Writing

The death of sanctity

What is the value of a human being? This question has had many answers over time, and our secular society is not well equipped to answer it. We can start by asking what the word “value” means.

The other right: what’s wrong with the political compass?

  • Politics

Several attempts have been made to plot the political landscape. The classic left-right spectrum, the popular “political compass”, the libertarian’s favourite Nolan Chart, and Brian Patrick Mitchell’s less well-known arche/kratos plot. But they all lacked something. Math.

Is a red wave coming in?

How might the Bret Cavanaugh trials have affected voting sentiment for the 2018 mid-term elections? What did it say about the Democratic party’s mercurial contempt for presumption of innocence. Hint: in hindsight, no a red wave did not come in. But neither did a blue wave.

Are renewables more or less expensive? Er…

It is often claimed that renewables are less expensive. But its a deceptive claim, because it ignores some of the costs and the unusual ways that renewables interact with the rest of the system.

Leadership happens

Leadership spills are ugly politics. But they can be necessary; a party must be able to change its leadership and the best time to do so is a few months before an election. Here’s my take on the ousting of Malcolm Turnbull.

Is Alan Joyce reprogramming your mind?

  • Fun

Find this article at the Spectator’s Flat White blog here: https://www.spectator.com.au/2018/07/is-alan-joyce-reprogramming-your-mind/

The hedonists guilt

Having been failed by science in more than just the lack of hover-boards, post-modernism rejects materialism, and re-embraces the spiritual. It rejects empiricism and embraces the irrational. But I protest that they are not as different as they look.