Official Website for Amitabha Palmer
What’s the difference between a lawyer and a philosopher? No, this isn’t a joke. It’s a genuine question. In fact, puzzling over this distinction has ancient roots extending all the way back to Socrates. While Socrates doesn’t use the word lawyer, he uses the term “sophist” which, for my purposes here, amounts to the same […]
Read More The Impeachment Trial and the Philosopher’s StanceThe words ‘rational’ and ‘reasonable’ are often used interchangeably in everyday language. But for philosophers they have specific meanings. These distinct meanings are important because they help to articulate the desirable features of a policy response to Covid-19 and vaccines. As with anything in philosophy (or any subject, for that matter) there isn’t unanimous agreement […]
Read More The Rational, The Reasonable, and Covid-19 Vaccine PolicyThe very first thing you’re taught about writing in philosophy is to narrow your focus. Before every assignment, every professor will plead, “pick just one idea and develop it!” I tell my students the exact same thing. But today, I am going to do exactly the opposite. Don’t do as I do, do as I […]
Read More Problems with Pandemic PolicyIs Trump legally responsible for the death of a man who misunderstood then acted on Trump’s unfounded proclamations? That depends on your theory of causation and legal responsibility. Let’s learn about causation and responsibility in the law! The Case During his address to the nation on Friday March 19, Trump claimed that chloroquine was a […]
Read More Trump, Death by Chloroquine Phosphate, and Legal Responsibility
Wrestling with Philosophy 