Category Archives: Philosophy

Everyone’s Welfare Counts

Posted on October 30, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

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 | Leave a comment

Can Truth and Niceness Coexist?

Posted on October 23, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

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

Achievable Good Is Better Than Impossible Perfect

Posted on October 20, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

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 | Leave a comment

Detoxifying Social Media

Posted on October 18, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

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

Posted on October 17, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

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 →

Posted in Human Relations, Philosophy, Political Science, Society | Tagged Constructive disagreement, Dale Carnegie, Psychology, Rationality, Respect, Respectful debate | Leave a comment

How to Argue Productively

Posted on October 16, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

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 | Leave a comment

Can We See Past Our Own Foundations?

Posted on October 15, 2018 by N.S. Palmer

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 →