Category Archives: Philosophy

John Muir’s religious environmentalism and the Yosemite National Park

Posted on November 16, 2019 by odeboyz

John Muir is a towering figure in American environmental history. He was a geologist, botanist, mountaineer, journalist, author, confidant of Presidents and industrial leaders, co-founder of the Sierra Club and much more. His opinions were eagerly sought and often acted … Continue reading →

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Hedonism and gambling

Posted on November 11, 2019 by odeboyz

Hedonists want to win. They really want to win. Losing isn’t fun making you unhappy, resentful and unpleasant. Hedonists like easy money but not losing, which is the central problem in gambling as it often involves losing. Obviously hedonists can … Continue reading →

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Hedonists are adults

Posted on November 4, 2019 by odeboyz

Adults make decisions and take the consequences. Everyone does stupid things and sometimes they’re really stupid. Hedonists don’t whine about bad luck. They know they fouled up. Even if they followed advice it’s still their decision and they accept ownership. … Continue reading →

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Hedonists don’t worry

Posted on October 28, 2019 by odeboyz

Worrying causes unhappiness. Doing something stupid, offensive, crass or whatever will probably fill you with regrets but it’s too late. Why worry? The damage has been done. What’s worse than this is people who worry about future events. Events which … Continue reading →

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Hedonism and the state’s interference in the lives of adults

Posted on October 17, 2019 by odeboyz

Hedonists believe ‘the pursuit of pleasure is the most important goal of human life’. Hedonists are tolerant. Each person’s pleasurable activities is theirs. Hedonists don’t recognise any role for states in legislating the personal conduct of adults. The only caveat … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Laurent Binet ~ The 7th Function of Language (translated Sam Taylor) (2018)

Posted on October 8, 2019 by odeboyz

Binet wrote the brilliant historical novel HHhH (2013) about the assassination of Heydrich in Prague in 1942. Naturally I bought this new book, without reading a review, and found myself engaging with a French intellectual. It was very bracing. The … Continue reading →

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John Maynard Keynes on the First World War

Posted on September 9, 2019 by odeboyz

If the European Civil War is to end with France and Italy abusing their momentary victorious power to destroy Germany and Austria-Hungary now prostrate, they invite their own destruction also, being so deeply and inextricably intertwined with their victims by … Continue reading →

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Is Boris Johnson a strategist?

Posted on September 5, 2019 by odeboyz

“He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War Chris

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Wittgenstein as a (failed) teacher

Posted on September 2, 2019 by odeboyz

For our own part, we struck Wittgenstein as intolerably stupid.1 He would denounce us to our faces as unteachable, and at times he despaired of getting us to recognize what sort of point he was trying to get across to … Continue reading →

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The limits of personal responsibility: Auschwitz and Hiroshima

Posted on May 23, 2019 by odeboyz

Although subordinates in the military are expected to obey orders, they remain beneath the law. Obeying orders is a personal responsibility, which entails deciding whether they’re lawful or not. Unlawful orders should be challenged or disobeyed. Many Nazis were executed … Continue reading →

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