The 13th floor and other superstitions
At a hotel recently I was zooming up in its sleek elevator to my room when I noticed something: no 13th floor.
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Fruits of the Enlightenment
In class: Semmelweis as epistemological hero
Prior to the discovery of germ theory and antiseptic, women frequently died of puerperal fever in the maternity ward at the University of Vienna Hospital. Enter Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian-born physician working at the Vienna hospital, one of the world’s leading medical establishments. Carl Hempel’s account of Semmelweis’s false starts, failed hypotheses, and eventual success
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“Nietzsche and the Nazis” update
Since its 2006 publication, my 2:45-hour documentary on Nietzsche and the Nazis has been available from Amazon, Netflix, and other venues. Beginning this summer, Netflix has made the documentary available via video-stream, which has led to a healthy uptick in feedback — including gratifying praise, interesting new angles, thoughtful disagreement — and a smattering of
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Two cautionary tales about cholera, the plague, and politics
Cautionary Tale #1 The plague hit London again in the hot summer of 1665. Panic struck and rumors abounded about its cause. The Lord Mayor of London was convinced of one theory: the plague was spread by cats and dogs. So he ordered all the city’s cats and dogs killed, and an estimated 40,000 dogs
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Late to the show, but excellent timing
John Adams the mini-series came out last year, but I just began watching it yesterday. The first two episodes are excellent. What a great way to spend part of July 4. Paul Giamatti’s performance hooked me: I have a renewed appreciation for John Adams’s brilliance, determination, and integrity. I also have an enlarged appreciation for
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Interview: David N. Mayer on Thomas Jefferson
Dr. David Mayer on his lecture, “Thomas Jefferson and the Holy Cause of Freedom,” about Jefferson’s writings on the nature and importance of liberty. Part I Part II More interviews with CEE’s guest speakers are available here.
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Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault
Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to FoucaultScholargy Publishing, 2004. The following scholarly reviews have been published:Professor Gary Jason in LibertyProfessor Curtis Hancock in The Review of Metaphysics (and can be read online here)Professor Marcus Verhaegh in The Independent ReviewDr. David Gordon in The Mises ReviewProfessor Max Hocutt in The Journal of Ayn Rand
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