Philosophy
Crispin Sartwell plays with a good one concerning a commercial form of censorship. In Tunisia, the wife of the deposed dictator -- both of whom are rightly despised -- has written a memoir. Bookstores labored under state-sponsored censorship and while everyone hates this woman, those dealing with written material have special cause. So now there's a book that would likely sell well since folks would be interested in her side of the story and the supposed juicy bits, but then she gets royalties and attention, just what she wants. Crispin, in his usual anarchist way, suggests distributing pirated copies to undermine the market. Let's assume that this is not an option. Should bookstores carry the book? Would you if it was your bookstore?
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Philosophy
Bookstore Censorship?
Crispin Sartwell plays with a good one concerning a commercial form of censorship. In Tunisia, the wife of the deposed dictator -- both of whom are rightly despised -- has written a memoir. Bookstores labored under state-sponsored censorship and while everyone hates this woman, those dealing with written material have special cause. So now there's a book that would likely sell well since folks would be interested in her side of the story and the supposed juicy bits, but then she gets royalties and attention, just what she wants. Crispin, in his usual anarchist way, suggests distributing pirated copies to undermine the market. Let's assume that this is not an option. Should bookstores carry the book? Would you if it was your bookstore?
- Are Friends Necessary?
Having friends is a wonderful thing. No one would deny that. But is having friends necessary for a well-lived human life? Could you have a full and satisfying life without friends. The question does not ask whether one could be a happy...
- Continuity Of Self
Today is my birthday and it is fun to look at all of the greetings on Facebook from folks I've known over the entire range of my life. Some who know me only as a graying department chair and others who knew me as a member of the red group in...
- Grammar Curmudeons
Had a student ask yesterday about grammatical pet peeves. His was "irregardless." My big three are: 1) "Quote" used for "quotation." Quote is a verb. You quote someone. What you write down is not a quote, but a quotation. ...
- Indexical Obsolescence?
Tightening up the index for Einstein's Jewish Science. Last item before it goes to the printers. It will be released in mid-April in both hardback and e-book formats. If we are moving towards an all e-book world in the next decade...
- Presidential Age Limit
On the heels of the Iowa caucus, let's ask about the requirements to be President of the United States. It is written into the second article of the Constitution that to be eligible for the position, one must be thirty five years old. ...