Tag: Philosophy

Book Review: The Righteous Mind

“People bind themselves into political teams that share moral narratives. Once they accept a particular narrative, they become blind to alternative morals worlds.” (p. XXIII) Photo by Ed Ortiz In early June, I wrote a post titled The Human Side of Economics. In it, I discussed a review by The Economist of Alvin Roth’s book, … Continue reading Book Review: The Righteous Mind →

The Human Side of Economics

I’m currently reading The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt. Although I am still in the early stages of engaging with the book, I recently read a book review and commentary in The Economist that I found both interesting and closely related to Haidt’s work. The title of the article is “How Should Economists Treat Morality?” … Continue reading The Human Side of Economics →

On Justice

“The cardinal virtue that most obviously deals with the social sphere, with our relationships, is ‘justice’ (dikaiosunê). The Stoics use this word to encompass both dealing fairly with others and acting with benevolence toward them, wishing for them to flourish in accord with virtue, Fate permitting.” — Donald Robertson, Stoicism and the Art of Happiness … Continue reading On Justice →

Faster, Higher, Richer—But at What Cost?

A while ago, I wrote about the fascination with chasing immortality. People are spending fortunes on an unwinnable battle because our end date is set, and there’s not much we can do about it. In that post, I mentioned the Enhanced Games — a competition where athletes can win $1 million for breaking world records … Continue reading Faster, Higher, Richer—But at What Cost? →

The Questions We Don’t Ask — And Why They Matter, Part 7

To answer today’s question, I need to go back to 12 October 2022, the day I sat down with a doctor for my final medical exam before retirement. Until that point, I thought I was indestructible. Sure, there was always a pain here or there, but like we say in the Army, we just need … Continue reading The Questions We Don’t Ask — And Why They Matter, Part 7 →

The Questions We Don’t Ask – And Why They Matter, Part 4

This week’s question was difficult to answer because I don’t think there’s an easy response: How do you determine what is right and good in a moral sense? To what degree do you depend on sacred texts or clerics? The question is a heavy one, and I know most people will say they base their … Continue reading The Questions We Don’t Ask – And Why They Matter, Part 4 →

Chasing Immortality: A Philosophical and Political Reflection

"While you live, while you may, become good.” – Marcus Aurelius It seems that the subject of immortality has entered my world over the past couple of months. First, I watched a Netflix documentary, Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, which narrates the bizarre experiment that Bryan Johnson, a tech millionaire, is … Continue reading Chasing Immortality: A Philosophical and Political Reflection →

Meritocracy

Meritocracy—a word that has been bounced around a lot lately. We’ve heard it frequently during U.S. senate confirmation hearings in the past few weeks. But what actually is meritocracy? Well, my trusty Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as: "A system, organization, or society in which people are chosen and moved into positions of success, power, and influence on … Continue reading Meritocracy →