Should drugs be legalized? If so, how? Complete legalization? Controlled legalization? Decriminalization? What is a drug anyway? And “what is it” about a particular drug that makes it either legal or illegal? State legislation? Some inherent property? Consequences related to the drug? Are we asking the right questions? What’s the debate really about? Personal freedom? The protective powers of the state? What are the fundamental philosophical issues?

Read the rest of this entry »

Do animals have rights? If so, what sort of rights are they? What are they (the animals) entitled to? Whose duty is it to respect their rights? What sort of entities are the proper bearers of rights, anyway? What’s an animal? Are all animals equal? Are the rights that animals possess similar to the rights that humans possess? If so, what is the basis for such rights? Biological life? Moral agency? Consciousness? The awareness of pain or suffering? Does nature tell us anything about how animals should be treated? Should we all become vegetarians?

Read the rest of this entry »

Do We Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Environment? What is the environment? What is the value and moral status of the environment? Is the value of the environment merely instrumental? Or does the environment posses some intrinsic value? Does the environment exist, primarily, for the benefit of man? What kinds of ethical obligation do humans have towards non-humans? Is it morally wrong to perform actions that are harmful to future generations?

Read the rest of this entry »

What is sex? What constitutes a sex act? What is the purpose of sex? Reproduction? Pleasure? Both? No purpose? What does nature tell us, if anything, about sex? Are there any moral obligations related to sexual intimacy?

GRS Real Philosophy Series (Episode 5)

Life in the real world often forces people to engage themselves in various philosophical enterprises, most of which involve the sorting out of various “tough questions.” This eight-part series will focus on several important philosophical issues related to some of those tough questions.

Who are we? What sort of things, metaphysically speaking, are you and I and other human beings? What does it mean to be a person? What is it about us that is able to persist through time? What matters most about personal identity?

GRS Real Philosophy Series (Episode 4)

Life in the real world often forces people to engage themselves in various philosophical enterprises, most of which involve the sorting out of various “tough questions.” This eight-part series will focus on several important philosophical issues related to some of those tough questions.

What is Racism? Is race a biological fact or a social construct? What constitutes racist behavior? Can anyone be a racist? Is racism still a problem?

GRS Real Philosophy Series (Episode 3)

Life in the real world often forces people to engage themselves in various philosophical enterprises, most of which involve the sorting out of various “tough questions.” This eight-part series will focus on several important philosophical issues related to some of those tough questions.

What is free will? Do human beings have free will? Is free will compatible or incompatible with the concept of determinism? What is determinism? Are human beings morally responsible for their actions?

GRS Real Philosophy Series (Episode 2)

Life in the real world often forces people to engage themselves in various philosophical enterprises, most of which involve the sorting out of various “tough questions.” This eight-part series will focus on several important philosophical issues related to some of those tough questions.

Is there a moral difference between killing and letting die? Do individuals have a right to die? What constitutes death? What role should the state play, if any, in answering these sorts of questions?

GRS Real Philosophy Series (Episode 1)

Life in the real world often forces people to engage themselves in various philosophical enterprises, most of which involve the sorting out of various “tough questions.” This eight-part series will focus on several important philosophical issues related to some of those tough questions.