Category Archives: Philosophy

You Are Only Half Right About Bias

Posted on July 19, 2013 by jackpelham

bi’·as noun an inclination of temperament or outlook; especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment : prejudice ——————————— I observe that you are only half right about bias, friend.  You are spot on with what you think already, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Dysrationalia, Philosophy | Leave a comment

What is My “World View”?

Posted on July 6, 2013 by jackpelham

Every once in a while, someone inquires about my “world view”.   Here it is: There is nothing unreal in the entire known Universe, with the one exception of what happens in the imaginations of humans. Humans often get trapped in … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Character, Consumerism, Dysrationalia, Economy, Ethics, Fallacy, History, Logic, Paradigms, Pelham's Laws, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science | 1 Comment

Where Lies the Bulk of Human Evils

Posted on June 30, 2013 by jackpelham

It is my observation that the bulk of human evils lies in the taking of that which does not really belong to the taker.  Let me count the ways: Taking conclusions, opinions, or beliefs that are not fairly derived from … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Dysrationalia, Logic, Paradigms, Philosophy, Religion | Leave a comment

How I Beat Advanced Spider Solitaire a Bajillion Times and What It Means for the Rest of My Life

Posted on June 22, 2013 by jackpelham

Whooda thunkit, but I learned some invaluable life lessons from a solitaire card game that came preloaded on my computer! The game is Spider Solitaire (advanced 4-suit version) and if you don’t know it, don’t worry; I won’t bore you … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Dysrationalia, Paradigms, Philosophy, Politics, Religion | Leave a comment

The Gold Bar Metaphor

Posted on November 18, 2012 by jackpelham

See this gold bar? Chances are, you’ve never seen one laying on a neighbor’s lawn.  Likewise, I’d say that chances are pretty good that if you had one, you wouldn’t keep it out our your lawn, either. And why not?

Posted in Character, History, Logic, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Pelham’s Law of Cognitive Error

Posted on October 14, 2012 by jackpelham

Pelham’s Law of Cognitive Error:  “I am most likely wrong about many things.” Cognitive science has solidly identified certain traits of human behavior by which people operate habitually at a sub-optimal level.  We make frequent cognitive errors, some of which … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Pelham's Laws, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science | Leave a comment

A Walk in the Cemetery

Posted on August 22, 2012 by jackpelham

One of the late Stephen Covey’s famous “7 Habits of Highly Successful People” was “Start with the end in mind.”  He suggested that one should consider what he would like to have said about him at his funeral, and then … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Paradigms, Philosophy, Religion | Leave a comment

I was with you right up until…

Posted on August 15, 2012 by jackpelham

As I regularly discuss controversial topics with people, I’m often left to interpret the silence with which some people respond to certain logical challenges.  (I call this “crickets”, as in hearing nothing but the crickets chirping.)  Anyway, being always the … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Paradigms, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science | Leave a comment

If You Haven’t Done the Math, You Don’t Really Know Anything!

Posted on June 29, 2012 by jackpelham

“He’s always late!” complains the boss.  It turns out, however, that he’s late 8% of the time over the last year.  But the boss doesn’t know the numbers; he’s content just to go with his perception. “Our church really follows … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science | Leave a comment

The Stunning Question

Posted on June 22, 2012 by jackpelham

Every once in a while, a simple and straight-forward question comes along that can have profound effects on the people who give it the consideration it deserves.  The question itself seems to separate people into different types, based upon how … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Religion | 1 Comment