Friends and Fans — I have retired from my work as a public intellectual, so Philosophy in Action is on indefinite hiatus. Please check out the voluminous archive of free podcasts, as well as the premium audio content still available for sale. My two books — Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame and Explore Atlas Shrugged — are available for purchase too. Best wishes! — Diana Brickell (Hsieh)

Beggars, Cultural Change, Toleration, Violence, and More

Webcast Q&A: 12 December 2010

I answered questions on responding to beggars, responsibility for cultural change, toleration as a virtue, violent sports, punishment of government officials, and more on 12 December 2010. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was my co-host. Listen to or download this episode of Philosophy in Action Radio below.

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Segments: 12 December 2010


Question 1: Responding to Beggars

Question: What is the proper way to respond to a beggar? How should one respond when approached on the street by strangers asking for money? Do you have any suggestions for dealing with aggressive beggars?

Answer, In Brief: Just because someone asks for money doesn't mean that you're obliged to give them anything, even your attention.

Tags: Altruism, Benevolence, Ethics

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Question 2: Responsibility for Cultural Change

Question: Are Objectivists obliged to work to change the culture? Do you think that it is morally necessary (most of the time, in most cases) for an Objectivist to do something to enact cultural change?

Answer, In Brief: Freedom not optional value, since your very life depends on it, but you should find some way to help promote a free society that meshes with your life and values.

Tags: Activism, Culture, Ethics, Politics

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Question 3: Toleration as a Virtue

Question: Is toleration (or tolerance) a virtue?

Answer, In Brief: Contrary to the modern idea of tolerance, we should always judge and act on those judgments – but in so doing, we need to keep the broader context too.

Tags: Ethics, Judgment, Justice, Relativism, Tolerance

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Question 4: Violent Sports

Question: What is the proper judgment of very violent sports and people's enjoyment of them? By "very violent sports," I mean ultimate fighting, boxing, etc. – where the objective is to draw blood or beat your opponent senseless. Is this proper entertainment for a rational person?

Answer, In Brief: Purpose of even violent sports is not harm or injury per se but rather a test of skills, knowledge, and capacities.

Tags: Ethics, MMA, Sports, Violence

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Question 5: Punishment of Government Officials

Question: Should government officials be punished for rights violations committed via their office? Should the constitution of a rational government in a capitalist society mandate punishment of those in positions of governance who use the power of government to violate individual rights? For instance, McCain-Feingold represents a massive individual rights' violation; that of free speech and association. McCain and Feingold violated their oath to defend the Constitution as did all those who voted for it; George W. Bush explicitly abdicated his oath in his signing statement. Should such people be punished for legalizing such an encroachment? Currently, only Treason is specifically mentioned in the Constitution as a criminal act requiring punishment

Answer, In Brief: Such structural tweaks to our political system cannot compensate for culture-wide lack of concern for rights – and they might even be used against us.

Tags: Crime, Free Society, Government, Law

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Conclusion (58:24)

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About Philosophy in Action

I'm Dr. Diana Brickell. I'm a philosopher specializing in 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 book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, is available for purchase in paperback and Kindle. 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 most Sunday mornings and some Thursday evenings. On Sunday mornings, I answer 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 Thursday evenings, I interview an expert guest or discuss a topic of interest.

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