Do Races Exist? A Genetic Perspective

February 6, 2018
Do Races Exist? A Genetic Perspective

People are often taught that races are entirely made up. And while we would like to accept this view on ideological grounds of equality, the obvious differences in appearance always leave us feeling like something isn’t quite right with that answer. Clearly some kind of difference exists. But what is it? And does it matter? …

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Are Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies the Future of Money?

September 2, 2017
Are Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies the Future of Money?

As the market cap for cryptocurrencies crosses $170 billion today, one can’t help but question if this is really sustainable. The promise of cryptocurrencies sounds great–instant worldwide transactions, low fees, money that can’t be inflated at whim by central banks. A technology platform that would enable these things is fantastic, but whether or not cryptocurrencies …

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How to Read Literature in Translation

January 30, 2017
How to Read Literature in Translation

If you’ve ever played a video game from the ’80s, you know that not all translations are created equal. Just see the humorous All Your Base Are Belong to Us meme for a taste of what I mean. Which translation of a classic you choose to read greatly affects your reading experience. Most classics have multiple …

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Reading the Western Literary Canon in Context

January 27, 2017
Reading the Western Literary Canon in Context

I want to read the best stories ever told. I also want to read the stories that show up over and over again in our culture–the culture of the English speaking West that is. You know the ones I mean, you’ve no doubt heard countless references to stories like The Iliad, War and Peace, and Moby Dick. …

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How Art Changes the World

January 25, 2017
Caspar David Friedrich - Wanderer above the sea of fog

At the philosophy group I attend, we were discussing the final chapter of Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand (OPAR) about her views on art. At first glance, the chapter appears a cursory postscript to the book–an obligatory nod to esthetics since it is one of the five branches of philosophy. But art–including literature–is not just …

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Mission Muscle Up

October 6, 2016
Photo by Emilien

Popularity of bodyweight training (aka calisthenics) has exploded in recent years. Much of that is down to folks like popular trainer Al Kavadlo, YouTube phenom group BarStarzz, and hit books like Convict Conditioning. However, the biggest influence is unquestionably CrossFit, which has taken many gymnastics training methods mainstream. The signature move of this new golden …

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