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05 September 2009
On Refinement and Self-Restraint
There's a monkey in the jungle Watching a vapour trail Caught up in the conflict Between his brain and his tail -Gorillaz A most common conceit among philosophers is the idea that their motivations are fundamentally different from those of the common man. They draw a sharp distinction between the... Read More...
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19 June 2009
Menger on Human Drives and Human Nature
This post is part of a series exploring Principles of Economics by Carl Menger. The following explores content from chapter 2 . Previously in this series: Menger on Time and Uncertainty NEEDS ARISE FROM OUR drives and the drives are imbedded in our nature. An imperfect satisfaction of needs leads to... Read More...
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19 June 2009
On Techniques
An essential characteristic of man is that he acts. Action is purposeful behavior, that is the behavior of rationally utilizing means for an ends. We call means that have material embodiment “technology.” We call means that do not have material embodiment “techniques”. Mankind... Read More...
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19 June 2009
The Dead, the Dumb, and the Rational
What sets "us" apart from the rest of the universe? Dead things don’t reason, choose, or act. They just react. They are mindless assemblages of particles which only respond slavishly to the impulses given them. Dumb animals don’t reason, choose, or act. They just behave. They are... Read More...
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19 June 2009
Know Thyself
"The true science and study of man is man." -Pierre Charron In the 5th century B.C., the Greek sophist Protagoras wrote, "Man is the measure of all things." This statement is generally taken to refer to subjective truth, such as whether a woman is beautiful or a circumstance is happy... Read More...
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07 June 2009
Human Nature in the Theogony
This post is one in a series on the History of Epistemological Thought . Previously in this series: History in the Theogony . The anthropomorphic aspects of Hesiod's gods also give the Theogony some interesting insights into human nature. We have male striving: an eternal quest for women and power... Read More...
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