 Do We Have a Moral Nature?
by Tibor R. Machan
It is often held, by admirers of modern science (which took off around about the 15th century) that if human beings are parts of nature, there can be no room for morality in their lives. They are then simply complicated machines working as they must, with no possibility that they can make choices, which is an essential part of morality. Science and morality are, then, often juxtaposed.
(Read more...)
Discuss this Article (37 messages)
 Private vs. State Schools & Free Speech
by Tibor R. Machan
One matter that’s often overlooked in discussing all this is the difference between public and private institutions. Public institutions are funded by funds confiscated from all taxpayers, while private institutions are not, which can make a difference in what policies are legally justified at them.
(Read more...)
Discuss this Article (0 messages)
Wednesday
November 3, 2010 |
Two Cheers for the Gridlock
by Tibor R. Machan
Although I wasn’t thrilled with the outcome on November 2, 2010, that Harry Reid and Barbara Boxer, among others, would be headed back to the nation’s capitol to try to continue to shore up the government’s powers, at least the election had the favorable result of producing a gridlocked regime for a while. I say, let them be bogged own in their partisan bickering. This may have the unintended consequence of making life less regimented for most Americans, even free up our productive energies somewhat. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (8 messages)
Why Obama Doesn’t Seem to Relate--emotionally
by Tibor R. Machan
Nonetheless I have been paying a bit more attention to this
criticism of the President because as I have been following his
efforts to bolster the chances of Democrats to remain in power in
Washington, DC, I have noticed that there is something amiss with how
he comes over emotionally. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (9 messages)
 The Times’ Phony Integrity
by Tibor R. Machan
So what is it with The Times and others who appear to hold that the right of freedom of speech is vital--well, except when hate speech is involved--but the right to private property, which actually supports the former right (because, after all, unless property rights are secure, freedom of speech or religion isn’t either), can be dispensed with? (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (1 message)
Phooey on John Dewey
by Bruce Deitrick Price
The year: 1897. Dewey’s age: 38. "My Pedagogic Creed" is a fascinating and original work. It's almost art, in the exotic sense that Wittgenstein's "Tractatus" is art. They're both breezily dogmatic, stating a thousand decisive Truths, perhaps a few of which are even true. Here's the key point. Wouldn't we like Dewey to say he has concluded or demonstrated or observed or discovered something? He does not. Here's what he says 74 times in My Creed: "I believe...I believe...I believe..." You want education as fevered religious vision, read Dewey. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (5 messages)
Tuesday
September 28, 2010 |
Rejecting Anti-Natural Rights
by Tibor R. Machan
President Obama’s friend and former colleague Cass Sunstein, now apparently on leave from Harvard Law School, would have us believe that our rights are granted to us by government. Sunstein and his co-author Stephen Holmes have argued in their book, The Cost of Rights (W. W. Norton, 1999) that human beings have no rights until government grants them some. As they put it, "individual rights and freedoms depend fundamentally on vigorous state action" (p. 14) and "Statelessness means rightlessness" (p. 19). (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (5 messages)
Saturday
September 18, 2010 |
Tea Party Strategy Anyone?
by Tibor R. Machan
The one principle that is truly representative of America as the Founders conceived of it is limited government, limited by the principle of individual liberty. Perhaps turning to this message with a clear emphasis on not trying to impose anything else on the country could be successful. If a Tea Party candidate or leader is pressed for views on matters other than the proper scope of government, the answer should be: “No comment on that since it isn’t a part of politics proper, not in a free country!” (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (7 messages)
Beyond City Limits
by PARAG KHANNA
Cities, not states, are the future... (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (0 messages)
Thursday
September 9, 2010 |
On Businessmen Giving Back
by Kimberly O. Dennis
Giving back? what was taken? (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (0 messages)
Thursday
September 2, 2010 |
Revisiting Wealth Redistribution
by Tibor R. Machan
It is time to bring this ruse to an end. Those people’s scam should be shut down. Their phony authority to take from everyone so they can use it as they see fit--in the name that they are the nice guys who redistribute wealth while we the greedy bunch intent on keeping it for ourselves--must be abolished. They should be sent off to join Bernie Madoff by now. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (4 messages)
Allah Akbar!
