On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, Greg Perkins and I answered questions on weak versus strong atheism, dating people with psychological problems, and more. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading.
You can automatically download podcasts of Philosophy in Action Radio 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
Whole Podcast: 11 May 2014
Listen or Download:
- Duration: 1:13:19
- Download: Enhanced M4A File (26.3 MB)
- Download: Standard MP3 File (25.2 MB)
Remember the Tip Jar!
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.
Podcast Segments: 11 May 2014
You can download or listen to my answers to individual questions from this episode below.
Introduction
My News of the Week: Starting today, I’m running a “Kindle Countdown Deal” on the Kindle edition of my book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame Basically, the price starts super-low: $3.99. Then, day by day, the price will slowly rise, until it reaches its regular price of $9.99 by next weekend. So if you want the best deal, buy your copy today! Last week, I spent many hours writing the character summaries for Explore Atlas Shrugged. The updated and revised questions, podcasts, and other resources, are available for purchase for $20. A print-on-demand and ebook will be avilable soon. Next week, because Lila and I will be competing in our first event of the season over the weekend, Greg and I will broadcast on Thursday evening, rather than Sunday morning.
Question 1: Weak Versus Strong Atheism
Question: Should a rational person’s atheism be weak or strong? People often distinguish between “weak atheism” and “strong atheism.” The weak atheist regards the arguments for the existence of God as invalid, so that God’s existence has not been proven. The strong atheist positively asserts that God does not exist. Which of these views is correct?My Answer, In Brief: Weak atheism is the result of seeing that the arguments for the existence of God fail. Strong atheism is the result of seeing that God’s very nature is impossible. Both views are true, and the view that any person should adopt is the view consistent with his best understanding and thinking.
Listen or Download:
- Start Time: 8:07
- Duration: 34:04
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Agnosticism, Atheism, Epistemology, God, Integrity, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Religion
Links:
- About.com: Strong Atheism vs. Weak Atheism
- Wikipedia: Negative and positive atheism and Omnipotence Paradox
- ReligionCasts (my incomplete series of podcasts on philosophy of religion)
- Ayn Rand Lexicon: Axioms
- God, Faith, and the Supernatural by Greg Perkins
- Incompatible-Properties Arguments: A Survey by Theodore M. Drange
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Question 2: Dating People with Psychological Problems
Question: Is it a mistake to enter into a serious relationship with a person with serious psychological problems? Recently, my wife took her own life after a long struggle with major depression and other psychological issues. When we started dating, I saw clearly that she had issues although they were not as bad at the time. She was also intelligent, beautiful, and ambitious – among other good qualities. At the time, I thought she could work through her psychological issues with support, and she did improve for a while. However, after her loss, I’ve decided that, when and if I’m to the point where I’m interested in dating again, I will avoid becoming involved with women who display clear psychological problems. This decision has forced me to wonder if it was a mistake to become involved with my wife in the first place. So is it a mistake to enter into a serious relationship, knowing that the person has serious psychological struggles?My Answer, In Brief: You face two different issues: (1) Should I risk doing this again? (2) Should I regret having done it? The answer to both questions seems to be “no.” So don’t date women with clear psychological problems, but don’t regret your marriage to your wife.
Listen or Download:
- Start Time: 42:11
- Duration: 19:15
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Decision-Making, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Mistakes, Psychology, Regret, Relationships, Romance
Links:
- Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame by Diana Hsieh
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Rapid Fire Questions
Questions:
- How would you articulate why consciousness cannot come before existence?
- In “Pride and Prejudice,” is it Mr Darcy’s fault that people perceive him as arrogant, or are they just too quick to judge?
- Are you superstitious about anything? If so, why?
Listen or Download:
- Start Time: 1:01:27
- Duration: 10:31
- Download: MP3 Segment
To comment on these questions or my answers, visit its comment thread.
Conclusion
Be sure to check out the topics scheduled for upcoming episodes! Don’t forget to submit and vote on questions for future episodes too!
- Start Time: 1:11:59
About Philosophy in Action Radio
Philosophy in Action Radio focuses on the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. It broadcasts live on most Sunday mornings and many Thursday evenings over the internet. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Episodes on Tap. For podcasts of past shows, visit the Show Archives.
