Tag Archives: Objectivism

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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Thinking Philosophically About the Pandemic with Onkar Ghate and Gregory Salmieri

March 18, 2020PodcastCoronavirus, COVID-19, disease, emergency, epidemic, health, medicine, Objectivism, pandemic, quarantine, virusAlex Wigger

The COVID-19 pandemic and the responses to it from both business and government are now dominating the headlines and overwhelming our lives. As we all begin to grapple with the wide-ranging effects of both the disease and the steps being taken to fight it, there’s a need to take a step back and survey the situation with a philosophic eye.

This week is a special episode of Philosophy for Living on Earth. Onkar Ghate and Greg Salmieri discuss how philosophy can help guide our thinking about the impact of the pandemic on our lives, our economy, and about our government’s response to it.

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What Drives History? by Keith Lockitch

March 11, 2020PodcastAyn Rand, culture, history, human behavior, humanity, ideas, influence, Objectivism, Philosophy, societyphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

What explains the major developments and trends that have shaped our world through the ages? Human history is complex and, obviously, there are many factors involved. And some of the questions raised are these: Is there a fundamental cause that explains the big picture? Is there an ultimate cause that directs the overall sweep of history?

Ayn Rand, the iconic American novelist and philosopher, argues that there is. In her view, the primary force that drives history is philosophy—the basic philosophic ideas that shape people’s beliefs and values and, therefore, their choices and actions.

Join Keith Lockitch and explore the question: What drives history?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:33 — 57.3MB)

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Is Doing Drugs Wrong? by Onkar Ghate

February 12, 2020Podcastdrugs, free will, health, legality, liberty, mind, Objectivism, recreation, selfishness, thoughtphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

On the issue of legal, non-medical drugs, there are at least two common perspectives at odds in our culture today: one camp contends that some drugs can beneficially “expand” one’s mind—increasing creativity, decreasing anxiety, and otherwise providing benefits that should be explored. Another side regards using mind-altering “recreational” drugs as immoral or at least morally suspicious.

Join David Birnbaum as he interviews philosopher Onkar Ghate on the question: Is doing drugs wrong?

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Do People’s Interests Have to Conflict? by Gregory Salmieri

January 8, 2020PodcastConflict, ethics, Greg Salmieri, Objectivism, people, Podcast, rationality, relationship, selfishness, trade, valuesphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

People are at odds with one another all the time (we have wars, personal animosities, etc.) and it is generally assumed that people’s interests conflict. We are often told that the only way to have any kind of peace is to compromise—to give up our interests in deference to other people. Ayn Rand rejects this…

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Should You Judge Other People? by Elan Journo

December 16, 2019PodcastElan Journo, ethics, faireness, independence, judgement, morality, Objectivism, Philosophyphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

If you want to be considered a caring person, you are expected to offer a “no-judgement-zone.” And you are supposed to believe that it’s an insult to be called “judgmental.” It’s recommended that you live by the biblical advice “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” but can this actually guide us in our daily life and thinking? There are people who lie, cheat, steal, rape, murder and worse—and, clearly, they deserve to be morally condemned. On the other hand, there are honest, thoughtful, productive, and truly heroic people. To form a positive evaluation of them, some kind of moral judgement is needed. Join Elan Journo as he explores another one of life’s big questions: Should you judge other people?

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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 Be Honest? by Ben Bayer

November 20, 2019PodcastAyn Rand, Ben Bayer, choice, duty, honesty, lies, morality, Objectivism, Podcast, reality, Truthphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

We live in an age in which fabricated stories pulse through social media, fashionable startup companies are founded on swindles and, of course, politicians of all stripes routinely lie. Whatever happened to the idea that honesty is the best policy? Most people would recognize honesty as an obvious example of a moral virtue, but the…

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What Makes Ayn Rand’s Philosophy Distinctive? by Onkar Ghate

November 6, 2019PodcastAtlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, controversy, hero, morality, Objectivism, Onkar Ghate, Philosophy, Podcast, religion, The Fountainheadphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

Have you ever wondered what Ayn Rand’s philosophy—which she called Objectivism—is all about? Why is she such a controversial figure with millions of fans who love The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged but also with many, many critics who call her books and ideas evil? Onkar Ghate, a senior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute, discusses…

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Is There a God? by Aaron Smith

October 23, 2019PodcastAaron Smith, Atheism, Ayn Rand Institute, epistemology, faith, god, judgment, Objectivism, Podcast, reason, religionphilosophy-for-living-on-earth

The question of whether there is or is not a God is certainly one of life’s big questions, and it’s one that almost all of us have had to grapple with at some point in our lives. Many of us were raised in a religious environment but have come to have doubts or questions about…

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