Via Vinay Kolhatkar, this news item about the Iranian government’s decision earlier this year to censor dangerous words such as wine and elephant. From The Telegraph‘s report: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, has urged the culture ministry to “focus on producing appealing books and films, designing video games, and developing attractive and meaningful toys” […]
Censorship in Iran — no surprises, but still … Read More »
In my Introduction to Philosophy course this week, we are discussing Plato’s Apology. Three snippets: On the priority of character: “Wealth does not bring goodness, but goodness brings wealth and every other blessing, both to the individual and to the State” (Apology, 30b). On the dangers of democracy: “No man on earth who conscientiously opposes
Socrates quotations: character, democracy, philosophy Read More »
por Stephen Hicks [This is a Spanish translation of “When Altruism Becomes Pathological,” first published in English at EveryJoe and then translated into Portuguese at Portal Libertarianismo.] ¿Quién es más propenso a engañar? ¿Aquellos que practican deportes individuales o aquellos que practican deportes en equipo? Un experimento fascinante realizado por el profesor Sharon K. Stoll y publicado en el Chronicle of
Cuando el Altruismo se vuelve patológico Read More »
[This is the opening column of the Theist vs. Atheist debate series between Stephen Hicks and John C. Wright. Read Wright’s opening column here. Here are the links to other columns in the series.] My answer is: Absolutely, yes, religion is worth arguing about. We have all heard that in polite company we should not discuss sex,
Is Religion Worth Arguing About? [Theist vs. Atheist series] Read More »
I started reading McElroy’s new book, Rape Culture Hysteria: Fixing the Damage Done to Men and Women. As I began, here were the questions on my mind: 1. Are rape rates at universities increasing, declining, or flat? 2. Are the rates higher on campuses than in the rest of the USA? 3. How often do
Wendy McElroy’s *Rape Culture Hysteria* Read More »
“But what more oft in Nations grown corrupt, And by thir vices brought to servitude, Then to love Bondage more then Liberty, Bondage with ease then strenuous liberty”. John Milton, Samson Agonistes (1671), lines 268-71
“But what more oft in Nations grown corrupt … Read More »
In our era of Keynesian economics on steroids, we should ask: How close is current Keyesnian practice to original Keynesian theory? John Maynard Keynes‘s main claim to fame is his advocacy of deficit spending as a tool of economic recovery. In a depressed economy, the argument runs, the government should spend money it doesn’t have.
Can We Blame Keynes for Keynesianism? [Good Life series] Read More »
Por Stephen R.C. Hicks Traducido al Español por Alejandro Espinoza (Título original, Why Art Became Ugly) Durante mucho tiempo, los críticos del arte moderno y postmoderno han dependido de la estrategia de “Acaso no es aquello repugnante.” Me refiero con esto a la estrategia de señalar que ciertas obras de arte son feas, triviales o de
¿Por qué el arte se volvió feo? Read More »