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Joe

Dec 29, 2020
8 min

Davidson on weakness of will

Donald Davidson has proposed a convincing analysis of weakness of will, but what is weakness of will and what are its possible solutions.

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Joe

Dec 15, 2020
4 min

Smart's "Sensation and Brain Processes"

Jack Smart argued for the identity of brain states and mental state, but all forms of reductionism fail. This post summarises why.

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Reconsidering Ayer's "Freedom and Necessity"

Joe

Nov 24, 2020
4 min

Reconsidering Ayer's "Freedom and Necessity"

A reconsideration of the main argument in Ayer's "Freedom and Necessity."

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Joe

Nov 10, 2020
2 min

On J.L. Mackie's "Evil and Omnipotence"

A summary of Mackie's logical problem of evil and one way in which a theist may address it.

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Joe

Oct 20, 2020
5 min

William James' "Will to Believe"

James argues that the belief in God may be justified according to our faithful belief in God, but scepticism in God's existence persists.

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Joe

Oct 6, 2020
6 min

Marquis' "Why Abortion is Immoral"

A summary of Marquis' argument in "Why Abortion is Immoral" and some reasons for rejecting "a future like ours" defence.

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Joe

Sep 22, 2020
4 min

Thomson's "A Defence of Abortion"

A summary of Thomson's "A Defence of Abortion" with some further thoughts about the moral status of fetuses.

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Joe

Sep 8, 2020
2 min

Are gene factors convenient fictions or abstract theoretical entities?

Pearson and Bateson have diverging views on the reality of gene factors. But are gene factors convenient fictions or abstract entities?

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Joe

Aug 25, 2020
8 min

Convenient fictions or theoretical entities in Bateson and Pearson

Were Bateson and Pearson committed to gene factors as convenient fictions or theoretical entities?

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Joe

Aug 4, 2020
6 min

Bateson and his form of Mendelism

Bateson's views on Mendelism

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Joe

Jul 21, 2020
6 min

Pearson's biometry and Mendelism

An explanation of some of Karl Pearson's ontological commitments on heredity and gene factors.

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Joe

Jul 7, 2020
4 min

Late 19C, Early 20C in genetics: observation and speculation

Gene factors cannot be authenticated through observation, much as the atom cannot be observed.

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Joe

Jun 23, 2020
6 min

On Fisher's "Nature of Inheritance"

A brief critical look at arguments in Fisher's 1958 book on inheritance and natural selection.

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Joe

Jun 3, 2020
3 min

Coronavirus, in the interest of our future selves

The coronavirus has greatly affected our lives, but I keep coming back to a refrain that circulated in the news a few weeks ago. It was...

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Joe

Jun 2, 2020
4 min

On Berger's "Understanding Science: Why Causes Aren't Enough"

Berger contends that causal accounts are sufficient for understanding and explaining scientific theories. I disagree.

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Joe

May 26, 2020
6 min

Comments on Rosenberg's "Laws, History, and the Nature of Biological Understanding"

The laws of any science ought to (1) accurately explain the occurrence of some phenomena in the past or present and (2) predict that such...

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Joe

May 8, 2020
2 min

coronavirus, sensationalism run amok

Let's begin with a few facts. Business people have an interest in making money, i.e., taking money out of your pocket and putting it in...

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Joe

May 3, 2020
4 min

Identity

In Logical Properties, a book I thought would have had a greater impact than it has had in philosophy, Colin McGinn endorses that...

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Joe

Apr 28, 2020
1 min

Coronavirus, some personal thoughts on misinformation pandemic

Whenever I write a blog post or respond in a comments section of a post online or a news story online, I worry that people will interpret...

16 views0 comments

Joe

Apr 27, 2020
4 min

Coronavirus, explaining some anomalous information

There are some unusual features of the coronavirus that have yet to be fully explained by epidemiologists, microbiologists, public health...

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Joe

Apr 26, 2020
2 min

Coronavirus, failure of leadership

In light of 45's dangerous comments during his Thursday night press conference, there is no other option for this President than to...

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Joe

Apr 24, 2020
3 min

Coronavirus, Lysol will kill you

I never intended to write about the dangerous effects of ingesting or injecting disinfectants like Lysol, but we're living in a "new...

1,173 views1 comment

Joe

Apr 23, 2020
2 min

Coronavirus, cure versus the disease

The discussion about the "cures being worse than the disease" has continued through this week, and it is striking how many people fail to...

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Joe

Apr 22, 2020
2 min

Coronavirus, hysteria and overhyped

The call by protestors for reopening non-essential businesses, including restaurants, pubs, department stores, and malls has been...

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Joseph Ulatowski

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