A new study reveals that babies can be scumbags. This may seem like an interesting bit of popular psychology, but if the study’s results are true, it contributes to one of the central debates of political theory and philosophy, one which is too often considered in isolation–nature versus nurture, the question of the malleability of man’s nature, if he has a nature at all. This nature versus nurture question is as pivotal in our political discourse as liberal versus conservative, capitalist versus socialist, any of the various supposed dichotomies in our theory. But first, let me explain this study, because it’s really cool.
Author: Benjamin Studebaker
Fight Climate Change with Tax Cuts
A few days ago, I wrote a rather depressing post about climate change. There was, I concluded, very little that can be done to reduce emissions short of a comprehensive international treaty (which the signatories actually abide by) or the creation of a superstate to enforce strict emission regulations. Then yesterday, I had this idea. We can actually help business and fight climate change simultaneously. Here’s how.
The Soylent Revolution: Eliminating Food with Science
There’s a fellow named Rob Rhinehart who has a fascinating idea–he wants to eliminate food. Rhinehart takes our modern nutritional knowledge and puts it to work, synthesising a cocktail of nutrients he calls “Soylent” that he eats in place of his daily meals (for those readers who count themselves among the foodies, he does still eat and drink socially at say, restaurants, or for special occasions–it’s having to do the cooking himself on a day to day basis that irks Rhinehart). Assuming that this, or something like it, one day proves safe, I would like to speculate as to the potential social changes and ethical obligations brought on by this kind of scientific food minimalism.
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The Trouble with Sending Everyone to College
As time has passed, more and more people are going to college in the United States. Unfortunately, this is not a good thing. Let’s see why.
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Teacher Ethics
An interesting ethical question was put to me recently–what interest are teachers ethically obliged to serve or defend? I was given several options:
- The teacher’s own interest.
- The interest of the students.
- The interest of the department or one’s fellow teachers.
- The interest of the school as a whole.
It’s an interesting opportunity to apply philosophy, so I’d like to explore it further.
Benjamin Studebaker 