Ethics – Page 7 – Stephen Hicks, Ph.D.

On Being the Entrepreneur of Your Life [Open College transcript]

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneurship, Ethics / Stephen Hicks

We’re posting serially at thinkspot the transcripts of my Open College podcasts. Here’s the twelfth: OC12: On Being the Entrepreneur of Your Life. “Entrepreneurs often seem to live larger than life: they take big risks, they make their own rules, they are innovative, they experiment, they often question everything that everybody else takes for granted. […]

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Is Envy Worse in a Free Society? [Open College transcript]

Leave a Comment / Ethics, Psychology / Stephen Hicks

We’re posting serially at thinkspot the transcripts of my Open College podcasts. Here’s the eleventh: OC11: Is Envy Worse in a Free Society? “Is a free and open society more susceptible to the dangers of envy? It’s an interesting question because most often the envy charge is used against socialism, or any kind of outcome-egalitarian

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On accepting government grants, paybacks, subsidies (and the PPP in particular)

5 Comments / Ethics, Politics / Stephen Hicks

A number of free-society individuals and organizations I’m involved with have been arguing about whether it’s appropriate to participate in the US government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), devised in response to the Covid-19 disruptions, shut-downs, and lockdowns. That particular program’s issues raise also more general issues of government funds. So: my thoughts. (Speaking only for

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J.S. Mill on Covid-19 lockdowns

Leave a Comment / Ethics, Humor / Stephen Hicks

“Many a person remains in the same town, street, or house from January to December, without a wish or thought tending towards removal, who, if confined to that same place by the mandate of authority, would find the imprisonment absolutely intolerable.” Source: John Stuart Mill, Collected Works of John Stuart Mill: Principles of Political Economy

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Index of Moral Freedom

Leave a Comment / Ethics / Stephen Hicks

Countries ranked in five areas of moral freedom: Category A. Religious indicators. How free is the practice of any religion or none, and how religious-controlled is the state. Category B. Bioethical indicators. How free is individual decision making on matters posing bioethical questions. Category C. Drugs indicators. How free is the production, trade and consumption

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Senator Duckworth / Jane Addams inverted morality

1 Comment / Ethics / Stephen Hicks

Even making allowances for politicians’ blabbermouthing … … this is inane and the opposite of morality. * I earn $100 for myself. But earning $100 for my employer is more important? And infinitely so? * I do a good job mowing my lawn. But mowing my neighbor’s lawn is more important? * I successfully find

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Should racists get medical care?

2 Comments / Ethics / Stephen Hicks

* An angry atheist shows up at a Catholic hospital needing treatment. * A sexist says he prefers not to have a woman doctor. * A surgeon realizes that his patient is a suspected pedophile. Medical ethics for professionals: Does one treat even blasphemers, misogynists, and perverts to the best of one’s abilities? And the

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Either God or the State??

4 Comments / Ethics / Stephen Hicks

Read this WSJ article reporting on Attorney-General Bob Barr’s speech at the University of Notre Dame, and then ask: Are these the premises shared by both left and right? 1. People need morality. 2. Morality can come only from either Church or State. The current right then argues that the government’s doing a bad job,

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