Online Casinos with Fast Payouts 2023

Pro gamblers love fast payout casinos because they allow them to instantly turn around their money. Fast payouts allow for continuous cash flow and a sustainable gambling experience.

We all know how important it can be to withdraw winnings immediately. Quick withdrawals are essential when you want to reinvest your cash instantly and chase future wins with minimal hassle.

Fast Payout Casinos Explained

Fast payout casinos are those that pay their customers quickly. Sometimes the transfer of cash from a gambling website to a winning punter is slow, tedious, and sometimes frustrating. In some cases, it can take up to five days. But, faster payout casino sites are reducing their payment times. Withdrawals at fast-paying casinos can be made in 24 hours or even instantaneously.

The customer's bank method is largely what determines whether a fast-paying casino can offer instant or quick withdrawals. For example, e-Wallets, pay-by phone options, and cryptocurrency payments are all well-placed for fast payouts. However, other payment methods, such as bank transfers and debit cards, tend to run at a slower rate.

All licensed UK gambling sites must also conduct Know Your Customer (KYC), checks to prevent money laundering or fraud. These checks can sometimes interfere with payment times.

An online casino that offers fast payouts does two things:

  • It offers lightning fast payment options, including transfer speeds of up to ten times.
  • It also ensures that processing times are as quick as possible.

For example, if you withdraw to your PayPal account, the casino will have to process the payment first. Some sites are faster than others. Many fast withdrawal casinos process payments faster during the week than they do at weekends.

A quick payout is usually within 24 hours. Sometimes, processing by the casino can take more than a day. However, the actual payment will be processed almost immediately. Processing speed is determined by the resources available to conduct checks and prevent fraud at the gambling site. There are also payment methods that are slower than others, so many factors are involved.

How to sign up at a fast-paying casino

A fast withdrawal casino sign-up is just as easy as the payouts. These sites offer a number of ways to start.

  • View our list of fast-paying casinos - here you will find our hand-picked collection of fast withdrawal casinos. You can compare the options until you find the one that suits you best.
  • Click here to register and click the "claim bonus" button to go to the casino's registration page. Later, you'll be eligible to claim your welcome bonus.
  • Complete the registration form - you will need to create a username, password, enter your name, address, and agree to the terms and conditions.
  • Claim your Welcome Offer - Once you have registered, you will be able to claim a bonus for your new customers before you start spinning the reels.

How to Withdraw Money from Fast Payout Casinos

It is easy to withdraw money from fast-paying gambling sites. You can withdraw your winnings easily if you already have an account and have deposited money to it. These are the steps you should take to withdraw your winnings quickly.

  1. Find the Withdraw option. You will need to log into your casino account to cash out. Find the Cashier or Wallet page, and then click the Withdrawal button.
  2. Select your withdrawal method. Once you click on Withdrawal, a list with withdrawal options will be displayed. You should choose one you feel comfortable with and you are confident in knowing how to use.
  3. Request a withdrawal. Next, enter the amount that you wish to withdraw and then request a withdrawal. You should enter a withdrawal amount that is higher than the minimum or lower than the maximum.
  4. You can now wait for your winnings. It's now just a matter time before you get your earnings. Your winnings may already be in your bank account if you selected an instant payout option.

You Need to Know to Receive Fast Withdrawals for Every Payout

You can read the reviews of casino experts and make mistakes when choosing a casino to withdraw your money. It is important to pay attention to details. We have listed the most important things to keep in mind if you want your withdrawals to be smooth and instant payouts for every request.

Review the T&Cs to see which withdrawal methods are available.

Every casino should list all its withdrawal and deposit options. But, this doesn't necessarily mean all the listed withdrawal and deposit options will be available in your region.

PayPal, Skrill and Neteller all offer instant payouts. However, you won't be able to take advantage of lightning-fast payment options if these aren't available in your region. All PayPal users can expect fast withdrawals from casinos that offer lightning-fast payouts. However, if you don't have a PayPal account in your country, you won't get any near that lightning speed cashout.

It is important to check whether you are allowed to use a bank option as a deposit option and, more importantly, as an option for withdrawals in your country. This will help you avoid future problems when you need to deal with slow withdrawals on every payout request.

You should look for casinos that have no Pending Period Withdrawal Intervals

Sometimes, the casino will tell you that your withdrawal request is not complete until the pending period has expired before you can receive your winnings.

The pending period can last for 10 seconds or seven consecutive days. It all depends on which casino you choose. Unfortunately, once your request for withdrawal is pending, there is not much you can do. While you can cancel your withdrawal request, it is not possible to withdraw your winnings. Your bank and casino accounts will remain in limbo.

What's the solution for the pending period conundrum then? It's really quite easy. It's easy to find online casinos advertising themselves as fast-paying gambling establishments, and then follow them.

Online casinos that offer fast withdrawals will most likely eliminate any pending periods from their payouts. Online casinos understand that they must reduce pending periods as much as possible if they want to speed up withdrawals.

Our experts have rated high-paying casinos as a great place to start when searching for casinos with short pending periods.

Before you withdraw bonus winnings, make sure to meet the wagering requirements

This section is for you if you love online casino bonuses. Many players don't know that a deposit bonus can affect their withdrawals, or that wagering requirements for free spins can hinder an instant payout request.

How is this possible? What is the point of a deposit bonus? How can it prevent a player withdrawing his winnings. Here's the deal. You must meet the wagering requirements for any promotions that you activate, such as a bonus deposit bonus or bonus spins. Many promotional offers, especially those that are attractive, have wagering requirements.

You may already know that wagering requirements dictate how many times your bonus and deposit funds must be played over before you can withdraw any winnings.

