Ideas have consequences. Even if your ideas about matters such as free will are implicit and subconscious, you still hold them. Which philosophical ideas you hold determine how you will approach your day—indeed, your entire life. The dominant idea of … Continue reading
I often hear well-meaning people say, ‘I know what decision is best for me. But I can’t do what’s selfish, can I?’ For example, maybe you don’t want to end a relationship that’s no longer making you happy. Or maybe … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: How would you recommend overcoming a fear of something? What steps should you take to combat a phobia? And should you do something as extreme as what G. Gordon Liddy said he did as a youth to … Continue reading
Ohio prosecutors say they may seek the death penalty against Ariel Castro, the Cleveland man charged with the kidnap and rape of three women he brutalized for a decade while reportedly inducing abortions in at least one of the captives. … Continue reading
We can do better than our present leaders, and nearly everyone seems to understand and sense this fact. But we’re never going to have good leaders in this country unless or until the majority of us question the basic premise … Continue reading
Some say, ‘Money is the root of all evil.’ Is it better to say, ‘Greed is the root of all evil’? No. Either way you say it, both are wrong. Greed is an emotion. It’s a zest for something, a … Continue reading
Most people look at ‘business’ as something separate from everything else in life, and at best, a necessary evil. Something you have to do. Or a way to make money—in a practical, but never creative, artistic or (perish the thought) … Continue reading
‘Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.’ So says the New Testament of the Bible—the basis for the dominant Christian ethics of our society, and for much of the Western world. I don’t understand … Continue reading
If self-interest (rationally and objectively defined) is healthy and virtuous (as this column regularly claims), then what can we say about the person who lies, cheats, or otherwise exploits others via fraud and/or coercion? Such a person is at war … Continue reading
Q: I am working towards going to medical school, and as part of that process need to take some college classes as prerequisites for med school. I am a 6-year military veteran and therefore qualify for the GI Bill, which … Continue reading
You will often hear the phrase, ‘What goes around, comes around.’ I like this phrase, although not for the reasons people usually give. People who like or use this phrase generally mean to imply, ‘There’s a higher being making sure … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: I lie for reasons other than personal gain or approval. I make up stories about adventures I’ve never had and things like that, and I add shocking things. It’s not in my rational self-interest and it puts … Continue reading