Since it became known that the Boston Marathon bombing suspects are Muslims, there has been a predictable celebration by a chorus of right-wing commentators for whom the evil of Islam and the collective guilt of Muslims in such cases are tenets of faith. More subtle but equally pernicious are the reactions of blogger Andrew Sullivan and political entertainer Bill Maher. Continue Reading …
More on Terrorism from Jonathan R. White (Huffington Post)
Jon was the guest on our terrorism episode, which has unfortunately become timely again. In light of the events in Boston he was asked to write about the nature of modern terrorism in the Huffington post; read the article here. As he did in our episode, he stresses in the article the need to rationally understand the nature of modern Continue Reading …
Four Highly Effective Responses to Terrorism
1. Choose liberty over security. 2. See events like the Boston Marathon bombing — by virtue of their rarity — as evidence of our relative security, not as one more reason to feel afraid. 3. Understand that our relative security is guaranteed on the whole not by guards and guns, but by basic human psychology, which involves the remarkable nonviolence Continue Reading …
Tolerance, Repression and Terrorism
In 1965 Herbert Marcuse published an article entitled “Repressive Tolerance” in the collection A Critique of Pure Tolerance. The critique of modern society he presents in this paper will not be new to anyone familiar with his work or with the work of others from the first generation of the so-called Frankfurt School: the administered society, the systematic moronization of children Continue Reading …
Carl von Clausewitz’s Non-Existent “War in the Abstract” vs. Donald Black’s “Pure Terrorism”
As is usual, I think, when we do a topic-oriented podcast as opposed to one that really focuses on a text (see also the ones on humor and fame), our episode on terrorism didn’t really do justice to all the readings we as a group all read. In particular, I feel like I need to elaborate on Jonathan’s comment about Continue Reading …
Dena Hurst on the Ethics of Terrorism
I expect YouTube will have some good sources for us about terrorism and philosophy. Here’s my first bit unearthed, a 4min lecture from Dena Hurst that appears to be part of a longer ethics class. Watch on YouTube. The video gives a definition that, like Corlett’s, tries not to decide the moral issue beforehand: “Using violent acts with the intention Continue Reading …
PREVIEW-Episode 72: Terrorism with Jonathan R. White
We’re joined by an international terrorism expert to discuss how to define terrorism and whether it can ever be ethical. With readings by Donald Black, J. Angelo Corlett, Igor Primoratz, Karl Heinzen, Bhagat Singh, and Carl von Clausewitz.
Episode 72: Terrorism with Jonathan R. White (Citizens Only)
We’re joined by an international terrorism expert to discuss how to define terrorism and whether it can ever be ethical. With readings by Donald Black, J. Angelo Corlett, Igor Primoratz, Karl Heinzen, Bhagat Singh, and Carl von Clausewitz. Learn more.
End song: “1000 Points of Light” by The MayTricks (1992).
Topic for #72: Terrorism!
Apparently Jonathan R. White, international terrorism expert and author of many books on the subject, is a big fan of P.E.L., and he contacted us a while back and agreed to come on the show and talk about some articles on philosophical issues involving terrorism with us. We recorded this on the evening of 2/19/13. Listen to the episode. White’s Continue Reading …