Let's take, for example, a 100% bonus up to EUR100 on your first deposit and 50 free spins. These bonuses come with a 4x wagering requirements. The online casino will give you EUR100 for every EUR100 you deposit. To be eligible for the wagering requirements of the deposit bonus, you must play at least EUR400 before you can withdraw any winnings. You must also wager the 50 free spins you won four times if you want to withdraw any winnings.

You must carefully read the terms and conditions of each bonus to find out what the wagering requirements are for free spins or deposit bonuses. If you are asked for a bonus code, make sure to mention it in the terms. These will inform you when your bonus winnings can be withdrawn. You should read these before participating in any promotion.

Casino Games and Wagering Requirements

Important to remember that different casino games have different wagering requirements. Experienced slots players will tell you that Book of Dead and Starburst contribute more to meeting wagering requirements.

Again, it is best to review the bonus terms to determine how each casino game contributes to meeting wagering requirements.

Only after you have met all wagering requirements can you withdraw any winnings from the bonus spins and bonus funds that the online casino has credited to you account.

Check the Maximum and Minimum Withdrawal Limits

Online casinos all have minimum withdrawal limits. Fast payout sites and most online casinos also have maximum withdrawal limits. This means you can't withdraw more money than what casinos allow, and you can't ask for less than the minimum withdrawal limit.

If an online casino states that its daily withdrawal limit is EUR10, then you can't ask for EUR5. The same applies to online casinos that have a monthly maximum withdrawal limit of EUR50,000. You can't withdraw more than this amount per month.

If you want your withdrawals as smooth and painless as possible, make sure to check the withdrawal limits of online casinos. While some online casinos may offer fast withdrawals, they will not be able provide the service you require if your withdrawals exceed their limits.

Time limits - See how many times you can withdraw

A slow withdrawal process can be slowed down by time limits. You should also know how many times you can withdraw from a casino. Online casinos sometimes restrict the number of withdrawals that can be made per day. This means that you will not be able withdraw the sixth request, regardless of how many times you try.

Always do the security checks

All security checks are done by fast payout casinos when you open an account. These checks are done upon registration. Withdrawals will be delayed if they are not completed before the account is opened.

Sometimes, a casino might ask you for additional documentation in order to withdraw your winnings.

Most security checks at withdrawal concern your payment method and ownership. This is the good news: once the casino has completed its initial security inspections, and confirmed that everything is in order, you won't have to worry about these security issues anymore.

Contact Customer Support if winnings have not arrived within 24 hours

Fast payouts are a hallmark of gambling sites that offer fast payouts. You will often receive your winnings in no time. Sometimes things do not go as planned. These are the times fast payout casino's top-notch customer service services can be very useful.

Sometimes, players provide financial information to the casino with a mistake. The casino will not send the money if this happens.

Players may ask for a withdrawal from the casino, but they don't verify that their banking methods are valid or up-to-date. If this happens, the casino will not initiate the money transfer and players won’t receive their money.

These are the things you should do if something like this happens. Check that all information is correct. Next, confirm that your bank method is still valid.

If you have not received your winnings within 24 hours after these checks are completed, contact customer service. You should contact customer support immediately to resolve any issues and receive your winnings. Fast payout casinos have highly-professional help-desk teams.

How to Withdraw from Fast Payout Casinos

Are you wondering how to cash out instantly from a withdrawal casino? We've got the answer.

  1. Select a banking option that allows for quick withdrawals from the cashier page. eWallets such as PayPal are well-known for being the fastest, but your casino site will detail the payment times for each method.
  2. Request a withdrawal. Pay attention to the fact that fast payout casinos may not allow you use other payment methods when withdrawing or depositing.
  3. Full KYC checks. The process is painless and some casinos offer software on-site to help players enter the required documents.
  4. Wait for the casino and your bank to process the transaction. This process is usually faster than at a casino that offers fast payouts. It takes less than 24 hours for a fast-paying casino to complete the transaction.
  5. Get your cash!

Top Payment Methods to Quickly Withdraw from Casinos

Even though you can't be certain of fast withdrawals, it is important to choose a casino that offers quick payouts. The choice of payment provider is a crucial factor. Compare the benefits of different withdrawal methods at fast withdrawal casino sites.

  • E-Wallets

If you are looking for fast payouts, this is your best option. PayPal casinos along with Skrill or Neteller offer instant payouts, allowing players to receive their money immediately. However, not all transactions are dependent on a bank method. Pay attention to how fast the casino handles payments.

Players can withdraw a minimum of 10 GBP using e-wallets. The maximum limit is several thousand. This makes e-wallets a popular choice for both high-rollers and casual casino clients. E-wallets do not require players to enter their bank details. This, in conjunction with data encryption, ensures that transactions are secure.

Transferring funds from your electronic wallet to your bank account can take some time. PayPal transfers may take a few hours, Skrill takes 1-3 banking days, and Neteller takes 3-5 working days.

  • Debit cards

When it comes to withdrawing from casinos, VISA and MasterCard debit cards are the most preferred. However, they don't always pay out immediately. Bank cards usually take between 3 to 5 working days for approval. This time can be extended by some gambling sites. They are the same as e-wallets in terms of minimum withdrawal restrictions. Maximum withdrawal limits for cash transactions made with a debit card are much higher than those of e-wallets.

  • Bank Transfer

A bank transfer remains one of the most secure banking options. However, it is slower than other options. It allows players to withdraw their winnings from two institutions, your bank and your casino. According to your bank, processing times can take anywhere from one to five business days. Sometimes it may take longer.

Due to possible transaction fees, debit cards might be less convenient. Trustly may extend your withdrawal period, which you might also notice.

  • Cryptocurrency

As they allow instant deposits, Ethereum and Bitcoin are becoming a popular trend in the industry. The casino's internal processing speed will determine the withdrawal time.

It is worth noting that Bitcoins and other cryptocurrency are less stable than the national currency if you're considering making transactions using this option. Their value can fluctuate significantly over time.

