Category Archives: Philosophy

Our intolerant society: a rough sleeper in our tower block

Posted on August 11, 2017 by

On our Council estate in north-east London we have a diverse group of people including some very obnoxious individuals. At the repulsive end of the spectrum our caretaker came across a woman sleeping rough in the basement of one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, housing, Philosophy | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Pearl Levitt theory of pain management

Posted on June 28, 2017 by

What can’t be cured must be endured. Chris

Posted in Health, Philosophy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A philosopher contemplates death: Voltaire (1770)

Posted on March 28, 2017 by

In any case, Voltaire* added jocularly, he expected to die shortly and would soon find out who was right concerning immortality of the soul— Plato or Spinoza, Saint Paul or Epictetus, Christianity or Confucianism. *This is jocular because Voltaire was … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Philosophy, Religion | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Euthanasia: a civic right

Posted on March 10, 2017 by

They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow… They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Philosophy, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Is Theresa May a Conservative?

Posted on January 24, 2017 by

Michael Oakeshott wrote: To be conservative, then, is to prefer the familiar to the unknown, to prefer the tried to the untried, fact to mystery, the actual to the possible, the limited to the unbounded, the near to the distant, … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

On the Occasion of the inauguration of Donald J Trump

Posted on January 20, 2017 by

“Gödel’s* logical rigour caused problems outside academia, too. While studying for his American citizenship assessment in 1948, he told his sponsor Oskar Morgenstein that he’d spotted some inconsistencies in the US Constitution. According to Godel the contradictions created a legal … Continue reading →

Posted in Mathematics, Philosophy, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Gradgrind and the problem of legless horses

Posted on November 4, 2016 by

Gradgrind came to epitomise Victorian school teachers. Victorian school teachers were sharply focused on facts. Facts appeared to offer certainty and, even better, they could be tested. A pupil repeating the facts that they’d learned was a good pupil. There’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Philosophy, School | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments