On the next Philosophy in Action Radio, I'll answer questions on rational suicide, deep-down atheism, responsibility for another's medical emergencies, education in a free society, and more. The live broadcast begins at 8 am PT / 9 MT / 10 CT / 11 ET on Sunday, 1 December 2013. If you can't attend live, be sure to listen to the podcast later.

The Value of Competition

Q&A Radio: Sunday, 1 September 2013, Question 1

I answered a question on the value of competition on Philosophy in Action Radio on 1 September 2013. You can listen to or download the podcast segment below – or check out the whole episode.

What is the value of competition? You recently competed in your first three-phase event on your horse. Why did you bother to do that? How did that affect your mindset and training? What did you learn from the experience? More broadly, what is the value of such competition? Shouldn't people always do their best, even when not being tested against other people?

My Answer, In Brief: Competition (and performance) can motivate a person to cultivate his skills more intensively, as well as teach him how to cope with mistakes, provided that the person focus on doing his reasonable best, not just besting others. It's well worth trying!

Tags: Competition, Ethics, Evasion, Habits, Hobbies, Independence, Mistakes, Perfectionism, Pride, Skills, Sports


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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 first book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, is available for purchase in paperback, as well as for Kindle and Nook. The book defends the justice of moral praise and blame of persons using an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility, thereby refuting 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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For regular updates, commentary, and humor, read my blog NoodleFood and subscribe to its Blog RSS Feed. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter and connect on social media too.

I can be reached via e-mail to [email protected].

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