On the next Philosophy in Action Radio, I'll answer questions on concern for others in egoism, the need for support from others, and more. The live broadcast begins at 6 pm PT / 7 MT / 8 CT / 9 ET on Thursday, 27 February 2014. If you can't attend live, be sure to listen to the podcast later.

Secular Humanism, European Colonizers, Declaring Love, and More

Q&A Radio: Sunday, 8 December 2013

I answered questions on Objectivism versus secular humanism, moral judgment of European colonizers, the right time to declare love, and more on Philosophy in Action Radio on Sunday, 8 December 2013. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was my co-host. You can listen to or download the podcast below.

Remember, Philosophy in Action Radio is available to anyone, free of charge. That's because our goal is to spread rational principles for real life far and wide, as we do every week to thousands of listeners. We love doing that, but each episode requires our time, effort, and money. So if you enjoy and value our work, please contribute to our tip jar. We suggest $5 per episode or $20 per month, but any amount is appreciated. You can send your contribution via Dwolla, PayPal, or US Mail.

My News of the Week: Many thanks to the reviewers of my new book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame. If you've read it, please review it on Amazon! Get a signed copy for just $25 in December! Also, I've made good progress on my updates to Explore Atlas Shrugged, as I just finished Session 10!

Listen Now

  • Duration: 1:10:30

Download the Episode

To save the file to your computer, right-click and save the link:
You can automatically download that and other podcasts by subscribing to Philosophy in Action's Podcast RSS Feed:

Share This Episode

Episode Sponsor


Segments: 8 December 2013


Question 1: Objectivism Versus Secular Humanism (4:14)

Question: What are the similarities and differences between Objectivism and secular humanism? Objectivism and secular humanism are two secular worldviews. What are their basic points? Are they hopelessly at odds? Or do they share some or even many attributes?

Answer, In Brief: Secular humanism is an attempt to meld secularism with altruistic and collectivist ethics, plus leftist politics. It's not a coherent philosophy – or well-grounded in facts. I urge secular humanists to honestly consider at Ayn Rand's philosophy as an alternative.

Tags: Epistemology, Ethics, Metaphysics, Objectivism, Philosophy, Politics, Secular Humanism

Listen or Download

Relevant Links

Comments

Question 2: Moral Judgment of European Colonizers (22:32)

Question: How should European colonizers be judged for their treatment of Native Americans? Some people, especially conservatives, give blanket praise to Columbus and European colonizers, notwithstanding their conquest and displacement of native populations. Those Native Americans are sometimes denigrated as ignorant, brutal, and/or lacking any concept of property – and hence, as unworthy of the protection of rights. Many others consider the Native Americans either noble savages or at least the rightful owners of the land. They condemn European colonization as unethical conquest or even genocide. Are either of those approaches correct? What counts as a fair judgment of European colonizers in their behavior toward Native Americans? How should European colonizers have treated native persons?

Answer, In Brief: The common views of colonization – from many on the left and right – are sadly mistaken in their moral judgments and political claims. Conflict was inevitable, but greater justice and decency was certainly possible.

Tags: Colonization, Culture, Ethics, Government, Government, History, Homesteading, Politics, Property Rights, Rights, United States

Listen or Download

Comments

Question 3: The Right Time to Declare Love (48:43)

Question: When should a person declare his love for another? What is an appropriate amount of time to wait before saying "I love you" in a new relationship? New relationships often start out strong, but then the feelings of eros dissipate after a few months. When you meet someone who you share the same values and ideals (and you are super-attracted to him or her) when should you say those three little words?

Answer, In Brief: Love is not a binary state, and saying "I love you" isn't magic. Nonetheless, such can be done wrongly or badly – or to honestly deepen the intimacy and connection in a relationship.

Tags: Communication, Emotions, Love, Relationships, Romance

Listen or Download

Relevant Links

Comments

Rapid Fire Questions (1:01:48)

In this segment, I answered questions chosen at random by Greg Perkins impromptu. The questions were:
  • Is downloading Anthem moral, given that Ayn Rand lost her copyright to the work by accident?
  • Is it wrong to hate all the pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness every October?
  • Is an age of sexual consent below the age of majority - say 16 - proper?

Listen or Download

Comments

Conclusion (1:09:13)

Thank you for joining us for this episode of Philosophy in Action Radio! If you enjoyed this episode, please contribute to contribute to our tip jar.


Support Philosophy in Action

Remember, Philosophy in Action Radio is available to anyone, free of charge. That's because our goal is to spread rational principles for real life far and wide, as we do every week to thousands of listeners. We love doing that, but each episode requires our time, effort, and money. So if you enjoy and value our work, please contribute to our tip jar. We suggest $5 per episode or $20 per month, but any amount is appreciated. You can send your contribution via Dwolla, PayPal, or US Mail.

Thank you, if you've contributed to Philosophy in Action! You make our work possible every week, and we're so grateful for that!

If you enjoy Philosophy in Action, please help us spread the word about it! Tell your friends about upcoming broadcasts by forwarding our newsletter. Link to episodes or segments from our topics archive. Share our blog posts, podcasts, and events on Facebook and Twitter. Rate and review the podcast in iTunes (M4A and MP3). We appreciate any and all of that!


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.

If you join us for the live broadcasts, you can ask follow-up questions and make comments in the text-based chat. Otherwise, you can listen to the podcast by subscribing to our Podcast RSS Feed. You can also peruse the show archives, where episodes and questions are sorted by date and by topic.

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].

Philosophy in Action's NewsletterPhilosophy in Action's Facebook PagePhilosophy in Action's Twitter StreamPhilosophy in Action's RSS FeedsPhilosophy in Action's Calendar