Archive for the ‘philosophy’ Category
The destroyer of worlds
Sixty one years ago the human race left behind the unconscious cruelty of children to demonstrate a studied and mature capacity for evil. Seventy five thousand lives were snuffed out in an instant, and as many again died more slowly and horribly over the years. This was the penultimate act in a grinding tragedy which [...]
In: observations, philosophy
The will to power
This is intended as a sort of postscript to The ethics of selfishness. Most people are primarily motivated by self interest, but it’s worth considering what form this takes. The simplest self interest is to gain pleasure and avoid pain; food, sex, shelter, and safety. These are motivations crafted by evolution, and they include the [...]
The ethics of selfishness
If a person puts their own self-interest above all other considerations, they are said to be an egoist. Someone who claims that doing what is in their self interest is morally right is an ethical egoist, and someone who claims that doing so is rational is a rational egoist. In a trivial sense, any person [...]
Edges are fun
There’s a DJ who played at some of our parties who had an album called Edges R Fun. I asked him why he’d called it that, and his reponse was to ask me what I thought. Which launched me into this (oversimplified) explanation: Edges are very interesting, because all life happens at an edge. If [...]
Swords into Ploughshares
I met Ciaron O’Reilly six years ago, at a demonstration outside the World Economic Forum in Melbourne. He struck me as committed, sensible, passionate. I was moved by the sacrifice of the Ploughshares movement and although I’m not a Christian I have great respect for people who express the best elements of their faith in [...]
Politics mysticism and manipulation
I present this with a certain amount of trepidation, although it’s a topic in which I’ve had an interest for a number of years. If you think, reading it, that it’s unduly contentious, or that I’m being inflammatory, then please bear with me and try to understand my point before taking me to task on [...]
Manifesto for a new century
Many things about the modern world are a really big improvement on previous centuries. Antibiotics and immunisation, for example, are just brilliant. The printing press and the internet both get a big tick. The combination of food security, medicine, and good global communication and transport have led to high levels of peace, freedom, and tolerance [...]
In praise of pluralism
In a dry glacial valley, 1000m above sea level and 40 miles from the coast of Antarctica, a friend of mine was shown the mummified remains of a seal. The scientist from Davis base who had taken him there asked how old he thought it might be. I don’t know, there’s no moisture or much [...]
In: philosophy, science, society
The Batman effect
If you’re the biggest, toughest guy around you’re going to make some enemies. If you put on a cape and a mask and gird your loins with a utility belt, jump into the Bat-Car and declare that you’re going to take on a crusade to rid the world of evil, then you’re going to make [...]
Culture, autonomy, and human rights
An attempt at a universalist approach to Human Rights, which if not culturally neutral, at least imposes an explicit moral underpinning rather than an implicit set of cultural values. Liberals are conflicted people. It’s not a bad thing, it comes about because there’s not always one right answer to a question. Sometimes there are two [...]
In: law, philosophy, world
How I learned to stop worrying and love
The people of the west in the twentyfirst century are by and large the best fed, least disease prone, and longest lived population the world has ever known, and they seem likely to remain this way as long as global warming or a shortage of oil do not drastically affect their lifestyle. We have only [...]
In: philosophy, society, world
Citizen arbitration: an utopian suggestion
This is the third part of a series examining the morality of the behaviour of groups, corporations and governments. The first two talk about the Psychology of tribes, and Meme systems and category mistakes. This time I’m really going out on a limb, making a suggestion about what could be done to balance the power [...]
In: law, philosophy, society, theory
Meme systems and category mistakes
This is the second part of a series of articles which will make up an examination of the morality of behaviour of groups, corporations and governments.Disclaimer This article buys into a lot of the same territory as the film “The Corporation”, but hopefully in a way which is a little less simplistic. It was a [...]
In: philosophy, society, theory
The psychology of tribes
This is the first part of a series of articles which will make up an examination of the morality of behaviour of groups, corporations and governments. Morality of Groups 1: the psychology of tribes When acting in ways which relate primarily to their membership of a group, a person’s behaviour changes to reflect the beliefs [...]
In: philosophy, society, theory
Owning the Black Armband
John Howard refuses to say “sorry” to the stolen generation. The British Museum refuses to return the Elgin Marbles. The west may no longer talk of white man’s burden, but there is also little mention of the Opium Wars, or the Rape of Bengal, or the supression of the Mau Mau in Kenya. The Japanese [...]
In: philosophy, society
Gandhi Non-Violence
Ten principles of non-violent action: Humiliating or deliberately provoking your opponent invites violence. Knowing your facts and arguments well helps avoid violence. If you are open about your cause your opponent is less likely to be violent. Look for common ground between you and your opponents to promote trust and understanding. Do not judge others. [...]
In: observations, philosophy
Sufism and treating believers like adults
Fundamentalists treat their believers like children. As this excellent blog points out. And it’s about time a few more of the believers grew up and demanded more from their religious and secular leaders. I think, and it came to me as I read her blog, that it’s about time the mystic / spiritual / experiential [...]
In: observations, philosophy
Labels, names, and flags
Naming something is inherently disadvantageous to understanding it. Any label, any flag, any uniform, any acceptance of a signifier stands between the thing itself and the comprehension of its reality. Without names the world is not filtered; some scary and intense things can get through to the senses and the heart, and therefore people cling [...]
