Hate We are constantly hearing about how bad it is to hate. This is a complete misconception. The OED defines hate as “feel intense dislike for or a strong aversion towards”. The concept has nothing intrinsically to do with prejudice or violence or persecution. Hate is not somehow unethical or irrational; nor is it psychologically […]

Causal Necessity Are causal laws necessary? Are particular causal relations necessary? It has been supposed not: either they are thoroughly contingent or at most weakly necessary (less so than logical necessity). I will put the case for the necessity view. First, they are clearly not epistemically necessary: it could have turned out that causes have […]

The Hemingway I was walking along the coastal road of Cozumel enjoying the view when I came upon a place called The Hemingway, a kind of restaurant and bar on the water’s edge. Intrigued, I went in. It was eight in the morning and the place was empty. A waiter greeted me and I asked […]

Curious I wrote the notes for the previous four pieces on objective and subjective in Cozumel, a beautiful island with a limpid sea surrounding it. Would that they were as clear as that water! I am curious whether readers find them unusually difficult or as clear as Cozumel.