tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104657272009-11-15T14:01:51.125-06:00Exercises in Self-AwarenessNormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-11080622043575748632009-10-29T09:00:00.000-05:002009-10-29T09:00:00.888-05:00

Really Obviously Lying editionDear Ivy League Schools,It makes sense that you want to fudge on the proportion of full-time faculty in order to improve your rankings. It also makes sense that you don't want to pay huge fines for reporting false numbers to the government.What doesn't make sense is expecting that you can successfully satisfy both of these desires. Perhaps none of your administration

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-55942224518547462672009-10-21T09:00:00.000-05:002009-10-21T09:00:00.536-05:00

"How about an old hymn, like Amazing Grace?'' Simon asked."Are we practicing for a funeral?'' Debbie responded. "It's kinda depressing.''"Really? I don't think it's depressing at all,'' Simon said. "It's a beautiful expression of regeneration and the transforming power of the Gospel.'' Debbie looked at Simon skeptically. "You're not the only person with a church background, you know. I used to

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-18647311016772266812009-10-16T09:00:00.001-05:002009-10-16T09:00:00.524-05:00

Sunday: Church DayMonday: Back To Work DayTuesday: 2:8 House Lunch DayWednesday: Teaching DayThursday: Research DayFriday: Academic Seminar DaySaturday: Who Knows What Will Happen Day

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-77979489508550841672009-10-13T09:00:00.000-05:002009-10-13T09:00:02.020-05:00

His thesis is that rules and incentives can only go so far, but when overused undermine the moral will for virtue. That is, rules and incentives can actually corrupt the moral climate.Please, discuss. The context can be found here.

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-19355982963819594912009-10-06T09:00:00.000-05:002009-10-06T09:00:01.457-05:00

To contemplate a person as an ideal is to submit to his authority. The admirer of Napoleon does not judge him by independent previously established standards, but accepts, on the contrary, the figure of Napoleon as a standard for judging himself. Such an admirer may be mistaken in the choice of his hero, but his relation to greatness is correct.Please, discuss. The quote is from Michael Polanyi (

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-23462878779363058192009-10-02T09:00:00.002-05:002009-10-02T09:00:02.339-05:00

Do you ever come across a product for sale and wonder how it could even exist, much less be sold? While browsing Amazon recently, I came across several that I was not able to account for. These products may or may not be real, but they certainly make you think.For your consideration:For the kid who has everything (until it all gets thrown in the trash by airport security), the Playmobil Security

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-1197073130343568222009-09-30T09:00:00.000-05:002009-09-30T09:00:00.770-05:00

This is just a heads up that I have set up a new section in the sidebar with some of my favorite old posts. I think they capture a lot of my unique thoughts about thinking and beliefs about beliefs, which after after all what metadoxy is all about. In particular, it includes the infamous Mechanics and Mystics post, which has come to shape so much about how both Jessie and I relate to people who

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-72079058611589523762009-09-29T09:00:00.000-05:002009-09-29T09:00:04.673-05:00

In many ways the core of blogging is a willingness to apply what you know to every problem you encounter, and see how good a job you can do of it in a more or less integrated fashion.Please, discuss. I think this is a particularly good one for readers to voice thoughts on, since you after all are among the people who read blogs (probably several). The context is here.

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-57420433436850490572009-09-25T09:00:00.001-05:002009-09-25T09:00:05.967-05:00

My wife recently passed along a story about relatives and parenting choices, and I feel it bring up a couple of important topics.First of all, I think spanking is an appropriate part of disciplining a child. I think the severe backlash against spanking, whether among the Dr. Spock crowd or the APers, is unwarranted. That said, I think corporal punishment should be infrequent, never the first

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-44952407769541233072009-09-20T09:00:00.007-05:002009-10-20T20:45:43.041-05:00

♫ Tonight at the end of lightTonight, I feel lonelyI thought I heard my heart stop beatingI long for you to hold meI guess I feel like EdenThe twilight tried its bestTonight I feel good and evilAgainst my chest♫ Would I love you less or betterIf I didn’t miss your faceRead your words like a love letterWould I have known your grace?I guess I feel like EdenAware of all I amTonight I feel good and

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-81233440406782359202009-09-18T09:00:00.002-05:002009-09-18T09:00:04.143-05:00

Do you suffer from insanity or delusions? No, I happen to enjoy both my insanity and delusions quite a lot. Thank you for asking, though.Such a pleasant personal philosophy. Context is here.In other news, be watching this Sunday for the first chapter in my newest forray into fiction! That way, those of you who liked the last one can read it first, and those who didn't can run away.

