 Vital Ideas in Conflict-Sen versus Bauer
by Tibor R. Machan
A most influential book by Harvard Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen
is Development as Freedom (Knopf, 1999). At first glance the title
suggests that Sen shares the late Peter Bauer’s ideas who argued that
global free market policies would best help the poor everywhere. But that
isn't Sen's message at all. (Read more...)
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Wednesday
October 14, 2009 |
Nebulous Terms: Defining Religion
by Jonathan Pararajasingham
While the debates and philosophising on religion continues as fervently as ever, there still seems no real consensus on what the actual definition of a "religion" should be. God is certainly not an essential part of the equation as evidenced by the existence of atheistic religions such as Hindu Carvaka or Buddhism. Here I try and explore what should perhaps objectively be the common threads that define true religion, and thus simultaneously exclude pseudo-religious beliefs. (Read more...)
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The Lullaby Yoke
by Manfred F. Schieder
The steadfast devotion to the premises of collectivism reveals a rejection of reality and an adherence to remain attached to fantastic visions. It conforms the mentality of societies that despise progress and the personal involvement related with it. Such societies remain attached to the past, to the yoke of lullabies whispering the venom of its lies, societies that can barely, if at all, be called civilized, though they would very much like to be considered as such. Since these societies are a contradiction with evolution itself, we are now crossing a time of great transition toward a new type of society whose economic basis is Capitalism, a rational society corresponding to a species that is entering the stage of rationality. (Read more...)
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The Dubai Marvels
by Manfred F. Schieder
The architectural and engineering achievements being nowadays set up in Dubai, at the United Arab Emirates, are testimonies of human ingenuity and capacity, but they are also symbols marking the amazing depth that human immorality has now reached. Peaceful, productive life and togetherness among different human races, nations and populations require from all involved a strict adherence to the personal, individual rights to life and limb. (Read more...)
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Without a plan
by Tibor R. Machan
A truly free country leaves it to its citizens to plan their lives, for
better or for worse, and refuses to permit the imposition of plans on them
even by the most wise and smart among us. (Read more...)
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Is Government Preparing Us for Censorship?
by Tibor R. Machan
In a series of articles on climate change the villain is gradually being
identified as, you should have guessed it, freedom of thought! (Read more...)
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The Real Republican Divide
by Alexandra York
Alexandra York sent me (Manfred F. Schieder) an article that I consider important for the readers of "Rebirth of Reason". "The Real Republican Divide" analyzes the intellectual contradictions existing within that party - to which Ayn Rand herself pointed in her essay "For the New Intellectual" - and lines up with what the recent article "A Call for Action" and my own "Preparing for Capitalism" request. (Read more...)
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One's Right to be Wrong
by Tibor R. Machan
Why should people have the freedom to do what is wrong, provided
they aren't violating anyone's rights? (Read more...)
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Wednesday
December 10, 2008 |
You could have heard a pin drop...
by Alexandra York
Commentary by Manfred F. Schieder: Alexandra York sent me a series of incisive stories that hit the nail on the head and which, under the present world circumstances, we all, but precisely the American population, should clearly keep in their mind. Please pass this on to your friends and associates. (Read more...)
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An Atheist's Response to Pascal's Wager
by G. Stolyarov II
Pascal’s Wager is one of the more respectable arguments in favor of religion. As an atheist, Mr. Stolyarov is nonetheless sympathetic to this argument, because it attempts to use reason to actually persuade people to believe in God, rather than circularly using the Bible as a reason to believe in the truth of the Bible. Of course, as an atheist, Mr. Stolyarov also believes that Pascal’s Wager is a mistaken argument. But here he will give it the consideration it deserves. (Read more...)
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A New Discipline
by Fred Seddon
I have been president of the West Virginia Philosophical Society since 1988 and there have been many first during my tenure, but this one may be the most important. It is not everyday that one hears about a new discipline, but at the Spring Meeting held on Mar. 28-29 in Wheeling, WV, Professor Ted Drange, one of my fa... (Read more...)
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Low-quality thinking on "rationality": A chronological index of highly-relevant quotes
by Ed Thompson
A first effort to summarize the historical errors associated with published philosophical thought on the subject of "rationality" (Read more...)
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Martin Wolf and the Soft Way against Globalization
by Manfred F. Schieder
An analysis of Martin Wolf's book "Why Globalization Works", pointing out that his support lacks the required recognition of the basis that makes globalization efficient. (Read more...)
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The 4 Main Kinds of Ethics: An Introduction.
by Ed Thompson
The purpose of this short essay is to introduce the 4 main ways that we can think about morality and to get a glimpse at how those 4 mutually-exclusive and altogether-exhaustible views result in radically different ethical recommendations. (Read more...)
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A World of Devils -- and Political Perfection
by Kyrel Zantonavitch
Having outstanding people in the nation and the government vs. having an outstanding socio-economic and political system. (Read more...)
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Event-based Morality
by Joseph Rowlands
How do you judge a person's moral commitment? How do you tell whether someone is virtuous or not? The answer to these questions can change the way you see morality.
... (Read more...)
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Is Altruism Really About Self-Sacrifice?
by Joseph Rowlands
Sometimes it's difficult to communicate radical ideas to people unfamiliar with them. An excellent example of this is the Objectivist view that altruism is at its essence a morality of self-sacrifice. If you were to describe altruism as aiming at self-sacrifice, or suggest it is a morality aimed at death, you'd proba... (Read more...)
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