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Author Archives: N.S. Palmer
Everyone’s Welfare Counts
We should try to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It sounds like a pretty good idea. And it is. But it’s not the whole answer. The problem is that like lower animals, humans distinguish between … Continue reading
Posted in Judaism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology
Tagged Choice, Ethics, Group behavior, Group membership, Human Dignity, Moral Choice, Nozick, Side constraints, Utilitarianism
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The Trouble with Politics
Americans disagree about a lot. But there’s one point on which we are unanimous: Our politicians are awful. Let’s be honest: Except in the haze of partisan fervor, can anyone truly believe that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were the … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science, Psychology, Society
Tagged Followers, Hierarchy, Partisanship, Politics, Power, Primate societies, Propaganda
2 Comments
Oh Say, Kin You See?
Football player Colin Kaepernick refused to stand during the American national anthem. And people on all sides of the political spectrum went nuts. Why? The most obvious reason is that they either endorse or dispute his complaint: “I am not … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Society
Tagged American Flag, Evolution, In-Group, Kaepernick, Kin Selection, National Anthem, Psychology, Tribal behavior, Tribe
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Can Truth and Niceness Coexist?
Suppose that Joe believes he’s a parakeet. Is that okay? It depends. If Joe goes to work, obeys the law, fulfills his responsibilities, and doesn’t drive people nuts by making bird noises, then I’d say it’s okay. The belief makes … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Philosophy, Psychology
Tagged Delusions, Mental Illness, Pragmatism, Psychology, Psychology of Belief
6 Comments
What If We Can’t Agree?
What if we just can’t agree about some issues? Suppose that we’ve had calm, rational conversations with people on the other side of the dispute. It does happen occasionally. And suppose that each side understands the other. People on each … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Political Science, Society
Tagged Compromise, Democracy, Dispute Resolution, Federalism, Social realism
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Achievable Good Is Better Than Impossible Perfect
You’ve probably heard the joke about why a ham sandwich is better than eternal happiness: Nothing is better than eternal happiness. And a ham sandwich is better than nothing. A ham sandwich isn’t perfect, but it’s better than having no … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy, Political Science, Society
Tagged Achievable goals, Ideology, Perfection, Social realism, Utopia, Utopianism, Voltaire
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Detoxifying Social Media
Social media started as an enjoyable way to chat with people who shared our interests. But it soon developed a dark side. It started to generate hostility and hysteria. Crazed mobs started to harass and threaten people who made social … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Philosophy, Political Science, Society
Tagged Facebook, Mass communication, News Media, Social Conflict, Social Media, Twitter
2 Comments
Respect the Other Person
When you disagree with someone, how can you keep the argument focused on the issues? You don’t want to get sidetracked, and you especially don’t want the discussion to turn into a screaming match. The previous blog post (“How to … Continue reading
How to Argue Productively
Most arguments aren’t productive. But argument can be productive if you do it right. The First Rule The first rule of productive argument is the same as in many other areas: Define your goals. Do you want to discover the … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Philosophy, Political Science, Society
Tagged Argument, Debate, Disagreement, Evidence, Rational Argument, Reason, Reasonable, Respect
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Can We See Past Our Own Foundations?
You can’t understand anything in terms of nothing. That much is obvious. What’s less obvious is that it’s a barrier to communication and understanding. Each of us has a foundational viewpoint that biases how we see the world. It includes … Continue reading
Posted in Epistemology, Philosophy, Political Science
Tagged Debate, Disagreement, Open-minded, Rationality, Truth
2 Comments
The Thousand-Year View 