On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, Greg Perkins and I answered questions on the moral arguments for veganism and vegetarianism, courage as a struggle against fear, ungrateful people, and more. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading.

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Whole Podcast: 23 November 2014

Listen or Download:

• Duration: 1:12:38
• Download: Enhanced M4A File (26.1 MB)
• Download: Standard MP3 File (25.0 MB)

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Podcast Segments: 23 November 2014

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

Introduction

My News of the Week: I posted two new podcasts as compensation for Sunday broadcasts that I missed: The Cultivation of Character and Ayn Rand’s Philosophy: Myth Versus Reality.

Question 1: The Moral Arguments for Veganism and Vegetarianism

Question: Are the moral arguments for veganism (and vegetarianism) rational? People often argue for vegetarianism on the grounds that a person can (and perhaps should) regard the lives of animals to be a higher value than the advantages to eating meat such as taste or nutrition. Is this a rational moral outlook, consistent with rational egoism?

My Answer, In Brief: If concerned about your health, the environment, and cruelty to animals, don’t eat vegan or vegetarian. Don’t eat the Standard American Diet either. Instead, be a conscious carnivore: buy humanely-treated and pastured-raised meat and dairy, preferably direct from farmers.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 3:14
• Duration: 29:03
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Animals, Diet, Environment, Ethics, Health, Nutrition, Paleo, Science, Veganism, Vegetarianism

Links:

• Paleo Resources: Mark’s Daily Apple, Whole 9, Robb Wolf, Dr. Mike Eades
• Are we meat eaters or vegetarians? Part II by Dr. Mike Eades
• The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith

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

Question 2: Courage as a Struggle Against Fear

Question: Does the virtue of courage require struggling against the temptation to succumb to fear? In your 16 September 2012 show, you argued that “it is far better for a person to cultivate a virtuous moral character so that right actions are easy for him, rather than constantly struggling against temptation.” How does this apply to the virtue of courage? The common understanding of courage is that it requires acting rightly in spite of fear. So the courageous person struggles to do the right thing in face of the temptation to retreat in fear. Is this a correct formulation? If so, wouldn’t that mean that a courageous person must constantly struggle against fear, not overcome it? If this view of courage is wrong, how would you define the virtue and its relation to fear?

My Answer, In Brief: The virtue of courage is not about struggling against fear, but rather about overcoming fear to act in your own best interests. By doing that, you gain the requisite skills and confidence to move on to new (and often harder) challenges.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 32:17
• Duration: 17:08
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Character, Courage, Emotions, Ethics, Fear, Integrity, Moral Habits, Rationality, Values

Links:

• Philosophy in Action: Judging People Struggling with Temptations

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

Question 3: Ungrateful People

Question: Why aren’t people grateful for what others do for them? I volunteer a lot, and I try to be very generous with my time and efforts in the groups that I’m involved with. Mostly, I just want people to express thanks and gratitude for what I’ve done for them. Mostly though, they don’t thank me – or their thanks just seem perfunctory. Why is that? Am I wrong to want a little gratitude? Right now, I feel taken advantage of, and I want to tell everyone to go to hell. Is that wrong?

My Answer, In Brief: When you’re volunteering or helping others, you must have self-interested motives – whether learning something new, developing your skills, or accomplishing something meaningful to yourself. Thanks and gratitude from others can only be a bonus. If it’s a primary motivation, you’ll always feel taken advantage of. If that happens, find something more personally meaningful to do with your time!

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 49:26
• Duration: 10:04
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Benevolence, Ethics, Gratitude, Motivation, Self-Interest, Self-Sacrifice

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

Rapid Fire Questions

Questions:

• Is foxhunting cruel to the fox? How can you justify doing it given your overall views about how humans should treat animals?
• What should art-like things that are not, strictly speaking, art (according to Ayn Rand’s definition) be called?

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 59:30
• Duration: 11:18
• 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: 1:10:49

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.