Self-Control, Lying for Surprise, Teen Parents, and More
Q&A Radio: 23 June 2013
I answered questions on cultivating powers of self-control, lying for the sake of a happy surprise, people too young to raise children, and more on 23 June 2013. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was my co-host. Listen to or download this episode of Philosophy in Action Radio below.
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Segments: 23 June 2013
Question 1: Cultivating Powers of Self-Control
Question: Should a person cultivate his powers of self-control? What is self-control? Is strong capacity for self-control of value? Does self-control have a downside or limits? How can a person develop more self-control?
Answer, In Brief: Even a virtuous person must exercise self-control in order to do right sometimes. A person should cultivate a capacity for self-control and deploy that selectively as needed.
Tags: Aristotle, Ethics, Moral Amplifiers, Psychology, Rationality, Responsibility, Self-Control, Temptation, Virtue, Willpower
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Question 2: Lying for the Sake of a Happy Surprise
Question: Is it ever okay to tell a lie as part of a happy surprise for someone else? This question is from Ryan (age 11) and Morgan (age 8). We bought birthday presents for our brother Sean, and we had to sneak them into the house. We didn't want Sean to know what we were doing. At first, we thought we should make up a story about why we were going back and forth to the car. Morgan thought she should tell Sean she was going outside to swing. But then we talked about how that would be a lie and she decided to go out and actually swing before bringing her present inside, that way there was no lying involved. Should we have told the lie to Sean? Is it okay to tell a lie as part of doing something nice for someone?
Answer, In Brief: It's hugely important to be honest in our relations with other people, but some lying is justified to pull off a surprise party for a person who would enjoy it. Beware telling mere technical truths, however, as they're often more dishonest than outright lies.
Tags: Benevolence, Ethics, Honesty, Relationships, Surprise, Trust
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Question 3: People Too Young to Raise Children
Question: What's the rationale for declaring some physically mature people too young to have children? Given that nature has dictated that both male and female humans can procreate in their early teens and given that morality is deduced from reality, why would sex and procreation at that young age be immoral? Isn't that what nature intended? More generally, is there a rational basis for moral judgments about the proper age of procreation? Or is it purely subjective?
Answer, In Brief: The question is fundamentally flawed: it's rationalistic and context-dropping. The simple fact is that a person must be self-sufficient (and much more) to parent a child decently. Minor teens do not qualify, not by any stretch of the imagination.
Tags: Biology, Children, Ethics, Evolution, Family, Independence, Parenting, Parenting, Rationalism, Young Adults
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Rapid Fire Questions (55:01)
- You have said that you have a theory of cooties. Can you elaborate?
- Are there philosophies besides Objectivism that even have a meta-ethics?
- Star Trek or Star Wars? Which is better?
- Should a person still learning about, integrating, testing, and putting into practice the principles of Objectivism call himself an Objectivist?
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Conclusion (1:01:44)
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About Philosophy in Action
I'm Dr. Diana Brickell (formerly Diana Hsieh). I'm a philosopher, and I've long specialized in the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. I completed my Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. I retired from work as a public intellectual in 2015.
From September 2009 to September 2015, I produced a radio show and podcast, Philosophy in Action Radio. In the primary show, my co-host Greg Perkins and I answered questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life. We broadcast live over the internet on Sunday mornings.
You can listen to these 362 podcasts by subscribing to the Podcast RSS Feed. You can also peruse the podcast archive, where episodes and questions are sorted by date and by topic.
My first book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, can be purchased in paperback and Kindle. The book defends the justice of moral praise and blame of persons using an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility, thereby refuting Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck." My second book (and online course), Explore Atlas Shrugged, is a fantastic resource for anyone wishing to study Ayn Rand's epic novel in depth.
You can also read my blog NoodleFood and subscribe to its Blog RSS Feed.
I can be reached via e-mail to [email protected].
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