Tag: Philosopher

From Philosopher-Kings to Constitutions to Star Trek to Steer into the Skid: The problem of factions and a possible solution (or a very bad idea — you tell me)

Madison described factions (translated by me into modern conversational English) as a group of citizens united and motivated by interests or passions adverse to the rights of other groups or the interests of the community. Even if you avoid the political musings of Eighteenth Century rich,...

What if the Universe Is NOT Expanding?

Philosopher Thomas Kuhn argued that science is “a series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions” in which “one conceptual world view is replaced by another.” (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 1962) The longer-lasting, more tranquil per...

When Your Mother Knows More Than Your Doctor

We all have stories about when the doctor was wrong. As a parent, I firmly believed that we knew our kids better than anyone else, and if we thought there was something wrong, there was something wrong. I’ve met hundreds of such parents in my time as a physician. I’ve heard countless tim...