Paradox Point

                 On the Magabomber, False Flags, and Stochatic Terrorism Written during the first Trump term                                                                   They caught the MAGAbomber, praise be; in part from the fingerprint he left on one of the two bombs he sent to Maxine Waters. I hope Waters gains some comfort from that instance of karma. The Trumpists still claim a “false flag”. I find this philosophically disturbing. “False flag” is a universal reality denial. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor... or so FDR wants you to believe. The sun rose in the east today... but it was a fake sun risin...

                 A Partial Parallel   Theocrats often preach that unbelievers and other-believers endanger their neighbors by attracting the wrath of their God, sometimes in the form of plagues. This implies that their God is irrational, indiscriminate and unjust, like the theocrats themselves. The secular view is that plagues are due to natural forces, which are indifferent to human life, but which are governed by natural laws, which can be discovered by reason. These laws, once understood, sometimes imply better ways of living. A wrathful God tameable by prayer, revealed by faith; an indifferent Nature controllable by technology, discovered by reason; I see a parallel there. As far as I can tell, the main difference is that faith is for the elect, but reason is for all. Therefore faith seeks power, and reason seeks freedom.  

          A Farewell to Hemlock               I, Diogenes, have at last been shooed away from the College of San Hemlock. I got an email saying:           “Hello.         We hope this note finds you in good health and that you may enjoy a long future of further retirement happiness.         I am writing this email to ask you to come to CSH to clear out your office space in Bldg 13, room 23. The office has been assigned to someone else, so you need to pick up your belongings ASAP but no later than the second Thursday from now. All remaining items will be discarded the next day.         Please return your district keys and ID badge to me.         Alma”   My first thought was; my badge?...

          Time for IT             When I, Diogenes, came to work at the College of San Hemlock, I knew the place was enthralled by dark conjurations; but little did I know the dread truth about the source of those conjurations. The reality proved to be appalling and shameful.           The trouble started with Daylight Savings Time. I personally think Daylight Savings Time is a terrible idea; its savings are conjectural, and its costs are real; disturbed sleep cycles, equipment disarray. For most places it’s the break in sleep cycles that gets you; readjusting clocks is a menial but reliable chore. But not at the College of San Hemlock!           For at the College of San Hemlock, the clocks are centrally controlled by computer! As are the locks and the heating and the urinals and whatnot; every...