Category Archives: Philosophy
What You Don’t Know
“Every person you meet knows something that you don’t know.” That was one of my grandfather’s favorite adages. He died when I was quite young, so I don’t remember him well. I remember his appearance, his book-lined study, his beloved … Continue reading
Whose Welfare Counts, and How Much?
This blog post isn’t about what you’ll at first think it’s about. So bear with me. The United Kingdom’s National Trust was established in 1895 to showcase and protect Britain’s national heritage. Among other things, it gives tours of historic … Continue reading
Abnormal Isn’t Normal, But It’s OK
“Abnormal” is not an insult. And “normal” is not a compliment. People bend over backwards these days to avoid calling anything “abnormal.” Apparently they think it might hurt someone’s feelings. For example, Robert Plomin’s recent book about human DNA argues … Continue reading
Give Thanks for Thankfulness
On the American holiday of Thanksgiving, we give thanks for a lot of things. In developed countries, we’ve got food. We’ve got shelter. Even the poorest among us have access to resources and luxuries that were unimaginable only a hundred … Continue reading
It’s What You Don’t See That Misleads You
Often, it’s not what you see that misleads you. It’s what you don’t see. In economics, it’s called “the broken window fallacy.” Broken windows create jobs for people who replace windows. Therefore, the fallacy concludes that broken windows are a … Continue reading
Understanding Control and Perspective
It helps a lot if we understand two principles: control and perspective. First, there are some things we can control and other things we can’t control. When we get upset, it’s often because we mistake one kind of thing for … Continue reading