Democracy is unthinkable without freedom of speech. But how far should this freedom of speech go, when people can be indirectly harmed by words and their aftermaths?
Mill’s Freedom of Speech Today
Capital punishment – yes or no?
The atrocious gang rape and the consequent death of the 23-year-old woman rekindled an emotional discussion about capital punishment. But what are the philosophical arguments for and against a death penalty, which cost the lives of at least 680 people (excluding China) worldwide in 2011, according to Amnesty International? Link to the article
Church, School, and Gang-bang
If you think, having an occasional gang-bang in a “communal” restaurant to give vent to your suppressed nature and thus to change our world to the better is a preposterous idea, then you have not read Alan de Botton’s new book, Religion for Atheist, yet.
Platonic love vs physical love
Is your spouse neglecting your physical needs again, since he is once again engrossed in a heap of books? Is he ignoring the fact that you have, for once, brushed your teeth tree times a day, just for him? And you are quite sure there are no dirty magazine or titillating romance novels hidden in…
Gaddafi’s Death: a Realpolitik-Solution?
Last Friday The Sun wrote: “That is for Lockerbie, Gaddafi” and “Rot in hell with Hitler, Gaddafi.” Less provocative, but still a symbol of public opinion other newspapers like The Telegraph ran the headline “Col Gaddafi killed: no mercy for a merciless tyrant.” While most of this flat earth is celebrating Gaddafi’s death, I ask myself whether…
Same River, New Poet
There are not many authors who understand how to unite poetry of more than two millennia, serval cultures and seven languages into one contemporary work of poetry. Vikram Seth is one of the few who succeeded doing it in his new book, The Rivered Earth.
