HelloandwelcometoanotherepisodeofStarsatNightwithmePatrickMoore. ThethemefortonightsshowisTheMusicoftheSpheres. NowImmoreofaBeethovenfanmyself, butmyfirstguestthiseveningisrathernimblefingeredonthe-elec-tric-gui-tar, aswellasanaccomplishedastronomerandagoodfriend, Brian May HeLLO GLAS…tonbury….good to be here, Patrick. Not just a friend, You’re my best friend NowtheBBCinitsinfinitewisdom has decreed thatasaconditionofnotlaunchinganasteroidattheshow, wemusthavegreaterdiversity. SoIwouldliketowelcometotheshow, theresidentastrologerofthesun, The-Sun-news-paper that is, Mystic Meg It’s a blessing to be here, Patrick NowMeg – DoIcallyouMegorMystic – what do you make of the BBC’s decision to ban any… Continue reading The Stars at Night: Music of the Spheres
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?
Trouble on Lineland
It’s all go on the internetwork this morning Things are starting to move at Lineland “work” station Danny the desktop is having his buttons pushed Oo-er Cuthbert the cursor is flashing like mad Tut-tut, Cuthbert, not very PC that! Gerald the gay icon – he who once dared not hide his light – is a… Continue reading Trouble on Lineland
Navigating the Maze of Intersectionality
It had been some good few days since the last time Ziggy had been out on a road trip with his friend Zara, postmodern-day prophet of renown. As it was, Zara had just that day taken delivery of a new set of keys for the Maserati in which they were now comfortably ensconced. Ziggy had… Continue reading Navigating the Maze of Intersectionality
Woke History of the UK
There is much controversy these days about what constitutes an authentic portrayal of the broad sweep of UK history. So it was that on one of their recent road-trips that Zara (aka Zarathustra, the postmodern-day prophet of all things woke) was quizzed by his friend Ziggy as to what his take was on the subject.… Continue reading Woke History of the UK
Is Any Self-Respecting Statue Safe These Days?
“So what’s your take on this Cancel Culture everyone is talking about?” As always the question put by Ziggy to his mentor Zara, aka Zarathustra postmodern-day prophet of renown, was posed in a manner which appeared innocuous enough. “Who’s this ‘everyone’ you’re talking about?” came back the retort. Did Ziggy detect a tinge of defensiveness… Continue reading Is Any Self-Respecting Statue Safe These Days?
Review: False Alarm: How climate change panic costs us trillions, hurts the poor and fails to fix the planet.
Bjorn Lomborg (New York, NY: Basic books, 2020) For a long time, there has been no real centre ground politically on climate change: either you are a believer in green activism and its policy platform or a denier, it seems. This is nowhere more demonstrably seen than in the US, where stance on climate change… Continue reading Review: False Alarm: How climate change panic costs us trillions, hurts the poor and fails to fix the planet.
Diversity and the Avoidance of Prejudice
Those who are familiar with the exploits of Zarathustra, postmodern-day prophet of renown will know that it is his wont to drive from time to time to the local village so that the inhabitants might benefit from his sermons on the subject of social justice and the role they, the villagers, played in obstructing it.… Continue reading Diversity and the Avoidance of Prejudice
Do you have the right to be wrong? A defence of free inquiry
“If any opinion is compelled to silence, that opinion may, for aught we can certainly know, be true. To deny this is to assume our own infallibility.” (John Stuart Mill, ‘On Liberty’, 1859) “If you offered to let me off this time on condition I am not any longer to speak my mind… I should… Continue reading Do you have the right to be wrong? A defence of free inquiry
Can Two Wrongs Make a Right?
“So what do you say, Zara?” Ziggy asked his friend. “Can two wrongs make a right?” The answer came back immediately. “To ask the question is to answer it: of course they can’t.” Ziggy was in good spirits having taken a bit of a pounding from his self-appointed mentor and postmodern-day prophet of renown Zara… Continue reading Can Two Wrongs Make a Right?