Search


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.

Joe
Dec 29, 20208 min read


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.

Joe
Dec 15, 20204 min read


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

Joe
Nov 24, 20204 min read


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.

Joe
Nov 10, 20202 min read


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.

Joe
Oct 20, 20205 min read
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.

Joe
Oct 6, 20206 min read
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.

Joe
Sep 23, 20204 min read
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?

Joe
Sep 9, 20202 min read
Convenient fictions or theoretical entities in Bateson and Pearson
Were Bateson and Pearson committed to gene factors as convenient fictions or theoretical entities?

Joe
Aug 26, 20208 min read
Bateson and his form of Mendelism
Bateson's views on Mendelism

Joe
Aug 5, 20206 min read
Pearson's biometry and Mendelism
An explanation of some of Karl Pearson's ontological commitments on heredity and gene factors.

Joe
Jul 22, 20206 min read
Late 19C, Early 20C in genetics: observation and speculation
Gene factors cannot be authenticated through observation, much as the atom cannot be observed.

Joe
Jul 8, 20204 min read
On Fisher's "Nature of Inheritance"
A brief critical look at arguments in Fisher's 1958 book on inheritance and natural selection.

Joe
Jun 24, 20206 min read
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...

Joe
Jun 4, 20203 min read
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.

Joe
Jun 3, 20204 min read
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...

Joe
May 27, 20206 min read
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...

Joe
May 9, 20202 min read
Identity
In Logical Properties, a book I thought would have had a greater impact than it has had in philosophy, Colin McGinn endorses that...

Joe
May 4, 20204 min read
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...

Joe
Apr 28, 20201 min read
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...

Joe
Apr 28, 20204 min read
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...

Joe
Apr 26, 20202 min read
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...

Joe
Apr 25, 20203 min read
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...

Joe
Apr 23, 20202 min read
Coronavirus, hysteria and overhyped
The call by protestors for reopening non-essential businesses, including restaurants, pubs, department stores, and malls has been...

Joe
Apr 22, 20202 min read