Social issues
An inside look at Islam
While spending a few weeks in the Middle East, I read the book Islam: Religion, History, and Civilization by Seyyed Hossein Nasr. I found the book to be very informative, as it outlines the main doctrinal beliefs and history of Islam from a traditional Muslim perspective, denouncing both fundamentalism and Western modernity. The overarching message is that Islam is a [...]
The False Security of Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy is a necessary part of a complex society such as ours. To administer programs, whether publicly or privately, requires a lot of record-keeping and implementation of elaborate policies. The problem is that bureaucracies have an easier time growing than shrinking, and we need to constantly look for ways to trim the fat, continuously. There is an an analogy in [...]
Cash for Clunkers?
I think the Cash for Clunkers program is misguided. Yes, it will stimulate the economy insofar as it encourages people to buy cars and keep the auto industry rolling. I don’t think this is the best thing for society as a whole, though.
Given that the current financial crisis was caused by people getting over their heads in debt, having [...]
Why People Believe Weird Things
Humanist. Agnostic. Atheist. I always stumble a bit when asked about how I view the world, generally preferring to appear matter-of-fact than antagonistic. Perhaps the best moniker to capture my desired view of the world is “skeptic.”
What makes a skeptic? An outlook on the world based on the scientific method: the accumulation of empirical evidence and the continuous testing, retesting, rejection, [...]
Endora!
I remember watching Bewitched as a kid. I was really into things magical and mind-bending, and I liked seeing the Stephens’ mishaps be caused and solved by a little pinch of magic. Last night, I started watching the series from episode one on Hulu. This was a much awaited treat, as I never had seen the original black-and-white seasons. [...]
