“As pessoas são escória.” “A humanidade é um deserto moral.” “Eu tenho vergonha de ser humano.” Sempre quando os cínicos se expressam, fico tentado a retrucar que a filosofia é uma autobiografia e que eles deveriam colocar suas afirmações na primeira pessoa: “Eu sou a escória.” “Eu sou um deserto moral.” “Eu tenho vergonha de […]
O ser humano é inerentemente mau? [Portuguese translation] Read More »
The opening of my first column in the Theist vs. Atheist series debate at EveryJoe: “My answer is: Absolutely, yes, religion is worth arguing about. “We have all heard that in polite company we should not discuss sex, politics, business, or religion. Those topics are too troublesome, so we should stick to safer topics. “Of course such topics are inappropriate
Is Religion Worth Arguing About? [new Theist vs. Atheist series column] Read More »
The series of back-and-forth articles debating key issues in religion will begin tomorrow, Thursday, June 11. Our online host is EveryJoe.com, and my civil and friendly debate partner is John C. Wright, who has written widely on religion and related matters. My first article in the “Theist vs Atheist: What Should You Believe?” series will
Update on new debate series on Religion, True or False? Read More »
Tomorrow morning I’ll be on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s “The Current” radio program, which according to its website is “Canada’s Most Listened-to Radio Program.” Our topic is whether power corrupts. The journalistic context is the recent FIFA scandal, scandals in the Canadian Senate, and the ongoing scandals in politics, business, and so on around the
CBC discussion of corruption and power Read More »
To reason is to integrate perceptual evidence into concepts, propositions, and theories. By contrast, what is faith? Below are seven definitions of faith. The definitions are in my words, but they are taken from my readings of seven philosophers of religion: William James, Søren Kierkegaard, C. S. Lewis, George H. Smith, Basil Mitchell, R. M.
What Is Faith? Seven definitions Read More »
Three men who died recently are brought before the throne of God and told that they may each have one wish. The Briton asks for an end to war. The American asks for an end to hunger. The Russian smiles slyly and says, “In my village, I have a neighbor who has a cow. I
A Russian joke about petty envy Read More »
The gall of some people. Apparently Malcolm Gladwell has gone after John Paulson for giving $400 million to Harvard University. It takes a special kind of immorality to feel comfortable doing any of the following: (a) bossily telling other people how to spend their own money, (b) telling them how to spend their philanthropic dollars,
On Gladwell’s chastising Paulson Read More »
For use in my courses, additions to my Texts in Philosophy page. All files are PDFs. “Arachne and Athena.” James Buchanan, “Public Choice: Politics without Romance,” Policy Magazine (2003). Martin Heidegger, “Reunion Speech” (1934). HTML version here. Heinrich Himmler, “Speech at Posen” (1943). John Maynard Keynes, The End of Laissez-Faire (1926). HTML version here. John
Texts in Philosophy — early 2015 additions Read More »