Terms I Hate
There are a lot of philosophical language that has entered the popular vernacular. However there are a few terms I just hate, hate, hate. I’ve more or less reconciled myself to these terms. Occasionally I’ll even use them myself because…well because I can’t think of anything better. Here’s my list: Framing
Critique of Legal Originalism
Critique of legal originalism I think naive originalism is pretty problematic hermeneutically. (I’m obviously anything but an attorney of course) However while I’m sympathetic to some elements of originalism I think this critique great as are its points about what good interpretation would have to account for. Can we have a more Gadamer influenced and [...]
Mental Processes Below Consciousness
Mental processes operating below the level of consciousness. There’s still great debate about whether “unconscious” processes should be called mental processes. I think they should and this is a great example that illustrates why.
Analytic Philosophy History
When did analytic philosophy come to have its present meaning? Interesting approach to the question and it includes a great Google Books ngram graph.
What are Concepts?
What are concepts? I’m very sympathetic to the notion of a concept as akin to a tool like a lens in a pair of glasses or telescope. I can’t help but feeling it still leaves something crucial out. (And seems a tad too close to Idea in the Kantian sense)
Why Did People Believe Geocentricity?
Why did people believe in geocentrism over heliocentrism at the time of Galilio? Interesting question and great answer.
Folk Intuitions and Free Will
Why folk intuitions matter in the free will debate. It seems undeniable that most work of free will comes from a language or public intuition approach rather than from metaphysics or natural kinds. Of course it seems reasonable to ask if our intuitions and language will change with new discoveries. If so, why worry about [...]
Heidegger on Presencing and Nothing
Great quote I found over at Critical Hermeneutics that does a really nice summary of a key aspect of Heidegger’s Being and Time.
Critiquing Fusionism
Critiquing fusionism: the harmonizing of freedom and tradition. Interesting discussion about whether the extreme property rights position of libertarianism can be reconciled with natural law theory. (I hold to neither position – but it’s still an interesting discussion)
Defending Phenomenology
Defending phenomenology from the speculative realists. I’m of two minds on this. I think phenomenology is too easily discounted either by the SR folks or by most folks in the analytic tradition. But at the same time I think the phenomenologists don’t worry about the 3rd person perspective (i.e. objects independent of our experience) I [...]
Why Hegel Should Matter
Why Hegel should matter. I don’t know nearly as much Hegel as I should – mainly due to the negative position he has. But I’ve been told by many people that for all his flaws he does get a bad rap.
Fermi Problem
I love Fermi Problems. The idea is to make rough approximations (often by doing order of magnitude comparisons with “common sense”) and then calculate the answers to complex problems quickly. What I really like about these sorts of problems is that they really illustrate the basics of the way physicists think. In effect they, better [...]
Thoughts on the Mormon Political Scene
It seems like Mormons are the media group of the moment. Not only do we seem to be in nearly every reality show, dance show and recently even lampooned on Broadway but we are represented by two leading contenders for the President and the head of the Senate. Not bad for a group whose active [...]
Agency, Oughts and Economics
The other day while mentioning The Triumph of Practice over Theory in Ethics I’d discussed Sterba’s use of the “ought implies can” principle. I suggested that I think where problems occur in his attempts to reconcile Utilitarianism with Kantian approaches is over how “liberally” one should take that principle. One could say that so long [...]
Philosophy Useless?
The Eternal Universe commented on a recent editorial about how philosophy is bankrupt. There have been similar editorials of late including one in the NYT a few months back. (Sadly I couldn’t find it quickly) The basic idea is that philosophy has failed since it can’t give practical answers to politicians. “Philosophy, it seems to [...]
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