Q&A Webcast Episode: 23 January 2011
In this 23 January 2011 episode of Q&A Webcast, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered six questions on honesty about cheating, pursuing someone already attached, children as an optional value, the morality of abortion, the value of a phd, discrimination and rights, and more in an hour-long broadcast. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was the audio co-host.
Remember, while Philosophy in Action's broadcasts are available to anyone, free of charge. We love doing them, but they're not free to produce: they require our time, effort, and money – week in and week out. So if you enjoy them, please contribute to our tip jar. We suggest $5 per episode or $20 per month, but any amount is appreciated. You can contribute by PayPal to diana@philosophyinaction.com. If you prefer to send a check, please write "P/A" in the memo field and send it to "Diana Hsieh; P.O. Box 851; Sedalia, CO 80135."
Listen Now 
- Duration: 1:00:31
Download the Episode 
Subscribe to the Feed
Share This Episode
Segments: 23 January 2011
Question 1: Honesty about Cheating (4:21)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on honesty about cheating.
If a woman, for example, has cheated on her husband, should she always tell him afterward? So if a woman cheats on her husband, then regrets doing so, and decides to re-commit herself to the marriage. Should she tell her husband about that infidelity? What if the cheating was a short fling rather than a serious affair? What if the revelation would seriously damage or even destroy the marriage?
My Answer, In Brief: Whatever the consequences for the marriage, for the cheater to fail to tell the spouse is a major fraud.
Tags: Honesty, Infidelity, Marriage, Relationships, Romance
Listen or Download 
Comments
Question 2: Pursuing Someone Already Attached (17:50)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on pursuing someone already attached.
Is it moral and/or wise to pursue someone else's "significant other"? In particular: (1) Is it immoral to try to pursue or court another person's committed romantic partner? (2) Would a rational woman want to be with a man, for example, who abandoned an existing relationship to be with with her? Also: (3) And if pursuing an already-attached person can be moral, do you have any advice about succeeding?
My Answer, In Brief: Unless a person is married, he/she is still properly considered on the market, to some extent. But... beware the cheater.
Tags: Dating, Ethics, Relationships, Romance
Listen or Download
Comments
Question 3: Children as an Optional Value (25:57)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on children as an optional value.
Why are children only an 'optional value'? What does it mean to say that children are an "optional" value? Does that mean that every person should regard them as optional in his/her life – or something else? Also, given that life is the standard of value and the none of us would exist without reproduction, don't we have a moral obligation to bear and raise the next generation?
My Answer, In Brief: Children are a fantastic value to many people, but not necessary for a flourishing life.
Tags: Children, Ethics, Optional Values, Parenting
Listen or Download
Comments
Question 4: The Morality of Abortion (37:55)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on the morality of abortion.
When is abortion morally right or wrong? Is abortion only proper in "extreme" cases like risk to life or health of the mother, rape or incest, or serious fetal deformity? Is terminating a healthy but unwanted pregnancy morally wrong? Is it an evasion of responsibility for the known consequences of one's actions?
My Answer, In Brief: A choice as important as whether to raise a child should not be determined by the biological accident of conception.
Tags: Abortion, Children, Ethics, Parenting
Listen or Download
Comments
Question 5: The Value of a PhD (48:33)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on the value of a phd.
Given your comments in a prior webcast about the pointlessness of much of modern college education, why did you get a PhD in philosophy? More generally, do you think that a Ph.D can be of value?
My Answer, In Brief: The value of a Ph.D depends on a person's particular circumstances... but do think twice before doing that!
Tags: Education
Listen or Download
Comments
Question 6: Discrimination and Rights (53:39)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on discrimination and rights.
In the essay "Racism" in The Virtue of Selfishness, Ayn Rand mentions that public institutions and government agencies should not discriminate against or on behalf of individuals. In her talk of private property, however, she says that government should not attempt to prevent private racism in private establishments and that a man's rights are not violated by a private individual's refusal to deal with him. My question is: How are his rights not violated if the owner discriminates against him?
My Answer, In Brief: A person's rights are not violated because someone else doesn't want anything to do with him – even if his reasons are vicious.
Tags: Business, Discrimination, Gender, Justice, Law, Property, Race
Listen or Download
Comments
Conclusion (59:09)
Thank you for joining us for this episode! If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to contribute to contribute to our tip jar. Also, please don't forget to submit and vote on questions for upcoming broadcasts in in the question queue.
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.
Support Philosophy in Action
Philosophy in Action's broadcasts are available to anyone, free of charge. We love doing them, but they're not free for us to produce: they require our time, effort, and money. So if you enjoy and value our work, please contribute to our tip jar!
If you'd like to make a one-time contribution in an amount not listed, use this link. For instructions on canceling or revising your monthly contribution, visit the support page.
Thank you, if you've contributed to our tip jar! You make our work possible, and we're so grateful for that! Also, whether you're able to contribute financially or not, we always appreciate your helping us spread the word about Philosophy in Action to anyone you think might be interested, as well as submitting and voting on questions for upcoming episodes.