Nicholas Clairmont
Born and raised in New York City, Nick studies philosophy at Trinity College Dublin, specializing in Mathematical Logic and in the crossroads of free will, determinism, and personhood. His particular interests are: Logic, Philosophy, Motorsports, Kurt Vonnegut, Bertrand Russell, 20th Century American Literature, The Automotive Industry, and Debate.
The Charge of the Heavy Brigade; or, Totalitarianism Is Thriving and It Is Our Fault
The modern dictator needs only to become a client-state to Russia or China (or to be Russia or China), and there is nothing he can't get away with. We members of open societies have the power to change that. All we need is the resolve.
8 Indisputable Reasons to Support Edward Snowden (And Many Disputable Ones Not To)
Here are all of the arguments against Edward Snowden. This is why they are wrong.
The Proverbial Skeptic’s 5 Buzzwords to Stop Using in 2014
If we want to fail fast and fail hard, we should be sure to be mindful about disrupting gurus of innovation.
Idly By: The Case Against Anti-Interventionism in Theory and in Practice
There is a moral case for intervening in Syria.
CIA Files Disclose U.S. Complicity in Iraqi Chemical Weapons Attacks
Newly released top secret documents shed light on the U.S. involvement in Iraq's use of chemical weapons in the 1980's.
Listen To “Party At The NSA”, A Fun New Song Protesting Surveillance
A new song captures the feelings of the anti-surveillance movement.
A Judge Stops and Frisks “Stop and Frisk”
Hon. Shira A Scheindlin has struck major blow to Michael Bloomberg's and Ray Kelly's racist and megalomaniacal "Stop and Frisk" policy. Bloomberg's and Kelly's policy acts in direct opposition to both the progress of our culture and of the laws they have sworn to uphold.
If Great Minds Really Did Think Alike, We’d Be Living in a Dystopia
A world in which great minds thought alike would be a dystopia.
“Boyfriend,” “Girlfriend,” and “Significant Other” Are Terrible Phrases
Girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, lover, significant other. We really don't have any good way to refer to unmarried romantic partners (see?) in English.
“Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It.” Really?
History shows that both those who do not learn history and those who do learn history are doomed to repeat it.
Scholar Reza Aslan Has A Cross to Bear, And It’s Fox News
Reza Aslan has to explain The Genetic Fallacy to idiot and FoxNews.com interviewer Lauren Green.
Stop Asking Whether Things Are “OK”.
Who elected young college graduates the kings and queens of language?
“Royal Baby” Is A Contradiction In Terms.
A baby was born soon that is half Hot Chick and half Inbred German. Hooray!
Post 9: Finale, Finally; or, A Coda On Looking At Buddhism Relatively
My points are modest in what they are trying to prove, or they would be if many people weren't entirely immodest in what they refuse to discuss.
Post 8: If Buddhism Is A Philosophy, It Is Often Bad Philosophy
Ideas from modern philosophy hold up better to scrutiny than does Buddhism.
Christopher Hitchens: How To Demystify With The Best Of ‘Em
Christopher Hitchens, Demystifier Extraordinaire.
Why Homo Sapiens Still Can’t “Have It All”
There is no circumstance that people could possibly contrive for ourselves which would constitute "having it all".
Post 6: If Buddhism Is Plural, Is It Therefore Beyond Reproach?
Do Buddhism's many facets as a movement mean that no criticism can ever be applied to it?