Philosophy
Today is Canadian Multiculturalism Day, something not terribly well-embraced by Quebec nationalists. Canada prides itself on having two national languages -- French and English -- but some of the French speakers want autonomy. Yugoslavia used to boast as well about its multicultural nature -- but now a review of the proceedings at the Hague only leaves one depressed. Are multicultural groups inherently unstable? Will we always find an excuse to tear ourselves apart? Is this an unavoidable human dynamic or is a diverse community capable of more than just temporary social stability?
- The Shuttle Program And Re-internationalization Of Science
With the last shuttle mission half over, it is interesting to think about the results of the space shuttle program. During the first half of the 20th century, science was political. There was a reason why the Nazis were decrying the theory of relativity...
- Self-reference, I Said
A few years back, LilBro gave me a shirt he embroidered with the sentence, "There's something inherently funny about self-reference" above the pocket. I love that shirt, not only because it is true, but because I said it and having a self-referential...
- Holidays Are Hypocrisy
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists everywhere, New bit I'm working on: Yes, Christmas comes but once a year. Kinda like being married... You know, I have a theory about the holidays. Holidays are hypocrisy. The term "holiday" comes from...
- Foreign Languages
So, last week addressing a meeting of La Raza, Obama argued that we shouldn't worry about immigrants learning English because, like all other immigrants before them, they will. He argued that instead we ought to be worried about the fact that the...
- History Of The English Language, Animated
Have you ever tried to make sense of the English language? If you've taken courses on linguistics, logic or philosophy of language, you've learned that grammar is supposed to give us a formal understanding of the structure underlying any particular...
Philosophy
Are Multicultural Nations Inherently Unstable?
Today is Canadian Multiculturalism Day, something not terribly well-embraced by Quebec nationalists. Canada prides itself on having two national languages -- French and English -- but some of the French speakers want autonomy. Yugoslavia used to boast as well about its multicultural nature -- but now a review of the proceedings at the Hague only leaves one depressed. Are multicultural groups inherently unstable? Will we always find an excuse to tear ourselves apart? Is this an unavoidable human dynamic or is a diverse community capable of more than just temporary social stability?
- The Shuttle Program And Re-internationalization Of Science
With the last shuttle mission half over, it is interesting to think about the results of the space shuttle program. During the first half of the 20th century, science was political. There was a reason why the Nazis were decrying the theory of relativity...
- Self-reference, I Said
A few years back, LilBro gave me a shirt he embroidered with the sentence, "There's something inherently funny about self-reference" above the pocket. I love that shirt, not only because it is true, but because I said it and having a self-referential...
- Holidays Are Hypocrisy
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists everywhere, New bit I'm working on: Yes, Christmas comes but once a year. Kinda like being married... You know, I have a theory about the holidays. Holidays are hypocrisy. The term "holiday" comes from...
- Foreign Languages
So, last week addressing a meeting of La Raza, Obama argued that we shouldn't worry about immigrants learning English because, like all other immigrants before them, they will. He argued that instead we ought to be worried about the fact that the...
- History Of The English Language, Animated
Have you ever tried to make sense of the English language? If you've taken courses on linguistics, logic or philosophy of language, you've learned that grammar is supposed to give us a formal understanding of the structure underlying any particular...