?
- Must a political candidate be chosen by conflating him/her with the party they happen to be running under, or is it reasonable to select a candidate but not agree with the party they run under?
- Where does Ayn Rand talk about a "central purpose" - and what does she mean by it?
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Conclusion (1:08:02)
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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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