Do we have free will, or fate, or both? (Sam Harris is Wrong, Part 2)

I re-wrote this article. Here is the new (completely changed) version.

Gods and Goddesses of abstraction: Why Western thought is scientific

In discrete mathematics, categorization is a form of abstraction. There are many different kinds of birds, but there is also bird”ness” that is common across all birds. There are many different types of rocks, but there is also rock”ness” that is common across all rocks. I can tell you about a rock without naming a … Continue reading Gods and Goddesses of abstraction: Why Western thought is scientific →

“All we have is conversation or violence” (Sam Harris is Wrong, Part 1)

This is the first installment of a series in which I look at various beliefs of Sam Harris and explain why they are wrong. Why am I picking on Harris? Although I believe Harris is wrong about many things, the way he is wrong is usually interesting: the intellectual consequence of mental traps that are … Continue reading “All we have is conversation or violence” (Sam Harris is Wrong, Part 1) →

Smart, Religious, and Gay: Was there Group Selection?

The first thing you need to know is that personality is mostly genetic. I recently watched this interview with Michael Woodley. I cannot verity the veracity of his claims, but they are interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOudO5EPI0M&t=1s There is a lot of controversy, in the study of evolution and society, about the term “group selection.” Mostly unfair. Here’s … Continue reading Smart, Religious, and Gay: Was there Group Selection? →

Hitler is the god of progressivism

No matter what you think this article will be arguing, you're probably wrong.

Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, Part 6: Immigration, etc.

I began this series: This is the first in a series of posts with the intent of laying out my political philosophy. At least, the starting point of my political philosophy. That is to say, what it was three years ago when I wrote this manifesto in my head. Which demands the question: to what … Continue reading Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, Part 6: Immigration, etc. →

Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, Part 5: Deterrence

We can view crime as a prisoner’s dilemma problem. If one criminal gets away with a crime, they profit at the expense of others. But if everyone gets away with crime, the situation is worse for everybody, even the criminals. What I call coercion, therefore, can be classed as a collective action problem. There are … Continue reading Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, Part 5: Deterrence →

Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, Part 4: Currency

According to this manifesto, there exactly four functions of government: To protect people's health and property To oversee natural utilities, and one-of-a-kind goods (these topics are related via Georgism) To neutrally promote the creation and availability of information To maintain a national currency This section will cover #4. After this post, the manifesto will have … Continue reading Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, Part 4: Currency →

Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, part 3: Information

I am a brave explorer. I discover a new continent. To my surprise, the land mass is completely uninhabited, and I am the first human to set foot on this new earth. I mark my discovery on a map. A year later, replicas of the map have circled the world. I attempt to establish a … Continue reading Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, part 3: Information →

Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, Part 2: Georgism

Time has not treated Henry George well. He was the most famous economist in the world. In 1906, his books were more well known than Shakespeare’s plays, even among the members of the British Parliament. It goes without saying that he was the best-selling American writer of his era. About 200,000 people attended his funeral. … Continue reading Proper Sovereignty Manifesto, Part 2: Georgism →