Gramlich Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 I've recently applied and been offered a research fellowship with NASA. This would look good on my resume and I would be getting experience and get $3,000 to boot. I was wondering whether it would be moral to take this research fellowship, and I was wondering what other objectivist's opinions were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Why wouldn't it be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Why wouldn't it be? Ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Why wouldn't it be? Because it's an illegitimate government agency? The real question to ask is if the agency would have a parallel in a capitalist society? The answer is yes, but obviously private space exploration and exploitation companies would and do operate much more efficiently and differently than the wasteful and essentially pointless missions of NASA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Because it's an illegitimate government agency? The real question to ask is if the agency would have a parallel in a capitalist society? The answer is yes, but obviously private space exploration and exploitation companies would and do operate much more efficiently and differently than the wasteful and essentially pointless missions of NASA. But Gram lives in the here and now and he has the opportunity to further his life doing something he is interested in NOW, not in some far off uncertain future. I'm sure if he had the choice he would work for a private company, but he doesn't and he shouldn't defer his life till that uncertain eventuality occurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 But Gram lives in the here and now and he has the opportunity to further his life doing something he is interested in NOW, not in some far off uncertain future. I'm sure if he had the choice he would work for a private company, but he doesn't and he shouldn't defer his life till that uncertain eventuality occurs. I wasn't saying that it isn't moral to work for NASA now, I was just stating the principle on how one decides whether or not it is moral to work for a government agency while also being critical of NASA and it's mission. It's moral to work for today's space agency or, say, the Post Office. It would be immoral to work for the IRS or it's subsidiaries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greebo Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 I've recently applied and been offered a research fellowship with NASA. This would look good on my resume and I would be getting experience and get $3,000 to boot. I was wondering whether it would be moral to take this research fellowship, and I was wondering what other objectivist's opinions were. You are forced, as we all are, to pay the fruits of our labor to the Government so that they can spread it around in some manner they see fit. If you're forced to work within that system to pursue your values, then being paid by that system is not immoral. Nor is it hypocritical to work with the system while condemning it at the same time, so long as you do what you *can* do to change the system from within. (Voting, speaking out against the injustice of the system, etc.) Personally, I'd rather my tax dollars went to someone like you anyway, so more power too you, Mr. Rocket Scientist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilicyote Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 There is nothng immoral with taking the job. However, bear in mind that at Space-X (an example of a private sector alternative) they would not hire anyone who had worked at NASA. Seems they thought they had been corrupted. I don't know if that meant morally, or intellectually -- or both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramlich Posted May 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Thank you for your replies, I took the fellowship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Thank you for your replies, I took the fellowship. Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimpy Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Congratulations! My research project is funded by NASA. Like others have said, given that so much of your money is forcibly taken from you to advance the government's agenda, it is not immoral to reclaim some of that money back in the form of working for a employer who is funded by the government. Otherwise, 90% of academics would likely be out of a job. And many others, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peripeteia Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Congratulations!!! Gaining in wisdom is never immoral. Live long and prosper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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