Tag: philosophy
The Skwib: Sad Spaceman doesn’t read Nietzsche
More Sad Spaceman here. Alltop reads Nietzsche. It just doesn’t understand it.
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Thought for a day – or a life
Don’t live for what you can get – live for what you can give. Better the thought left for reflection -but if we need a musical accompaniment, or a lyrical expression of the thought, here is one. Bless you. Make it shine.
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Public poll on the state of democracy: please respond – your views and your voice matter!
Please answer the following question below, share this poll with friends, and leave your comments as well if you wish. (Naturally, of course you can only vote once! This poll aims to be as democratic as possible!)
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Earth Overshoot Day – cause for a pause to reflect
Yesterday, September 27, the Global Footprint Network declared as Earth Overshoot Day: the day that humans have used up all renewable resources available for the year. Not good. This obviously cannot continue. Limitless growth in material consumption a…
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: On Objective Morality
Most moral theories are predicated, at their root, by various assumptions or axioms which in turn cannot be derived independently. That is, there does not seem to be some cosmically significant, absolute grounding for morality that simply and unques…
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: The schizoid nature of the Western world: Overcoming the root paradox of Western civilization – and our own minds
The Western world is still trapped in a paradox and a self-contradiction of our own making: we are schizoid with regards to the body, the material world and to our physicality. On the one hand, we have, as people of the modern world, embraced our physi…
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Word to the bland, blasé and banal – apathy is living death
A song came on the radio today that I have loved all my life – except this time, it was a cover, and it spoke something to me that I would like to share. It was a jazz cover of “Ode to Billy Joe.” That might be fine, and might work well, but the …
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Religion and Language Part III: On Agnosticism
In previous posts on this series on Religion and Language (on deism, in part I; one morality, in part II), I have looked at the way careful attention to the language used to describe religion makes many different religious arguments vacuous. As we sha…
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Buddhism for Skeptics of Religion
A non-Buddhist skeptical atheist with background in psychology, scientific research, healthcare and mindfulness meditation shows how many of the central tenets and practices of Buddhism can appeal to other skeptics.
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Atheists are Differently Religious – and No, Atheism is not the/a Religion
A main focus of this blog is to consider and compare different political and ethical philosophies so as to promote better understanding of one’s own worldview and those of others. I frequently focus on progressivism/liberalism and libertarian conservativism, arguing that these incompletely overlapping moral/political philosophies each have their own internal logic and validity, but that […]
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Mental Health Risks For Political Activists
Are social/political activists at elevated risk for certain mental health conditions and social problems?
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Where do Observant Jews and Conservative Christians get their Morals, Theologically Speaking?
Theologically speaking, where do Jews and Conservative Christians get their values?
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Talking to political adversaries: Tips on reaching across the aisle
Tips on talking to political adversaries. Moving past politics, partisanship and labels, recognizing corporatism masquerading as progressivism or conservatism, and going straight to the issues.
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: My Central Tension in Moral Philosophy
It would be nice to be able to say that my moral leanings followed a consistent system of moral belief and didn’t leave central questions such as the source of morality unanswered. Were that the case, it might superficially lend credence to the weight …
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