Philosophy
I was having a conversation with the short people while pumping gas and they asked about the strange numbers on the sign in front of the station. I answered that it was the price of a gallon of gas and they asked why it always ended with 9/10ths of a cent. I explained that it was so that people seeing the sign would think they are paying $2.49 per gallon, but really paid $2.50. They got quite upset accusing all gas stations of lying. I said, grinning, that they were clearly advertising the true price, so how could it be lying? Their response (in different words) was that while they were telling the truth, they were saying it in a way they knew would be deceptive and it was that intention to use our psychology against us to make us believe something different than what they knew to be the case that made it lying. So, is it a lie?
- Earth Day
Happy Earth Day everyone. With the price of gas nearing an average of $4/gallon and the one year anniversary of the nation's worst oil spill in the news, one would think we would be having serious discussions of alternative energy and weening ourselves...
- Comedist Confessions
My Fellow Comedists, We just had Yom Kippur, the day when Jews around the world ask for forgiveness for their sins. (Leave it to the Jews to make the holiest day of the year a time set aside to feel guilty.) Catholics have confession and I was just listening...
- Health Insurance Industry Lies, But Is It Wrong?
AHIP, the industry lobbying group for health insurance corporations, paid the venerable firm PricewaterhouseCoopers to take a look at the bill that worked its way through the Senate Finance Committee yesterday. In their report, which the industry trumpeted...
- Tax Ethics
If someone donates all of the proceeds from some work, say an author donates his royalties from a book or a chef donates a meal, to a worthy cause, we think it is surely a good act. Suppose the person then claims the donation on their taxes. does that...
- Fair Price And Market Price
Picking up on yesterday's discussion, let's consider the difference between morality and the marketplace. What is the fair price for something? When you go to, say, the Kelley Blue Book site, they will tell you what the fair market value for any...
Philosophy
Lying and the Price of Gas
I was having a conversation with the short people while pumping gas and they asked about the strange numbers on the sign in front of the station. I answered that it was the price of a gallon of gas and they asked why it always ended with 9/10ths of a cent. I explained that it was so that people seeing the sign would think they are paying $2.49 per gallon, but really paid $2.50. They got quite upset accusing all gas stations of lying. I said, grinning, that they were clearly advertising the true price, so how could it be lying? Their response (in different words) was that while they were telling the truth, they were saying it in a way they knew would be deceptive and it was that intention to use our psychology against us to make us believe something different than what they knew to be the case that made it lying. So, is it a lie?
- Earth Day
Happy Earth Day everyone. With the price of gas nearing an average of $4/gallon and the one year anniversary of the nation's worst oil spill in the news, one would think we would be having serious discussions of alternative energy and weening ourselves...
- Comedist Confessions
My Fellow Comedists, We just had Yom Kippur, the day when Jews around the world ask for forgiveness for their sins. (Leave it to the Jews to make the holiest day of the year a time set aside to feel guilty.) Catholics have confession and I was just listening...
- Health Insurance Industry Lies, But Is It Wrong?
AHIP, the industry lobbying group for health insurance corporations, paid the venerable firm PricewaterhouseCoopers to take a look at the bill that worked its way through the Senate Finance Committee yesterday. In their report, which the industry trumpeted...
- Tax Ethics
If someone donates all of the proceeds from some work, say an author donates his royalties from a book or a chef donates a meal, to a worthy cause, we think it is surely a good act. Suppose the person then claims the donation on their taxes. does that...
- Fair Price And Market Price
Picking up on yesterday's discussion, let's consider the difference between morality and the marketplace. What is the fair price for something? When you go to, say, the Kelley Blue Book site, they will tell you what the fair market value for any...