This post was edited to incorporate relevant information which I was not aware of when I first wrote it. This information adds perspective to the issue, but it does not undermine my original argument. Recently, a number of prominent media pundits and academics published a letter in Harper's Magazine and elsewhere calling for both Justice … Continue reading Dueling Cancel Cultures
Author: Citizen Rat
I teach courses in Economics and International Relations at Shawnee State University, a small public University in Southern Ohio. I also teach and train in Shotokan Karate.The opinions expressed on this blog are my own opinions and do not represent the views of my University or any other organization.
Epistemology and COVID 19
In the 20th Century, the philosopher Karl Popper drew the boundaries of demarcation between science and pseudoscience in terms of falsification. Exactly what Popper did and did not mean by falsification can be disputed. But the history of the philosophy of science throughout the 20th century has at leats taught us that distinguishing warranted and unwarranted claims … Continue reading Epistemology and COVID 19
Ohio’s Free Speech on Campus Bill
The Ohio has recently passed Senate Bill 40 , aka "Forming Open and Robust University Minds Act". It will most likely be signed by the governor, thus creating a State Law to protect the free speech clause of the First Amendment to the US Constitution at Ohio public universities. The bill would bring an end … Continue reading Ohio’s Free Speech on Campus Bill
No Cheers for Garcetti
A recent lawsuit against my own University by a colleague of mine alleging violation of his First Amendment rights to speech, exercise of religion along and due process has been dismissed on summary judgement in the U.S. District Court for Southern Ohio. The professor in this case is represented by The Alliance Defending Freedom. The dismissal … Continue reading No Cheers for Garcetti
Conspiracy Theories Part 2
In my previous post on this topic, I referenced the case of Joy Karega, whose employment at Oberlin College came to an end, due, to anti-semitic posts on her Facebook page as well as her advocacy of the theory that the CIA and Mossad, deliberately created ISIS as part of a larger policy agenda to … Continue reading Conspiracy Theories Part 2
Are we really all constructivists now?
I've taught International Political Economy for 20 years and to be fair, I've tended to give Constructivism short shrift, choosing instead to devote my time to Realism, Liberalism and Marxism. This semester however, I decided to be a bit more thorough, and hopefully fair, about the possible contributions and shortcomings of Constructivism. In the process … Continue reading Are we really all constructivists now?
Chomsky vs. Zizek?
Noam Chomsky makes some interesting points in this video about Slavoj Zizek and Zizek raises some valid points in response. I'm a little torn about who to side with in this dispute. There's a debate/discussion worth having here, and I actually find myself wishing for an actual Chomsky-Zizek debate. Chomsky has been one of … Continue reading Chomsky vs. Zizek?
Xi Jinping Thought
I came across this podcast on China on The Financial Times site. It's a little less than 20 minutes long and worth the listen (if you don't have a subscription to The Financial Times you can probably register for free articles to have a listen). I certainly don't bill myself as a China expert, but nevertheless I was … Continue reading Xi Jinping Thought
Further thoughts on mathematical formalism in Economics
In a recent entry, I offered a brief, and consequently simplified explanation of why formalism in mathematics and logic per se is not the cause of the perceived (accurately in my view) lack of realism in mainstream economics. This is not to say, however, that the emphasis in mainstream economics on formal mathematical is particularly … Continue reading Further thoughts on mathematical formalism in Economics
Whither the Democrats?
In this post I will offer some reflections on the current state of Democratic Policy proposals, with reference to the debates on Tuesday and Wednesday. Given that there are 20 candidates, I will not make any effort in this post to analyze them individually or to rank order the candidates. At present, I see no … Continue reading Whither the Democrats?
Citizen Rat 