On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, Greg Perkins and I answered questions on regrets over past mistakes, the necessity of forgiveness, heavy drinking, making fun of others, ending relationships, the bother of honesty, and more. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading.

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Whole Podcast: 6 March 2011

Listen or Download:

• Duration: 59:26
• Download: Enhanced M4A File (21.6 MB)
• Download: Standard MP3 File (20.4 MB)

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Podcast Segments: 6 March 2011

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

Introduction

My News of the Week: Let’s get started!

Question 1: Regrets over Past Mistakes

Question: Does a rational person feel regret over past mistakes? Clearly it is most productive to focus on the positive: What can you learn from your mistakes? Etc. Does this mean regret can be eliminated? What do you make of people who say they never have any regrets?

My Answer, In Brief: Moral regrets are optional, as morality is always a matter of choice. Ordinary regrets over something that turned out badly are inevitable, and they should not be a source of guilt.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 5:21
• Duration: 12:46
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Emotions, Ethics, Judgment, Justice, Moral Wrongs

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

Question 2: The Necessity of Forgiveness

Question: Is forgiveness necessary? Religious connotations aside, popular psychology often tells us that we must forgive those who have hurt us, even if they are no longer in our lives. It’s “healthy”. Is forgiveness really necessary to emotional healing? Should I forgive, if the offending party hasn’t recognized his/her fault?

My Answer, In Brief: Forgiveness must be earned by the person who acted wrongly, but a person can always accept that a wrongdoing happened and choose to move on with his life.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 18:07
• Duration: 8:59
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Ethics, Forgiveness, Judgment, Justice, Moral Wrongs, Redemption

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

Question 3: Heavy Drinking

Question: What’s right or wrong about “heavy drinking”? A while ago, you got into a heated discussion on Facebook about the rationality of what could be described as “heavy drinking.” (The CDC defines “heavy drinking” as “consuming an average of more than 2 drinks per day” for men and “consuming an average of more than 1 drink per day” for women.) What’s your view of such drinking – and why?

My Answer, In Brief: “Heavy drinking” is a loaded term, but if a person is regularly drinking to the point of tipsiness or worse, then that’s a sign of something amiss in the person’s life.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 27:07
• Duration: 8:40
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Addiction, Alcohol/Drugs, Ethics

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

Question 4: Making Fun of Others

Question: Is it moral to make fun of others? Can mocking, or making fun of others ever be good? For instance, many people use it as a way of showing that they dislike someone without having to be direct about it.

My Answer, In Brief: So long as it’s done honestly, poking good fun at the evil, the incompetent, and the silly can be moral.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 35:48
• Duration: 9:37
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Ethics, Humor

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

Question 5: Ending Relationships

Question: What is the best way to cut someone out of one’s life? When ending a friendship with someone is one obliged to give them reasons or is a simple “I no longer want to have a friendship with you” sufficient? What if the person would not accept the reasons or maybe even be driven to revenge or depression by such an action?

My Answer, In Brief: It’s often very productive to speak to a person about problems in your relationship, particularly before any end to the relationship. As a default, friends should explain their reasons for ending a relationship.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 45:25
• Duration: 6:11
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Conflict, Friendship, Judgment, Justice, Moral Wrongs, Relationships

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

Question 6: The Bother of Honesty

Question: Why bother being honest, when surrounded by dishonest people? Why not lie, just a little bit to “get ahead”. If the guy next to you “games the system” aren’t you leaving yourself at a disadvantage? Isn’t honesty and integrity, when dealing with people only important if everyone respects those virtues? Why play a game when the rules keep changing?

My Answer, In Brief: Life is not a Prisoner’s Dilemma! The virtues are necessary to life and happiness, particularly when others are act viciously.

Listen or Download:

• Start Time: 51:37
• Duration: 7:08
• Download: MP3 Segment
• Tags: Ethics, Honesty, Relationships

Links:

• Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics by Tara Smith (see the chapter on honesty).

To comment on this question or my answer, 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: 58:45

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.