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  1. Episode 320 - May 05, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: What did Ayn Rand think of jazz? 03:02: How would the difficulties you experienced when writing The DIM Hypothesis have been different if you had written the book surrounded by a rational culture? 04:44: In which profession do you think an Objectivist today could have the greatest cultural impact? 08:38: Is it rational to claim loyalty to a sports franchise, for example an NFL football team?
  2. Episode 319 - April 28, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YB: What changes do you see happening if China's GDP passes the United States'? 02:50: To YB: What are your views on the abject cowardice that has taken hold of the West since the Salman Rushdie fatwa in 1989? 04:44: To YB: Is there such a thing as international law? 06:20: To YB: Would you support the idea of kicking Turkey out of NATO? 07:52: To YB: What should the United States do about Russia's aggression toward the Ukraine? 11:00: To YB: The government was heavily involved in developing GPS for military technology. Would it still have been created in a free market?
  3. Episode 318 - April 21, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: Edward Snowden provided aid and comfort to the enemy by releasing vast amounts of information about our intelligence apparatus. So why do you not view him as a traitor? 06:38: What do you think of making historical events the core of a novel? 11:12: What would your advice have been to Eddie Willers, who regarded Dagny as his ideal woman, but knew he couldn't have her?
  4. Episode 317 - April 15, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YB: Do you believe anti-Semitism is prevalent and widespread throughout American culture, or is it primarily a European phenomenon? 03:46: To YB: What is your take on the Swiss? They seem to be more successful at doing many of the things that Objectivists advocate. 05:52: To YB: Should high-speed trading be illegal? 11:24: To YB: Could Bitcoin, or an equivalent digital currency, be put on the gold standard?
  5. Episode 316 - April 07, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: Should I feel guilty for having sex with a tenant of mine in exchange for lowering her rent? 03:54: A girl that is an irreplaceable value to me enjoys sharing her life experiences, and I enjoy listening to her. Sometimes she tells the same story several times and recently has begun asking me before she tells a story if I've heard it. Saying yes discourages her. Is it wrong to give a dishonest no‚ because I do like hearing the repeated stories? 08:44: Many individuals say that they like animals more than people. What does this sentiment imply philosophically?
  6. Episode 315 - March 31, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YB: Would Bitcoin exist in a free market? 06:20: To YB: What has happened to quantitative easing? 09:24: To YB: Do you believe the structure of production is being altered and capital assets are being inflated? 11:02: To YB: Will China continue to rise economically?
  7. Episode 314 - March 24, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: I did most of the work in getting my college degree (years ago). However, occasionally I violated the rules by submitting lab assignments that I copied from other people's work. Does morality require that I confess my behavior to the university? 05:12: I am dating a girl that is an internet cam girl, meaning she strips and masturbates via web chat for money. I like the fact that she fakes having a good time with other men, but is really attracted only to me. Is it wrong to fall for this girl? 09:50: What is your view of David Horowitz? 11:26: Is being a professional fitness trainer a rational and productive career?
  8. Episode 313 - March 17, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:38: To YB: Should voluntary donations be the only means of funding the government in a free society? 02:48: To YB: What would happen in an Objectivist country if another country engaged in economic war? 03:58: To YB: What is your view on Austrian economics? 07:48: To YB: It could be argued that the Islamic world was a leader in science and mathematics from the 8th to the 13th century. Today, this part of the world is among the most primitive. What happened?
  9. Episode 312 - March 10, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: Is it possible for two Objectivists not to like each other? 05:24: My mother, a millionaire, is 93 and has dementia. I have never liked her, and it so happens that I now have control over her money. Is it immoral not to spend it for her treatment so that I can save it for my inheritance? 08:26: What do you think of Western people giving their children non-traditional names like Rivers, Leaves, or naming them after an ancient figure like Aristotle? Is this non-conformity a virtue? 11:12: Was there ever a time when Ayn Rand annoyed you?
  10. Episode 311 - March 03, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:38: To YB: If China were to attack Japan, would you advocate for United States involvement on the side of the Japanese? 02:32: To YB: Why are suicide rates among soldiers so high today? 07:20: To YB: Would you agree that immigrants to America having advanced degrees are more advantageous to American than low skilled workers? 09:12: To YB: Do you think you are personally being taped by the NSA because of your activism? 11:04: To YB: Have you ever thought about running for congress? 13:10: [To YB: Should the US be a member of NATO? Should the US be a member of the United Nations? Should the United States be a part of WTO, the World Trade Organization?]
