Philosophy in Action: Studying Personality, The Golden Rule, and More: Podcast of 3 February 2013

Q&A Radio: Sunday, 3 February 2013

I answered questions on the value of studying personality, the golden rule, yelling at employees, atheism as religion, and more on Philosophy in Action Radio on Sunday, 3 February 2013. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was my co-host. You can listen to or download the podcast below.

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My News of the Week: Last night, I attended a great lecture by Craig Biddle on "The Trinity of Liberty." Also, registration for SnowCon 2013 is now open!

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Duration: 1:05:26

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Segments: 3 February 2013

Question 1: The Value of Studying Personality (2:29)

Question: What is the value of understanding personality differences? You've become increasingly interested in personality theory lately. What are the major practical benefits of better understanding personality? Is understanding personality differences as important – or perhaps more important – than knowing philosophy?

Answer, In Brief: If a person wants to deeply integrate the virtues into his own life, make better choices about his life and work, and enjoy more rewarding relations with others, then studying personality theory is invaluable!

Tags: Ethics, Personality, Psychology

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Question 2: The Golden Rule (24:55)

Question: Is the Golden Rule a valid and useful principle of ethics? In past podcasts, you've mentioned that you consider the Golden Rule – meaning, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" – as flawed. What are some of the problems with this rule? Does it have any value?

Answer, In Brief: The Golden Rule aims at some genuine values in ethics, but it’s too deeply rooted in subjectivism and formalism to be a valid or useful principle of ethics.

Tags: Christianity Religion, Ethics, Judaism, Justice

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Question 3: Yelling at Employees (39:49)

Question: Is yelling at and shaming an employee ever justifiable? Imagine that a product at work must be shipped by a certain deadline – and if it's late, the company will suffer a major loss. All the workers involved know that, yet as the deadline approaches, one worker works slowly, seemingly without concern for the deadline. When reminded, he acknowledges the deadline, yet his work continues to be as slow as ever. In such cases, might yelling at that worker – even shaming him in front of co-workers – be just what he needs to motivate him to get the project done? If not, what else should be done?

Answer, In Brief: Yelling at and shaming employees is a disastrously unprofessional tactic in the workplace. It's not only likely to backfire with that particular employee, but likely to destroy your relationships with your other employees too.

Tags: Ethics, Personality, Productivity, Work

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Question 4: Atheism as Religion (49:41)

Question: Is atheism just another form of religion? I often hear from religious people that atheism is just another form of religion – and just as much based on faith as Christianity and the like. Is that right or wrong?

Answer, In Brief: Atheism is not any kind of religion or faith. Religion involves belief (without adequate evidence) in the supernatural, and atheism denies such claims because they're utterly without rational foundation.

Tags: Atheism, Faith, Religion

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Rapid Fire Questions (58:22)

In this segment, I answered random questions chosen by Greg Perkins impromptu. The questions were:

Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl?
What do you think about celebrating Ayn Rand's birthday as "Randsday"?

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Conclusion (1:03:24)

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About Philosophy in Action Radio

I'm Dr. Diana Hsieh. I'm a philosopher specializing the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. I received my Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. My dissertation defended moral responsibility and moral judgment against the doubts raised by Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck."

My radio show, Philosophy in Action Radio, broadcasts live over the internet on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. On Sunday mornings, I answer four meaty questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life in a live hour-long show. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers co-hosts the show. On Wednesday evenings, I interview an expert guest about a topic of practical importance.

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I can be reached via e-mail to diana@philosophyinaction.com.