Uploaded January 2019 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this episode of Functional Philosophy, I answer the following questions:
00:38 - "What is the proper way to think about unpunished crimes, particularly heinous crimes? Does a criminal suffer enough psychologically? How does one maintain confidence in one's principles if evil can sometimes win? Or, how can one be certain that evil can never win, even if the criminal is never prosecuted? How can a victim of a heinous crime, or a person close to a victim, deal with their values being destroyed by no fault of their own? What do you do after that?"
13:32 - "I've recently noticed that the seemingly rational people I talk to hold fairly high level beliefs(such as the validity of human rights) as intrinsic truths without any further basis. When I try to press such people for the reason for their beliefs, they deny that there can or should be a reason. Could you explain how and why people come to hold and keep rational ideas through irrational means? It makes sense to me that irrational ideas could be held aloft by faith alone but the same doesn't seem possible for the truth."
17:44 - "Why is viability the line of being human whats so special about not being attached to something or someone to live?
Could consciousness be more uniquely human and a better line to distinguish a human life? Perhaps science isnt advanced enough to know when consciousness forms but what if hypothetically they prove it starts around the 4th week of gestation(same time the synapses begin) would this change anything morally about terminating it?"
***
Functional Philosophy is the weekly Q&A podcast that helps you gain and strengthen the philosophical foundations required to achieve certainty, success, and happiness.
Subscribe to hear philosopher Charles Tew, an expert on Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism, answer your questions on philosophy, politics, career, romance, and more. New episodes on Mondays.
Website: charlestew.com
Podcast: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/functional-philosophy/id1242722316?mt=2
Patreon: patreon.com/charlestew
In this episode of Functional Philosophy, I answer the following questions:
00:38 - "What is the proper way to think about unpunished crimes, particularly heinous crimes? Does a criminal suffer enough psychologically? How does one maintain confidence in one's principles if evil can sometimes win? Or, how can one be certain that evil can never win, even if the criminal is never prosecuted? How can a victim of a heinous crime, or a person close to a victim, deal with their values being destroyed by no fault of their own? What do you do after that?"
13:32 - "I've recently noticed that the seemingly rational people I talk to hold fairly high level beliefs(such as the validity of human rights) as intrinsic truths without any further basis. When I try to press such people for the reason for their beliefs, they deny that there can or should be a reason. Could you explain how and why people come to hold and keep rational ideas through irrational means? It makes sense to me that irrational ideas could be held aloft by faith alone but the same doesn't seem possible for the truth."
17:44 - "Why is viability the line of being human whats so special about not being attached to something or someone to live?
Could consciousness be more uniquely human and a better line to distinguish a human life? Perhaps science isnt advanced enough to know when consciousness forms but what if hypothetically they prove it starts around the 4th week of gestation(same time the synapses begin) would this change anything morally about terminating it?"
***
Functional Philosophy is the weekly Q&A podcast that helps you gain and strengthen the philosophical foundations required to achieve certainty, success, and happiness.
Subscribe to hear philosopher Charles Tew, an expert on Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism, answer your questions on philosophy, politics, career, romance, and more. New episodes on Mondays.
Website: charlestew.com
Podcast: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/functional-philosophy/id1242722316?mt=2
Patreon: patreon.com/charlestew
