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Unofficial Index to Dr. Peikoff's Podcasts

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Episode 105 - March 29, 2010



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00:47: Why is it acceptable to put an advertisement up on personal property, but not pornography?

04:59: How important is physical appearance?

13:02: Should one think of one‚'s self in third person?

14:30: Is it valid to have less sympathy for Haiti after the 2010 earthquake because extreme poverty and corruption has compounded the situation? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 106 - April 05, 2010



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00:44: I've been fascinated by the stories on a cassette tape that I found years ago and I've wanted to turn them into a play. But, if I were to adapt parts of the interview as dialogue, is that moral?

02:14: Are children‚'s stories exempt from your concerns, which you expressed in earlier shows about indoctrinating children?

04:20: Are you, Dr. Peikoff, an interventionist or an isolationist in regard to foreign policy?

08:48: What about the unavoidable choice of having to settle for less in romantic relationships in terms of finding someone that has everything you want, that also wants you?

13:00: Is bringing up incidents from the past a proper way to argue? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 107 - April 12, 2010



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00:44: Why did no other society develop a pro-man sense of life, like Greece did?

08:03: If one‚'s underage children spend half their time with their father, is it proper for the dad to move to another state if the children cannot move with him?

13:35: If a person feels he is looked down upon because of his race, does having pride in your race as a self-esteem booster, make racism good? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 108 - April 19, 2010



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00:52: What do you think of the issue of gays in the military?

05:43: I really love a woman and believe she loves me too, but sometimes she treats me in a degrading way. What should I do? Shouldn't my feelings be decisive

10:59: Should I feel guilty for not being involved in my child‚'s life (but pay child support) if I did not want to have the child and was adamant about it? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 109 - April 26, 2010



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00:50: I carry a permitted weapon. When invited to someone‚'s home, do I have an ethical obligation to disclose that I am carrying a gun?

02:34: Does a woman have a right to refuse medical treatment during pregnancy or abuse her body?

04:33: What do you think about people from other countries celebrating their country of origins Independence Day here in America?

07:24: What are the rights of the dead in regards to their body?

09:12: Makeup. Women generally wear it and men don‚'t. Is this an arbitrary social convention or does it have an objective basis?

12:00: What was the philosophy question posed by the three students in Atlas Shrugged at the end of their first classroom meeting with Dr. Axton?

12:51: I attend a public high school that requires a senior year government class. The grade requires community service hours. Is it irrational to refuse to do these hours in an attempt to stand up for my rights?

14:17: Do you have any advice for young people who love Atlas Shrugged but are bombarded with questions they can‚'t answer? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 110 - May 03, 2010



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00:47: Is Ayn Rand‚'s philosophy a "closed system"?

03:50: If someone invested money with Bernie Madoff and made a large profit before Madoff was caught, is it immoral for the person to keep the money?

09:50: Did Ayn Rand like driving or did she prefer to have others drive her? What kind of cars did she own?

12:46: A situation discussed in the New York Times: A man checked in to a hotel and ate the $6 box of Oreos in the minibar. Later that day he replenished the Oreos in the minibar with store bought Oreos before the minibar was restocked. Is this proper?

14:27: Should I challenge my left wing professor on her assertions in economics even though I am young and lack the knowledge and experience that she has in economics? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 111 - May 10, 2010



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00:49: I am in love with my ex girlfriend who is now seeing someone else. Is my feeling of jealousy inconsistent with loving?

06:05: Does Objectivist philosophy offer any source of comfort in times of tragedy and distress like God does?

08:58: Why didn't Ayn Rand participate in public debates?

12:05: [Doesn't a layman have to give some credence to experts in a field simply because they're experts and he isn't? This is asked in the context of climate scientists with all their data allegedly proving global warming.] Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 112 - May 17, 2010



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00:49: In the Fountainhead Gail Wynand gives in to the demands of the strikers. In Atlas Shrugged Rearden signs away his property rights. Both actions were the results of the character‚'s faulty premises and yet Ayn Rand allows redemption to Rearden. Why?

