Tag Archives: philosophy
Political Order and Political Decay in the Time of Trump
Political Order and Political Decay is the second part of Francis Fukuyama’s epic tome of political economy begun in 2011 with The Origins of Political Order. The 2014 follow-up fills out the 2011 tome’s theory of politics as biology with consideration of … Continue reading
The Lesser Evil
The “Bad Emperor” Problem “An authoritarian system can move much more quickly and decisively than a democratic one, but its success is ultimately dependent on having a continuing supply of good leadersâgood not just in a technocratic sense but in … Continue reading
Disagreeing, Without Being Disagreeable
[v=kg2Noq77h9k] Can we disagree, without being disagreeable? Â US House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) thinks so. Â Ryan flies the flag of Jack Kemp’s optimistic conservatism. Â I wasn’t such a fan of Kemp back in the day (I don’t usually trust Quarterbacks). … Continue reading
Biological Foundations of Politics
“Political institutions develop, often slowly and painfully, over time, as human societies strive to organize themselves to master their environments. Â But political decay occurs when political systems fail to adjust to changing circumstances.” âFrancis Fukuyama, The Origins of Political Order … Continue reading
Hugos, Sad Puppies and the Political Theory Problem
Do Gatekeepers keep the Barbarians beyond the walls?  Or do they keep the Sheep inside? Or put another way, what point a Gatekeeper without a Gate?  Cathy Young at Real Clear Politics notes: The latest pitched battle in science fiction … Continue reading
Implementation is the Watchword
Most people have a hard-wired bias for action â they may place more or less value on collaboration, or risk-taking, but they want to get things done.  Others of us are more concerned with taking our time to understand what were doing, … Continue reading
An Intervention in the Cult of Expertise: Noreena Hertz and Eyes Wide Open
This man, on one hand, believes that he knows something, while not knowing [anything]. On the other hand, I â equally ignorant â do not believe [that I know anything]. – Socrates, in Plato’s Apology The more I learn, the … Continue reading
A Planner’s Guide to The Hunger Games
A good story sets the scene as a supporting character, as much as a necessary backdrop. Â Few stories are good stories. Â Most storiesâlike many of our modern livesâcould take place anywhere, anytime. Â There is no ‘there’ there. The Hunger Games, … Continue reading
The Future of Conservatism, at the Humphrey Institute
I was a loyal reader of National Review in William F. Buckley’s day. I’ve since let my subscription lapse as my personal conservatism seems to have diverged from the chattering class. The Future of Conservatism: Stagecraft or Ideology? October 13, … Continue reading
Gone to Camp
I am off to Scout camp. Â In the spirit of Henry David Thoreau, sometimes you have to set Living aside if you want to experience Life: I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only … Continue reading
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