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-79374867981085478662009-09-15T09:00:00.003-05:002009-09-15T21:30:52.268-05:00

Here at Metadoxy, we (in the royal sense, I suppose, as I can't actually speak for my commenters) prefer Conspiracy Meta-Theories:[...] all conspiracy theories that become popular are actually produced by the government to keep the paranoids occupied looking for aliens, bigfoot, and psychics instead of focusing on the more nefarious intrusions into civil and social rights. Meta-theory has a lot

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-14112246103490408412009-09-11T09:00:00.007-05:002009-09-11T13:33:42.821-05:00

Correlation Does Not Equal Causation editionA while back, there was a striking graphic circulating showing the correlation between educational outcomes (meaning test scores) and parental income (graph available here):This graph makes it clear that wealthy people manage to buy good education for their children, while the poor are continually left behind. That is, if you think because test scores

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-19328957273329016712009-09-08T09:00:00.001-05:002009-09-08T09:00:04.427-05:00

Courtesy of Bent Objects, which you should all really check out. Thanks to Jessie for the pointer.

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-49122223334864744312009-09-04T09:00:00.002-05:002009-09-04T09:00:03.784-05:00

Graphical comparisons of unemployment editionHere we have a much cited graphic that made its way to the floor of the House of Representatives (discussed, among others, by Matt Yglesias):The chart compares the number of unemployed (on the vertical axis) during a recession to the length of time into the recession (months on the horizontal axis). The three lines are the recession beginning in 1990 (

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-32263462129135358572009-09-01T09:00:00.000-05:002009-09-01T09:00:02.243-05:00

Unless you can completely automate torture (as is done in some cases of judicial killing), the most significant costs of torture are psychological: the torturers are damaged almost as much as the torture recipients.Please, discuss. The context is found here (in the comments).

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-3803814871332875382009-08-30T15:00:00.002-05:002009-08-31T21:52:40.365-05:00

Last night I felt good and evil at war in my heart. Not the dramatic kind of good and evil with John Wayne in a white hat and Jack Elam in a black hat. The subtle, soul-wrenching debate of a perfectly reasonable desire running up against an incontrovertible commitment. It reminded me of a few things about the promises I've made as a husband and the scandal of the cross.The gist of the story is

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-34634207931255658102009-08-28T09:00:00.001-05:002009-08-28T09:00:00.958-05:00

Via Probably Bad News:Thanks to Jessie: talented craftswoman, dedicated mother, loving wife, and savvy entrepreneur & arbitrageur. Here's to another quarter century of excellence. Happy Birthday.

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-36015376280903551242009-08-26T09:00:00.000-05:002009-08-26T09:00:04.893-05:00

I have to say, this is fast becoming my favorite bit of material for this blog (can you tell?). I'm hoping to put together a couple of "How to Deceive with Statistics" posts soon, and something else big is (hopefully) on its way for mid-month.Today's truth claim is a bit lengthy, as it represents (in my estimation, anyway) a rich, full, complex worldview in a few short lines:You seem to have a

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-7031147673988330072009-08-18T12:26:00.002-05:002009-08-18T12:28:04.885-05:00

From MadMen Yourself.

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-58216582917652595312009-08-17T09:00:00.002-05:002009-08-25T17:37:48.097-05:00

Artificial Intelligence and The Meaning of Human Thought edition[...] the question of whether a machine can think is no more interesting than the question of whether or not a submarine can swim.Please, discuss. the context is here (an interesting read overall, but long).

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-65742754869588030442009-08-15T17:47:00.007-05:002009-08-18T19:53:31.983-05:00

For those who read this blog regularly, you know I have two main topics on my mind most of the time: research and zombies. Well, a recent book from Nova Publishers includes an unusual article I think I'd find very interesting. Can you guess which one it is? "One of these things is not like the others..."If any reader has access to this book, I would love to take a look at a copy!UPDATE: I

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-82089804113327577072009-08-12T09:30:00.002-05:002009-08-25T17:38:12.725-05:00

The main cause of cynicism about business is consumer narcissism. [...]When you offer a business mediocre compensation, you should expect and be satisfied by mediocre quality.Please, discuss. The context is found here.

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-24798386247819199612009-07-31T22:33:00.007-05:002009-08-01T10:04:27.849-05:00

My wife recently brought up an interesting question that I think might be relevant to you frequent blog readers out there. It concerns participation in a blog contest. For those of you not familiar, a blog contest is a venerable gambling institution of the internet, closely akin to online poker and office bets about who will get the highest score on Bejeweled today. Most blog contests involve

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10465727.post-68567016100897225462009-07-24T08:30:00.001-05:002009-08-25T17:38:37.784-05:00

[...] it is not legitimate to try to protect attractive theories from the data.Although targeted at economic theory which rejects empirical investigation, I see this statement as bearing much more generally. Anything making truth claims about the empirical world could be held to this same standard, which I suppose makes this a truth claim about truth claims in general.Please, discuss. The

Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.com4