A recently published article, circulating around Facebook and other social media sites, talks about the impending “bubble” that will eventually burst concerning the high costs surrounding formal education. While I happen to agree with the economic argument surrounding formal schooling (especially surrounding institutions of higher learning), I have seen this post most circulated from those [...]
Thinking in Terms of Principles: Principles vs. Convention
There is a seemingly fine line between principles and convention. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence (with the help of John Adams and Benjamin Franklin), he penned the list of grievances against the British throne and parliament and provided the foundation and principle the Colonies used for separation. Many have argued that Thomas [...]
David Hume: On Property
Hume wrote that “it is well known that men’s happiness consists not so much in an abundance of [the commodities and enjoyments of life], as in the peace and security with which they possess them” (Essays 54-5). This, for Hume, was the purpose of government, and may well be one of the foundational thoughts concerning [...]
David Hume: On Conservatism
Riddled throughout both US and international politics are the terms of conservatism and liberalism. Generally speaking, these terms are thrown about with little understanding of their origination or of their meaning, but, when elicited, feelings of emotion, sentiment, and passion are often triggered as epithets of self-identification. David Hume is often described as “the father [...]
Endorsements: Do They Mean Anything At All?
Earlier today it was released (1) that Utah’s Senator Mike Lee has endorsed Mitt Romney for the GOP’s candidate for President of the United States. Senator Lee beat out incumbent Bob Bennett (who, ironically, was endorsed by Mitt Romney) in a run-off primary in 2010. Senator Lee’s victory was correlated to the Tea Party’s uprising [...]
Precinct Chair: A Discussion of Representation
Last week at the GOP caucus I was elected as the precinct chairman of Provo’s Precinct 17. Since then I have been nearly inundated with advice from various sources on what “representation” means. What do representatives actually represent? Do representatives represent interests, groups, individuals, institutions, or merely the majority? The most popular consideration is that [...]
How To Win An Argument
Taken from a sign posted outside a philosophy professor’s office. How To Win An Argument I argue very well. Ask any of my remaining friends. I can win any argument on any topic, against any opponent. People know this, and steer clear of me at parties. Often, as a sign of their great respect, they [...]
“A Republic, If You Can Keep It…”
The longer I am involved in the political scene, the more I see the need for a consistent understanding of the basic philosophical difference between Democracies and Republics. The necessary distinction is often confused by so-called ‘constitutional authorities’ who loosely throw around terms like Democracy or democratic Republic without realizing the harm they are causing newcomers to the philosophy [...]
Term Limits: A Ridiculous Policy
The failing economy has turned many Americans into ‘garage-politicians’: people who become political and economic experts by religiously watching Glenn Beck or Keith Olbermann. Many of these garage-politicians are blaming their legislators for their apathy, laziness, or indifference towards their constituency’s economic and financial needs. This heated view of their elected officials has led many [...]
“Power that does not come from the barrel of a gun.”
Introduction Of the many atrocities committed and the genocides performed throughout the 20th Century, few cases rival the stories that have come from of the Cambodian “killing fields”. Between 1970 and 1979, an estimated 1.2 – 2.2 million Cambodians were killed by the Khmer Rouge (Genocide). The barbaric nature of slaughter, the torture committed on innocent [...]