On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, Greg Perkins and I answered questions on major branches of philosophy, displaying the confederate flag, taxpayer-funded abortions, and more. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading.

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Whole Podcast: 15 March 2015

Listen or Download:

• Duration: 1:01:12
• Download: Enhanced M4A File (22.0 MB)
• Download: Standard MP3 File (21.0 MB)

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Podcast Segments: 15 March 2015

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

Introduction

My News of the Week: I’ve been recovering and unpacking from my trip home from Aiken, plus preparing for SnowCon!

Question 1: Major Branches of Philosophy

Question: What are the major branches of philosophy? Ayn Rand claimed that philosophy consisted of five major branches – metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics, and esthetics. Is that right? If so, why are those the five major branches? Are they comprehensive in some way? Why not include philosophy of science, logic, philosophy of mind, and so on?

My Answer, In Brief: The four major branches of philosophy are metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics. Those branches are central to the discipline and fundamental to human life.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 3:43
• Duration: 13:54
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Academia, Aesthetics, Epistemology, Ethics, Metaphysics, Objectivism, Philosophy, Politics

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

Question 2: Displaying the Confederate Flag

Question: Is displaying the Confederate flag racist? I’ve been told by southerners that displaying the flag of the Confederate States amounts to a display of “southern pride.” I think it amounts to a display of racism, given the history of the south. That flag was used in a time when the agricultural economy of the southern states relied on slave labor. Many southern states seceded from the Union, largely because of their nefarious interests in preserving slavery. The Confederate flag represents these states and their ideology. Hence, I think it’s morally questionable (at least) to display it. I don’t think the south should take pride in or honor the Confederacy. Am I right or wrong in my thinking? What should I think of people who choose to display the Confederate flag?

My Answer, In Brief: While a person can take pleasure and pride in the distinctive culture of the south, the Confederate flag is a symbol of the worst era of the south, and that deeply racist meaning cannot be reclaimed or reformed. However, people can embrace the Confederate flag for more benign reasons too. Ultimately, you have to talk to a person to find out what that symbol means to him in order to judge him fairly.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 17:37
• Duration: 14:55
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: America, Civil War, Culture, History, Moral Judgment, Pride, Slavery

Links:

• Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson

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

Question 3: Taxpayer-Funded Abortions

Question: Should taxpayer-funded abortions be opposed? In Victoria, Australia, we have fairly good laws on abortion and there are almost no legal or social barriers to access. However, we also have a very generous public health care system which means that most if not all of the costs of an abortion will be covered by the public. Is there something especially wrong with publicly funded abortion that advocates of individual rights should be concerned with or is it morally equivalent to the immorality of forcing others to pay for less controversial treatment such as dental surgery? Does the cultural context influence how a free-market advocate should approach this topic? While the majority of the community supports the current laws, there seem to be signs of an anti-abortion faction developing in the Liberal Party (the conservatives). I wouldn’t want to have opposition to publicly-funded abortions result in any kind of ban on abortions. So should publicly funded abortions be opposed or not?

My Answer, In Brief: In this second-best scenario, the primary question is whether you’re helping or harming the cause of liberty by advocating against taxpayer-funded abortions. Here, you would make yourself an ally of anti-abortion activists and their disastrous agenda.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 32:33
• Duration: 15:28
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Abortion, Government, Laws, Medicine, Politics, Welfare

Links:

• The “Personhood” Movement Versus Individual Rights by Diana Hsieh and Ari Armstrong

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

Rapid Fire Questions

Questions:

• What is your opinion of people who “baby” their pets?
• Japanese culture highly values humility. Should an egoist travelling to Japan respect this, or act just as proudly as he would in his native country?
• Now that the church is slowly losing its power and significance, where are all the “witch-doctors” flocking to?
• There’s a field called “philosophy of mind,” so why is there no “philosophy of body”?

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 48:01
• Duration: 11:47
• 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: 59:48

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.