Fast Payout Live Casinos

Gambling Deals is a popular website that offers real money online casino games. These include table games such as blackjack and roulette as well as live casino games such as Monopoly Live, Crazy Time and Dream Catcher.

You can claim quick payouts of your winnings, regardless of whether you are looking for real money online slots or regular RNG casino game, if you sign-up at one of our recommended fast withdraw casinos. It doesn't matter how you play at an online casino site. The payout speed is the same regardless of your remaining balance. You can request a withdrawal by simply going to the cashier page and confirming your withdrawal amount. Then wait for your cash. You'll be able to see that the fast-paying casinos can process withdrawals in a matter of days or less. However, some faster payout casinos can process your withdrawal immediately.

You must choose the right banking option for you to enjoy a fast withdrawal from an instant payout casino. When you are looking for online casino games, make sure to consider the payment options available. Our online casino reviews include information about the casino's live games, available banking options, and the withdrawal speeds. These reviews are a great place to begin your search for instant withdrawal casino sites or fast withdrawal gambling sites.

Mobile Casinos Offer Fast Payouts

Mobile casinos offer convenience to customers. There are many benefits to betting from your mobile, including the personalized experience that a mobile app provides and the convenience of being able pick up and go wherever you want.

Mobile casinos offer fast payouts and there is no barrier to this. There will be the same payment options available and no differences in processing times. You can request a withdrawal via e-wallet or Trustly. However, some mobile-friendly payment options like Apple Pay and Pay by Mobile do not support payouts.

There are pros and cons to playing at fast-payout casinos

While there are many benefits to choosing a fast withdrawal casino, there are also some drawbacks. Below are the pros and cons.

Pros

  • Fast money processing: This refers the speed at which your winnings are processed and released by the casino. You can expect to receive your money quicker than any other gambling site due to the faster internal processing times. You can feel more at ease knowing that you won't have to worry about your withdrawals or keep track.
  • A wide variety of payment options are available: Most fast withdrawal casinos offer a wide selection of payment options such as ewallets, open banking options and debit cards. You have a lot more flexibility when it comes to how you receive your winnings.
  • Excellent customer service:Fast-paying casinos are well-known for their excellent customer service. Their focus on speed often extends beyond their overall approach to customer satisfaction. Many contact options are available and you may receive fast responses from service-minded agents.
  • Improved security of your funds: Although this option is prohibited at UKGC casinos it can be cancelled by other casinos and you can continue to play with your funds. This can be a complicated process. You have a shorter time frame to cancel a withdrawal, which provides greater security for your funds.
  • Easier financial administration: Being able to access funds faster can help you manage your budget and bankroll while gambling. It can also be useful if you need to move from one casino to the next in order to claim bonus points.

Cons

  • Some banking methods might not be eligible to receive certain casino bonuses. This is because some payment methods are overrepresented in players who abuse bonuses and have bad intentions. Players who use certain payment options may incur additional charges, making it more expensive for casinos to offer bonuses.
  • Problem gamblers may have concerns: Quick withdrawal casinos can be problematic for people with gambling problems. They allow them to quickly access their real cash by using fast payment methods. This could have a psychological impact on players, as the rush to receive their winnings can lead them to make more deposits and increase their gambling. This is why it's so important to be aware and seek help if necessary.

Responsible Gambling in Fast Withdrawal Casinos

While we love to direct our visitors to the top fast-paying casinos, it is important to warn them about the dangers of gambling responsibly. It doesn't matter how fast you can move money between online casinos accounts, it is important to only gamble with what you have to lose. Gambling can have a negative impact on people of all walks of life. These safer gambling tips can help you start where you want to go or rein in a problem you have already started to develop.

Gambling Tips to Make It Safer

These are the top tips that will help you gamble online safely.

  • Choose licensed casinos - A licensed casino is generally considered to be a secure casino. These licensed sites are responsible for protecting player safety by checking for red flags in accounts and offering safe gambling tools and low minimum deposits.
  • Limits You must use responsible gambling tools offered by online casinos. You can set deposit limits as well as reality checks that remind you when play exceeds 30 minutes or 60 minutes. Time limits also limit play.
  • Keep a Balance Online gambling is great fun but shouldn't be the only source of entertainment. It is better to balance online gambling with other activities.
  • Don't drink or use drugs We don't preach about life choices, but we recommend that you only gamble online when you aren't under the influence. You might end up with more money than you planned. Poor judgment can be caused by alcohol and drugs.
  • Have a clear mind Gambling when you are feeling depressed, anxious or upset can make it more difficult to make decisions. Online gambling can be much more enjoyable if you approach it with a positive and lighthearted attitude, instead of as a way to cheer up.
  • Be aware of the signs. Educating yourself about the warning signs can help to prevent a gambling problem from becoming serious. You should be wary of spending too much money, skipping responsibilities, and trying to make a profit.
  • Seek help - If you think you or a loved one might have a problem gambling habit, or perhaps one on the horizon, it's a good idea to seek help and support from professional organisations like BeGambleAware/GamCare.

    • Conclusion

    Online casinos are not only chosen for their casino games, but also for the bonuses. Online casinos must offer a smooth and enjoyable gambling experience. Lightning-fast payouts are one of the best ways for players to have a convenient gambling experience.

    There are many things to love about gambling sites. They promise quick payouts for every withdrawal you request. They help players maintain a steady cash flow, budgeting and increase the probability of making a profit. Both players and casinos benefit from this.

    These are just some of the many benefits you get from playing at fast-paying casinos. Websites that pay out quickly often have the best customer service services. They work quickly and provide top-notch service to their customers.

    We love casino operators that guarantee instant payouts and even same-day payments. We tested all the top-paying operators and gave our readers an evaluation of their speed.

