George Orwell, in contrast to those who want to distance National Socialism from their own preferred version of socialism: “National Socialism is a form of socialism, is emphatically revolutionary, does crush the property owner as surely as it crushes the worker.” [1] Also, and in fuller detail: “Internally, Germany [under the Nazis] has a good […]
Orwell on Nazism as socialism Read More »
A new episode of my podcast series, produced by Possibly Correct out of Toronto. Audio: iTunes Stitcher YouTube Google Play Spotify Topics: Some sex-doll humor // The new materials, robotics, and A.I. // Focus on the ethics, not the politics // Two continua: psychological realism and physical realism // What do we really want from
Sex Dolls: Why Not? [Open College series] Read More »
As part of my Neither right nor left mantra, another datum. Most people use “right” and “left” journalistically: to designate shifting bundles of social-political beliefs and attitudes. The bundles are usually not internally coherent. So more analytic thinkers try to bring order out of mush by identifying multiple dimensions of contrast: individual versus collective, liberty
Against the new post-2016-Trump right too Read More »
Both of these signs are repulsive. (Click to enlarge.) Similarities between the two movements: (a) People are to be kept separate based on color, and (b) admonishing signs are needed to remind and keep people in their place. Differences between the two movements: (c) In one case, the fear is that one color will be
Old- and new-fashioned “Colored Only, No Whites Allowed” Read More »
The title of my upcoming FEECon talk is: “Why Young Socialists Don’t Love Us, But They Should.” The conference has a wide range of smart and lively thinkers, activists, and entrepreneurs, so I am looking forward to engaging. Thanks to everyone at The Atlas Society for making my participation possible.
“Why Young Socialists Don’t Love Us, But They Should” — FEECon talk coming up Read More »
I’ve joined thinkspot and will be using it as my main platform. Also on board as early adopters are Dave Rubin, Michael Shermer, Jordan Peterson, and a few others. thinkspot is being launched as an option to those sites quick to de-platform. “We’re in desperate need for a platform that doesn’t arbitrarily decide to throw
Announcement: I’m joining thinkspot Read More »
Two recent articles on Stoicism, one by philosopher Aaron Smith and a self-described “grumble” response by philosopher Roderick Long. Both focus on Stoicism but with some attention given to its differences and similarities with Objectivism. To that pair of discussions I add this short collection of quotations I use as a guide when I lecture
Stoicism: Smith, Long, and some quotations Read More »
Friedrich Engels arguing that communism is the logical consequence of German philosophy, starting with Kant’s revolution and progressing through Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel: “The Germans are a philosophical nation, and will not, cannot abandon Communism, as soon as it is founded upon sound philosophical principles: chiefly if it is derived as an unavoidable conclusion from
Engels on communism’s connection to German philosophy Read More »