Category Archives: Politics

THE LACK OF PRIMOGENITURE AND THE FALL OF ROME.

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Philip

THE LACK OF PRIMOGENITURE AND THE FALL OF ROME. In Mary Beard’s review in the London Review of Books (April 26) of CALIGULA: A BIOGRAPHY by Aloys Winterling, she says that Augustus failed to create a reliable system of monarchical … Continue reading →

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IS HEREDITARY GOVERNMENT GOOD?

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Philip

IS HEREDITARY GOVERNMENT GOOD? In his review in the Wall Street Journal (May 11) of THE CREATION OF INEQUALITY by Kent Flannery and Joyce Marcus, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto says that his students in global history at Notre Dame have trouble understanding … Continue reading →

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MY OPINIONS ON PINKER’S HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (COMMENT).

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Philip

MY OPINIONS ON PINKER’S HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (COMMENT). I have revisited Pinker’s arguments on violence because I have been thinking about it a good bit. My thoughts at this point (before reading the book): First, the most important thing about … Continue reading →

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EXPLAINING DECLINES IN VIOLENCE (COMMENT).

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Philip

EXPLAINING DECLINES IN VIOLENCE (COMMENT). When I first posted three months ago on Pinker’s contention that human violence has declined, “erik” commented that rather than changes in human nature, “The most likely explanation would be that modern culture gives us … Continue reading →

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RANKING THE VIOLENT EVENTS OF HISTORY (COMMENT).

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Philip

RANKING THE VIOLENT EVENTS OF HISTORY (COMMENT). I posted here about Steven Pinker’s new book arguing that in the course of human history violence has declined. In Dick Weisfelder’s comment on that post, he said: “…the argument also appears to … Continue reading →

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GLADIATORS AND PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING.

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Philip

GLADIATORS AND PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING. My first post on Steven Pinker’s book asked: “Are people less violent?” It grew out of comments by Dick Weisfelder and Nick that, as I summarized, “people today are more concerned about injuries in sporting events … Continue reading →

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1850—AVERTING WAR IN CALIFORNIA.

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Philip

1850—AVERTING WAR IN CALIFORNIA. I posted here about revisionist views of the Civil War, and whether the most important issue was the preservation of the Union or the future of slavery. I have come to realize—long after my high school … Continue reading →

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AMERICANS AS AN INVASIVE SPECIES (COMMENT).

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Philip

AMERICANS AS AN INVASIVE SPECIES (COMMENT). Lee Bryant posted a wonderfully apt comment on my post about Matt Ridley’s argument that gray squirrels, which have been displacing the native red squirrels in Britain, are better suited to the English environment … Continue reading →

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AMERICA’S ROLE IN UNIFYING EUROPE.

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Philip

AMERICA’S ROLE IN UNIFYING EUROPE. Tony Barber had an article in the Financial Times (April 24) about what he views as a current crisis of legitimacy in the European political system. American journalists seem to me to mention only infrequently … Continue reading →

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THE STANDUP ECONOMIST ON POLITICS AND THE BUDGET.

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Philip

THE STANDUP ECONOMIST ON POLITICS AND THE BUDGET. I have posted here and here on Yoram Bauman, the Standup Economist. Here is his recent explanation of the budget deficit. The routine is more politics than economics. One of his points … Continue reading →

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