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Culture
Critical Thinking-- or-- Making Me the Straw
Man:
May
11,
2006:
A recent Canadian school textbook on
"critical thinking" offered to list one of Tom DeWeese's statements as
an example of an undesirable argument-- simply because Mr. DeWeese
criticized the growing importation of environmentalist dogma into
Sunday school curricula. Mr. DeWeese refused the offer from those
promoting the very ideas he detests and wishes to combat. He reveals
that the modern leftist catch-word, "critical thinking," is nothing
more than the suppression of students' fixed moral values or
dissenting views against the leftist agenda.
Evidence for Optimism:
May
15,
2006:
Michael Miller demolishes the common
impulse of the rational man toward cynicism and pessimism; he shows
how significantly the world has improved in the past years, if one
just looks in the right places. The actions of good men are what
matters, and they compound on themselves to produce positive change.
Economics
Micro-Managing the European Union: Mobile
Roaming Charges:
May
10,
2006:
Many in the European Union have
complained that telecommunications companies charge extremely high
rates on mobile calls between different countries; politicians are
considering imposing price controls on these companies. This, argues
Cécile Philippe, would be a disaster; it would merely create shortages
of products for willing consumers. The market should be allowed to
operate on its own to give entrepreneurs incentives to enter the
industry and push down the prices naturally.
The Real Abuse:
May
12,
2006:
Microsoft is a target of European
Commission fines and prohibitions which destroy true market
competition in the name of saving competition, writes Xavier Méra. By
prohibiting Microsoft from selling its Media Player along with its
Windows operating system, the European Commission is denying consumer
sovereignty and forcing Microsoft to issue a product few people want
to buy.
Aren't Deficits Another Name for Saving? Nope:
May
14,
2006:
Dr. Robert P. Murphy refutes
Keynesian Tom Nugent's argument that government-run deficits are a
form of saving that the government facilitates in the private sector--
an argument that leads to the absurd conclusion that savings are
impossible at all in the absence of government deficits.
Filosofy
Undaunted Adherence to Personal Conviction in
the Spreading of Ideas:
May 9,
2006:
G. Stolyarov II refutes a critic's
challenges to his approach toward communicating his ideas and
presenting them on The Rational Argumentator. Mr. Stolyarov argues in
favor of The Rational Argumentator’s commitment to an undaunted,
uncompromising presentation of the right ideas, while allowing their
discussion, evaluation, and criticism. He rejects the claim that one
must conform to the ideas and expectations of others in order to
persuade them.
Michael Novak and Edward Younkins: Economic
Personalism and Flourishing Individualism:
May 12,
2006:
Retta Jane Rico compares the
economic, political, and ethical thought of two contemporary thinkers,
Michael Novak and Edward Younkins. Younkins advocates a secular
free-market order, while Novak seeks to establish a theological basis
for capitalism. Both promote a vision of individual flourishing in an
environment of liberty.
Music
Lullaby, Op. 47:
May 12,
2006:
This is a peaceful, gentle, innocent
lullaby composed by G. Stolyarov II. It was written as a gift for a
very dear friend.
Politics
The War on Illegal Immigration Will Fail:
May
11,
2006:
Wade A. Mitchell warns against
falling prey to the popular urge for government to do more to restrict
immigration; immigration occurs because there is a market of willing
consumers of immigrants' services, and any government attempts to
interfere with this market are bound to fail. Increased restrictions
on immigration will further grow and strain the government,
exacerbating the problems caused by immigrants to depend on government
for handouts and benefits. The solution to this problem is not to
restrain the immigrants, but rather to end the welfare state which
created the problem in the first place.
Ocean of Profits:
May 12,
2006:
Regulators and politicians should not
interfere with unbridled private exploration and development of such
new frontiers as the deep sea and outer space, writes Dr. Edward
Hudgins. Such regulatory attempts have always been disastrous
protection rackets foisted on the creators who produce by parasites
who do not. Instead, we should allow the developers to reap their just
rewards by keeping any profits they earn.
The Harms of Drugs versus the Harms of the War
on Drugs:
May 13,
2006:
G. Stolyarov II personally
disapproves of drug-taking as unhealthy and morally harmful; however,
in a free market, drug addicts would only harm themselves and willing
associates. Under a government-waged War on Drugs, however, good,
innocent, productive people--who would even think about taking drugs--
are harmed. Mr. Stolyarov describes the damage the War on Drugs deals
to such individuals.
"It is
unfortunate that, in our era, the epithet, 'a man of his time' is seen
as a compliment. The true man of greatness, however, conforms to no
majoritarian whims of his contemporaries and instead endeavors to
create a future that belongs to him. Indeed, once he has undertaken
such a path, his is not any mere narrow era, but eternity itself."
~ G. Stolyarov II