Political decay — Insights from Francis Fukuyama
Are we experiencing political decay? Our political situation, particularly the current Presidential election process, is unsettling and unprecedented in my lifetime. Is this political decay or just a rough patch in our political process? I have been trying to determine whether my reaction has some rational basis or is just the emotional response of someone in […]
Character should matter in elections
I rarely write about politics but the current presidential election compels me to share some thoughts. I write not to advocate for or against one party or candidate. Instead, I am advocating for a principle. That principle is that a candidate’s character should matter when voting. This may seem to many simplistic, naïve, and Quixotic. But […]
Fearless sifting and winnowing
The recent protests on several college campuses and the response by the leaders of those institutions have raised important issues that deserve public debate. One of the most important is free speech. The question is whether colleges and universities should allow speech by students, faculty, or outside speakers when some, or even most, of the people find the […]
So much we don’t understand — spooky action at a distance
For as long as I have known about the theory of quantum mechanics I have been fascinated and awed by what is referred to as “spooky action at a distance.” This is the phenomenon where two subatomic particles are “entangled” and a change in one particle affects the other particle instantaneously even though the particles […]
Mowing the lawn, duty, living your dream, and happiness
I liked the recent New York Times column by Roger Cohen, Mow the lawn, for questioning the all too common advice to “live your dream” or “pursue your passion” as the path to happiness. He argues that sometimes it is more important to focus on what we need to do even if it is mundane. Dreams are […]
Philosophy
Philosophy — How to Live Why Philosophy? Philosophy often seems esoteric, complex, and irrelevant to daily life. What does philosophy have to do with how to live and thrive? As a young adult, reading and thinking about the fundamental questions of life was important as I tried to figure out my place in the world […]
Philosophy, Politics, & Democracy — Teaching Plato in Palestine
I believe philosophy is important in living a meaningful life and creating a society that makes that possible. I found this review of Carlos Fraenkel’s book interesting and have put the it on my ever growing reading list. Teaching Plato in Palestine – WSJ Book Review
FX’s “The Americans” and moral conflict
I am a big fan of “The Americans” TV show on FX. Its an exciting cold war spy thriller with complex personal relationships and deep moral conflicts. So I was interested in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal (The Mystery of Loyalty, in life and on The Americans) that discusses one of the fundamental […]
Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, and Moral Law
Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, and Moral Law Cormac McCarthy I am a fan of Cormac McCarthy and his book “Blood Meridian.” Re-reading the book recently I noted this passage: “Moral law is an invention of mankind for the disenfranchisement of the powerful in favor of the weak. Historical law subverts it at every turn. “ […]
The Value of a Traditional Liberal Arts Education
The Value of a Traditional Liberal Arts Education A recent opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, Conservatives, Please Stop Trashing the Liberal Arts, caught my attention. I have long felt I missed learning something important in college. Those gaps left me ill prepared in important ways for work and life. I worked in my field after […]