Aesthetic Tennis As Wimbledon builds towards its climax, the question on everyone’s mind is “Who is the most aesthetic player in the world?” We all have our views, some more informed and sensitive than others. I will wade into these shark-infested waters, in which one’s credibility is totally on the line. Like, totally. I think […]
Dear Professor McGinn, My name is Ehsan Ahrari, a sociologist and writer based in Iran. Over the past years, I have been engaged in a series of grassroots conversations under the banner of Sociology of the Everyday, where we explore ordinary life through a philosophical and ethical lens—often without institutional scaffolding, but with deep intellectual urgency. […]
Interests What am I not interested in and don’t enjoy? And what am I somewhat interested in but can do without? I am not interested in politics—in fact I am repulsed by it—but I follow it closely for purely utilitarian reasons. I find it intellectually dismal if not abysmal. I am not interested in business […]
Vanity It used to be said of certain people that they are “vain” or “arrogant” or “conceited” or “prideful” or “boastful”. Then it was said that such people are “big-headed” or a “bighead”, possibly “cocky” in some contexts (“He’s a cocky bugger”). Later it became “egotistical” or “egocentric”—a slightly more clinical name for the syndrome, […]
Me at 75 I thought I’d sum up where I am today. Intellectually, I see myself as a philosopher, scientist, and novelist–in that order. I see these as separate, though overlapping in places. Athletically, I am mainly a tennis player, a table tennis player, a skateboarder, a knife thrower, and a motorcyclist. I have been […]
Animal Pyrotechnics Last night I went to see the July 4th fireworks at the Biltmore hotel with my friend Eddy. As usual, I enjoyed them thoroughly (though they are ethically questionable). Afterwards I said to him, “I just had a religious experience”. Why did I say that? Not because I believe that fireworks are a […]
On Teletransportation Does teletransportation (henceforth “tele”) preserve personal identity? Does the person survive it?[1] I think not—and I think this is obvious on reflection. The workings of the machine are obscure, but the outlines are clear enough: the subject, body and mind, is vaporized, thoroughly dismantled, and someone just like him or her appears on […]
Amorphous Minds Our world is divided into different objects and kinds of objects—separate objects, distinct kinds. But who or what does the dividing?[1] According to conceptualists, it is minds that divide things up as they see fit, depending on their preferences, needs, conventions, decisions, innate quality space, and sense of similarity; there is no mind-independent […]
Cruelty The cruelty and nastiness currently demonstrated by the Trump administration towards immigrants seems to me to have an exact parallel in the recent cancelling of people deemed to have sinned against feminist orthodoxy.[1] There is no interest in facts (only slogans), no concern with due process (only quick condemnation), no sense of proportionality (only […]
Dear Professor McGinn, Thank you very much for your kind reply. It truly means a great deal to me. I also want to express how honored I am that you shared both of my letters on your blog. It is a privilege to be featured in a space that reflects your thinking and writing. I […]