Q&A Webcast Episode: 23 October 2011
In this 23 October 2011 episode of Q&A Webcast, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered four questions on state involvement in marriage, last names in marriage, marrying someone for a green card, being too much crazy in love, and more in an hour-long broadcast. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was the audio co-host.
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My News of the Week: As usual, I've been tending to Dr. Gimpy. I've also been programming for new web site, particularly splitting the audio files per question for the archives. Everything should be ready for launch in the first webcast in November, if not a bit sooner!
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Segments: 23 October 2011
Question 1: State Involvement in Marriage (5:14)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on state involvement in marriage.
Should the state be involved in marriage contracts? Many people say that gay marriage shouldn't be a political issue, because the state shouldn't be involved in defining marriage at all. Is that right? Why or why not?
My Answer, In Brief: We ought to separate politics and marriage, by treating marriage like any other contract. The state has a limited but crucial role to play in marriage to ensure that marriage contracts are objective, voluntary, and enforced. However, the state should not play social engineer by deciding who can get married or the terms of that marriage.
Tags: Free Society, Gay Marriage, GLBT, Government, Law, Marriage, Politics, Polygamy, Romance
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Question 2: Last Names in Marriage (29:22)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on last names in marriage.
Should women adopt the last names of their husbands? In today's culture, some newly-married women adopt the family name of their husbands. Some keep their own last name. Some hyphenate their names together. Some use their maiden name for work, but their married name in their personal life. Some couples adopt a wholly new name for themselves. What do you think of these various options? Should the possibility of divorce affect a woman's decision? Should the husband have a say in the woman's decision? Should men be more willing to change their own last name to that of their new wife?
My Answer, In Brief: A married couple has a wide range of options in last names, and they ought to choose whatever suits them best... except hyphenation.
Tags: Culture, Marriage, Romance
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Question 3: Marrying Someone for a Green Card (50:14)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on marrying someone for a green card.
Is it moral to marry someone just to obtain a green card? Given the difficulties of immigrating to the United States, is it immoral to circumvent those bad laws by marrying someone solely to obtain a green card? Would it matter if the person were a good friend?
My Answer, In Brief: America's current immigration laws systematically violate rights, so it's not immoral to break them per se. But in this case, the sacrifice required would likely be too great.
Tags: Ethics, Immigration, Law, Marriage, Politics, Romance
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Question 4: Being Too Much Crazy in Love (55:52)
In this segment, Dr. Diana Hsieh answered a question on being too much crazy in love.
Is it irrational to be "crazy in love" with your boyfriend or girlfriend – such as wanting to keep an old shirt and other discarded items? Does it matter whether the relationship is in an early or later stage?
My Answer, In Brief: Everything depends on what, how, and why is done, but people shouldn't invent attachments that don't yet or might never exist.
Tags: Emotions, Rationality, Romance
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Rapid Fire Questions (1:01:32)
- Can it be written in the marriage contract that anyone can end their marriage at will?
- What should you do to defuse an e-mail conversation that has gotten too heated?
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Conclusion (1:05:14)
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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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