Philosopher, writer, journalist summoned the classical polemical weapons of Voltaire and Montaigne.
Category: Latest News
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
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Brief, Passionate BNP-Xian Voice Liaison Ends
Giles Fraser thinks Xianity incompatible with racism; commenters raise eyebrow.
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Natasha Walter Frets at Maleness of Euston
So unlike the gender parity everywhere else.
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Alexandra Simonon Says Walter is Wrong
Opposing cultural relativism as Euston group does is a strong commitment to women’s rights everywhere.
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HERO Talks to Benson and Stangroom
Both talk a lot of nonsense.
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Todd Gitlin on the Academic Left
Question of how theory X diverges from theory Y takes precedence over question of X’s or Y’s truth value or lack of it.
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Irshad Manji Ponders Ahmadinejad
To the fringe of true believers, doomsday politics makes complete sense.
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Thought Experiments
So there’s this big violinist stuck in a cave…
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Raymond Tallis on Mary Midgley’s Owl of Minerva
The tendency to narrow philosophy to a technical exercise is one she has vigorously opposed.
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Bush Asserts His Right to Ignore Laws
Claims power to set aside any statute passed by Congress that conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution.
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Examples of Bush’s ‘Signing Statements’
Congress might as well just not bother.
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The Science of Happiness
New BBC series.
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Cakes are Rich, but People Are…Prosperous
Rich people don’t like to call themselves rich.
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Hitchens on the Euston Manifesto
Even the obvious has now become revolutionary.
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More Indy Drivel on Astrology
‘On certain levels, it is a science.’ Which would those be?
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Niall Stanage on the Euston Manifesto
It ‘may sound like a lengthy statement of the obvious. But, in a way, that’s the point.’
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Preachers Ask God to Lower Gas Prices
Next week: prayers for a sale on SUVs.
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You Can’t Do Both
It’s a sin to shag a sheep and then eat it.
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Saudi Arabia Attempts Reform
If women start driving, it will lead to adultery and kidnap.
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Pseudowisdom from Freud
‘We want a strong man’ – that’s deep.