It had been a long journey and it seemed to Alice so long since she had first stepped through the Looking Glass into the new world that lay beyond. But here she was finally at the eighth square. She threw herself down to rest on a lawn as soft as moss, with little flower-beds dotted… Continue reading Alice at the Palace
Author: Colin Turfus
Colin Turfus is a quantitative risk manager with 16 years experience in investment banking. He has a PhD in applied mathematics from Cambridge University and has published research in fluid dynamics, astronomy and quantitative finance.
Should We Celebrate “Diversity”?
Should we celebrate diversity? To ask the question in the current political climate in the Anglosphere is to answer it: to respond with anything less than an enthusiastic “Of course we should!” is to risk upsetting all the lovely people in the picture above and worse, to invite the wrath of the Cancel Culture squads… Continue reading Should We Celebrate “Diversity”?
Counting the Cost of Social Justice
It is a key feature of the Culture Wars that they tend to be winner-takes-all affairs. This is arguably because both sides tend to adopt rights-based approaches, then to assert mutually incompatible sets of rights. But is there not a more fruitful way of conducting moral discourse whereby the protagonists of both sides engage with each other in a less confrontational manner?
When the Lionesses Roared
“That was a lot of fun.” “Absolutely!” Thus began the conversation between the two young men who had just installed themselves with a couple of pints of ale in the corner of the Horse and Guardsman public house in Whitehall not two minutes down the road from Trafalgar Square where the victory parade of the… Continue reading When the Lionesses Roared
Universal Values in the Postmodern Era
The pursuit of universal values has a a long history as humans have sought a basis for a harmonious, shared life. But there is a danger that in striving to establish universal values, the perfect becomes the enemy of the good. Perhaps we need to resist this temptation and acknowledge instead the context-dependence of all valuing.
Partygate: Where Will It All End?
“Ziggy appears to be in surprisingly ebullient mood tonight,” thought Zara as he perused his friend’s countenance over the top of his pint glass. This was in sharp contrast to his own mood which had been consistently quite disconsolate since the recent deterioration in his financial situation, which meant he had to choose between paying… Continue reading Partygate: Where Will It All End?
Book Review, Michael Sandel, The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good?
While Michael Sandel’s arguments against the meritocratic ideal and the skill with which he deploys them in his latest book make an ostensibly compelling case, is there not perhaps more to the argument than the skilled practitioner on stage is revealing to us? Has the professor, like so many others, not become unduly beholden to the social justice movement?
Is “Positive Action” a Legitimate Means to an End?
It is often stated that so-called “positive action” aimed at righting historical injustices is permitted and indeed encouraged under UK law. But how true is this in reality? And is the use of such justifiable as a means of pursuing the end of diversity and inclusion targets?
The Quest for Social Justice?
The notion of “social justice” has been transformed and weaponised in recent years by proponents of applied postmodernism making use of a category mismatch between the political and moral realms. An understanding of their tactics and methods is needed to counteract the sleight-of-hand that is thus being deployed.
The Culture Wars and the “Right to Offend”
We live in the era of the Culture Wars and identity politics, fuelled by the absence of objective standards of truth and evaluation. What can be done to address the problem and rebuild the foundations on which civilised debate can be conducted?