Adding philosophical depth to anything and everything
Government at the consent of the governed. It is a principle we assume today and demand. It was not always so. For centuries in the medieval and early modern era the dominant European philosophy of government was the “divine right of kings”—the idea dating back to Augustine that the monarch […]
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There are people who every day put out the same basic article: ”Republicans bad.” Oh, they toss invective at different Republicans about different things, but the message is the same shallow, tinny echo: ”Republicans bad.” That Republicans are bad will get no argument from me, but that’s the point. The […]
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Do you remember Pet Rocks? You need to be older to remember them, but here’s a good history of them. The Pet Rock was the ultimate triumph of marketing over substance. The Pet Rock was a rock, just a plain rock, in a plain cardboard box labeled “Pet Rock.” I […]
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Philosopher Thomas Kuhn argued that science is “a series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions” in which “one conceptual world view is replaced by another.” (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 1962) The longer-lasting, more tranquil periods of “normal science” are guided by a dominant paradigm. Astrophysics has been […]
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One year ago, yesterday, I did the initial episode of this podcast, entitled “Why This Podcast.” And yet, I don’t feel much like celebrating the one-year anniversary of the podcast because of events that happened then and now. Life is something that you plan, but other things happen, and I […]
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Excerpts from How We Are and How We Got Here: A Practical History of Western Philosophy. British Reform Movement Significant developments in social philosophy and social reform took place in the United Kingdom in the 1800s. The Parliament of the United Kingdom passed a progressive series of laws beginning in […]
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The words “woke” and “wokeness” have recently entered the political lexicon. These words puzzle me as to what they mean and why people use them. “Woke” and “wokeness” are used mostly, if not exclusively, as an insult. They are used mostly, if not exclusively, by the Right. In our current […]
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What are UFOs? It is a surprisingly emotional subject. A large percentage of people who come across this article will read very little of it, having already assumed their preferred conclusion, and not take seriously the argument I am presenting. I hope that does not include you, dear reader. I […]
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Too Lazy; Didn’t Read (TL;DR): Veganism won’t save the planet because it attacks the wrong targets. I recently saw someone describe herself as a “vegan evangelist.” Strange though that label may sound, it appropriately describes the religious fervor of veganism. She said, as do some others, that she was on […]
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I am a philosophy professor and writer, and so far, I have published five books and many articles. I have spent the last six months researching ways to market myself and my writing, looking to hire someone as a publicist or marketing consultant. I have read countless articles and blog […]
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