The capture of the minds of intellectuals under Stalinism is portrayed by the Polish author Czeslaw Milosz in The Captive Mind published in 1951. In our erstwhile “free” democracies we are suffering from a capture of the mind that shares some of the same intellectual roots as the totalitarian system under which Misosz had lived […]
Moral Obligation – Part 1 – Kant
The problem of scepticism1 The direction of thought following Descartes can be characterised as scepticism or questioning of all previously accepted authorities. It is reason alone that should be the final arbiter of what is right and true. For Descartes this raised the question of certainty in knowledge, thus setting the stage for the central […]
The Cognitive Dualism of Roger Scruton and the Disappearance of God
The fascinating paradox of Roger Scruton’s thought lies in his commitment to scientific naturalism together with his appreciation for continental thought with its sensitivity to the human condition. Many philosophers that share his analytical background have distanced themselves from religious, or even existential, ways of thinking. It is a reflection of his deep grasp of […]
The Deeply Illiberal Nature of Modern Feminism
The writer Sally Howard appeared on ITV’s This Morning to explain to two darts girls why it is a good thing they have lost their jobs. Not only were their jobs ‘demeaning broadly to women’, but their imminent unemployment is ‘necessary’ for social change. This is a version of feminism that is more concerned with […]
The Guardian may be seriously damaging your mind – whether you read it or not
The Guardian Newspaper is the go-to source of news and opinion for a wide swathe of UK leaders and opinion formers. From university academics and public sector managers to institutions such as the BBC, the Guardian is the newspaper of choice. So the Guardian has a reach and influence far beyond its meagre 150,000 circulation. […]
“Shithole” Countries – some thoughts
I apologise for the language, it is not my own and I have never used the term. However, President Trump has introduced it in the context of immigration. I offer here some thoughts. Is “Shithole Countries” foul language? Yes Is it racist to call countries “shitholes”? Not in and of itself. If we take racism […]
A response to questions about the Christianity of Jordan Peterson
Jordan Peterson is a Canadian clinical psychologist, cultural critic, and professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. He has recently gained some notoriety as a result of his stance on free speech and trans-gender pronouns in Canada. However it is his thought in general that is of greater interest and significance. His Maps of […]
Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four and Hate Speech
I’ve just finished George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four, a dystopian vision of a totalitarian society. There are many connections that could be developed between Orwell’s portrayal and contemporary politics. I was struck however by the central role the language “Newspeak” plays in the story. We’re all familiar with the deceptive reversals of meanings employed by […]
Is The Liberal-Left Really Anti-Fascist?
Despite the fact that some commentators on the left themselves recognise that parallels to Nazism and Fascism are overwrought Canadian area code 902 , hardly a day goes by without some link being made between populism, Brexit, concerns over immigration, or conservative views in general and the fascism of Nazi Germany. To make such a […]