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Author Archives: lukeroelofs
Occupy Wall Street: An 8-Point Non-manifesto
I’m stuck in a bit of a dilemma over ‘Occupy Wall Street.’ I support it, of course, but I feel torn over what to say about it. On the one hand, as a supporter, and someone paid to think about … Continue reading
Why I Hate Grading
(EDIT: I keep meaning to give some link-love to a friend’s new blog, If Truth Were a Tomboy, but then forgetting to, so here – go read it) I hate grading. (this post is partly inspired by reading the comments … Continue reading
One of the More Idiotic of False Equivalences
Sometimes you hear people complain about ‘politically correct’ changes in language by comparing them to Orwellian ‘newspeak’ – for instance, this article makes that claim about the BBC’s move to use ‘CE’ and ‘BCE’ in place of ‘AD’ and ‘BC’. … Continue reading
Bush is a War Criminal, but I don’t believe that Bush is a War Criminal
“Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has been stripped of legal immunity for acts of torture against US citizens authorized while he was in office. The 7th Circuit ruling is the latest in a growing number…Criminal complaints have been filed … Continue reading
Posted in Political Philosophy
Tagged Authority, Belief, Bush, Moore's Paradox, Rumsfeld, Socialisation, Torture, War Crimes
2 Comments
Communism and Community
Is there a link between the meanings of ‘communism’ and ‘community’? My interest here is partly etymological, partly analysis of concepts, and partly pragmatic clarification of how words might best be used. I know this whole area is a quagmire, … Continue reading
Posted in Political Philosophy
Tagged Common Ownership, Commune, Communism, Community, Etymology
4 Comments
Broken Britain
Most of us will by now have noticed the growing wave of mindless, destructive violence that is sweeping the country in response to last week’s riots. Hundreds or thousands of people are being locked into the same set of dangerous, … Continue reading
The Absence of Anarchy in the UK
So apparently my home-town is on fire. It’s all too easy to find people explaining how these events show their personal theories to have been right all along, so I’m going to do the opposite: explain why these events pose … Continue reading
Foucault and Breivik
Is Rubert Murdoch responsible for actions carried out by his employees? Do murders by Anders Breivik reflect on islamophobic commentators? Are feminists, egalitarians and liberals advancing a Europe-wide grand plan to actively undermine the basic structures of Western civilisation? All … Continue reading
Posted in Political Philosophy
Tagged Foucault, Identity, Islamophobia, Locke, Philosophy, Spinoza, Unity, Wittgenstein
2 Comments
Does the Norwegian Terrorist Attack Reflect on Islamophobes in General?
Should the killings in Norway affect our opinion of ‘islamophobic’ writers more broadly? This question has arisen in several blogs I’ve seen over the last week, and it interests me. So, I will voice some thoughts. To start with, two … Continue reading
