Q&A Webcast Episode: 22 May 2011
In this 22 May 2011 episode of Q&A Webcast, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered six questions on subpoenas in a free society, office romances, the morality of lending books, developing expertise in the objectivist ethics, personal art recommendations, wealth and social responsibility, 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."
My News of the Week: I'm actively working on my updates to Explore Atlas Shrugged and my two lectures on pride for ATLOSCon of late. I've also been working solidifying future plans for Front Range Objectivism and promoting my recent work against Colorado's campaign finance laws.
Listen Now 
- Duration: 1:04:42
Download the Episode 
Subscribe to the Feed
Share This Episode
Segments: 22 May 2011
Question 1: Subpoenas in a Free Society (03:46)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on subpoenas in a free society.
Why are subpoenas justified but not compulsory juries? In your 15 May 2011 webcast, you contrasted your position on jury duty with that of Dr. Peikoff's, saying that compulsory jury duty constituted the initiation of force. My understanding is that Ayn Rand's position was that subpoenas and the jury selection process are entirely consistent with justice, as Peikoff mentions in this podcast. Juries are selected using subpoenas. How would you reconcile being for subpoenas but against compulsory jury duty? And, does this also mean that you disagree with Ayn Rand's view of justice?
My Answer, In Brief: Ayn Rand's view of subpoenas, which I suspect to be right, seems to have been that for a person to fail to testify when required is a violation of the rights of the people involved in the court case, presumably their right to a fair trial. (That's different from the rationale offered by Dr. Peikoff.) A full theory, adequately defended, will depend on the work of philosophers of law.
Tags: Justice, Law, Objectivism, Politics, Rights
Listen or Download 
Relevant Links
Comments
Question 2: Office Romances (26:12)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on office romances.
What advice do you have about dating coworkers? A romantic interest, who is a sort of coworker of mine, is concerned about the effect on her reputation (she's new), as well as conflicts of interest, should we decide to date. If this is the reason she gave for declining a date, does it make sense to ask again after a period of friendship and to suggest we keep our relationship secret? On the other hand, it might be hard to maintain such a secret.
My Answer, In Brief: The problem with office romances – particularly when the people are working in the same team or in the chain of command – is that conflicts over the romance (or its demise) may create problems at work, or vice versa. In this case, if she's accurately representing her concerns, then it might make sense to be discreet about the relationship. Super-secrecy would be untenable – and unwise, however.
Tags: Business, Honesty, Relationships, Romance
Listen or Download
Comments
Question 3: The Morality of Lending Books (32:58)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on the morality of lending books.
Is it moral to lend a book to a friend? Given the intellectual property issues regarding downloading music, movies etc. would lending a book, say Atlas Shrugged, to a friend or relative be considered a violation of the rights of the intellectual property holder?
My Answer, In Brief: Yes, it's perfectly moral to lend a book to a friend. Intellectual property cannot be duplicated and distributed without permission, but a person can use his copy thereof as he sees fit, absent some further contract.
Tags: Ethics, Intellectual Property, Law, Property, Rights
Listen or Download
Relevant Links
Comments
Question 4: Developing Expertise in the Objectivist Ethics (41:46)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on developing expertise in the objectivist ethics.
How do I become an expert on the Objectivist ethics? I want a complete understanding. I want to be able to prove it to myself and others. How do I get there most effectively? Can you recommend any material other than the most popular books out there?
My Answer, In Brief: A person ought to focus on cultivating the knowledge of the philosophy required to serve his goals in life, aiming for a deeper understanding of the relevant principles and their applications – not striving for the impossibility of a "complete understanding."
Tags: Ethics, Expertise, Objectivism
Listen or Download
Relevant Links
Comments
Question 5: Personal Art Recommendations (49:18)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on personal art recommendations.
Can you give some art recommendations? Specifically, what would say would be your two or three favorites in the following categories, and why? (1) literature, (2) paintings/sculpture, (3) music, (4) movies, and (5) television.
My Answer, In Brief: Listen to the answer! (Sorry, but I'm too lazy to compile all those links!)
Tags: Art, Film, Literature, Music, Television
Listen or Download
Comments
Question 6: Wealth and Social Responsibility (1:00:09)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on wealth and social responsibility.
Doesn't greater wealth entail greater responsibility? If you have amassed a great fortune, don't you also have to shoulder a greater responsibility to society and your fellow man than others? After all, success in business doesn't occur in a vacuum: it always depends on the community to some extent. People like Michael Bloomberg or George Lucas know that they would not be where they are today without some pretty significant assistance from others. So shouldn't they assume more responsibility for their fellow man than others?
My Answer, In Brief: The person who has amassed much wealth has done so by offering people much-valued products and services in voluntary trades. He does not become the keeper of humanity thereby.
Tags: Altruism, Business, Politics, Responsibility, Wealth
Listen or Download
Watch Now
Relevant Links
Comments
Conclusion (1:03:29)
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.