by Jason Stotts The following if from William James’ The Principles of Psychology (1890), Chapter 4 – “On Habit”; their appearance here is not me condoning Pragmatism, but I think that there is some very useful information here. Note that these passages are not contiguous in the piece and have been excerpted so the relevant…

by Jason Stotts Okay, boys and girls, here’s another important distinction that you should make when you speak or write. “I feel” means that you are telling someone about your feelings or sensations…the next words out of your mouth had better be “happy”, “sad”, “cold”, “tired” or some other such feeling or sensation. “I think”…

by Jason Stotts I often hear people make a silly and obvious equivocation between two terms that mean drastically different things: namely Intelligence and Knowledge. I think though, that we must do as The Philosopher suggests, and start with that which is first. Intelligence is a capacity (potentiality) for thinking and reasoning, analogous to a…

by Jason Stotts Recently on the news I saw a bunch of “bunny-huggers” gathered somewhere protesting the “unethical treatment of animals” because these animals were being used to test pharmaceutical products to make sure they were safe for human use. Now, this seems to me to be 1) an evil inversion of Morality, 2) ridiculous…

by Jason Stotts While in the Houston Airport (which was a great time by the way, to be in Texas for 5 hours on a lay-over!) I was sitting in the airport I saw a lot of “different” people. One of these was a, well let us say, “portly gentleman.” Anyway, stretched over his bulbous…

by Jason Stotts Cox and Forkum are the greatest cartoonists ever! (http://www.coxandforkum.com/archives/000627.html)

by Jason Stotts Being at the Objectivist conference has given me a rare perspective on the state of the culture in America, since being here is so different from being out in the “real world”. Being in a place where rational thought is upheld as a virtue, where people are all friendly and open and…

by Jason Stotts I’m sure that everyone has heard the old riddle: “Is the glass half-full or half-empty?” Well, it’s a question that I have always answered “half-full” merely because it indicates being “optimistic” as opposed to “pessimistic,” or at least that’s how the riddle usually runs. Now for those of you who know me,…