02:30: Is Gail Wynand a second-hander?

04:15: Why did Wynand choose to keep The Banner, his newspaper, running knowing it would end his life?

05:35: How should I respond to an honest, well-meaning person who assumes everyone is religious?

08:52: Given the Obama administration and your stand on Republicans, will you support or vote for a Republican in November? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 113 - May 24, 2010



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00:44: Is providing accurate information to an extorting government objective and rational?

06:17: Are most people today second-hand?

08:50: I am having a hard time completing my first novel. I categorize my problem as weariness from years of struggling. Is forcing myself to sit down and work capitulating to duty?

13:38: In Anthem Ayn Rand writes, "I need no warrant for being" and "No word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction"- what is the difference? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 114 - May 31, 2010



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00:44: Is it moral to refuse to pay a "healthcare fee" added to your restaurant bill?

02:09: Due to the number of immoral laws, government lawyers occasionally must prosecute innocent people. Is this proper if the lawyer knows that the law in question is wrong?

07:31: If man is a rational being, are severely retarded humans men?

08:56: When you were a college professor did you mention Ayn Rand to your students or did you just teach from an Objectivist perspective?

12:21: Is Atlas Shrugged the most philosophically ambitious novel an artwork ever created? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 115 - May 31, 2010



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00:44: Animals don‚'t have rights. Does a moral man then have to stand idly by and allow a dog to be tortured by its owner?

02:45: Ayn Rand accepts the right of the state in the Administration of Justice to subpoena witnesses, but this depends on the use of force and coercion of witnesses to testify. Why is this justified?

04:52: Would an alien race comprised of individuals who are mortal, and survived via their rational faculty, qualify as human despite their very different DNA?

08:05: To what extent is it proper for a government to outsource its legitimate function to private contract?

09:25: Is there any type of philosophical question that can be legitimately answered with an "I don‚'t know"?

11:24: How can we know the facts of history are true if the events were in the past and are only known to us through records? Is there a difference between an atheist and a religious person in this issue? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 116 - June 16, 2010



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00:44: What would be the effect on morality if human nature changes, for example by continual evolution?

02:56: Can free will be used to detach bad memories from the subconscious?

05:45: Should businesses be allowed to sell tobacco and alcohol products to people of any age they wish?

06:50: What if anything would prevent a proper government, if we ever establish one, from sliding toward socialism as the United States has done?

11:19: What is wrong with "swinging" at parties? Isn't this an expansion of sexual activities and the pursuit of pleasure that sex brings? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 117 - June 21, 2010



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00:44: Would an Objectivist consider it immoral to take a job helping someone write a book which attempts to present rational arguments for the existence of a god?

01:59: Is it immoral to vandalize or use force in retaliation against legislators who initiate force by voting for immoral laws? For example, the allegation that Tea Party protestors threw bricks through the windows of the offices of representatives that voted for the healthcare bill.

03:58: How do you distinguish between patriotism and neoconservatism?

05:03: Why did Ayn Rand never lose her thick accent?

06:47: A passage written about The Fountainhead reads, "‚Dominique Francon, the exquisitely beautiful woman who loved Roark passionately but married his worst enemy‚" I've always had the impression that Toohey was Roark‚'s worst enemy. Was the passage written a mistake by the publisher?

09:15: My wife doesn't enjoy seafood. Every time she declines to eat it, she is bombarded with suggestions of different types that she would enjoy if she just tried it. Is telling people she has a mild allergy morally okay?

11:03: In the context of a fetus not being self-sustaining, you said rights belong only to self-sustaining living organisms, so what about people taking medication to maintain their bodily functions? Do they still have rights?

12:48: What does it mean to be an intellectual heir, which is what Ayn Rand called you? Is it important that there is always an intellectual heir for her work? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 119 - July 05, 2010



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00:46: Is it ever moral to be arrogant? If not, why did Ayn Rand admire Muhammad Ali‚'s arrogance?

02:57: What is the proper government attitude toward immigration?

