Category Archives: Politics

Je Suis un Jerk

Posted on January 14, 2015 by robertpkruger

I’ve seen a lot of my fellow liberals posting things to the effect of, “Yeah, it was horrible what happened in France. There’s no excuse for it. On the other hand, we should not be jerks, and the Charlie Hebdo … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Rhetoric | Leave a comment

Values and the Definition of Religion

Posted on January 11, 2015 by robertpkruger

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 →

Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Religion | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Climate Change: Framing a Scientific Issue

Posted on November 21, 2014 by robertpkruger

This is not a political entry, but it is about politicization, to elaborate on my post about a liberal credo. I was debating climate change with someone today who, I thought, was not confronting the real questions and stubbornly making … Continue reading →

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A Suggested Credo for Liberals

Posted on November 20, 2014 by robertpkruger

There’s really not much point being a liberal if you don’t acknowledge… that science trumps politics, that being an individual and striving to treat others as individuals trump group identity, that being a victim is a situation to get out … Continue reading →

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The Cognitive Science of Religion, Filed Under “Gaming”

Posted on October 29, 2014 by robertpkruger

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Cognitive-Science-of-Religion This is a fascinating and important area of inquiry. I used to think that disavowing religion was like denying your blind spot, not because I think that everyone secretly believes in God but rather that if they don’t, they’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Dungeons & Dragons, Evo Psych, Games, Politics, Religion | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Fallacy of Politics

Posted on October 4, 2014 by robertpkruger

If we really want progress, we should recognize a much more fundamental and deep divide than conservative versus liberal: those who use logical fallacies in argument and those who don’t. Liberalism and conservatism are the poles of constructive debate; as … Continue reading →

Posted in Evo Psych, Politics | Leave a comment

What the Manipulators Don’t Want You to Know

Posted on October 3, 2014 by robertpkruger

My wife reported that hospital charity care-costs in Oregon have been reduced by a third due to Obamacare. Why did it take so long to begin reforming healthcare? It’s amazing the irrational crap we put up with, isn’t it? But … Continue reading →

Posted in Evo Psych, Evolution, Politics | 2 Comments

Two Books to Read and Re-read

Posted on September 10, 2014 by robertpkruger

I’ve been collecting thoughts offline about the dismaying politicization of science by the left and right. The file has gotten long. It occurs to me that if you read just two books with close attention, you’ll be equipped to cut … Continue reading →

Posted in Evo Psych, Evolution, Politics | Leave a comment

Unfriending People on Facebook

Posted on August 23, 2014 by robertpkruger

I unfriended this jerk on Facebook today. He was hitting me with some PC/right-wing/left-wing bullshit and… No, actually I didn’t. I’ve got over 750 connections on Facebook, and I’ve never unfriended anyone other than strangers clearly looking to scam me. … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Social Media, Uncategorized, Writing | 2 Comments

Do Unto Others…

Posted on June 11, 2014 by robertpkruger

… As You Would Have Them Do Unto You is axiomatic. It’s baked into the universe. All your attempts to claim an exemption will not help you create a finer morality. Sam Harris’s project to make a science of morality … Continue reading →

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