Monthly Archives: October 2009

Political spectrum

Posted on October 9, 2009 by David Hume

Arkady of Right Condition has a new “political spectrum” up: This strikes me as a libertarian-centric spectrum. That’s fine as it goes, all “spectrums” or “typologies” are selective in what parameters they use to generate categories. The main issue with … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged , | 31 Comments

Breaking News: Europe hates Bush

Posted on October 9, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

Neocon Europe-bashing, especially its theocon chapter, always produced in me an opposite, possibly equally kneejerk, reaction.  Europe’s reluctance to start wars was an understandable and hardly blameworthy reaction to its 20th century bloodbaths, I thought, its secularism a welcome development, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Creationism litmus test?

Posted on October 8, 2009 by David Hume

Tim Pawlenty says: GOV. PAWLENTY: We’ve said in Minnesota, in my view, this is a local decision. Intelligent design is something that, in my view, is plausible and credible and something that I personally believe in but, more importantly, from … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 59 Comments

Where are SR readers coming from?

Posted on October 8, 2009 by David Hume

The ranks for 2009 from Google Analytics. “Direct” means people who come directly to the site (e.g., bookmarks), while “referral” is from sites like Andrew Sullivan or Hot Air.

Posted in Blogs | Tagged | 5 Comments

Best Painting Ever?

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Andrew Stuttaford

Well, perhaps not, but in its splendid (interactive!) way, one of the more entertaining. H/t: The Daily Dish

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 6 Comments

The philosophers as types

Posted on October 7, 2009 by David Hume

I don’t know what to make of this David Brooks column, Bentham vs. Hume. I will say that the main reason I lean Right is a suspicion of the efficacy of managerial technocracy. And I speak as someone who is … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy | Tagged , | 8 Comments

It’s better in Europe (again)

Posted on October 7, 2009 by David Hume

Hendrik Hertzberg in The New Yorker, A SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC SIGH: Furthermore, it’s not as if German conservatives are a bunch of crazy far-right nihilists. This is not the Republicans we’re talking about. Both the CDU and the FDP recognize the … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, law, politics | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Foundations Of Faith

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Bradlaugh

More reinforcement for the idea that religious belief is a sort of overspill from key brain adaptations — adaptations that were selected for improved social functioning. We got better at being social animals by evolving brain processes for guessing our way into other people’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Science & Faith | 28 Comments

The Bright Side of Being Blue

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Bradlaugh

I’m going to assume here that all readers of Secular Right are deep enthralled in their copies of  We Are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism.   That would be the top copy, I mean, of the five you purchased as gifts for … Continue reading →

Posted in science | 9 Comments

The silent treatment

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

I keep waiting for the doughty advocates of “increasing health insurance competition by more government regulation” (that may or may not include a public option) to explain why insurance should not be available across state lines.  Not only is this … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 33 Comments