Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Judging politicians (2) – inclusive or divisive?
A couple of posts ago I wrote about how some politicians can polarise the constituency. So how does this tweet from Donald Trump fall on the continuum of inclusiveness versus divisiveness? Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only “stupid” people, or fools, would think that it is…
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For the new year? Kindness!
“One of the most fundamental paths to remaining kind around people is the power to hold on, even in very challenging situations, to a distinction between what someone does – and what they meant to do.”
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Judging politicians – inclusive or divisive?
We all judge public figures. Increasingly I’m hearing people say they love this politician, or hate that politician. Our views are becoming polarised. So what do you do when a family member or friend says they hate someone you think is doing a reasonable job? How can there be any basis for rational discussion with…
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Group photos and the smart phone shuffle
In the Philippines no social occasion is complete without a group photo. In a restaurant, a passing waiter is called to take the photo. In a public area one of the group might take the photo, or often someone passing by is asked. These days everyone has a smart phone with a reasonable camera. So…
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Barbara Ziymack – an Unlikely Millionaire
This post includes a download link to a short biography of my great grandmother Barbara Ziymack. It’s a rags-to-riches story that contains elements of great strength in the face of difficulties and also great misfortune, sadness and, I suspect, bitterness and disappointment. You can download the mini-biography here, or continue reading for a short background.…
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Wellbank – the haunted house of the Flavelle’s
This story is about a childhood memory of a haunted house. It’s a memory associated with my grandparents who lived in Davidson Avenue, Concord from about 1939 until their deaths in the 1960s. They were the best grandparents any kid could wish for.
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Dene Hollow – the story of a Mosman mansion
The subtitle of this post could have been “Almost Rich”. It tells the story of a mansion bought by my great-grandmother in about 1909. Here’s the quick story. You can read the full story here. My great grandmother Barbara Herring was the granddaughter of a convict transported to Port Jackson (Sydney) in 1809. My great grandfather David…
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A cartoonist’s worst nightmare – Abbott gone
As a number of people have said, for comedians and cartoonists Tony Abbott was the gift that just kept on giving. Perhaps my favourite cartoonist is The Guardian’s First Dog on the Moon. Thanks to Tony Abbott he’s had more material than he could cope with over the past two years. Now with Abbott gone I expect…
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Regression to the mean, publication bias and confirmation bias
You’ve had a cold, and someone suggested drinking an extract from a new wonder plant. The cold got better. You’ve Googled it and lots of people have noticed the same thing, so you’re telling all your friends about it. Well, you’ve probably just experienced regression to the mean and publication bias. There might even be some confirmation…
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Making science special – A Capella Science
Is it possible to write a song about the exploration of Pluto? You bet it is! Have a look at this bloke. I love it. His name is Tim, and his YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/user/acapellascience
Got any book recommendations?