A Puzzle About Causation
Posted in philosophy, tagged causation on May 10, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Murder or suicide? (HT: Brian Hollar)
Archive for the ‘philosophy’ Category
John McCain and Edmund Burke
Posted in Politics, liberty, philosophy, rights, tagged McCain on May 2, 2008 | No Comments »
Jonathan Rauch argues that John McCain is a true conservative, in the mold of Edmund Burke–and that “movement” conservatives aren’t. Rauch starts with a nice precis of an aspect of Burke’s thought that influenced, among others, Freidrich von Hayek:
Burke is the father of modern conservatism, and still its wisest oracle. Tradition-minded but (contrary to [...]
What Not to Think
Posted in philosophy on April 27, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Ann Althouse critiques an episode of “What Not to Wear,” and suggests an alternative starring philosophers:
The show ends with everyone celebrating the amazing changes in the woman’s appearance. You have scenes where everyone claps and cheers and the makeover target twirls around in her new clothes — which look ugly to me — and professes [...]
Socratic Method
Posted in philosophy, tagged Socratic method on April 18, 2008 | No Comments »
Tully attacks the use of the Socratic method in law schools. (Warning: Strong language!) The method, I’ve always thought, is misnamed. Socrates asks questions of people who claim to know something; he doesn’t call on Athenians who have come to learn from him and make no such claim. Moreover, he asks questions that tease out [...]
The Love of the Love of Wisdom
Posted in philosophy, tagged philosophy on April 7, 2008 | No Comments »
The New York Times profiles the Rutgers Philosophy Department, ranked second in the nation, which now graduates 100 philosophy majors a year, about the same number as The University of Texas at Austin. (HT: Ann Althouse) Why is philosophy becoming more popular? One Rutgers students has an explanation:
Jenna Schaal-O’Connor, a 20-year-old sophomore [...]
Doubting Thomas
Posted in Education, philosophy on April 2, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Syracuse philosophy professor and noted virtue ethicist Laurence Thomas walks out of class when a student in the front row sends a text message, sparking a debate about the justifiability of his action and the collective punishment it involves. (HT: Instapundit)
I wouldn’t doubt Larry Thomas when it comes to a question of ethics. I [...]
Hope for Philosophy Majors
Posted in philosophy, tagged philosophy on March 28, 2008 | No Comments »
Forbes finds that philosophy majors sometimes have an advantage:
So, you spent the last four years at college pondering man’s purpose in the universe. Now it’s time to figure out how you’re going to turn that knowledge into a paycheck every two weeks.
Have no fear. The consensus among the people with their fingers on the pulse [...]
Great Moments in Homeschooling
Posted in philosophy, tagged postmodernism on March 25, 2008 | No Comments »
Lydia McGrew’s daughter discovers the essence of Gnosticism and postmodernism:
I got to the part about how the Gnostics tried to create mysteries and then told people that they could be part of their secret “club” by going through an initiation ceremony. People thought this was pretty cool and that they would be profound thinkers like [...]
No longer a “brain-dead liberal”
Posted in Education, Politics, philosophy, tagged human nature on March 12, 2008 | No Comments »
David Mamet writes revealingly of his political awakening:
As a child of the ’60s, I accepted as an article of faith that government is corrupt, that business is exploitative, and that people are generally good at heart.
These cherished precepts had, over the years, become ingrained as increasingly impracticable prejudices. Why do I say impracticable? Because although [...]
Locke v. Rousseau
Posted in Politics, liberty, philosophy, rights, tagged Locke, political philosophy, rights, Rousseau on February 28, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Jonah Goldberg captures the political half of the course I’m now teaching precisely:
I think the fundamental difference, the difference that defines the difference between American, Anglo-American conservatives and European welfare states, leftists or liberals, is Locke versus Rousseau. Every philosophical argument boils down to John Locke versus Jacques Rousseau.
Locke holds that we have natural rights, [...]
