Rapid Fire

Queue

At the end of every webcast, we have fun with a set of totally impromptu and unscripted set of "Rapid Fire Questions." Here, you can review the still-pending Rapid Fire Questions, as well as submit your own.

Submit Your Question

Please submit one question per text box – no more, no less. You're limited to 200 characters. Don't incude any links or HTML. If you have a more complex question, please submit it to the regular question queue. We might edit your question for clarity before posting it.

Questions in the Queue

• You have said that a private army, which you associate with trying to overthrow the government, would be illegitimate. What's your view of PMCs, private military companies?
• You're in favor of open immigration, but do you have any first-hand experience dealing with immigrants?
• Why is it not acceptable to buy votes at the booth, but it is acceptable to promise financial gain for a class of voters after the politician gets elected?
• When, if ever, are deductive applications of Objectivist principles part of Objectivism? In particular, what's the status of arguments on current events, such as the controversy over the NYC Mosque? If they're not part of the philosophy, then are they nothing more than personal opinions?
• If someone who was cryogenically frozen gets revived what happens to their intellectual property if some of it has fallen into the public domain?
• Isn't altruism more of a scam then a morality? Is it a confidence trick with really good public relations?
• Due to the one-child policy, there is an urban legend that aborted/stillborn fetuses are a delicacy in China. However, is it morally wrong for a mother to eat her fetus?
• I'd never ask anyone to sacrifice themselves but can you keep more consistent altruists (or those in cultures which expect something back) from doing so for you without asking?
• Is microfinancing moral? Is it "better" then other charity as it supposedly offers a hand up as opposed to a hand out?
• I've heard that the pre-World-War-I sense of life is indescribable and much better. From what you've read, how would you describe it? Any striking details?
• How can a person be objective in evaluating the people that he dates?
• Should spam be outlawed in a free market?
• Since being fat has no direct link with health does that mean it's morally okay to be a chubby chaser? *grin*
• If not open to good economics wouldn't those bleeding heart libertarians still be open to better economics? Hayek isn't perfect but he's not as bad as Keynes.
• Are there rational egoists (other than Rand) who have a philosophy worth exploring? What is the difference between Objectivism and the general school of enlightened self-interest?
• Why is Rawls' thought experiment called "the veil of ignorance" when the one standing behind knows everything aside from their own identity?
• If a person stumbles upon data (say, logins and passwords) without hacking, it is morally and legally wrong to use that data?
• Given the anti-gay bigots use the term "homosexual" as a means of denigration, should non-bigoted people refrain from using the term?
• Is it morally worse for a mother to abandon her child than for a father to do the same?
• Which is your favorite Doctor: David Tennant or Matt Smith? Why?
• Do those who believe that consciousness is an illusion think that magic tricks are conscious?
• Is concept formation in a way artificial synesthesia because it is finished by the giving of a symbolic designation?
• Do you have any good book advice for middle school children? It's hard to find something that has decent morals, and is still interesting.
• Are there any differences between an atheist and a naturalistic pantheist besides definitions?
• Is it wrong to take apart a device that you've bought just to understand it if the licensing agreement forbids that?
• What is your opinion of Kolhberg's theory of moral reasoning?
• Should gun manufacturers refuse to sell guns or accessories to law enforcement if banned to civilians in that area?
• Why should one live by clear principles?
• How strong is support for abortion rights in America? What are the implications of that?
• What's the value and purpose of expressing praise or criticism?
• Are the President's extrajudicial actions against supposed terrorists legitimate, and if so, how could a federal judge sign off on them if they are extrajudicial?
• Should government develop a program to deflect asteroids from Earth?
• Can you suggest any books for 4th-6th graders that promote egoism, rationality, or other virtues which aren't commonly found in books aimed at kids?
• How can we philosophically be more zen about the things we can't control? Feeling out of control contributes greatly to my anxiety and is a trigger for irrational behaviors.
• We all have relatives who grew up during the Depression and hoard food. Unlike my husband, I grew up very poor and am much more materialistic than he is. What's some recommended reading for both of us?
• You are incredibly optimistic about our society as a whole. Philosophically, does that mean you disapprove of Preppers?
• What modern fiction writer would you recommend? Having a lot of trouble finding fantasy or sci/fi that doesn't suck philosophically...
• Is anti-Semitism today more prevalent on the left today – and if so, why? They seem to have a double standard between Israel and those who attack it.
• What would you do in the event of the Zombie Apocalypse?
• Copyrights last longer then patents but should that be the case?
• Is it proper to be irritated about immigrants' speaking English with an accent, particularly if heavy?
• Does common law inevitably become obtuse?
• Who is your favorite character from an Ayn Rand novel and why?
• What is your opinion of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as a useful tool for talking about aspects of personality?
• How does the left keep redefining the meaning of what "poor" means seeing as we're living better then the kings of old?
• Why aren't people taking ideas seriously?
• Should people boycott German companies that actively participated in the Holocaust?
• Are people capable of being personally responsible in the way that Ayn Rand and other advocates of free markets think should happen?
• Is win-or-lose competition in sports and academics good for children?
• You said that Obama is not a nihilist, but is an egalitarian. However, Dr. Peikoff argues in his book (as far as I understand) that egalitarianism is a form of nihilism in politics. Do you disagree?
• What's wrong with the nihilistic argument that life is meaningless because death is inevitable?
• I've begun reading Dr. Leonard Peikoff's new book, "The DIM Hypothesis." If you've read it I'd be very interested to hear what you think of it. Might it represent a "new" philosophy or "turning point"?
• Is it possible to consistently roleplay as an Objectivist character in a fantasy setting where magic exist without destroying the facade?
• How did the term "middle class" gain hold in America? Is it a valid concept?
• If a company ignores private warnings about a security or other flaw, is it okay to release information about the flaw publicly, even if criminals might make use of it?
• By what methods should government execute criminals condemned to death?
• Should the government be permitted to invest funds in markets?
• What would be required for a valid contract in a free society?
• What is the moral way to wage war?
• Is the force involved in fraud partly the withholding someone else's property?
• Is it okay to stream content (e.g., on YouTube) that has been put up illegally?
• Would you watch a survival show that pitted socialists and libertarians against each other? How big a group would be necessarily to show a difference in their ideas?
• If someone who did something unforgivable incurred brain damage that both made them forget what they did and changed their character, would they be liable for their past actions?
• What would be a good way to represent rational morality in video games?
• Should the independent creator of a technology be barred from using or producing it due to an existing patent? Should it matter if the independent inventor lives in a different state or country?
• Is part of the reason there are no more fast wars because "Blitz Krieg" gave them a bad reputation?
• How can a prostitute remove consent without breaking her contract?
• Given that I want to immigrate to the US in the future, how much more should I care about immigration policy than other individual rights issues?
• Should college athletes be paid? Doesn't the current system exploit them?
• Are parents overprotective of their kids these days? Or given how much worse the culture is compared to 20 years ago, are things actually more dangerous for kids?
• In choosing between similar jobs, how should one trade off competing factors such as better salary vs. worse location, etc?
• What sports do you enjoy watching and why?
• Why did you choose philosophy over programming?
• Why do people differ so much in their taste in movies?
• When did you first read Ayn Rand?
• Don't Americans have the right and the obligation to limit immigration to protect our political values from corruption?
• Don't we need some external authority to determine what's right and what's wrong?
• What does it mean to be selfish versus selfless?
• Should a person considering strategic default consider the government's role in creating the crisis?