By: Inoljt, http://mypolitikal.com/

On any given day, if one is browsing through the current discussion on global warming, the topic of “Climategate” will often come up. Climategate alleges that climate scientists exaggerated the data to support global warming as part of their hidden agenda to push the theory.

Climategate will almost invariably be mentioned by a conservative commentator, seeking to attack the scientific consensus behind global warming. Conservative backing of Climategate is just another part of a long-standing pattern; for years, some conservatives have sought to deny the existence of global warming.

A philosophical discussion of the basics of morality in human personalities and societies, including why it seems basic in our personalities, but emphasizing the ultimate subjectivity of morality and the uselessness of arguments from morality in a diverse society

When one is looking at any system, whether it is a business process or something even more complex it always helps to know what the end state is or what the purpose is. This holds true when we are talking about our government as well. What is the purpose of government? If we do not [...]

A real life Lady and the Tiger Choice.

A working definition of the intellectual. Separating intellectuals from look-alikes. Most culture-watchers agree intellectualism has almost disappeared in America, but they disagree on causes. It’s not just a change in fashion; there are real pressures against it. This essay rejects some of the common explanations (television, the rise of religious fundamentalism, materialism, the rise of conservatism, and poor schools) as incomplete, and replaces them with better explanations: events sequel to the cultural upheaval of the 1960s, the university, technical specialists, the rise of relativism, the rise of psychotherapy, the resurgence of Social Darwinism, and the rise of trash culture. What’s the loss if we don’t have intellectuals? The revival of intellectualism is both a remote and precious possibility. Remedies.

A quote from Vladmir Pecherin

This is the second in a series inspired by Emptywheel. It discusses the ancient theory that evil is a thing, which has been adopted by Bush and the Republicans

9/11 changed everything, but it doesn’t have to be permanent.