On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, I answered questions on winning friends and influencing people, accepting government welfare, mercenary essay contest writing, government scientists in a free society, and more with Greg Perkins. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading. You’ll find it on the episode’s archive page, as well as below.
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Podcast: Social Influence, Accepting Welfare, Government Scientists, and More
Listen or Download:
- Duration: 1:10:35
- Download: Enhanced M4A File (25.3 MB)
- Download: Standard MP3 File (24.3 MB)
Remember, with every episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, we show how rational philosophy can help you find joy in your work, model virtue for your kids, pursue your goals effectively, communicate with respect, and advocate for a free society. We can’t do that without your support, so please remember to tip your philosopher!
You can download or listen to individual questions from this episode below.
Introduction (0:00)
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!
Question 1: Winning Friends and Influencing People (4:07)
In this segment, I answered a question on winning friends and influencing people.
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?
My 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.
Listen or Download:
- Duration: 19:36
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Communication, Egoism, Ethics, Relationship, Respect
Links:
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Summary of How to Win Friends and Influence People
- NoodleFood: How to Win Friends and Influence People
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Question 2: Accepting Government Welfare (23:44)
In this segment, I answered a question on accepting government welfare.
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.
My 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.
Listen or Download:
- Duration: 9:04
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Career, Ethics, Meaning, Mental Health, Purpose, Welfare
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Question 3: Mercenary Essay Contest Writing (32:48)
In this segment, I answered a question on mercenary essay contest writing.
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?
My 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!
Listen or Download:
- Duration: 15:41
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Ethics, Honesty, Integrity, Moral Amplifiers, Skills
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Question 4: Government Scientists in a Free Society (48:30)
In this segment, I answered a question on government scientists in a free society.
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?
My 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,
Listen or Download:
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Rapid Fire Questions (59:25)
In this segment, I answered questions impromptu. The questions were:
- 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?
Listen or Download:
- Duration: 8:53
- Download: MP3 Segment
To comment on these questions or my answers, visit its comment thread.
Conclusion (1:08:19)
Be sure to check out my blog NoodleFood and to submit and vote on questions for upcoming episodes.
About Philosophy in Action Radio
Philosophy in Action Radio applies rational principles to the challenges of real life in live internet radio shows on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Episodes on Tap. For podcasts of past shows, visit the Show Archives.
Remember, with every episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, we show how rational philosophy can help you find joy in your work, model virtue for your kids, pursue your goals effectively, communicate with respect, and advocate for a free society. We can’t do that without your support, so please remember to tip your philosopher!
