Google Palestine & Sociological Jurisprudence
[First appeared May 13, 2013 on Fair Observer. Start with comments there.] Google’s decision Friday May 3rd to change google.ps’s tagline to “Palestine” implicitly recognized it as a state. It … Continue reading
The Politic: Borrow a French Word to Save the American Republic?
[First appeared March 25, 2013 on DaftBlogger.com] Different languages distinguish different sounds, as everyone knows, but they often pick out different nuances in ideas too. Classic examples of the first … Continue reading
Plato, Calculus, Law, Alice in Wonderland, Heisenberg’s Uncertainty, & Mind
What is a “point?” Geometry, like Calculus, begins with the seemingly simple ideas of “point” and “line.” Surprisingly, this is where “non-mathy” people begin to get lost–not for the math … Continue reading
Remembering Mubarak: Tahrir, Zuccotti, & Future Democracy
Today marks the two-year anniversary of Hosni Mubarak’s departure. At the end of 2011, Time’s Person of the Year was “The Protester,” and the issue was wrapped in Tahrir Square. … Continue reading
Squaring The Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street
“Democracy is the safest of all states.” Aristotle (Politics) Aristotle can be dismissed as a racist, misogynist, or xenophobe. He may be all those and a dry writer, but few … Continue reading
What does Plato have to do with anything?
What does “Idealism” mean to you? I am referring to philosophical Idealism not the psychological variety–the kind that would call someone naive or unrealistic. Idealism in philosophy (and likewise just … Continue reading