    You now have the ultimate fast-paying casino list where all websites have been ranked. Don't delay! You can immediately experience lightning-fast withdrawals that will make your gambling experience a blast!

    FAQs for Fast Withdrawal Casino

    Which payment method is best for quick withdrawals?

    Digital wallets such as PayPal are the fastest payment method to process withdrawals. Digital wallets like PayPal process transactions in hours instead of five working days for debit cards.

    Are there additional fees to withdraw quickly?

    When withdrawing money from an online casino, it is very rare that you will encounter fees. To be safe, make sure you read all T&Cs before withdrawing cash from an online casino. Skrill and other payment methods can charge fees for withdrawing your e-wallet balance.

    How much can I withdraw from any one account?

    It all depends on which online casino you choose to play at. While some sites have very high withdrawal limits which can be great for high-rollers, others may limit them more severely. Before you sign up, make sure to read the terms and conditions.

    Are KYC checks required for every withdrawal or deposit?

    Not necessarily. All UK gambling sites must conduct KYC checks on withdrawals and deposits. However, the time required to do them will vary from one site to another. While some require that you complete a KYC check every time you make a withdrawal or deposit at a fast-paying gambling site, others will only require it when you sign up.

    What is the average withdrawal time?

    While withdrawals can be made immediately, they can take up to several days or even weeks. Withdrawals will take anywhere from one hour to 24 hours if you play at fast cashout casinos. With regular operators, withdrawals will take between 1 and 7 business days.

    by | · 8:29 am

    The one minute case for jury nullification

    This is Swampyank's copy of "The Jury&quo...
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    The role of a jury is to apply the law to the facts

    A trial ought to be, a fact-finding process, conducted in order to determine whether pre-existing legal principles are applicable to a specific case.  It should not be a religious, philosophical, or political discourse – that is, the rules by which guilt or responsibility is determined must be known beforehand.  It is not up to the judge or jury to determine what the law ought to be, only to apply it to the established facts.  If the law was determined rather than applied at trial, it would be impossible for anyone to obey it.  Furthermore, a just legal system should be uniform – people must have assurance that outcomes will not depend on the particular judge and juror they stand before.

    We have a personal moral responsibility to treat other men with justice 

    However, while it is not the job of the juror to determine whether the law is just, it is his moral responsibility to treat other men justly.  Someone who is hired to be a repo agent may not have a contractual obligation to determine whether the collateral he collects is for debts which are legitimately are in default, but he has a moral obligation to refuse his assignments if he suspects that he’s seizing legitimate property.  If he refuses assignments based on tenuous grounds, he may justly be fired, but if he has some certainty that he’s seizing legitimate property, he becomes as much a thief as his employer.  Likewise with the juror.

    A law based on invalid principles is inherently unjust

    One criticism of jury nullification is that a jury is not neither qualified to judge the law nor does it have any legitimacy in doing so.  And this is certainly true as a matter of law.  A juror who disagrees with the practical implementation of the moral principles behind a law ought to defer to the established process.  He can always exercise his disagreement and try to effect change in his role as a private citizen.

    But, the situation is different when a juror disagrees with the moral principles behind a law.  A law based on incorrect moral principles is unjust regardless of the facts of the case.  The conviction of anyone based on such as law is necessarily an act of aggression.  Any participation in the process, even solely in the function of determining the facts, is an immoral act.  No judge can honestly ask a juror to breach his integrity, or blame him for refusing to do so.    Everyone, regardless of his role, has a personal moral obligation to treat others justly and refrain from willingly participating in injustice.

    Jurors should refuse to enforce unjust laws

    What should  a juror do if he objects to the morality of a law?  He should refuse to serve if he believes that the principles of a law are inherently unjust.  By doing so, he does not undermine the legal process, since another juror can be substituted, nor does he violate his own integrity.  A juror exceeds his role if he refuses to convict because he thinks that the punishment for an action is too harsh, but he acts properly if he refuses to serve because he does not believe the act being prosecuted to constitute an act of coercion at all.

    If the court is unable to find enough jurors who accept the morality of the law, it has two choices:  either require the charges to be dropped, or offer the dissenting jurors to serve anyway.  If they do so, they cannot be blamed for acquitting the defendant based on their judgment of the law, in addition to their judgment of the facts. If laws are consistent with the basic moral principles of citizens, it should not be difficult to find sufficient jurors.

    Further reading

    • Wikipedia: Jury nullification

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    by | · 8:03 am

    The One Minute Case For Usury

    There is no objective criteria for what rate of interests is “usury”

    Usury originally meant the practice of charging interest on loans.  Sometime during Medieval times, the charging interest as such became politically acceptable and the term change to mean charging excessive interest rates.  However, there is no objective definition of what a “fair” interest rate is beyond the rate agreed to by the parties involved, so an attack on usury is an attack on interest rates as such.  There is no such thing as a single “just” interest rate because interest rates in a free market move towards an equilibrium determined by the time-preferences of individual debtors and lenders.

    Traders have the right to trade by any terms they wish

    The borrower of a loan voluntary enters into a contract. As long as the contract is voluntary, it is immoral for any third party to use coercion to prevent voluntary agreements.

    Interest is essential to the investment process

    Charging interest is essential to guiding the investment process, which cannot be sustained by charity even it were forthcoming due to the economic calculation problem.  Interest rates are required to direct investments to their most productive use.  Interest-driven investment is essential to economic growth, and therefore to the very existence of industrial civilization. If charging interest were outlawed, industrial societies would quickly collapse due to the inability to efficiently allocate savings.

    “Loan sharking” is caused by government failure

    Loan-sharking (charging high interest rates backed up by the threat of violence) reflects the fact that the loans are being given to creditors with a high risk of default. The need for violence is due to the failure of governments to see this fact, or to adequately enforce the loan contracts (such as with overly lax bankruptcy laws), rather than any immorality inherent in moneylenders.

