The death of Stephen Hawking was, above all, a tragic loss for his immediate family and closest friends. The world of physics, and science in general, will also be much the poorer without him. Whereas none of us, common mortals, would be able to write a bestseller on the history of time, or come up […]
Freedom
The Irish, The Brits, And The EU: Bordering On Insanity
If you think about it, the two most controversial and painful aspects of the Brexit negotiations, up to now, both concern the notion of national borders, and who can or cannot cross them. Now, we have the whole of Northern Ireland, not knowing whether it will end up with a hard border, and where the […]
Charlie Hebdo And The True Value Of Freedom Of Expression
How much would you be willing to pay for the privilege to be able to open your mouth, and air your opinions? One Euro a day, or ten? Do you have a price limit, beyond which, it’s not worth the expense, and you will just shut up? Is being “priced out” of freedom of expression, […]
Brexit Musings (10) – A Happy BreXmas To You Too, Mrs May
Now Theresa – May I call you Theresa? Thank you so much for your personal Christmas letter addressed to hundreds of thousands of poor innocent mugs like me, who couldn’t vote in a referendum that we never asked for. I hope you don’t mind if I distort just a teeny-weeny little bit, your much thought […]
Citizens’ Rights Have Been Swept Under The Carpet
Whereas 23rd June 2016 will be remembered as one of the blackest days of our lives, as EU citizens in the UK and Brits in the EU, the announcement of a last-minute agreement “securing” citizens’ rights, will probably rank as being “very dark grey”. Two things come to mind when analysing the outcome of this […]
Brexit Musings (3) – Welcome To Amsterdam Schiphol
Well, not much to chew on this week, concerning Brexit. However, I do have an idea: with the tenors of the UK political landscape out of the country for the summer, maybe it is time to close the borders – before they get back. Wishful thinking I know, but it’s a nice thought. There is […]
Pour L’Amour De La Nation (For The Love Of The Nation)
Individualism, patriotism, nationalism?…A spectre of human interpretations of the world around us – each one a potential danger. Maybe I have no sense of patriotism due to my upbringing – loving two cultures and living in a third. However, more importantly, the world I live in is my representation and no-one else’s. For Donald Trump, […]
Brexit And EU Nationals (I) – The European Council’s Proposals
The prospective deal that Theresa May offers EU citizens already living in the UK, is a minimalist view on an ideal world for EU nationals. Once again, she has failed to make a connection with ordinary people, this time with genuinely worried EU expats in the UK, and British expats living in the EU. Her […]
Taming The (Lone) Wolves
Saturday’s London terrorist attack affects us all deeply, whether we were directly involved, or watching it from a distance. I feel particularly saddened by the attack because it took place in a part of London that I’m so familiar with, having qualified at Guy’s Hospital, all those years ago. The attack is just the latest […]
When Progressive Humanism Meets Terrorism
Islamic attacks on Western democracies pose a deep philosophical and moral problem to anyone sympathising with a progressive humanist vision of society. The Islamic fundamentalists are targeting the very heart of our democracies and, more importantly, our entire way of life. They are trying to drive a wedge between the Islamic community, which they are […]