Philosophy

Having Babies Is Profoundly Immoral. We Should Move Towards Extinction, Say Bioethicists 8
- Philosophy, Science
- November 7, 2023
The darkness grew apace; a cold wind began to blow in freshening gusts from the east, and the showering white flakes in the air increased in number. From the edge of the sea came a ripple and whisper. Beyond these lifeless sounds the world was silent. Silent? It would be hard to convey the stillness
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Seeing Ourselves in the Mystical Mirror 1
- Philosophy, Literature
- October 27, 2023
Those of us who love literature are puzzled by those who are indifferent to its goodness, truth and beauty. We are perplexed by those who won’t read fiction because they want the facts and nothing but the facts. We are bemused by those who won’t read poetry, preferring prose, because they want to remain grounded
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The Doctor of Deconstruction: Who Is Jacques Derrida?4
- Philosophy, Western Civilization
- October 26, 2023
It seems that words today change meanings every day. For instance, the words “man” and “woman” are now taken to mean a variety of mutually exclusive realities. What was clear and simple is now conflicting and confusing. How did we arrive here, why does it matter, and who is responsible? Enter French philosopher Jacques Derrida.
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What Is a Home?1
- Philosophy
- September 27, 2023
The ultimate adventure story is about the journey home. Consider, for example, Odysseus at sea, Aeneas in search of a haven for the Trojans, the Israelites in the desert. Such stories strike a note on the strings of our souls that vibrates through us like a call. A homeland beckons. In the archetypal hero’s journey,
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The Importance of Making Mistakes 1
- Culture, Philosophy
- September 20, 2023
A couple of years ago, I received a post-semester email from a student’s father. He was upset about his child’s final grade in my class, which had landed somewhere between a high B and a low A. The grade was clearly not very low, but the student’s father wanted me to reconsider. Apparently, a specific
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Why We Must Objectively Study Difficult Questions 0
- Philosophy, Science
- September 19, 2023
With some regularity, students in my sociological theory course will ask why we should even entertain arguments about the biological reality of race. They note, correctly, that this topic is controversial. They suggest it is too morally and politically risky to pursue, given historical examples of pseudoscience that have provided fodder for egregious moral and
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