Tag Archives: life

The Role of Government During a Health Crisis with Onkar Ghate and Greg Salmieri

March 27, 2020PodcastAyn Rand, Ayn Rand Institute, Coronavirus, COVID-19, emergency, government, life, Objectivism, pandemic, Philosophy, rightsAlex Wigger

Governments are taking unprecedented measures to restrict travel and shut down businesses in order to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Politicians are justifying these measures by invoking emergency, even wartime, powers. What is the proper role of government during a health crisis like this one? What values should guide us in thinking about proper policy in regard to life and death issues, especially in an individualistic society?

Join us for another special episode of Philosophy for Living on Earth to get clarity on these questions. Onkar Ghate and Gregory Salmieri will join us and add their perspective.

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Is There a Rational Morality? by Ben Bayer

March 19, 2020PodcastAyn Rand, choice, ethics, life, morality, Objectivity, Philosophy, reality, reason, thinkingAlex Wigger

Most people think about morality as a set of commandments handed down by a god. Others believe we can get moral guidance by consulting our own feelings of sympathy for the needs and desires of other people.

Are these the only two options? Does morality have to be based on faith in a higher dimension or on feelings for others on Earth?

Those who believe morality is based on either faith or feelings assume there can be no rational basis for morality. Is that true? Are there no observable facts by which we can decide what’s the right and wrong way to live?

Join Ben Bayer and explore the question: Is there a rational morality?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:20 — 56.2MB)

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Is Abortion Immoral? by Ben Bayer

February 19, 2020Podcastabortion, Ayn Rand, Ben Bayer, biology, birth, decision, ethics, life, rights, roe v wadephilosophy-for-living-on-earth

Abortion is an important issue consistently in the public discourse. What makes it so persistent? Should there be any legal limit on abortion? Much of the discussion about abortion revolves around differing views of when life begins. Is there something significantly different about an entity before and after it’s born?

Join David Birnbaum as he interviews philosopher Ben Bayer on the question: Is abortion immoral?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:28 — 59.0MB)

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Do I Need a Philosophy? by Aaron Smith

December 4, 2019PodcastAyn Rand, epistemology, ethics, guidance, life, meaning of life, Objectivism, Philosophy, Podcast, principles, thinkingphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

Many people have at least heard of a few of history’s great philosophers. Names like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle—they ring a bell and maybe some of us have even taken a philosophy course in college or perhaps encountered books or podcasts that are espousing or offering some kind of philosophy of life—a philosophy for living. But…

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Why Are Principles Important in Life? by Keith Lockitch

October 17, 2019PodcastAyn Rand, ethics, flourishing, Keith Lockitch, life, morality, Podcast, practicality, pragmatism, principles, successphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

When we describe someone as a person of principle, it’s often meant as a compliment. We mean that the person has a solid moral compass and that his actions are grounded in time-honored rules of conduct. On the other hand, though, we sometimes view principles as being rigid and constraining, a bunch of rules that…

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Does Success in Life Require Compromise? by Elan Journo

October 2, 2019PodcastAyn Rand, compromise, Elan Journo, ethics, independence, integrity, life, Podcast, pride, self-esteem, successphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

Compromise is widely seen as essential to success in life. To have healthy, meaningful relationships, we’re advised to find a middle-ground. In the workplace, we hear, it’s vital that we compromise. And in the words of one long-time politician, in Washington “if you want to get along, you have to go along.” At the same…

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Should I Go by Reason or by Faith? by Ben Bayer

September 4, 2019PodcastBen Bayer, epistemology, faith, guidance, knowledge, life, Objectivism, Philosophy, Podcast, purpose, reasonphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

Human beings desperately need guidance in life, but where should we seek this guidance? Should we seek it in what we can observe with our own five senses and what we can logically infer from that data? Or should we seek it from some higher authority, just because we feel what it tells us is…

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Is Selfishness the Root of All Evil? by Keith Lockitch

August 28, 2019Podcastaltruism, Ayn Rand, ethics, evil, happiness, individualism, life, morality, Podcast, self-interest, selfishnessphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

If there is one thing that almost everyone agrees on today, it’s that selfishness is bad. From day one, we’ve been told, “don’t be selfish” or “selfishness is the root of all evil.” But what if the way we think about selfishness is completely wrong? What if our conventional understanding of what it means to be selfish is…

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