Emrys Westacott grew up in the UK and moved to the US in 1986. He is currently professor of philosophy at Alfred University in Western New York. His work has appeared in both scholarly and popular publications, including International Studies in Philosophy, Philosophy Now, The Philosopher's Magazine, Aeon, and Humanities. His books include 'The Virtues of Our Vices: A Modest Defense of Gossip, Rudeness and Other Bad Habits' (Princeton University Press, 2012), and 'The Wisdom of Frugality' (Princeton University Press, 2016). Email: westacott [at] alfred.edu
by Emrys Westacott The industrial revolution transformed the world entirely. Its most profound legacy, though, is not anything specific like electricity, motorized transport, or the computer, but the state of permanent technological revolution in which we now live, move, and have our being. There are some, it is true, like economist Robert Gordon, author of…
Excessive violence by police officers dealing with African Americans is best understood as a product of systemic racism. An important aspect of systemic racism is white privilege, one example of which is the relative lack of fear with which most white people can interact with the police.
The Democrats in the Senate should push for a basic public option guaranteeing that no-one will be totally screwed by the Republican proposal. If the free marketeers like Ryan and Reed really believe their own predictions, it is a safety net that will quickly fall into disuse since competition will produce superior options that health insurance consumers will prefer.
The most humane option, though, is surely the one chosen by virtually all other modern democracies, and that is to stop executing people. An awareness of this is, arguably, the deepest reason underlying the bizarre complexity of executions in America. The elaborate technology and procedures bespeak a bad conscience. On the one hand there is the deeply ingrained desire for revenge and for primitive justice to be done: an eye for an eye; a life for a life. On the other hand, there is the undeniable fact that, whatever the means, a killing is a killing–to execute people is to deprive them of life by force and against their will. As Judge Alex Kozinski wrote regarding lethal injections, “Using drugs meant for individuals with medical needs to carry out executions is a misguided effort to mask the brutality of executions by making them look serene and peaceful.”
It is fitting that the original and still standard smiley face presents itself as a two-dimensional object, for this captures the relatively shallowness of the subjectivist conception of happiness. The Greek notion of well-being, by comparison, is richer both morally and psychologically; and it can usefully prompt us to reflect critically on our own culture’s default values. For there is more to happiness than mere pleasure. And there are more things to value in life than mere happiness.
by Emrys Westacott Back in 1930, the economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that the continuous increase in productivity characteristic of industrial capitalism would lead within a century to much more leisure for everyone, with the typical working week being reduced to about fifteen hours. This has obviously not come about. To be sure, in virtually…
A pressing question in American politics today is whether there are enough Republicans in Congress who are still capable of being shamed into opposing Trump for the good of the country. At present, they serve as his enablers. Some of them may cringe inwardly, but they choose to ride the tiger, figuring that the death of truth is a price worth paying if it helps them to hold onto their seats or push through their agenda of cutting taxes for the wealthy, shrinking government, deregulating business, and so on.
by Emrys Westacott Sages through the ages have advanced many arguments in favour of living simply and frugally. For instance: it keeps you away from morally corrupting temptations; it cultivates virtues like self-sufficiency and hardihood; it makes one better able to cope with adversity; it is the surest path to happiness since it curtails misguided…
by Emrys Westacott Last week I drove from the small college town in upstate New York where I live to New York City. We covered the 306 miles from home to the George Washington Bridge, which takes one into Manhattan, in just under five hours. The next 15 miles, through Manhattan to our destination in…
But now is not the time to lose faith in the role that reason can (and should) play in politics. With the election of Trump, it is more important than ever that liberals consistently make the argument for coherent, practicable policies based on good evidence. One reason for doing this is certainly to raise the tone of political debates. But rationalists must also have some faith that, in the end, the arc of history bends towards truth–or perhaps, more modestly, at least away from error and folly
by Emrys Westacott Donald Trump epitomizes extravagance. Not the imprudently living beyond one's means sort of extravagance criticized by Ben Franklin, but the kind that spares no expense in the quest to gratify one's desires and impress people. Gold-gilded towers, marbled mansions, emblazoned private jets: all of them scream out, “Look how f____ing rich I…
The environmentalist argument for embracing a more frugal, simple lifestyle is strong. Some argue that small actions by individuals make little difference, but this view is mistaken. It fails to recognize how the small actions of individuals can gradually alter the default attitudes in a culture.
by Emrys Westacott In evaluating candidates for political office there are two main things to consider: a) their ideology–that is, their political views and general philosophy b) their personal qualities With respect to ideology, the most important questions one should ask are these: · Are their beliefs true? (Do they hold correct beliefs on, say,…
With the media choosing to pay so much attention to Donald Trump, relatively little attention has been paid to the 2016 Republican Party platform. This is in line with the tedious and reprehensible reduction of political discourse to horse race punditry. But it is a pity, since the prospect of this platform being enacted is every bit as worrying as the prospect of a narcissistic ignoramus like Trump becoming president.
by Emrys Westacott Whether we like or not, whether we admit or not, those of us who live in the modernized world are heirs of the Enlightenment. We know from experience and from scientific studies that there are numerous ways in which human beings are often quite irrational. Nevertheless, rational, informed deliberation in which evidence…
by Emrys Westacott What's the best deal in the world? My vote would be for the $80 annual pass that gives you access to all of America's national parks along with many other recreational areas such as national monuments and national forests that are managed by the federal government. (Actually, there's an even better deal:…
A discussion of when stereotypes are objectionable and of how they cause people to underperform in certain situations.
The essay outlines and compares various explanations of why human beings laugh.
The essay considers why we tend to be forgiving of family and friends who regularly keep us waiting, and whether we should be more critical of them.
by Emrys Westacott You have been called for jury service. The trial is complex and much hangs on the relative credibility of different witnesses, particularly those offering expert testimony regarding whether a certain medicine is likely to produce aggressive behavior as one of its side effects. A professional psychiatrist called by the defense testifies that…