I'm a philosophy professor at the University of Lethbridge in Southern Alberta, Canada. I specialize in philosophy of war, game theory, contractarianism, and theodicy (the Problem of Evil). I am bald, fat, and ugly, but my wife loves me, so I don't care.
Apropos Paul’s post Of Decolonisation and Marranos , re: the perlocutionary force of language. The extent to which language controls thought is a hotly debated topic. John McWhorter, for one, argues language doesn’t control thought as much as some believe. … Read More ›
The notions of truth and reconciliation – from post-Apartheid South Africa to post-genocide Rwanda to post-residential schools here in Canada – have always been an oxymoron. The idea is that first we elicit a confession of wrongdoing. Next the victim… Read More ›
Culture is the language you speak, the gods you worship, the food you eat, the behaviours that make you cringe, the sounds your ears recognise as pleasant and discordant. It’s where you shit, and what you do with your shit… Read More ›
(Note: This is the first in a series of two entries. The second will be on the meaning, if any, of cultural genocide.) Genocide is not a success term. If it were there wouldn’t be any victims left to complain… Read More ›
Some species eat their own young. So do some political parties. The Republicans in the U.S., and the Greens in Canada, are both currently engaged in devouring themselves. It’s too early to predict what will be left of the former…. Read More ›
Here’s are three quick lessons, in political philosophy, in the philosophy of mind, and in the philosophy of language respectively. 1) Political behaviour is behaviour. 2) He who controls thought controls behaviour. And 3) he who controls language controls thought. … Read More ›
Martin Niemoller (1892-1984) spoke these words in 1946. In an interview many years later he confessed with regret that he hadn’t thought to write it down. So it’s not surprising that versions of it have since proliferated. Nevertheless, as good… Read More ›
There’s probably nothing more indicative of the war between the Woke and the Pushbackers than the battle over trans athletes being allowed to compete in women’s sports. I’ve taken the side of the Pushbackers, but suppose it turns out we’re… Read More ›
I’m told there are several species of mice. I probably could learn the difference between them, but I won’t. I won’t because the only thing about mice that I care about – and this applies to all mice regardless of… Read More ›
All other things being equal – which they’re not, but if they were, then – the better-looking people would get their first choice of mates, and they’d probably choose the better-looking ones. By ‘better-looking’ here I mean something we’re told… Read More ›