by Brigitte Gabriel
“Even the Nazis did not turn their own children into human bombs, and then rejoice at their deaths as well the deaths of their victims.” (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (4 messages)
The Mosque Fiasco
by Tibor R. Machan
There is a time to be righteous, yes, and when some truly despised organization such as those who have made the vile choice to built a mosque near ground zero of all places, then speaking up for their rights is arguably honorable and righteous. But it isn’t if those doing such speaking up forget about all the other rights human beings have that go neglected, unprotected, abused and violated throughout the land, not to mention the globe. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (47 messages)
A Lopsided Warning
by Tibor R. Machan
The greatest and bona fide threat to academic freedom does not come from BP and other big corporations. It comes from governments that are knee deep involved in American higher education and university scientific and technological research across the country. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (0 messages)
Two Insidious Trends in America
by Tibor R. Machan
Two powerful intellectual developments are ruining America. One is egalitarianism, the other pragmatism. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (3 messages)
 Gods of the Copybook Heading
by Rudyard Kipling
I found this in Glenn Beck's new book, "The Overton Window," the last few stanzas are given below. Written in 1919, the poem is eerily prophetic. He had a firm understanding of the welfare state.
(Read more...)
Discuss this Article (1 message)
Risks and Liberty
by Tibor R. Machan
Free men and women are naturally risky types! Freedom is characterized by making it possible for people to make choices, even bad ones, just as in the case of the liberty of the press. Journalists, editorial writers, reporters and the lot who are free to do as they choose can and will do what is risky, and at times what is indeed outright malpractice. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (0 messages)
The Overton Window
by Bruno Behrend
A link to an article at another web site. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (3 messages)
No Excuse for Coercion
by Tibor R. Machan
For my money coercive force is not only when someone threatens to beat up or kill another unless that other does as told. I start much earlier, when someone presumes to have the authority to entice or nudge his or her fellow human beings to do as told (hoped for)! (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (15 messages)
Nasty Effects of Egalitarianism
by Tibor R. Machan
Ideas do have consequences. You come to believe that you are invincible, you will take risks more readily. You believe government will bail you out, cover your debts up to a certain amount, you will borrow more (indeed, your financial advisor will tell you you should). You believe you can't lose at the roulette tables, you will wager more. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (3 messages)
Dealing with Racists in a Free Market
by Tibor R. Machan
Finally, the Rand Paul furor, we have an issue in politics worthy of sustained, serious attention--How should people who act badly be dealt with? More particularly how should people who discriminate based on irrelevancies such as race, sex, national origin, physical impediments, etc., be treated? Should they be punished and forced to do the right thing? Should they be ignored and left to rot with their evil souls. Should they be ostracized and boycotted? (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (15 messages)
Freedom of Association and Rights
by Tibor R. Machan
This issue is timely now that Democrats and mainstream Republicans have finally found something with which to demonize Rand Paul, the libertarian Republican who pulled off a win in Tuesday's primary election in Kentucky. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (15 messages)
The Inescapable Importance of Philosophy: the Root of and Solution to our Problems
by Bob Palin
Have you ever wondered why seemingly intelligent, articulate people cannot seem to come to a consensus on the important issues facing our nation today? Or even on what the issues should be? Whether it’s the economy, foreign policy, immigration, gay marriage or any other issue you could name, the diversity of opinion is... (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (22 messages)
Immigration Quotas vs. Individual Rights: The Moral and Practical Case for Open Immigration
by Harry Binswanger
Harry Binswanger's case against immigration quotas and for open immigration. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (195 messages)
The Folly of Fairness
by Tibor R. Machan
I just have no clear clue as to what fair trade or even fairness is supposed to be. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (0 messages)
|
