Nothing as It Seems

Here are some interesting articles I've read over the past week that I think are worth checking out. Kenan Malik, “ David Hume was a complex man. Erasing his name is too simplistic a gesture . ”  20 Sep,  The Observer .  "There is a danger...that we end up with a cartoonish view of history and, guided by contemporary needs, ignore its complexities. There is a danger, too, that we fight not the struggles of the present but those of the past; and that symbolic gestures come to replace material change." Joe Humphreys, “ Cancel culture: can you defend people who say unpopular things? ” 24 Sep,  Irish Times .  Interview with political philosopher Graham Finlay on John Stuart Mill's notion of free speech and how it can be understood in today's culture. Finlay also outlines Herbert Marcuse's response to controversial -- and even potentially dangerous -- ideas and how it compares to Mill's response. Zachary Pincus-Roth, “ The Rise of the Rational Do-Gooders . ”

I recently wrote a piece for the Atheist Ireland website defending assisted dying. You can view it  here . What is assisted dying? The law should allow individuals who are suffering considerable pain due to a terminal or incurable illness – and where genuine informed consent is given – to have the choice to end their life on their own terms. Atheist Ireland is in favour of legislation, with robust safeguards (like the ones suggested in the Dying with Dignity Bill), to achieve this aim. Religious objections Objections usually come from those with religious beliefs. However, not everyone holds religious views or accepts that it is always wrong to assist someone to die. At the same time, opponents may be reluctant to say their opposition is directly connected to their faith – as it would seem to undermine the claim that someone doesn’t need to be religious to oppose voluntary assisted dying. More importantly, though, particular theological beliefs should not be used as the basis for laws

Here are some interesting articles I have read over the past week that I think are worth checking out. John Gray, “ What cats taught me about philosophy . ”  17 Sep,  UnHerd .  Philosopher John Gray argues that cats do not crave inner quietude, and unlike humans, they are able to achieve it. "Not craving inner quietude, cats revert to it whenever they are not practically threatened. Not looking for meaning in their lives, they are free to live them as they come, without looking for distraction or consolation. It is life itself that they value." Joe Humphreys,  “ The forgotten women in philosophy: time to set the record straight . ”  17 Sep,  Irish Times .  Interview with Rebecca Buxton and Lisa Whiting, editors of a new volume entitled  With The Philosopher Queen . "[T]here were a number of early modern women philosophers who contributed hugely to metaphysics: Margaret Cavendish, Anne Conway and Elizabeth of Bohemia to name only a few. To take ethical studies, again, t

  Here are some interesting articles I have read over the past week that I think are worth checking out. Colin Murphy, “ Remote working revolution is now in our hands . ”  6 Sep,  Business Post .  Covid-19 has given us a chance to get ahead by embracing remote working: "A crucial benefit in Ireland would be reduced pressure on urban housing, and an accompanying boon to the country’s struggling small towns. Perhaps most obvious, but most difficult to measure, would be the increase in health and happiness resulting from more people structuring their working lives around their home and family lives, rather than the other way round." Maarten Boudry, “ The Warped Epistemology of Conspiracy Theories .” 8 Sep, APA Blog .  Maarten Boudry, a philosopher of science, asks why conspiracy theories are so timeless and pervasive.  Kent A. Peacock and John R. Vokey, “ Placebo arms aren’t needed for challenge trials of Covid-19 vaccines . ” 3 Sep,  Stat News .  This piece argues that it doe

Here are a small number of interesting articles I’ve read over the past week that I think are worth checking out. Daniel McConnell, “ Dignity law would have allowed Marie Fleming die in peace . ”  5 Sep, Irish  Examiner .  Ireland should introduce legalised assistance in dying: "The time has come to extend that debate to consider allowing people to determine how they leave this earth with a meaningful degree of dignity. We can no longer bury our heads in the sand".  Barry J Whyte , Aaron Rogan and Killian Woods, “ Mask hysteria .” 30 Aug,  Business Post .  Very good piece on what can happen when extremist movements and conspiracy theories move into the political mainstream during a pandemic.  Emily Oster, “ How the media has us thinking all wrong about the coronavirus. ” 25 Aug, Washington Post .  Economist and author Emily Oster argues that in evaluating the risk of Covid-19 spreading, we should follow the trend lines, not the headlines. She also reminds us of our common c