Support First Things by turning your adblocker off or by making a  donation. Thanks!

An interesting summary

While the top 20 for each list is pending to post sometime on Friday, The Telegraph UK is publishing its Top 100 list of US Conservatives, and also of Liberals.The list is interesting as it is an outsider’s perspective on the state of US politics — and I’m a fan of people who try . . . . Continue Reading »

Torture, Killing, and Degrees

John Mark Reynolds’ response has helped me to clarify where I think he and I are disagreeing on the torture question.JMR defends his view based on his argument that torture is worse than killing. Of course, I can easily concede that torture can be worse than killing. But I can’t . . . . Continue Reading »

Meta-Ethics, Memory, and the Torture Question

The topic of torture and Christian ethics is now a heated discussion topic here. I’d like to ask a (perhaps naive) question about torture. Where is the harm located? What ethical principles are being violated by torture?Sixteen years ago, I contracted appendicitis and was in the hospital three . . . . Continue Reading »

One-Child for the One World

This past Thanksgiving, my extended family hosted some college students from Asia for the big meal. As we were making small talk, I opened my mouth and had a little roasted foot to go with my lunch: I asked the Chinese students if they had brothers or sisters. They don’t, of course, because of . . . . Continue Reading »

Which is more annoying?

Which is more annoying: Leftists who in the wake of Climategate have suddenly discovered a love for public choice theory or libertarians who in the wake of Climategate have studiously ignored public choice theory? Whatever your answer to that question, I hope it suggests that public choice theory . . . . Continue Reading »

An Odious Law: Uganda and Homosexuality

Uganda may pass a law that could lead to the death penalty for homosexual behavior.The proposed law is odious.Due to the legacy of colonialism, Western people should be sensitive about interfering in sub-Saharan African politics and modest in making moral pronouncements regarding Africa, but this . . . . Continue Reading »

Filter Tag Articles