12:56: Ayn Rand talks about studying other philosophers for self-protection. How should I get started? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 120 - July 12, 2010


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00:44: Do you think psychological problems can hinder or prevent someone from living according to Objectivism?

02:20: [Followup to previous question: Is there a way to get around this obstacle other than solving your psychological problems?]

02:51: You say a fetus has no rights, but what about a child born with a deformity that can be directly traced to the mother‚'s choices during pregnancy? Can the mother be charged with child endangerment?

05:07: If someone threatened force against me would I be justified in firing first or must I wait until force is actually used against me?

06:40: Why is the taste of meat more valuable than the animal‚'s freedom in life?

10:22: Is it in a rational soldier‚'s interest to enjoy the act of killing the enemy?

11:57: You've said that foreigners have no civil rights in another country. What are civil rights and what rights do you think foreigners do have? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 121 - July 19, 2010



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00:52: If an emotionally abusive person is aware of her tendencies and has decided to change after a particularly abusive event, do you think this person can be dealt with?

02:42: If I pay partial — but not full — attention to something, is that an evasion of reality?

04:46: The creators of South Park have been threatened by radical Muslims for depicting Muhammad in a bear costume on their show. In response, some people are exhibiting a similar picture in protest to show solidarity with the South Park creators and as a way to reaffirm their right to free speech. Is this wise?

08:20: Should jury duty be compulsory as it is in the U.S. today?

10:29: Is simply living a moral life now enough to negate your previous wrongdoings, or is it necessary to take steps to make up for your past mistakes?

12:30: Is it possible for an Objectivist and someone who is merely a fellow-traveler of Objectivism, but who accepts a lot of it along with mystical ideas, to align in working to achieve a perfect society? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 122 - July 26, 2010



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00:44: Is environmentalism the new communism? What are the similarities and differences?

01:44: Is it permissible or moral to date a non-Objectivist?

04:42: I am a homosexual who only finds romantic value in full masculinity. However, in my opinion a fully masculine mind is possible only in heterosexual men, and I am therefore only attracted to such men. How should I deal with this painful situation?

05:56: Around what time would you say that you became a full-fledged philosopher as opposed to a philosophy student? When would you say that you became an Objectivist as opposed to a student of Objectivism?

07:16: We disregard ESP and the like because we accept the five senses as the only base of knowledge. Would it therefore be rational for a man who was blind from birth to disregard claims about reality based on the sense of sight?

09:20: Can irrational philosophers still be called philosophers?

10:18: Spoiler Alert: What made Ayn Rand in Atlas Shrugged give Cheryl Taggart such an unfair ending?

12:00: How much should you expect to love what you do for a living? Can you settle for non-love, but find ways to like what you get paid to do? Or Is settling like that selling yourself short? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 123 - August 02, 2010



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00:44: As a student of Ayn Rand did you realize that your understanding of Objectivism to some extent had been in your views even before you read her?

02:14: Why aren't Christians the most outspoken opponents of multiculturalism since they claim absolute truth, believe sinners are going to go to hell, and have a huge moral gulf between the godly and the unchristian?

03:56: Ayn Rand said that there are certain philosophical questions that are improper, namely questions that contradict philosophical axioms. Why did she say these in particular?

05:06: If after years of consistent good parenting a child turns out bad, can a parent still feel pride in their accomplishment in raising him to adulthood?

06:16: Have you considered cryogenically freezing yourself in the hopes that future technology will be able to restore you?

07:50: I am an Objectivist. Why should I make a detailed study of the epistemological ideas that Ayn Rand originated?

09:10: Imagine you are at your funeral at 80 years old. All of your friends, family, and colleagues come to honor you. Now think about what you would want them to say about you. Most people want to hear how great they were in their relationships, not how great they were in their business or career. What about you?

11:32: According to Objectivism, is it okay to have sex with anyone who is the highest and best partner that I can find at this time?

12:56: Did Ayn Rand ever worry that the KGB might try to do her harm? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 124 - August 09, 2010



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00:44: Should elected representatives in a republic vote for or against laws based on their own objective judgment, or should they only vote based on how their constituents want them to?

