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Reblogged: NoodleCast #306: The Friend Zone, Hard Choices, Reforming C

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On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, I answered questions on “the friend zone”, making hard choices, frivolous lawsuits, and more with Greg Perkins. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading. You’ll find it on the episode’s archive page, as well as below.

Remember, you can automatically download podcasts of Philosophy in Action Radio by subscribing to Philosophy in Action’s Podcast RSS Feed:

Podcast: The Friend Zone, Hard Choices, Frivolous Lawsuits, and More

Listen or Download:

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Remember, with every episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, we show how rational philosophy can help you find joy in your work, model virtue for your kids, pursue your goals effectively, communicate with respect, and advocate for a free society. We can’t do that without your support, so please remember to
tip your philosopher
!

You can download or listen to my answers to individual questions from this episode below.

Introduction (0:00)

My News of the Week: I’ve been inputting the final edits for the print study guide of
Explore Atlas Shrugged
.

Question 1: “The Friend Zone” (3:55)

In this segment, I answered a question on “the friend zone”.

Is there any validity to the concept of “the friend zone”? The “friend zone” is used to describe the situation of a man who is interested in a woman, but she’s not interested in being more than friends with him. Then, he’s “in the friend zone,” and he can’t get out except by her say-so. So “nice guys” in the friend zone often use the concept to describe the frustration of watching the women they desire date “bad boys” while they sit over to the side waiting for their chance to graduate from being just friends to being something more. Feminists suggest that this concept devalues a woman’s right to determine the context and standard of their sexual and romantic interests, that it treats a woman’s sexual acceptance as something that a man is entitled to by virtue of not being a jerk. Is that right? Or do women harm themselves by making bad choices about the types of men they date versus the types they put in the “friend zone?”

My Answer, In Brief: Too often, the concept of “the friend zone” is a passive-aggressive snipe at women by men who refuse to take an active role in expressing and pursuing their romantic interests. If you want a romantic relationship with another person, you must do something other than just be a friend.

Listen or Download:

To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.

Question 2: Making Hard Choices (25:28)

In this segment, I answered a question on making hard choices.

How can a person make better hard choices? How to make hard choices was the subject of
a recent TED talk from philosopher Ruth Chang
. Her thesis is that hard choices are not about finding the better option between alternatives. Choices are hard when there is no better option. Hard choices require you to define the kind of person you want to be. You have to take a stand for your choice, and then you can find reasons for being the kind of person who makes that choice. Her views really speak to me. In your view, what makes a choice hard? How should a person make hard choices?

My Answer, In Brief: Philosopher Ruth Chang offers a new perspective on hard choices: when the options are “on a par,” the decision is about what kind of person you want to be and what kind of life you want to have. If that’s helpful to you, make use of it!

Listen or Download:

Links:

To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.

Question 3: Frivolous Lawsuits (46:47)

In this segment, I answered a question on frivolous lawsuits.

Should judges refuse to hear cases from lawyers behind frivolous suits? In your 15 May 2014 show, you expressed curiosity about possible improvements to the justice system. I came up with the following idea after sitting on a jury for a civil trial where, after the plaintiff presented his case, the judge dismissed the suit without even having the defendant present his defense. In cases where a judge thinks everyone’s time and money were wasted by a pointless case, the judge should refuse to hear any future cases from the lawyer for the losing side. That would cause the lawyer to think twice about representing any frivolous cases, since he would risk being banned from the presiding judge’s courtroom henceforth. In addition, judges who know each other could share lawyer blacklists, preventing the lawyer from wasting other judges’ time as well. Would this be possible? Would it fix the problem of frivolous lawsuits?

My Answer, In Brief: The problem of frivolous lawsuits cannot simply be fixed: every proposed reform to exclude frivolous lawsuits would affect legitimate cases too. However, some reforms for the better are possible.

Listen or Download:

To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.

Rapid Fire Questions (1:00:22)

In this segment, I answered questions impromptu. The questions were:
  • What do you think of Richard Dawkins’ recent comments about abortion and Down’s syndrome? Can it ever be right to advocate eugenics, as he was doing?
  • Could it ever be moral to be involved in an orgy?

Listen or Download:

To comment on these questions or my answers, visit
its comment thread
.

Conclusion (1:06:52)

Be sure to check out the topics
scheduled for upcoming episodes
! Don’t forget to
submit and vote on questions
for future episodes too!


About Philosophy in Action Radio

Philosophy in Action Radio applies rational principles to the challenges of real life in live internet radio shows on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Episodes on Tap. For podcasts of past shows, visit the Show Archives.

support.jpgRemember, with every episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, we show how rational philosophy can help you find joy in your work, model virtue for your kids, pursue your goals effectively, communicate with respect, and advocate for a free society. We can’t do that without your support, so please remember to tip your philosopher!

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