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Category Archives: Political Science
Fortunes of War
In the United States, November 11 is Veterans Day, first celebrated in 1919. Back in 1919 it was called Armistice Day, commemorating the 1918 armistice that ended what Americans originally called the European War. When the European War started, Americans … Continue reading
Posted in Life, Political Science, Psychology, Science
Tagged Aggression, Human Nature, Peace, Veterans Day, War, War profiteering
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Publication Day for Why Sane People Believe Crazy Things!
Today is publication day for the second edition of my book Why Sane People Believe Crazy Things: How Belief Can Help or Hurt Social Peace! The new edition adds a chapter about the foundations of morality, as well as various … Continue reading
Two Views of Human Rights
Human rights are important: on that, everyone agrees. But that’s about the only point of agreement. A big problem is that people don’t think about what human rights are or where they come from. Rights are a claim that we … Continue reading
No Law, No Heaven
Unless we know what we want our society to be like — its ideal state — then we have no basis for enacting or obeying any laws at all. Continue reading
Healthy Societies Are Efficient
Efficiency isn’t everything, but healthy societies and people need it. If you want the deep explanation of why that’s true, read about Charles Darwin’s observations of birds (finches) on the Galapagos Islands off the coast of South America. Each island … Continue reading
Always To Be Blessed
It’s seldom that a two-line passage from a poem can explain so much that’s wrong with the world. But Alexander Pope’s Essay on Man (1732) has just such a passage: “Hope springs eternal in the human breast, Man never is, … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy, Political Science, Society
Tagged Alexander Pope, Command economy, Desire, Economics, Essay on Man, Free market, Greedy desire, Serenity, Social Peace, Wisdom
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You Can’t Idiot-Proof the World
There’s no way to make the world safe for idiots. No matter what you do, it can go wrong somehow. And then it won’t be safe, for idiots or anyone else. I thought of that while watching “Love Crossed,” a … Continue reading
Posted in Life, Political Science, Psychology
Tagged Authoritarian, Courage, Risk, Safety, Safetyism, Timidity, Totalitarianism
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Good Advice from George Washington
Until quite recently, U.S. President George Washington was considered the ideal American: honest, brave, wise, and patriotic. None of that has changed. Washington offered some good advice about how to have a healthy society and a just government: “We must … Continue reading
Posted in Human Relations, Political Science
Tagged Community, Evolution, George Washington, In-Group, Kin Selection, Out-Group, Social Conflict, Social trust
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Drug Policy: Good Is Better Than Perfect
American laws about recreational drug use are a mess. Americans rot in prison for using or selling marijuana, which is relatively harmless. They rot in prison for selling cocaine and heroin, which aren’t harmless but harm mainly heavy users, and … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science, Psychology, Science, Society
Tagged Addiction, Cocaine, Corruption, DEA, Drug policy, Heroin, Marijuana, Perfectionism
6 Comments
Don’t Live Thoughtlessly
The American philosopher John Dewey argued that for most people, most of the time, thinking is a last resort. They only think when a problem or obstacle blocks their path. And he wasn’t wrong. Most of the time, we live … Continue reading
Posted in Life, Political Science, Psychology, Society
Tagged Conformity, Cruelty, Customs, Groupthink, Herd behavior, Independent thought
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The Thousand-Year View 