02:04: What is the purpose of clothing besides shielding against the elements?

03:36: Is it wrong to enjoy horror films? didn't Ayn Rand denounce horror movies?

05:16: If I had a time machine and went back before Kant and before the Critique to show him what his philosophy led to, and as a result he changed his mind and quit writing, would he still be considered evil?

06:18: Did Ayn Rand listen to music when she wrote?

07:14: What does it mean to know a person? What does it mean to know yourself? Does my knowledge of another person have a different epistemological status than of non-human?

10:16: What is the thinking error in the following: "Good is completely intolerant of evil. Evil requires only the slightest compromise of principles to take over. It follows, therefore, that if we had a perfect civilization but the slightest lapse of mental focus took place, that lapse would threaten the whole civilization."

13:44: Is it better for someone to integrate their ideas by an incorrect philosophy or merely hold a disparate assortment of ideas? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 125 - August 16, 2010



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00:44: Is there any validity to the popular term "sociopath"?

02:30: In an earlier lecture you decided that the age of 18 is what qualifies a person as an adult. However, this seems arbitrary. Since man is a rational animal, why not say a person becomes an adult when he has developed reason to the level of a grownup?

07:24: Can a vigilante murder ever be morally acceptable?

10:06: How does Objectivism increase one‚'s confidence?

12:46: Can one say that to be born with brains is an issue of luck? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 126 - August 23, 2010



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00:44: Is it ever rational to get upset about insults from strangers if the thing you are being insulted about isn't actually a deficiency or is completely non-essential?

04:14: Should one engage in recreational activities only as a reward for achievement, or is it morally permissible to pursue recreational activities for their own sake?

06:08: I have a friend who regulates the photos she puts up on Facebook, worrying that other people will deem her unprofessional. By creating a selective reality isn't she really distorting her picture?

08:10: Why do you say that humor is a destructive element?

11:16: Is it morally okay for me to hide my former Christianity from friends that are still Christian so as not to hurt them? And to do so even lying about my viewpoint and participating in prayer with them?

13:38: Is it moral for an Objectivist to be a member of a union? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 127 - August 30, 2010



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00:44: I would feel better in having total disconnect from my parents because interacting with them brings a drastically different sense of life in to my mind and changes the way I feel about life the rest of the time. Is this a normal and reasonable response?

04:02: Would it be inconsistent in one‚'s philosophy to engage in video games that put one into a different world or reality?

06:34: Love and art are both an expression of a man‚'s sense of life, which suggests that love and art can serve similar purposes. Can art be a semi-substitute for sex?

13:10: Is there a person like Ellsworth Toohey, from The Fountainhead, out there in the real world? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 128 - September 06, 2010



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00:44: I recently read a news article about a blackmailer sentenced to jail for threatening to expose that he had a gay sexual relationship with a religious university piano instructor. Is such a blackmailer immoral? And, if so, should his action also be illegal?

04:06: What is the significance of joyful crying? Is it bad if someone cries at a joyous occasion?

06:45: How would an Objectivist combat jealousy in a relationship?

10:46: Why did Aristotle believe that slavery is natural?

13:22: Would it be moral for a man who knowingly committed a crime to attempt to avoid a conviction, if the law under which he would be convicted is unjust? Edited by Forum Publisher
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Episode 129 - September 13, 2010



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00:44: If you find self-interest in helping others, is it still considered an Objectivist act?

02:22: [is it immoral to steal an election so that an Objectivist candidate wins?]

03:24: You said that if a country had laissez-faire it should not control immigration. What if New Zealand, with a population of 4.5 million people, had laissez-faire? Would it be obligated to accept all immigrants, even if that resulted in its becoming Muslim and having Sharia imposed?

08:10: Should I be happy that Ayn Rand found no lover in Russia and therefore had no reason to remain there?

09:58: Where does assisted suicide stand in regard to a dying patient who is suffering with a 6 month prognosis? Does quality supersede quantity? Edited by Forum Publisher
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