Category Archives: Archive 2007-2009

The articles in this category were originally posted on the old Livejournal blog (at northwestpass.livejournal.com). I’ve moved them here so that people can read them and perhaps continue to comment on them, without having to navigate around LJ’s banner ads.

Just for fun: Zombie ethics

Recently, I was asked, “As a professor of ethics, what moral duties might people owe to zombies?” Well, most moral systems assume that a being who is entitled to moral rights is either: (1) A being that can experience pain, … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 8 Comments

Canada’s Anti-Witchcraft Law

A friend of mine down in London Ontario, who is the branch manager of a paralegal company, recently drew my attention to section 365 of the Criminal Code of Canada. This is the section which deals with the practice of … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 5 Comments

Intellectual wierdness

Discoveries of weirdness in classic texts is one of the things that makes being a philosopher fun. A few days ago, while reading Augustine’s The City of God in pursuit of his discussion of the philosophy of law, I came … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 3 Comments

Q of the Week: Animal Rescue

But first, a story. Let’s imagine that there is a dog who was rescued from an animal shelter somewhere in Quebec. Let’s call this dog GP, because he was a Great Pyraneese. Let’s say he was first taken to the … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | Tagged | 17 Comments

“Status update”, and a Q of the Week

This past weekend Juni and I went to Raven’s Knoll, for one more work-weekend: she and I and about half a dozen others worked on securing various things in the campground for the winter. I still have a bit of … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 4 Comments

I’m getting the shot.

Normally, I don’t go for the regular seasonal flu shot. That’s because I normally live alone, and so I am not normally at great risk of contracting the flu nor at risk of passing it on to others. But I … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 15 Comments

Question of the Week: What is your religion?

I asked a Christian monastic, What is your religion? He said, it is as Christ taught: to Love your neighbour as yourself. I asked a Jewish scholar, who answered: My religion is what the prophet Isaiah taught: to deal bread … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 18 Comments

Q of the Week: Back to the Land

As I help out with the work of getting Raven’s Knoll ready for next year’s festival and events season, I find myself thinking about all various attempts by ecologically conscious people to go “back to the land”. That is, I’m … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 24 Comments

The Instructions of Cormac, and misogyny

wisewomanjudith recently drew my attention to a post in Oenach, an LJ community which discusses Celtic spirituality. In this post, one of my favourite old Irish wisdom texts, The Instructions of King Cormac Mac Airt, was discussed. There is a … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 12 Comments

Q of the Week: Abusive Parents

My friend Juniper posted a very interesting question to her blog recently: “Is a person obligated to care for an aging parent who had been abusive and/or neglectful to them, and what if they continue to be at least verbally … Continue reading

Posted in Archive 2007-2009 | 8 Comments