    Further reading

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    by | · 7:55 am

    The one minute case against “special interests” as the cause of corruption in politics

    It is often said that  “special interests” are to blame for economic problems and corruption. But “special interests” are only a symptom, not the cause of the disease.

    Pressure groups are inherent in a mixed economy

    In a populist democracy with a mixed economy, every group that participates in the political system is a “special interest”, with the incentive and the power to use the political system to extract benefits for its members at the at the expense of everyone else. Corporations, unions, disease-awareness organizations, “minority” groups, and anyone who organizes around a common cause has the power believes that their fate or cause is more legitimate, important, and “special” than that of everyone else.

    In a mixed economy, the state functions as a redistribution mechanism

    The welfare and regulatory systems are the primary means to coercively redistribute property and confer monopoly benefits to various groups. In a mixed economy, everyone is constantly on the defensive against organized groups extracting benefits from him, and on the offensive attempting to use the coercive power of the state to extract benefits from others. Interventionism creates a vicious cycle hardly unique to corporations: first a lobby tries to extract special privileges from some politically neutral group, the group hires lobbyists to defend itself, and ends up using the influence it has gained to extract privileges at the expense of another neutral group, which must defend itself in turn.

    “Special interests” are a consequence of the coercive power of government 

    The existence of “special interests” is just a symptom of the disease: the growth of government power to a degree that allows those in power to violate our rights and steal our property for the benefits of their constituents. Populist “maverick” politicians who claim that they will “fight special interests” and “change the culture in Washington” are just attempting to subvert the power of the state to favor their particular constituency. Campaign finance regulations are just monopoly privileges created by the political élite to hide corruption from the public and make it more difficult for those without political connections and money to get elected and in order to defend themselves or join in the looting.

    The solution to special interests is to remove to interventionist power of the state

    The only solution to the problems caused by interventionism is to end interventionism – to separate government and economy. Take away the power of the government, and you will remove both the incentive and the power of the “special interests.” As long as governments try to control people and businesses with laws that go beyond the protection of property rights, the “special interests” will have the incentive to control governments.

    Further reading:

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    by | April 19, 2012 · 10:28 pm

    The One Minute Case For Philosophy

    What is philosophy?

    Philosophy is the field that looks at the most basic, universal questions about existence. While other sciences study certain aspects of things, or certain types of things, philosophy is concerned with the most abstract questions about existence and man’s role in it. Philosophy asks questions such as: How can we know what is true? What is our purpose in life? How should we act? How should we organize society?

    Philosophy is inescapable

    Why are you reading this? Do you want to learn something? Why value learning? Is it because you value knowledge or because you want to have a successful career? Why should those things matter to you? Is it because your parents said so, because you enjoy something, or because society needs it? Is your own happiness or obligation to others more important to you? How should you decide? If I tell you that something is good for me, does that also mean that it is good for you? Is the good the same for everyone or different because of culture or nationality or personality? Is something is true, is it true forever, or only for today? Are people good or bad? Are you? Why are some people more successful than others? Is happiness a matter of luck? What is a good life? How should you pick your friends? Can anyone know any of these things, with certainty, in the same way that we know that 1+1=2?

    All these questions are answered by philosophy. You may never have thought about philosophy until today, but all conscious human action depends on a certain view of existence. All actions assume a certain view of existence, causality, and values. We have no choice about whether we have a philosophy. We can only choose what philosophy to adopt. We can subconsciously, passively, and uncritically accept the philosophy we are exposed to or, we can consciously, actively, critically, examine the ideas around us and accept them because they are true, not because we happened to live in a particular time and place.

    Philosophy is the science of universal principles

    Philosophy asks: what can we know and how can we know it? We re-examine the world as if discovering it for the first time and accept only that which we can prove to be true.

    Why is this important? You might say that you know what is real because I can see and touch it. But not all knowledge is perceptual. If I tell you about an abstract idea, such as justice, how do you know if it is true? Because you feel it is true? Because others tell you it is true? Because you see it is true? But what can you point at to show what justice is? And can you be sure that something that is true to you is also true for everyone else and at all times?

    The point of treating thinking as a science is to arrive at firm principles. You can live without an explicit philosophy if you live a primitive life and hunt animals in the jungle. But if you want to build an airplane to fly you across the world, you need a formal science of physics and engineering. And to live a successful life as a civilized human being and create a better future than the past, you need an integrated, scientific view of existence provided by philosophy. Philosophy has the power to make abstract concepts such as justice as clear as the things we can see and touch.

    History is philosophy in action

    The politics, culture, and economy of any society are formed by the ideas of the people who live in it. If most people believe that it is impossible for them to live without using violence against each other, than their society will be poor and violent. If people believe that whatever their ancestors practiced and believed is good enough for them, then they will continue to live just like their ancestors.

    A few hundred years ago, most of the world believed that history was just an account of one ruling regime being replaced with another. If anyone believed in a better time, it was in the past, when great empires had existed and fallen. Today, people had a very different view of history. We believe in progress, in continuous improvement, in fundamental change in society and economy. These ideas have power: during the last 200 years, the world population increased from under 1 billion to over 7. Why did this happen? The world has embraced the technological and economic progress made possible by Western philosophy. A rational philosophy can offer a unifying explanation of man and his universe and a guide for people and societies to achieve values and peacefully coexist.


    World human population (est.) 10,000 BC–2000 AD.

    World human population (est.) 10,000 BC–2000 AD.

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    by | April 11, 2012 · 5:06 am

    The One Minute Case for Rational Self-Interest

    Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism proposes a radical new theory of ethics: an objective, scientific theory of rational self-interest.  How does Ayn Rand justify her theory?

    What is a moral code?

