Q&A Webcast Episode: 10 July 2011
In this 10 July 2011 episode of Q&A Webcast, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered four questions on announcing life-changing new beliefs, the morality of strategic default, swearing before strangers, letting friends fail, and more in an hour-long broadcast. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was the audio co-host.
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Segments: 10 July 2011
Question 1: Announcing Life-Changing New Beliefs (2:27)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on announcing life-changing new beliefs.
When a person adopts a life-changing set of beliefs, how should he present that to family and friends? The point would not be to try to convince them to follow, but to say "look... this is what I believe, these are the principles by which I now live my life now, and please respect my choice to do so."
My Answer, In Brief: You need to focus on what you can do – namely be clear, be firm, and be kind about your change in views and practices.
Tags: Communication, Family, Philosophy, Relationships
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Question 2: The Morality of Strategic Default (11:39)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on the morality of strategic default.
Is it moral to strategically default on your mortgage? Suppose that you could continue to pay your mortgage, but you're underwater: you owe more than the house is worth. You realize that you'd save tens of thousands of dollars by defaulting. Would it be morally wrong to default, assuming that you don't engage in any fraud or other dishonesty in doing so? Would it make a difference if you do that in today's highly regulated market versus in a fully free market?
My Answer, In Brief: Strategic default is morally wrong: it's dishonest and unjust. It's your job in life to ensure that you borrow money sensibly and then repay those loans.
Tags: Bankruptcy, Business, Ethics, Finances, Honesty, Integrity, Law, Responsibility
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Question 3: Swearing Before Strangers (32:36)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on swearing before strangers.
Should you swear in front of strangers? Swearing is sometimes a great "exclamation point" when you're telling a story or having an intense or extraordinary conversation. But, is it appropriate to swear in front of people who don't know you very well? Is that poor manners? Would "being yourself" conflict with "putting your best foot forward" in this case?
My Answer, In Brief: Swearing is a minor point of style that a person should use or not depending on his circumstances.
Tags: Communication, Communication, Ethics, Integrity, Relationships
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Question 4: Letting Friends Fail (37:40)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on letting friends fail.
Are there times when you shouldn't help a friend? If you see a friend taking some action which may be ultimately self-defeating or self-destructive, but you are pretty sure they don't have the knowledge or experience to understand the future consequences of their actions, should you allow them to learn on their own or stop them from making a mistake that you know will be disastrous?
My Answer, In Brief: When a friend seems to be making a mistake, don't shoot first then ask questions later. Instead, ask questions first, then think about their answers, then give your advice if it's wanted, and then see what happens.
Tags: Communication, Ethics, Friendship, Moral Wrongs, Relationships
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Rapid Fire Questions (47:30)
- What do you think of interventions?
- What is bankruptcy? Should a person's debt expire?
- What if you approached the bank with a speculative loan and were upfront about it (accepting a higher interest rate, etc.)? Is it OK to default if the property value crashes?
- Why are some words considered bad – and is that right?
- Does the fact that Tourettes sufferers involuntarily spew "bad" words indicate a low level psychological acceptance of social language norms?
- If a person just thinks destructive thoughts, does that make the person evil?
- Where's the line between sharing new ideas and information with friends and family – and proselytizing to them?
- What is your opinion of the Suicide Girls?
- Do adult children have an obligation to maintain a relationship with their parents?
- Does the failure of an incorporated business - say an S corporation - impose moral obligations on the owners to pay those debts from other income?
- Should pediatricians ask their patients about guns in the house?
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Conclusion (1:03:58)
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.
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