"In 1753... David Hume had published a revised version of one of his celebrated essays, on 'National Characters'. In a lengthy new footnote,...
4 weeks ago

It's fun to debate art. Were the Oscars right? Is the second album worse than the first? But if it's all just opinion, what's the point?
6 days ago

“And the people bowed and prayed, To the neon God they made” Simon & Garfunkel, The Sound of Silence. “Return to God?” you ask, with exasperation or hope or...
7 hours ago

Scottish Enlightenment - Intellectual, Philosophical, Social: Those who date the end of the Scottish Enlightenment to the beginning of the French Revolution...
3 weeks ago

In a previous article, I noted how the skeptic Michael Shermer has rebuked former Muslim-turned-atheist Ayaan Hirsi Ali for ultimately turning to...
3 days ago

I write about political, social and cultural trends, the clash of ideas and the always tricky subject of moral formation.
12 months ago

Philosopher David Hume offers a strong defence of the moral right of a person to take their own life, and he comes close to the intentions of the…
1 week ago

One reader suggested a remedy to the issue of poor fact-checking in popular science books of sticking to the greatest scientist-writers.
1 week ago

Dugald Stewart was a philosopher and major exponent of the Scottish “common sense” school of philosophy. Educated at the University of Edinburgh,...
3 weeks ago

Human rights - Natural Law, Transformation, Rights: The modern conception of natural law as meaning or implying natural rights was elaborated primarily by...
3 weeks ago