The “wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.”
(1 Corinthians 3:19)
Jan Narveson: Why Charity is Optional
The million-dollar question is whether we have a responsibility to feed the hungry. Although Narveson says it is a morally admirable thing to do, he also says it is not a responsibility. The problem, as he points out, is that even if you accept a utilitarian premise, there is no guarantee that feeding the poor…
Conflict Theory on Illegalized Marijuana
As we study the nature and behavior of cultures and societies, there’s often a disparity between what’s legal and what’s socially acceptable (Conerly et al 2021). For example, cheating on your wife is very scandalous. Your friends will probably judge you. They may even ostracize you. But will the justice system do anything? As far…
The Survival Lottery
John Harris tries to defend the idea of using an advanced computer that chooses people at random for doctors to kill, so the doctors can use those organs to save other lives (1975, p. 261). To many, a “survival lottery” will sound Orwellian, almost like a world with artificial intelligence gone terribly wrong. But, to…
Peter Singer: Luxury is Murder
A train is rolling down a set of tracks, and it is on its way to hit an innocent little girl. For some reason (a very odd reason, indeed), Bob’s Bugatti is on another set of tracks, and Bob alone has the power to use the switch to divert the train away from the child…
The Problem with Peter Singer’s Solution to Poverty
Singer has a noble intention, but without realizing that you can sometimes decrease poverty by not donating to poverty charities, his “solution” to poverty just misses the mark.
