A Question of Priorities
From time to time, readers ask why I devote relatively little attention to Islam in The Second View. Let me try to explain. I am convinced that Islam is the…
Empty labels
The fundamental purpose of concepts is to divide all things into two groups: those that are something, and those that are not. Take the word “crow.” It divides the world…
The Return of Double Standards
I constantly hear complaints about double standards. And it is true that the liberal camp applies them (the alternative camp does as well, but that is not today’s subject). What…
Beyond Colonial Myths
A few days ago, I proposed using the anthropological definition of civilization: understanding it as a broad, interconnected body of customs, together with the supporting institutions and tools required to…
Criminalizing Therapy
Mengele’s Heirs Tighten the Screws. Last week, the Netherlands approved a law under which psychiatrists and therapists may face up to two years in prison if they engage in what…
Civilisation and power
In earlier reflections, I argued that civilization is essentially nothing more than a set of customs—most of them governing the ordinary routines of everyday life—along with the practical means that…