Category Archives: Debate

Philosophical arguments and willful contraryness

Strategic Ignorance in the US Primaries

Posted on 1 December 2011 by Robert

The Republican Presidential Primary debates are frightening. From the audiences at these events, we’ve had the booing of a solider because he is gay, the cheering of the idea of someone dying because they didn’t have health insurance, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Economy, USA | Leave a comment

Wrestling with Fighting Talk

Posted on 30 August 2011 by Robert

My inaugral post on Labour List (cross-posted here) elicited a few responses which highlight some subtlties in the ongoing discussion around the limits of free speech – specifically, the point at which it is appropriate for the state to ban … Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, London, Politics | 4 Comments

Debating Breivik’s Manifesto

Posted on 5 August 2011 by Robert

The audio of my appearance on UCB Radio Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Human Rights, Media | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Psychology of our Immigration Unease

Posted on 20 April 2011 by Robert

Acknowledging our discomfort over migrants is the start of a conversation about ourselves, not an argument for immigration control. Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Multiculturalism | 1 Comment

Pædos, Prisoners, and Cameron’s Attack on Human Rights

Posted on 17 February 2011 by Robert

What the Prime Minister seems to forget, is that Human Rights laws are designed to protect the most hated in our society, not least because these people are always amongst the most vulnerable too. They are supposed to frustrate our gut reaction. They are meant to be inconvenient. Continue reading →

Posted in Conservatives, Debate, Human Rights, Law and Order | 4 Comments

More thoughts on the Tahrir Square ‘think-tank’

Posted on 11 February 2011 by Robert

he use of the word ‘think tank’ to describe the discussions taking place within the square caught my eye, because it implies discussions of policy and new political structures: More forward looking, and less reactive. Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Egypt, Internet Philosophy | 4 Comments

Political Correctness Jumps the Shark too?

Posted on 11 February 2011 by Robert

Following my post earlier this week about Failed Multiculturalism Jumping the Shark, I was all-eyes when Alex Massie has suggested that using “political correctness” as an insult may have gone the same way: First, let’s note that “politically correct” is … Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Political Correctness | 1 Comment

Multiculturalism Jumps The Shark

Posted on 7 February 2011 by Robert

Or rather, “State multiculturalism has failed” jumps the shark. David Cameron had made a speech about multiculturalism this weekend.  When I heard news reports about his remarks, I thought to myself that this was probably nothing new.  I have only … Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Multiculturalism | 8 Comments

The cowardly fudge behind the rhetoric of Control Orders

Posted on 7 January 2011 by Robert

As the Home Secretary conducts her review of control orders in the coming months, look out for examples of this rhetoric, “we know, but we cannot convict.” It is a half-formed argument, a question not an answer. It is a cowardly fudge for those who do not want to make the tough decision: do we let these suspects go, or do we allow phone-tapping evidence to be admissable in court? Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Human Rights, Liberal Conspiracy, UK | Leave a comment

On Benefit Fraud

Posted on 13 August 2010 by Robert

People often equate benefit-fraud with the separate issue of the state giving people too much in benefits. Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Economy, Politics | 1 Comment