Tag: Palin

Political Illogic 101

In Philosophy 101 one of the first things we teach is logic, along with logical fallacies. Here’s the big one we’re starting to see in this presidential campaign, as well as in some comments on this very blog (especially regarding Barack’s Mother): guilt by association. According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, ” Guilt by… Continue reading Political Illogic 101

VP Debate Gets Real

The vice-presidential candidate debate was really interesting — not that anything suprising was said, but for what it revealed.  A potential weakness in such a debate is the policy differences within a party’s own ticket.  There’s a real difference between Palin and McCain on capping emmissions, civil unions, and ideology, and Palin generally skirted the… Continue reading VP Debate Gets Real

The Real Political Impasse

I had lunch yesterday with my colleague Sara Cobb and one of the things we talked about was how to theorize what happens when people with radically different worldviews begin to fathom the other.  She and I are both familiar with successful processes that bring about this change, but we wondered aloud about how to… Continue reading The Real Political Impasse

Fighting Words

I could barely stand listening to Sarah Palin last night.  After a week of high ideas, we get a week of snide mockery.  As an antidote, I just listened to one of the speeches I missed during the Democratic Convention, Michelle Obama’s, where she talks at length about her husband’s distinction between the world as… Continue reading Fighting Words