    Morality is a code of rules or principles to guide one’s actions. Before deciding which principles man should live by, any moral theory must first explain why it is needed at all. Is it an arbitrary invention, or does it have some basis in reality? Is it universally true or different for every person? According to Objectivism, morality is objective: it is derived from our nature of human beings.

    Life is the standard of value

    All living entities must satisfy certain requirements (food, shelter, air, etc.) to remain alive. This is what sets life apart from inanimate matter. Life is a continual process of self-generated, goal-directed action. Only living things face the possibility of death and therefore the need to achieve values to remain alive. Only for living things can something be good or bad. The fact that life is conditional is the basis of values.

    Values are automatic for non-volitional beings

    The values needed for life are specific to the nature of each being: fish need water and worms; man needs food, clothes and shelter. Animals have claws, fangs, fur, and other traits to allow them survive in nature. These are their means of survival. For non-human animals, values are automatic: their instinct tells them that they must act in a certain way (hunt, run, reproduce) in order to remain alive. Animals neither need nor are capable of morals because they act according to instinct. Their instinct tells them that they must act in a certain way (hunt, run, reproduce) in order to remain alive.

    For humans, our conscious, rational mind is our primary tool of survival

    Human beings live by using our mind as the primary tool of survival. We pursue long-term goals to achieve the values needed for our life. Imagine a human being trying to live without choosing his values, like any animal: he would act on whatever he felt like doing from moment to moment. He would experience the drives to eat, reproduce, fight, and fear. But humans have urges, not instincts — it is up to our minds to decide how to achieve values. For a human being in nature, living without long-term goals is suicide.

    Ethics provides a framework for long-term goal achievement

    To consistently act towards long-term values, we need a consistent set of principles for living: a moral code. We need to recognize the facts relevant to our nature as human beings and live according to them over a lifetime. To recognize and act in accordance with reality is rationality. Morality is a means to an end — the end being life. If you want to live, then you must be rational.   The purpose of morality is to fulfill and enjoy one’s own life.

    Rationality is the primary virtue 

    The Objectivist ethics recognizes rationality as the primary virtue for man and productive achievement as his central purpose. To remain alive, we must focus on the facts and act accordingly. The choice to think and act rationally is the basis of virtue and life, and the choice to evade reality and abandon reason is the basis of evil. The primary virtue, from which all other virtues derive, is rationality, and the proper beneficiary of values is oneself.

    Happiness is man’s highest moral purpose

    According to Objectivism, each person should act to achieve the values required for his own life, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. Productive achievement is the central purpose of life, which integrates all his other values. Virtues such as productivity, independence, honesty, integrity, and justice are aspects of rationality: living according to the requirements of life as a human being. Happiness is the result of successfully achieving values, and man’s highest moral purpose.

     

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    by | June 9, 2010 · 4:14 am

    A One Minute Guide to Political Identification

    Political perspectives can roughly be grouped into three historical camps: Conservatism, (classical) Liberalism, and Marxism.

    The essential difference between these schools is in their solution to the problem of human values. Liberals see individuals as rational, self-interested, and autonomous beings who can best resolve their conflicting material and spiritual values through voluntary cooperation. This means advocating a free market with a free marketplace of ideas (i.e. a pluralistic society) being its essential corollary.

    Conservatism and Marxism also sees the individual as self-interested, but therefore as fundamentally irrational, corrupt, and unable to resolve conflicting values independently. Conservatives believe that individual desire is inherently corrupting and therefore advocate centralized guidance and control of spiritual values, and prohibition of material goods which might lead to spiritual corruption. Marxists believe that the pursuit of material goods is inherently violent and conflicting, and the essential controls must be of material pursuits. Marxists belittle ideas as irrelevant and advocate control of self-interested motivates through centralized social structures such as compulsory state-run schools. Conservatives are explicitly opposed to the marketplace of ideas, while Marxists explicitly view ideas as irrelevant, but in practice ruthlessly suppress dissent when it conflicts with their policy goals.

    Since man is an integrated being, both Conservatives and Marxists end up advocating the same policies in the downward spiral to prevent the perverse consequences of the controls they instrument. Unchecked, they both lead to tyranny.
    It should be noted that these are only tendencies and the vast majority of people are some combination of these three perspectives.  Judging intellectuals means evaluating the particular combination of these perspectives. Furthermore, these perspectives are not primaries, but derivates of a basic perspective of human nature. This means that political views rarely change directly, but rather filter up through changes in a person’s basic view of human nature.

    See Also

    • Wikipedia: the development of Western conservatism
    • Wikipedia: Marxism
    • Wikipedia: Classical Liberalism

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    by | July 23, 2009 · 6:42 am

    The One Minute Case Against Healthcare Reform

    What does the government mean by healthcare reform?

    When the Obama administration talks about healthcare reform what they are really talking about is using the coercive power of the government 1) to force healthcare providers to provide services at lower costs 2) to force individuals to choose the least expensive healthcare and 3) to force people who are not receiving those services (aka taxpayers) to pay for them.

    Does everyone have a right to healthcare?

    Not in the colloquial sense. Everyone does have a right to healthcare, but not in the sense that the administration uses it. The right to healthcare means that man had the right to take the actions necessary (e.g. working) in order to earn money and spend that money as he sees fit – in this case, on his healthcare. It does NOT mean that other people (or the government) must provide him with healthcare.
    Thus, we see that the administrations proposed actions will secure the supposed “right” of everyone to have healthcare paid for by other people by undermining the actual, moral, right of individuals to choose, and pay for, their own healthcare goods/services.
    “The end does not justify the means. No one’s “rights” can be secured by the violation of the rights of others.”
    “The Cashing-In: The Student Rebellion” Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, 256.

    Should the government use force against its own citizens?

