On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, Greg Perkins and I answered questions on compulsory vaccination, requiting evil with good, and more. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading.

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Whole Podcast: 3 August 2014

Listen or Download:

• Duration: 1:06:32
• Download: Enhanced M4A File (23.9 MB)
• Download: Standard MP3 File (22.9 MB)

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Podcast Segments: 3 August 2014

You can download or listen to my answers to individual questions from this episode below.

Introduction

My News of the Week: I’ve gotten the new paper in defense of abortion rights underway. However, that work depends on your support! The update to the paper will only go forward if at least $1500 is pledged by August 20th. If sufficient funds are pledged, the 2014 paper will be published by September 17th. So if you care about abortion rights and wish to oppose the growing “personhood” movement, please pledge!

Question 1: Compulsory Vaccination

Question: Should the government mandate vaccination? Advocates of free markets often disagree about whether vaccines are safe, effective, and necessary – and whether they could be justly mandated by law. One problem is that the refusal to vaccinate oneself might put others at risk. Not everyone can be vaccinated, and some people who are vaccinated don’t develop immunity. However, when the vast majority of people are vaccinated, that provides “herd immunity” to people who don’t have immunity. People who choose not to be vaccinated degrade that herd immunity and thereby put others at risk. Moreover, parents have to choose whether to vaccinate their children or not, and the failure to vaccinate is regarded as neglect by many people – on par with Christian Science parents refusing to give a sick child antibiotics. Given that, should vaccinations be mandated by the government? If so, under what circumstances? Or might people be held civilly liable for transmitting diseases? Or should vaccination be considered a purely private matter between individuals (and institutions)?

My Answer, In Brief: Vaccines are neither saviors nor devils: they are medical technology with benefits and risks. The government would violate rights by forcing people to vaccinate themselves or their children. However, the government can quarantine potential and actual carriers in an outbreak, including the unvaccinated.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 5:26
• Duration: 31:22
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Communication, Ethics, Free Society, Government, Health, Medicine, Negligence, Quarantine, Rights

Links:

• Wikipedia: Typhoid Mary
• CDC: Estimating Seasonal Influenza-Associated Deaths in the United States
• National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Statistics Report
• Philosophy in Action: The Morality of Free Riding

To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.

Question 2: Requiting Evil with Good

Question: Can evil be requited with good? Christians claim that evil can and ought to be requited with good. So in “Les Miserables”, the Bishop inspired Jean Valjean to reform by telling the police that he willingly gave Jean the silver plate (and added the candlesticks) even though Jean stole the silver. Does this strategy ever work to reform an evildoer? Or is it merely a license to further evil? In some cases, might it be useful to “heap burning coals on [an evildoer's] head”? If so, when and why?

My Answer, In Brief: A person’s moral nature is a matter of his choice, and that must be respected. Evil is only strengthened by taking advantage of good, but people struggling to do right will be helped by generosity, kindness, and respect.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 36:48
• Duration: 15:49
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Benevolence, Christianity, Communication, Ethics, Evil, Generosity, Justice, Moral Errors, Moral Judgment, Moral Wrongs, Religion

Links:

• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
• Philosophy in Action: Imitating the ‘Rape’ Scene in The Fountainhead

To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.

Rapid Fire Questions

Questions:

• Greg is a CrossFit athlete, a martial artist, a philosophy expert, a computer whiz, and a jazz sax player. How can one find the time and energy to be/do so many awesome things?
• If psychology can prove that human beings are not born tabula rasa, what effects would this have on our view of human nature and ethics?
• Would you ever participate in a formal debate and if so who/what might be some of your preferred opponents & topics?

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 52:37
• Duration: 12:16
• 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: 1:04:53

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.