  11. Episode 310 - February 24, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: Is hope a virtue or a vice? 03:02: My boyfriend of 8 months really likes me, but he has never stated his feelings for me. Am I being petty to be bothered by the fact that even though his actions show admiration, he has never spoken the words? 06:42: Since love is a response to values, does that make it possible to love a person rationally simply for being rich? 07:40: You claim Obama is a Nihilist, but isn't "hope and change" a slogan of benevolence? 09:38: Advancement in science will probably give humans radical life extension within decades, and possibly even eliminate aging. If this happens, will changes in Objectivism be necessary to accommodate an unlimited lifespan? 11:24: [f a villain like Iago existed, who had perfected the technique of applying just enough psychological pressure to push someone to commit murder, what would the moral step be?]
  12. Episode 309 - February 17, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YB: How should an Objectivist respond when a leftist uses the phrase "trickle-down economics" to attack capitalism. Is this a straw man? 05:00: To YB: If poor people don't live as long as wealthy people because they are more likely to live an unhealthy life, should the government intervene and close this gap? 07:14: To YB: What is a good response to the liberal argument that raising the minimum wage would get a lot of people off government programs such as food stamps? 10:30: To YB: Is it a virtue to work for the government and help the population live a healthier life? 12:20: To YB: What is your assessment of Nelson Mandela?
  13. Episode 308 - February 10, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: Why did you choose to become an Objectivist teacher? What are some of the emotions you feel when teaching? 04:40: How might a book like The Ominous Parallels have been received if published in Weimar Germany? 07:04: Who is more admirable: a person who learned rational moral principles early in his life, or a person striving to be good but to whom such principles are completely novel? 09:16: I am dating a girl I really like, but mentally she is a bit slow because she is special ed. She treats me great, but I'm not sure if her mindset is that of a youngster. Does she like me because she is immature and not because of my real virtues? Should I continue dating her?
  14. Episode 307 - February 03, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: I am thirty and don't want to date anymore. Is that rational? 04:40: Does being evil destroy a person's free will? 10:56: How would you have behaved if you had lived in Nazi Germany and had been indoctrinated from childhood with all their irrational ideas?
  15. Episode 306 - January 27, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YB: Is Obama worse on foreign policy than Ron Paul? 03:22: To YB: What do you think about legalizing marijuana? Is it a step in the right direction? 05:08: To YB: Is it rational to want to purchase a firearm because the United States is collapsing, or is this just paranoid fear mongering? 08:24: To YB: Does the United Nations do anything good for the world? 09:34: To YB: Is there anything you do not like about the Tea Party? 11:36: To YB: If everyone were rational Objectivists, would we need government? 13:04: To YB: A follow-up discussion about the Palestinian people and Israel.
  16. Episode 305 - January 20, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: Can I be truly moral in every sense if I reject Objectivism? 04:32: How should I react to a religious girlfriend who repeatedly says she must save me from atheism and therefore make me happier? 08:04: You said in a past podcast that it was not morally wrong for a teacher to give an unearned grade in a particular situation. How does that square with Ayn Rand‚'s statement that "any compromise with evil can only benefit evil"?
  17. Episode 304 - January 13, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YB: What is your opinion of Noam Chomsky? 02:56: To YB: What are the odds that socialized medicine will take hold in America? 07:40: To YB: Is it immoral to either purchase insurance under Obamacare or not to pay for it? 09:00: To YB: Should the government have the right to regulate or punish an enterprise or business that throws hazardous waste into the water? 11:26: To YB: If there were an outright power grab during the next presidential election, do you think Americans would stand for a dictator? 12:24: To YB: Is there anything improper in principle or practice about the amber alert system? 33:18: To YB: What is predatory lending? Should it be legal?
  18. Episode 303 - January 06, 2014 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YB: In a true free market who would own historical landmarks? 04:20: To YB: When a will is not executed as written, whose rights are being violated? 07:28: To YB: A follow-up to the question: Why does the British government protect Muslims? 10:48: To YB: It is my understanding that after Israel had won its first Arab-Israeli War, 75 percent of the land previously partitioned by the U.N. was annexed by the Arab nation of Transjordan. Is that true? 12:30: To YB: You said totalitarians will always seek to control people and that Islam is just one manifestation they use to gain power. Is this a proper view?
