Category Archives: Philosophy
When identity politics trumps all
In a recent Facebook thread on identity politics, I made the following contribution, with some redaction here. I see a dozen online memes an hour speaking to Trump’s “misogyny” and “racism.” These terms have suffered scope creep. They no longer … Continue reading
Liberalism Needs a Housecleaning
After this post, I hope to leave off religion and politics for a while. I’m a liberal and liberal apologist but also a philosophical conservative, meaning I’m more into Adam Smith than Karl Marx, more into Plato and Lao Tzu than Nietzsche. … Continue reading
Scalia, Naive Essentialism, and Evolution
I’ve lain relatively low on Facebook this past year, becoming more circumspect. Before posting, I weigh the importance of any controversial statement I have to make, and increasingly I let it go. This seems to have improved my relationships with … Continue reading
Values and the Definition of Religion
In relation to my last post, a friend of mine on Facebook was not clear on my definition of religion in relation to values, so this is how I replied. Sure, Ed, the word “values” is tricky because when I … Continue reading
Secularism, and Pounding on Religion
Here’s a redacted set of outtakes from my side of religion Facebook arguments I’ve been having. Of course they’re inspired by the tragedy in France. I’d really like to be done with this, but as soon as I’m out, they … Continue reading
The Tao, and the Existentialist
I continued my long debate on Facebook with my friend where we argued the Tao, or the Way, and religion and largely talked past each other. I think I finally get his perspective, and it relates to a post I … Continue reading
The Tao, Revisited
One of my friends on Facebook argued with my religion post. He thinks that I’m lumping philosophy and even science in with religion, remarking essentially — if I understand his point — that the Tao is just another word for … Continue reading
