Simon Duffy

Thoughts, Bemusements & Arguments

Simon Duffy

Thoughts, Bemusements & Arguments

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The Self-Sacrificing Gene

30th January 2015

The idea of the selfish gene was always very muddled indeed. In fact if any category should be applied to genes it would be self-sacrificing.

What Monopoly Teaches us about the Welfare State

What Monopoly Teaches us about the Welfare State

29th October 2014

Monopoly as a lot to teach us about economics and the case for basic income.

Why We're Launching the LDA for England

21st August 2014

Our plans to challenge the Government and to stick up for people with learning difficulties ahead of the 2015 General Election.

The Liberal Fallacy or Yet Another Argument for Basic Income

The Liberal Fallacy or Yet Another Argument for Basic Income

24th May 2014

Liberalism has many flaws, not least of which is that if we really allowed markets to clear then extreme poverty is natural result.

The Eugenic Fallacy

19th May 2014

Eugenics is a dreadful morality, but it is sneaking back into our minds.

Weil's or Pascal's Wager

19th May 2014

Simone Weil offers us a better version of Pascal's famous wager.

Ideal Markets or Real Markets

28th March 2014

To do things together we need an agora, not a market.

Keeping Money Fresh - The Genius of Malcolm Henry

Keeping Money Fresh - The Genius of Malcolm Henry

14th March 2014

We need to rethink the role of money and distinguish its healthy purpose and the conditions which make it toxic.

The Inquisition - A Truly Modern Institution

13th March 2014

As Arendt and Foucault noticed, the sign of a truly modern institution is that it refuses to accept merely outward signs of conformity.

The Cancer of English Anti-Semitism

12th March 2014

As Arendt observes the final cruel blow is to rob people of any role - as either exploited or exploiter.

What is Neoliberalism Good For?

11th March 2014

Even many of the extreme advocates of neoliberalism don't really pretend to take their own theory that seriously.

Use and Abuse of Standards

21st February 2014

If you regulate systems by exams you end up corrupting educational standards.

The Devolution of Blame

20th February 2014

Emilie Whitaker's term "blame devolution" perfectly describes modern management.

What Would Aristotle Make of Modern Britain?

15th February 2014

Aristotle would not identify the United Kingdom as any kind of meaningful democracy.

Living Forever

14th February 2014

Life of course (by which I also mean death) is designed to balance things out. To allow the new to replace the old.

Measurements

29th January 2014

Measuring has always been political.

The Emptiness Within

16th January 2014

To the religious this paradox is resolved through faith and an acknowledgement of the mystery of certain fundamental truths - but to the non-religious this seems like a cop-out.

Diverse People Need Diverse Communities

14th January 2014

Dante understood that it is good we are all different; but dangerous that we don't find our true fate.

The First Welfare State

12th January 2014

There is nothing 'natural' about the welfare state and it takes work to get a good one.

Do You Deserve Your Gifts?

Do You Deserve Your Gifts?

29th November 2013

If you think your gifts entitle you to a better deal then ask yourself who gave you those gifts. It was certainly not yourself.

We Fell Asleep

We Fell Asleep

23rd November 2013

A poetic reflection on our times.

Beyond Rights - Citizenship in the Welfare State

20th November 2013

It seems like a new form of aristocratic rule has evolved within the welfare state itself.

Modest Reasons for Hope

15th November 2013

Progress is not inevitable. Elites can maintain their grip on power for centuries.

Making Citizenship Real

14th November 2013

If we want citizenship to be real - for everyone - then we must transform how our society works.