  19. Episode 302 - December 30, 2013 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: My girlfriend recently had her 18th birthday and decided to spend the day with friends at a gay strip club. I feel jealous and insignificant. Why didn't she want to spend the day with me? Am I being petty? 03:40: In a recent podcast you said that you could never win an argument with Ayn Rand. Weren't there some cases where she disagreed with you on an intellectual question and then ended up with your position? 06:30: I had sex with a married girl. She is now pregnant with our child and is still married to her husband-who knows the whole story. Am I immoral for not being an active father? 07:54: Are Jewish people racist? 09:56: If you could nominate whomever you wanted for the Nobel Peace Prize, who would it be? 10:54: [What do you think about the celebration of Halloween? Did you allow your own daughter to celebrate the day?] 12:24: [What do you think of the claim that there are moderate Muslims? Are they really moderate?]
  20. Episode 301 - December 23, 2013 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YB: Do you think that, with their great access to capital, the rich can control and regulate economics, politics, and culture to the detriment of the lower income groups? 04:52: To YB: Do consumers have a moral obligation to avoid purchasing goods and services that have depended on coerced labor at some point in the supply chain? 06:04: To YB: During the Cold War America supported the Islamist in their fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan. The result was the fall of the Soviet Union without any nuclear exchange, however it gave the Islamists the confidence to come after the United States. Was it worth it, given the 9/11 attack? 09:28: To YB: Conservatives who oppose Obamacare are criticized for failing to offer a viable alternative. What is the Objectivist response to this criticism? 11:08: To YB: What did the United States do immediately after the 9/11 attacks?
  21. Episode 300 - December 16, 2013 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: If you really hurt someone because of an honest error of yours, would it be of any value, once you see your error, to apologize? Or would it be better to let the issue be and continue on in life, content that you know. 04:30: I am considering becoming a secondary school teacher and am not clear about my motivation. On one hand I like the idea of teaching history from a rational perspective. On the other, I also imagine making myself popular with the kids. Is this a bad sign? 06:20: I am convinced I am my woman's highest value, but I know she has been in past relationships and she loved those men too. I am bothered that she has slept with someone else. I wish I was the only one who was that intimate with her. Is this foolish? 08:46: I recently saw an inspirational story about a man born with no arms or legs and just one small foot. Despite this, he has learned how to write, use a computer, make eggs, etc. He attributes his courage to religion. So, is religion valuable for some people? 11:02: Would it be moral for a virgin with a terminal illness to visit a brothel before he dies, if that was the only way for him to experience sex?
  22. Episode 299 - December 09, 2013 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: Is the emotion of worry a learned emotion? 06:20: I am in a happy relationship with my girlfriend. I am sure we will end up together, but I have an attraction to the male sex also. Rationally speaking that is not what I want at all. I have told her all this and she understands. But it often makes me feel depressed. How should I deal with this problem? 10:34: Is it rational to have children simply for the sake of having someone to take care of you when you reach old age? 11:44: Can a disease that is painful and debilitating, but not terminal, be justification for suicide?
  23. Episode 298 - December 02, 2013 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YBrook: Why are healthcare costs rising? 05:46: To YBrook: If he cannot be described as "selfish," what word would you use to denote someone like Bernie Madoff who acts scrupulously to get money for himself? 06:40: To YBrook: If there really is a holocaust in Syria, why should the United States not intervene to protect the victims? 09:34: To YBrook: In a free society, does the government need the people's consent before waging war against a dictator? 10:20: To YBrook: How should the government acquire nuclear weapons? Should it buy them from private business? 11:18: [To YBrook: Should government help in cases of natural disasters?]
  24. Episode 297 - November 25, 2013 Available on iTunes Search the Index 01:08: I am a mass communications specialist in the U.S. Navy, and my current assignment poses an ethical dilemma: I am asked to publicly laud many Navy policies, some of which I strongly oppose. What should I do? 08:28: In a previous podcast you said that most people stop thinking at 30. Why do you think this is and is it inevitable? 09:48: Is loneliness the most painful thing in life? 12:12: My boyfriend must move to another state in a few months for work. It's highly probable that we cannot make things work out long-distance. Is it self destructive for me to spend his last two months still dating, knowing that it will make it harder when he leaves?
  25. Episode 296 - November 18, 2013 Available on iTunes Search the Index 00:40: To YBrook: Has freedom of speech been censored in America? Is it time for a revolution? 03:44: To YBrook: I read a statistic that says air pollution kills two million people per year. If that is true, what should the government's role be in dealing with this disaster? 06:48: To YBrook: I am a white South African male. Many of my friends wear t-shirts saying, "I benefit from apartheid." I am disgusted by the unearned guilt on my part that this implies. Is this disgust warranted? 08:36: To YBrook: Are naked credit default swaps ethical? 12:12: To YBrook: Is it immoral for me to deliver newspapers if I am horrified by their content?
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