There is a TV show. Inside it are many tall tales. It demands we give up all the critical thinking we have ever been taught. Its absurdity is everywhere. Its nonsense is right before our eyes. They are not honest, […]
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Tag: Bigotry
What Lurks Behind Conspiracy Theories? A Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories.
Some people, despite all proof to the contrary, believe the moon landings were faked. Some people, despite all proof to the contrary, believe the last election was stolen. And those are just two of the many conspiracy theories that […]
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Let’s Call Racism What It Is: Structural Cowardice
What is racism? Hatred? Yes. Ignorance? Yes. But the hatred spewed within ignorant racist views are symptoms of a deeper dis-ease. We need to call racism what it really is — something larger than any individual but is an emotion […]
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Rabbi Sacks on Making Space for Difference
Space for difference “The test of faith is whether I can make space for difference. Can I recognize God’s image in someone who is not in my image, whose language, faith, ideals, are different from mine? If I cannot, then […]
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Misogyny Is the Wrong Word for It
I know what people are getting at when they call a man a “misogynist.” It’s not a bad term, all things considered, to describe men’s mistreatment of women, but it misses something important. I’m interested in treating causes not symptoms […]
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The Key to Social Justice
Why do injustices continue to happen? We say it is because of prejudice but what is prejudice? It is difficult to fight something that we cannot define and one of the important tasks in philosophy is understanding what is behind social phenomena like prejudice. Recognition is the key.
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Misogyny is Cowardice: An Example
Of course I know some think this way, but it’s still a shock to see it. But as a philosophy professor, I recognize a teaching opportunity when I see it. I wrote before about how racism is cowardice and now […]
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Refusing To Wear Face Masks is Masking a Deeper Fear
One of the terms bandied about lately is “toxic masculinity.” The basic idea is obvious—that some men are so fixated on demonstrating how “manly” they are that they harm themselves and others in the process. I tend to frown on […]
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Why We Need More Black Voices in Philosophy
Trevor Noah is a comedian, but in a deeply personal and thoughtful video released 30 May 2020, he is a philosopher. It’s wonderful. Seriously, it is a brilliant piece of philosophy. You can view it here and even if you […]
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“If it happened once, it can happen again.”
“If it happened once, it can happen again.” – Primo Levi Not all wisdom is feel-good candy. Harsh truths can be the most important truths. The quote in the graphic above expresses one of the most important facts of our […]
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