In which Steven Pinker defends the notion that “Dignity Is a Useless Concept.” Macklin argued that bioethics has done just fine with the principle of personal autonomy–the idea that, because all humans have the same minimum capacity to suffer, prosper, … Continue reading →

One of the people who was involved in the Milgram experiment wrote his own story. In retrospect, I believe that my upbringing in a socialist-oriented family steeped in a class struggle view of society taught me that authorities would often … Continue reading →

The Utopian dream of the looters ends in dystopia and apocalypse. Continue reading →

   People often condemn others on partial information. Indeed, necessity sometimes demands hasty judgment. We frequently don’t have enough time to know the whole story. A short story called “The Last Judgment” by the Czech author Karel Capek best captures … Continue reading →

When I was a young’un, I used to go swimming at Crystal Palace. It was a 90 minute bus ride but it was worth it because that was the only place that had Olympic-size diving boards. I remember so clearly … Continue reading →

Today is forecast to be Warmer than yesterday. It’s a sign!

My lovely wife sent me this: Mr. Whitson taught sixth-grade science. On the first day of class, he gave us a lecture about a creature called the cattywampus, an ill-adapted nocturnal animal that was wiped out during the Ice Age. … Continue reading →

For the second time in a week, I have written a post that I have deleted in an act of self-censorship. A little while ago, Paul Graham had an essay about all those things that you are not allowed to … Continue reading →

I only had 15 minutes when I nipped into B&N during Jazz’s piano lesson and I wanted to pick up a copy of V for Vendetta for Dylan. Since he had dressed as him for Halloween, I thought it only … Continue reading →