Q&A Webcast Episode: 18 September 2011
In this 18 September 2011 episode of Q&A Webcast, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered four questions on the morality of torturing terrorists and criminals, feeling guilty for emotions, photocopying essays for study, extroversion versus second-handedness, and more in an hour-long broadcast. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was the audio co-host.
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Segments: 18 September 2011
Question 1: The Morality of Torturing Terrorists and Criminals (3:03)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on the morality of torturing terrorists and criminals.
Is it moral to torture criminals and/or terrorists? We supposedly were able to track down Osama Bin Laden with information obtained by torturing captured Al Qaeda prisoners. Is it moral to torture criminals, terrorists or other evildoers to gain useful information to fight crime or help win a war? If so, should there be any limits on when and how torture should be used by the government?
My Answer, In Brief: Torture can be moral, but only in clearly-defined contexts of defending against aggressors. The tricky question is whether it's an effective method or not for extracting information.
Tags: Crime, Ethics, Foreign Policy, Free Society, Law, Military, Politics, War
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Question 2: Feeling Guilty for Emotions (24:20)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on feeling guilty for emotions.
Should a person feel guilty about his emotions? Sometimes I feel emotions that I know are misplaced, such as envy at a co-worker's promotion or anger at a friend's mistake. What should my response be to these emotions? Should I feel guilty about them? Should I change them – and if so, how?
My Answer, In Brief: If you're caught up in a storm of emotions, you'll never be able to resolve emotional problems. Instead, introspect about the causes of your emotions, then distance yourself from wrong emotions by focusing on the facts.
Tags: Emotions, Ethics, Introspection, Psycho-Epistemology, Psychology
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Question 3: Photocopying Essays for Study (33:40)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on photocopying essays for study.
Is it moral to photocopy an essay for a class or discussion group? My friend and I are starting a reading group at our university focused on philosophy, and the group will meet each week to discuss an essay or article related to philosophy. I want to use one of Ayn Rand's essays from The Virtue of Selfishness. I have purchased and own a copy the book. Is it moral for me to make photocopies of the essay for the purpose of the reading group – or would that violate copyright?
My Answer, In Brief: You have lots of options other than photocopying the essay: pursue them!
Tags: Ethics, Intellectual Property, Law
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Question 4: Extroversion Versus Second-Handedness (38:29)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on extroversion versus second-handedness.
What's the difference between extroversion and second-handedness? According to Wikipedia, extroversion is "the act, state, or habit of being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self." A key distinction between introverts and extroverts is that extroverts mentally "recharge" by interacting with other people, while introverts do that by being alone. Does being an extrovert mean that you're second-handed? Is it a moral failing of any kind?
My Answer, In Brief: Extroversion concerns a person's base personality, whereas second-handeness is a matter of cultivated moral character. These are totally different things!
Tags: Ethics, Independence, Personality, Psychology
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Rapid Fire Questions (41:33)
- What's the difference between staying poor and Going Galt?
- Are service professions second-handed or altruistic, since you're not producing anything tangible but instead focused primarily on serving others?
- Shouldn't justice matter more than your own personal happiness?
- Since selfishness is natural, why bother telling people to do it more?
- Isn't everyone selfish, as a matter of human nature?
- Shouldn't ethics be about restraining self-interest, rather than indulging in it?
- What's the point of living if just for yourself?
- Won't your interests conflict with the interests of others?
- Why did Ayn Rand reject cryonics?
- Is public nudity immoral?
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Conclusion (1:00:23)
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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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