Paulosophical Vimplications

Recent Posts - page 17

• WHAT TERRY O’RILEY TAUGHT ME

  By paulosophicalvimplications on March 15, 2023 • ( 3 )

  There used to be a programme on the CBC, hosted by Terry O’Riley, called “The Age of Persuasion” and then later resurrected as “Under the Influence”. It was about advertising, and it was excellent. But remembering it now puts me… Read More ›

• HOW TO RESOLVE THE TRANS ISSUE

  By paulosophicalvimplications on March 15, 2023 • ( 0 )

  I claim to self-identify as a woman. I self-identify as a woman. I am a woman. How do we get from (1) to (2)? And then from (2) to (3)? With a whole lot of as-yet-suppressed premises. After all, I… Read More ›

• TWO MINOR COMPLAINTS

  By paulosophicalvimplications on February 6, 2023 • ( 1 )

  The Holocaust happened. The Exodus didn’t. Exodus-denial isn’t antisemitism, so why is Holocaust-denial?  It’s all about context, you say. Unlike Exodus-denial, Holocaust-denial is taken as an antisemitic trope. If a word means what it’s taken to mean, then why can’t… Read More ›

• DOG WHISTLING

  By paulosophicalvimplications on February 5, 2023 • ( 0 )

  Not unlike phrases – without which we can’t seem to speak – that catch on for a while and then fade away, argument strategies come in waves too. The latest is deciding – pretty much all on your own –… Read More ›

• THE DEAL

  By paulosophicalvimplications on February 5, 2023 • ( 1 )

  It’s really just a Prisoners’ Dilemma. Your first choice is you get to listen to whomever you want to listen to and I don’t get to listen to whomever I want to listen to. Your second choice, and it’s my second… Read More ›

• SIX TAKEAWAYS FROM THE WIDDOWSON AFFAIR

  By paulosophicalvimplications on February 4, 2023 • ( 12 )

  If you’ve read my penultimate entry, you’ll know that last week I invited Frances Widdowson to Lethbridge, as the first post-Covid “Guest of Dishonour” at our Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner series on Saturday, then to give two guest lectures,… Read More ›

• THE WIDDOWSON AFFAIR

  By paulosophicalvimplications on February 1, 2023 • ( 4 )

  As many Canadians will know – but I’m not sure the story has hit the international wires – I invited a certain Dr. Frances Widdowson to give a talk at the University of Lethbridge on February 1st, on a topic… Read More ›

• THE EVOLUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 28, 2023 • ( 0 )

  For most of human history – and in most parts of the world to this day – there were institutions that work like this: We tell people – priests or commissars – what to tell others, who are then sent… Read More ›

• LET ME MAKE IT SIMPLE

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 28, 2023 • ( 10 )

  Freedom of expression has nothing to do with your right to say what’s on your mind. If it did we could simply drive you to an empty field outside of town and pick you up an hour later. In fact… Read More ›

• FOUR THINGS EDI PROPONENTS SHOULD NOT SAY

  By paulosophicalvimplications on January 23, 2023 • ( 3 )

  I’ve already blogged about this, but to repeat: Universities in the West are in the process of moving past their best before date. Why? Because 1) the economics of university education has changed, both in terms of a) what information… Read More ›

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