Q&A Webcast Episode: 12 December 2010
In this 12 December 2010 episode of Q&A Webcast, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered five questions on responding to beggars, responsibility for cultural change, toleration as a virtue, violent sports, punishment of government officials, and more in an hour-long broadcast. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was the audio co-host.
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- Duration: 59:46
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Segments: 12 December 2010
Question 1: Responding to Beggars (5:53)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on responding to beggars.
What is the proper way to respond to a beggar? How should one respond when approached on the street by strangers asking for money? Do you have any suggestions for dealing with aggressive beggars?
My Answer, In Brief: Just because someone asks for money doesn't mean that you're obliged to give them anything, even your attention.
Tags: Altruism, Benevolence, Ethics
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Question 2: Responsibility for Cultural Change (13:41)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on responsibility for cultural change.
Are Objectivists obliged to work to change the culture? Do you think that it is morally necessary (most of the time, in most cases) for an Objectivist to do something to enact cultural change?
My Answer, In Brief: Freedom not optional value, since your very life depends on it, but you should find some way to help promote a free society that meshes with your life and values.
Tags: Activism, Culture, Ethics, Politics
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Question 3: Toleration as a Virtue (30:48)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on toleration as a virtue.
Is toleration (or tolerance) a virtue?
My Answer, In Brief: Contrary to the modern idea of tolerance, we should always judge and act on those judgments – but in so doing, we need to keep the broader context too.
Tags: Ethics, Judgment, Justice, Relativism, Tolerance
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Question 4: Violent Sports (39:08)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on violent sports.
What is the proper judgment of very violent sports and people's enjoyment of them? By "very violent sports," I mean ultimate fighting, boxing, etc. – where the objective is to draw blood or beat your opponent senseless. Is this proper entertainment for a rational person?
My Answer, In Brief: Purpose of even violent sports is not harm or injury per se but rather a test of skills, knowledge, and capacities.
Tags: Ethics, Sports, Violence
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Question 5: Punishment of Government Officials (47:47)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on punishment of government officials.
Should government officials be punished for rights violations committed via their office? Should the constitution of a rational government in a capitalist society mandate punishment of those in positions of governance who use the power of government to violate individual rights? For instance, McCain-Feingold represents a massive individual rights' violation; that of free speech and association. McCain and Feingold violated their oath to defend the Constitution as did all those who voted for it; George W. Bush explicitly abdicated his oath in his signing statement. Should such people be punished for legalizing such an encroachment? Currently, only Treason is specifically mentioned in the Constitution as a criminal act requiring punishment
My Answer, In Brief: Such structural tweaks to our political system cannot compensate for culture-wide lack of concern for rights – and they might even be used against us.
Tags: Crime, Free Society, Government, Law
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Conclusion (58:24)
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About Philosophy in Action Q&A Webcast
Every Sunday morning, philosopher Dr. Diana Hsieh answers four meaty questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life in her live hour-long internet radio show, Philosophy in Action Advice Radio. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers co-hosts the show. The audience can ask follow-up questions and make comments in the text-based chat.
You can listen to Philosophy in Action broadcasts as podcasts by subscribing to the Philosophy in Action's Podcast RSS Feeds. Be sure to sign up for the Newsletter and connect on social media.
You can also peruse the show archives, listening to whole episodes or just selected segments. The show archives are sorted by date and by topic.
For regular updates, commentary, and humor from Dr. Diana Hsieh, visit her blog NoodleFood, and subscribe to its rss feed.
Dr. Diana Hsieh is a philosopher specializing in practical ethics. She received her Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. Her dissertation argued that Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck" can be resolved by an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility. She began podcasting in 2009, then webcasting in 2010.
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