Analysis and Mathematics Mathematics is an analytical discipline (a branch of it is even called Analysis). It analyzes shapes (geometry), numbers (arithmetic), populations (statistics), motion (calculus), logical relations (mathematical logic), chance (probability theory), games (game theory). The OED gives us two definitions of “analysis”: “a detailed examination of something in order to explain or interpret […]
Trump Squared I don’t think Trump is going far enough in his immigration policies. He wants all the illegal migrant criminals out—good, we don’t want criminals in our midst. No criminal, no crime. But the same argument applies to allcriminals—we want them gone, so they won’t commit crimes on us. We could send them all […]
A Proof of Simulation I have come to the conclusion that we are living in a simulation. We have the proof to hand: a character named Donald J. Trump has become president of the United States—twice. It is impossible to believe; and what is impossible cannot be true—therefore, it is not true. But all the […]
A Puzzle Regarding Color Color has long intrigued philosophers and others. Is it objective or subjective, or something in between? Is an inverted spectrum possible? What is the nature of logical truths about color? I will raise a different question: do things have the colors they have contingently or necessarily? Is color arbitrary or grounded […]
Medical Update I was driving over to Eddy’s today for a game of tennis. I had just been reading my friend Oliver Sacks’ wonderfully revealing Letters (2024) and had reached nearly the end when cancer had invaded his body. It began as a small melanoma in his right eye, depriving him of some vision in […]
Abstract (and Other) Objects I propose to discuss an incredibly difficult question and to suggest an incredible answer to it—an answer that only ineluctable logic could recommend to our modern sensibility. It concerns the threefold distinction between the physical, the mental, and the abstract. Let’s first try to get the abstract in our sights (this […]
Explaining Trump I think I have finally solved the mystery of Trump—the mystery of his popularity. I used to think it was his overt racism: what else could it be? But that was just one manifestation of his underlying appeal. The real reason is that he is a rich asshole, and is perceived as such. He […]
How Not to Talk Garbage There is a new type of speech act in the marketplace—the talking of garbage. Philosophers and others have identified several species of defective speech act: falsehood, lies, nonsense, bullshit, hate speech, etc. Each of these needs careful study, and has received it. But speech garbage is in a class of […]
Brain Design and the Mind-Body Problem If you look at any organ of an animal body, you will find two things: a function for the organ and a design suited to that function. The organ’s design enables it to perform its function. That’s how nature works and it is hard to see how it could […]
Book Reviews I used to write a lot of book reviews—something like 80 of them over a 35-year period. I was known for it. I reviewed in all the best places. You might suppose I must have enjoyed doing it. I did not. It was hard work and not in a particularly good way. You […]