Author Archives

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.

• TRUTH AND CODDLING

  By paulosophicalvimplications on February 1, 2024 • ( 3 )

  For the past decade or so, there’s been a movement among woke faculty and administrators to do away with the pursuit of truth full stop as the raison d’être of the academy, and to do so under the guise of… Read More ›

• INSTITUTIONAL NEUTRALITY

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 30, 2024 • ( 1 )

  There was a time … But was there? Was there ever a time when universities were ideology-neutral, save for that minimal set of commitments required for universities to perform their function? Thinking there was is a bit like Trump wanting… Read More ›

• SUPREMACY

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 29, 2024 • ( 1 )

  I’ve always had trouble with the concept of supremacy. I think I understand it when it’s used aspirationally. I’m hoping that the Chiefs best the 49-ers in the upcoming Superbowl. Or predictively. I’m betting that the Chiefs best the 49-ers…. Read More ›

• ATROCITY VS HISTORY

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 29, 2024 • ( 0 )

  When it happened a long time ago it’s called history. When it happened a shorter time ago, or it’s happening today, it’s called an atrocity. Think about what it was like to be an Amalekite. Fast forward to the Viking… Read More ›

• KILLING AND LETTING DIE

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 29, 2024 • ( 0 )

  Is there a moral distinction between killing and letting die? There would have to be, since otherwise we’d be culpably responsible for the millions of people who die every year because we didn’t feed them. And that’s a burden too… Read More ›

• THE RELEVANCE OF SOME CONCEPTS OF LAW TO CONTEMPORARY CANCEL CULTURE

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 28, 2024 • ( 2 )

  We can worry about the ontology of law, moral or legal, when we’re more at our leisure. But whether moral or legal, it’s an axiom of law that all is permitted save what is prohibited. This is because listing permissions… Read More ›

• STOCKHOLM SYNDROME

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 19, 2024 • ( 1 )

  As of day 100 since October 7th, the Israeli government announced there were 105 hostages still alive. Probably a couple fewer today. But after all this time, I can’t help but wonder if, and if so for how many, Stockholm… Read More ›

• APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 12, 2024 • ( 4 )

  The reason they’re called the Abrahamic religions is that Jews, Christians and Moslems share a common core conception of god. But let’s not be too quick about what follows from this. You and I might share a common conception of… Read More ›

• GAZA AND THE MEN’S RIGHTS MOVEMENT

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 11, 2024 • ( 3 )

  The Israelis started it off, on October 7th, at 1405, and then gradually dropped it to the current count of 1155. As of today, apart from the 51,000 they’re reporting as injured, the Gaza Health Authority has its own latest… Read More ›

• WHY ISRAEL DOESN’T HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 4, 2024 • ( 11 )

  The thing about rhetoric is it can’t afford to ask itself what it means by the words it uses. For example, in justifying Israel’s response to the attack on October 7, the most oft-chanted mantra is that Israel has a… Read More ›