Category Archives: philosophy

Old Tom Hobbes

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

A man of the secular right, I feel. Writing in the TLS David Runciman explains: But between the political parts [of Leviathan] – the first two sections and the final one – come parts three and four, which are concerned … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy | Tagged | 3 Comments

Old Nick, Dead Right

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Isaiah Berlin on Machiavelli: Machiavelli’s cardinal achievement is his uncovering of an insoluble dilemma, the planting of a permanent question mark in the path of posterity. It stems from his de facto recognition that ends equally ultimate, equally sacred, may … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy | Tagged , | 7 Comments

On the fifth day of Christmas . . .

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Bradlaugh

. . . My true love gave to me a book on pop metaphysics. Yes, I read Jim Holt’s Why Does the World Exist? over the weekend.  It’s light stuff: A journalist ─ though a more-than-usually intelligent one ─ talks to … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy | Comments Off on On the fifth day of Christmas . . .

Living by the Book

Posted on August 11, 2012 by David Hume

Whether that book is the Koran, the Bible, or Das Kapital, engineering societies based on books of principles can lead to ludicrous ‘solutions.’ Rationalism gone amok can seem hilarious, if not tragic. Saudi Arabia is organized around the theories of … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy | Tagged | 4 Comments

One must sometimes be wrong to ever be right

Posted on May 29, 2012 by David Hume

National Review has a piece up, The Party of Civil Rights. In it Kevin D. Williamson makes the case that everything you thought you knew about the relationship of the Democrats and Republicans to Civil Rights is wrong. There is … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy, politics | Tagged | 21 Comments

Secular Humanism, Trashed

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Andrew Stuttaford

My thanks to Polichinello for highlighting this rather good Salon article by Michael Lind on secular humanism. I thought it made a useful supplement to an earlier Corner contribution by Derb/Bradlaugh, and posted accordingly: Derb, in some respects Michael Lind’s … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Satanic Versus: Ayn Rand as Scarecrow (4)

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Andrew Stuttaford

Here’s Joe Carter writing in the theocon journal, First Things: Devotees of Rand may object to my outlining the association between [Rand and vintage Satanist Anton La Vey]. They will say I am proposing “guilt by association,” a form of … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, philosophy, politics | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

The Dalai Lama, Again

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Andrew Stuttaford

Via USA Today: Usually what we hear from the Dalai Lama is an insistant yet soothing voice for compassion and peace. So Tsering Namgyal, a journalist based in Minneapolis, was jolted by the Dalai Lama’s talk to 150 Chinese students … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy, politics, Religion | Tagged | 3 Comments

Happy Birthday, Mr Hume!

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Bradlaugh

The Great Empiricist was born 300 years ago this weekend (May 7, 1711, N.S.)

Posted in philosophy | 3 Comments

Your Ancestors Were Zombies

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Bradlaugh

At a gathering the other day I mentioned Julian Jaynes, who caused a stir back in the 1970s with a very odd book about religion and human consciousness. Roger Kimball was present.  He later forwarded to me an essay on … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy, Religion, science | 2 Comments