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)

Psychic Powers, Office Politics, Freedom, and More

Radio Q&A: 8 July 2012

I answered questions on the validity of psychic powers, managing office politics, sanction of friends, the cost of freedom, and more on 8 July 2012. Greg Perkins of Objectivist Answers was my co-host. Listen to or download this episode of Philosophy in Action Radio below.

The mission of Philosophy in Action is to spread rational principles for real life... far and wide. That's why the vast majority of my work is available to anyone, free of charge. I love doing the radio show, but each episode requires an investment of time, effort, and money to produce. So if you enjoy and value that work of mine, please contribute to the tip jar. I suggest $5 per episode or $20 per month, but any amount is appreciated. In return, contributors can request that I answer questions from the queue pronto, and regular contributors enjoy free access to premium content and other goodies.

My News of the Week: I've been relaxing after two hectic weeks, plus doing a bit of writing for NoodleFood.


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Segments: 8 July 2012


Question 1: The Validity of Psychic Powers

Question: Are psychic powers bunk? A friend convinced me to join him in visiting a psychic for a tarot card reading. Although I am opposed to mysticism, I didn't mind going and thought it would be funny. I was surprised to find this psychic knew things about me that (while vague) were very accurate descriptors, and could not have been known from my appearance (nor prior knowledge since it was an impromptu visit). It seems highly unlikely they could have guessed (and have guessed so accurately) correct character traits, issues and feelings. Is this evidence in favor of psychic powers? Or have I been misled?

Answer, In Brief: Psychic powers are bunk, and psychics use a variety of well-known techniques to fool their clients.

Tags: Epistemology, Paranormal, Proof, Psychology, Rationality

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Question 2: Managing Office Politics

Question: How can a person effectively manage office politics? In almost any job, the internal politics of the company can be overwhelming. If you speak out, you can be embroiled in conflict and drama. If you stay silent, the pushy people will have their way, often for the worse. What should a person do who wants to actually work?

Answer, In Brief: Too often, "office politics" is just a catch-all for any interactions someone dislikes at work. Here, the person needs to understand the value of productive wrangling at work, and find ways to influence the outcomes that matter to him in ways that suit his personality preferences.

Tags: Communication, Conflict, Personality, Psychology, Relationships, Work

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Question 3: Sanction of Friends

Question: Am I responsible for the actions of my friends? Suppose that a friend of mine does something that others find objectionable. Am I obliged to state my opinion of what my friend did? If I refuse to state an opinion, should others assume that I endorse my friend's actions?

Answer, In Brief: A person endorses his friend's basic character by his friendship, not every word and deed of his friend.

Tags: Communication, Friendship, Moral Wrongs, Sanction

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Question 4: The Cost of Freedom

Question: Shouldn't freedom be "free"? I often hear the bromide "freedom isn't free," or some variation of it, such as, "there's a price for freedom." But isn't freedom actually free? A person acts by right in pursuing his own life and happiness, and criminals do not have any right to coerce or threaten others. If freedom is the political expression of rights in a social or political context, it follows that there should be no "cost" to exercising one's rights. It isn't a sacrifice to not violate others rights, since respect for them is a selfish virtue, nor would it be a sacrifice to voluntarily fund a proper government that protects one's rights, since the benefit outweighs the cost. Am I correct in thinking freedom, properly understood and protected, is indeed free, or not? If I am, what do people mean when they say, "freedom isn't free," and what's the proper response?

Answer, In Brief: Although respecting and protecting rights is not any kind of loss or sacrifice, protecting rights against the actions of criminals does require a cost in time, money, and effort to accomplish. However, doing that by compulsion is never justified.

Tags: Free Society, Government, Military, Politics, Rights, Sacrifice, Taxes

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Rapid Fire Questions (1:01:49)

In this segment, I answered questions chosen at random by Greg Perkins impromptu. The questions were:
  • Should baseball be exempt from antitrust law?
  • I've heard that humor is a destructive element, does this mean that clowns are agents of destruction?
  • Are free nations obliged to stop genocide?

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Conclusion (1:12:31)

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The vast majority of Philosophy in Action Radio – the live show and the podcast – is available to anyone, free of charge. That's because my mission is to spread rational principles for real life far and wide, as I do every week to thousands of listeners. I love producing the show, but each episode requires requires the investment of time, effort, and money. So if you enjoy and value my work, please contribute to the tip jar. I suggest $5 per episode or $20 per month, but any amount is appreciated. In return, regular contributors enjoy free access to my premium content.

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

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