    No. The purpose of the government is to protect the private property of its citizens against other citizens (the police) and against foreigners (the army). Any further expansion of the governments power beyond this mandate is not only immoral, but unconstitutional. The simple fact that some group of people chosen by the government (in this case, those without healthcare) would benefit from the governments use of force does not create a moral right to use force. This precept is DeToqueville’s “Tyranny of the Majority” in a practical sense, and is exactly what the Founding Fathers intended to protect us against by founding the USA as a republic backed by a bill of rights, instead of as a direct democracy.

    Why is the government’s initiation of force immoral, if the goal is to benefit the “public good”?

    “Just as no individual has the right to initiate force against anyone, neither does any group of men, in any private or public capacity. It is immoral to initiate force against any individual for any reason. This includes the initiation of force for “the public good.” The “public” is merely a collection of individuals, each possessing the same rights, and each being an end in himself. Any attempt to benefit the “public good” is an immoral attempt to provide a benefit to one group of individuals at the expense of another. In a free society, no individual benefits at the expense of another: men exchange the values they create in voluntary trade to mutual gain. The rule of law in a free society has just one purpose: to protect the rights of the individual.”
    The One Minute Case for Capitalism: HeroicLife

    Regardless, can the government lower prices of healthcare services?

    Prices are determined by the marginal value of a good/service, not a government edict. If the government forces providers to set the price of a good/service below its cost, providers will no longer provide the good/service. If the government forces providers to lower prices, but not to lower them below cost, the government will be redistributing the profits of the HC provider to the HC consumer – thereby starving the R&D engine of modern medicine of its much needed fuel, capital.

    Well then, how can the prices of healthcare be lowered?

    The price of HC, like any other good/service, can only be lowered through increased productivity and innovation. Productivity in the production of healthcare goods comes directly from the concerted rational effort of those companies who stand to profit from that productivity – big pharma, providers, payers, etc. Stripping away the reward for their productive achievements – profit – severely dampers the incentives for the companies who provide HC goods/services to continue improving productivity and driving innovation. Thus, the only way to properly incentivize lower HC costs is by allowing entrepreneurs and businessmen alike the freedom to fully profit from the risky investments they make in healthcare innovation and productivity improvements.

    What will be the direct results of the governments actions?

    First, on taxation. The increased taxes proposed to finance healthcare reform, especially those on the rich (who create most of the value in the USA) will serve to disincentivize productivity and innovation.
    Second, on providing healthcare. The proximate result of the governments proposal will be rationing, in its purest sense put forward by Ayn Rand in a letter to a friend “[Rationing means] to distribute [goods and services] in a certain particular manner–by the decision of an absolute authority, with the recipients having no choice about what they receive.”
    Rationing, it must be made clear, is not the same as the distribution mechanism that occurs in a free market – where the price of a good determines how it is distributed – primarily because in a free market distribution decisions are made by individuals volitional choices, whereas in a rationed market distribution decisions are made by government edict. The government’s actions, in this case, will effectively eliminate some (if not all) of the choices you have in determining the way in which you receive healthcare.

    What, then are the real drivers of our health care problems?

    Primarily, that no free market currently exists in healthcare. Massive amounts of regulation by the FDA and other government bodies result in dramatic increases in the cost of medicine. Using Big Pharma as an example, the government has two quantifiable impacts. Directly, the cost of developing a drug in compliance with FDA processes costs roughly ~$1 billion per drug, money that would otherwise be used to fund further innovation or be passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices. Indirectly, the extended time it takes for the FDA approval process (roughly 10 years from patent application to market introduction) cuts the effective life of a pharmaceutical patent in half – stripping the PharmaCo of half of its potential profitability. (Barrons, June 2, 2003 Editorial Commentary: Gary Hull: Patent Piracy.)

    Further reading

     

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    by | July 15, 2009 · 5:32 pm

    The One Minute Case against the Existence of God

    A religion is an organized system of belief, most often assuming the existence of a higher power such as a supernatural almighty deity or an ultimate truth, first designed to enlighten humanity on the act of creation and produce specific prophecies that will come true if certain requirements are met. This case argues that supernatural deities do not exist, which entails the fact that all major religions are false and outdated phenomena outstripped by science, serving little other use than hampering additional scientific progress.

    The cosmological argument

    Some religious individuals argue that whatever begins to exist has a cause and since nothing causes itself, there has to be a First Cause, namely God. There are several objections to this argument, some of them being as following;

    • What caused the First Cause? By making use of the cosmological argument one presupposes that an uncaused effect exists, enabling it to cause a chain of effects without being caused itself. Seeing that the argument is reliant upon the premise that all effects have a cause it is in consequence invalid.
    • The First Cause is by no means equal to a deity. Even though the origin of the universe remains scientifically unexplained, it doesn’t justify supernatural religious claims.

    The Teleological argument [Intelligent Design]

    This argument states that some phenomena are too complex, or too apparently purposeful, to have occurred randomly. Therefore, these phenomena must have been designed by an intelligent or purposeful being (God).

    – Who designed the designer? If an intelligent designer only is able to design irreducibly complex units, then an even more intelligent designer is necessary to design the original designer. This entails an infinite chain of designers. To counter this counter-argument some individuals make use of the cosmological argument. However, as explained above, this argument fails because it omits why a designer can be undersigned while the universe cannot.

    William Paley’s watchmaker analogy makes use of this argument, and is to this date one of the most famous teleological arguments. He argues that there are structures which cannot function unless all substructures are present. By asserting that each substructure constitutes no benefit alone, evolutionary theory is unable to explain the substructures presence. Since the substructures presence cannot be explained, the whole structures presence cannot be explained either. Counter-arguments are as following:

    • There is a probability that all substructures came into existence simultaneously.
    • Substructures may have changed in function. A gradual replacement by several advantageous substructures’ function can lead to the evolution of structures claimed to be irreducibly complex.

