There’s a civil war, though not a very civil one, that’s been going on in the southern Levant at least since 1948. Let’s see if we can identify the combatants. But first a disclaimer. Any attempt to define the parties… Read More ›
Social and Political Philosophy
A COMPLETE INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS IN ELEVEN MINUTES – TIME ME
Nothing about money or trading or buying or selling or competition or interest or inflation or taxes or … the list goes on and on. None of it makes any sense unless people own stuff. And people own stuff if… Read More ›
GOING BOURBON
Let’s do some conceptual housecleaning. Having a purpose and having a reason are two different things. The terrorist has a purpose in mind. He’s trying to change a government’s behaviour, whereas the reason someone goes postal is that he’s angry…. Read More ›
MUCH ADO ABOUT SOMETHING
Occam’s Razor advises us never to multiply entities beyond what’s needed to explain what needs explaining. Is this because the simpler explanation is more likely to be the correct one? If so, what would explain that? So no. Rather it’s… Read More ›
LUIGI MANGIONE
It’s not yet clear what particular beef he had with the American health care system, but clearly discontent with it is widespread enough in America that some Americans – not many but some – are hailing Luigi Mangione as a… Read More ›
THE PERILS OF ASSOCIATIVE THINKING
Every liberator will eventually become a tyrant. He has to, because otherwise – or so he tells himself – the forces of the counter-revolution will reassert themselves. It happened with Robespierre, with Stalin, with Mussolini. It happened with Mao and… Read More ›
IT’S A LITTLE KNOWN FACT THAT …
When someone initiates a conversation with “It’s a little known fact that …”, what he typically means is that there’s something he knows, but his interlocutor probably does not. But I want to bring our attention to another use of… Read More ›
HOBBES ON ABORTION
Do our fellow citizens have an interest, and so can they take an interest, in our reproductive behaviour? Of course they do and can. But can the state, on their behalf, take an interest in our reproductive behaviour? Pro-Lifers say… Read More ›
HOBBES ON OPPRESSION AND RESISTANCE
(1) Oppression is morally indefensible. As is brutality. So(2) brutality in the service of oppression is doubly indefensible. (3) Resistance to oppression, if not morally mandatory, is certainly morally laudable. So (4) brutality in the service of resistance is at… Read More ›
THE DETRITUS OF LAST NIGHT
Banality of the day: By definition, governments produce winners and losers. In democratic polities, like America, elections produce governments. So yes, elections produce winners and losers. In this one, notwithstanding I’m not an American. I’m a loser. Last night I… Read More ›
Paulosophical Vimplications 