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Category Archives: Philosophy
John Muir’s religious environmentalism and the Yosemite National Park
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
Hedonism and gambling
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
Hedonists are adults
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
Hedonists don’t worry
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
Hedonism and the state’s interference in the lives of adults
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
Posted in Philosophy, Politics
Tagged David Nutt, hedonism, Michael Gove, persecuted, state intervention
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Book Review: Laurent Binet ~ The 7th Function of Language (translated Sam Taylor) (2018)
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
Posted in Literature, Philosophy
Tagged French philosophy, French politics, intellectual debates, satire, semiotics
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John Maynard Keynes on the First World War
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
Posted in Economics, History, Philosophy, Politics, War
Tagged common heritage, European culture, the background to the EU
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Is Boris Johnson a strategist?
“He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War Chris
Wittgenstein as a (failed) teacher
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
The limits of personal responsibility: Auschwitz and Hiroshima
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
Posted in History, Philosophy, War
Tagged Auschwitz, crimes against humanity, Hiroshima, indiscriminate slaughter, victor's justice
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