    The omnipotence paradox

    Most, if not all, monotheistic religions claim the existence of an omnipotent God. This argument leaves the concept of omnipotence as a mere paradox unable to exist in a logical universe. If a deity is in fact omnipotent, then he is able to create a rock he himself cannot lift. Since he cannot lift the rock he just created he is not omnipotent.

    Argument from free will

    All monotheistic religions claim their god to be omniscient, and at the same time claim to have been given free will by the very same god. These two concepts are incompatible. Here is why: An omniscient being knows everything, including the future will of his supposed free willed- designees. Since the will is already known, it cannot be free at the same time.

    Other[inductive] arguments state that a complete being (God) must also be dead or non-existing in order to be fully complete. Furthermore, some conclude that since most theistic religions eventually were regarded as untrue, all theistic religions are most likely to be untrue. Stephen F. Roberts formulated this beautifully by saying:
    “I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.”

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    by | April 2, 2009 · 5:16 pm

    The One Minute Case for Designer Babies

    The term “designer baby” is a derogative term for the use of reproductive and genetic technologies to accomplish an optimal recombination of the parents’ genes. This case argues that the voluntary use of genetic technologies, as well as prenatal screening and abortion is both moral and desirable. It does not address the morality of abortion (defended in this case) or the safety of particular technologies – an important consideration, but not a fundamental issue.

    Parents ought to want healthy children

    While there are many valid motivations to become a parent, in choosing to create a human being, parents assume a moral obligation to provide for and educate their children to become independent, mature adults. Beyond the legal obligation of providing minimum care, to the extent that parents love and value their children (and there is no reason to have children otherwise), parents ought to strive to maximize their child’s ability to become fully functional adult human beings – physically, spiritually, socially, romantically, etc. This means providing both appropriate education, and taking care of their physical needs.

    Health can be objectively defined in relation to the requirements of human life

    It is possible to make judgments about which mental and physical states are objectively superior in relation to other states. For example, a broken leg, a bout of flu, or a headache are undesirable because they prevent one from accomplishing a whole range of actions which are required for human life. We recognize this when we use technology (medicine) to help people overcome and heal from their injuries and illnesses. The same applies to genetic physical and mental deformities, which adversely impact one’s ability to accomplish his values. If someone suffers from clinical depression or schizophrenia, we offer them drugs that improve their ability to use reason to deal with reality and achieve the values they desire. If healthy, successful, productive human life is a value, then it is moral to use all available technology to maximize human potential to achieve the values they desire.

    Biotechnology adds new tools to an ancient arsenal of genetic techniques for better offspring

    If health is desirable and can be objectively defined, then parents ought to choose to have healthy children. They do this in a variety of means: Genetically, humans instinctively seek mates likely to produce healthy offspring – this is the basis of selective sexual attraction based on physical traits. Consciously, parents choose partners who share their child-rearing values. They also take measures to prevent child defects, such as abstaining from drugs during pregnancy and choosing to have children earlier in their life. Genetic counseling and prenatal screening are just two new tools for enhancing an ancient process.

    The Gattaca objection confuses the potential for the actual

    The Gattaca objection to screening undesirable traits is that people with undesirable traits have made many valuable contributions, and are capable of living fully productive lives. Supporters often give examples of great scientists like Albert Einstein or Stephen Hawkins with genetic or developmental abnormalities, or of people with serious impairments such as Down Syndrome who nevertheless hold jobs and assume most of the functions of normal adults.

    This objection confuses between the seen and the unseen. What we see is that many people with undesirable traits are unusually successful, either in relation the average person, or to people with their symptoms. What we don’t see are all the people who failed to achieve their values because of their symptoms. If their genotype or embryo had been eliminated before birth, the unhealthy people would not exist, but an equal number of healthy people would. Unless the undesirable symptom itself contributed to their success, the percentage of unusually successful healthy people would be far higher than the number of extraordinarily successful unhealthy people. Certainly, healthy people would have a better chance at a normal life than someone with a chronic syndrome such as Down Syndrome, Tay-Sachs, or Spina bifida.

    Genetic diversity is valuable – but only if it is used to enhance human life, not impair it

    The “neurodiversity” movement opposes genetic screening on the grounds that atypical neurological development should be recognized and respected. The movement has a valid point insofar as neurodiversity has played a critical part in the development of human civilization. If every human being had exactly the same intelligence and developed in the same way, we would have no great scientists, artists, intellectuals, or entrepreneurs.

    Unfortunately, the neurodiversity advocates only support “diversity” when it is due to ignorance, not conscious choice. They support a baby being born with Autism, Parkinson’s disease, dyslexia, or other disorders because the parents had no choice in the matter, but they oppose giving the parents the power to choose to have a child which is healthier than he would “naturally” be. If most parents could consciously choose what traits to give their children, they might prefer more intelligence, curiosity, a longer life, or stronger muscles. These are also varieties of genetic diversity.

    Objections to genetic counseling and gene engineering are ultimately objections to technology

    Few parents would choose to have their children be born blind, deaf, retarded, or crippled. Yet this is precisely what the “diversity” advocates want: to prevent parents from being able to improve on the “natural” forms of biodiversity.  Traits due to  sexual selection, random genetic mutation, and embryonic variation are acceptable to them, but traits due to conscious human choice are not.

    Genetic screening via sexual selection has been practiced since the dawn of life itself.  No one suggests that we should pick a mate entirely at random, so the objection to genetic screening and engineering is due to the element of technology. Their objections are not to “designer babies” as such, but to the use of technology to improve the lives of human beings. They apply equally to a child whose genes are altered after birth, or to an adult. The logical conclusion of this neo-luddism is the opposition of all man-made improvements to human life as “unnatural.”

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