What's Wrong With Eating People? Part 12

The puzzle, courtesy of the physicist William Newcomb, was brought to prominence by Robert Nozick in 1969. It has not left the stage. For my take, see 'Reeling and A-Reasoning', in Philosophy, Philosophy, 79 (Cambridge: CUP, 2004). Arguably, the puzzle relates to Surprise Hanging and the Prisoner's Dilemma's 'Chicken': see 79 (Cambridge: CUP, 2004). Arguably, the puzzle relates to Surprise Hanging and the Prisoner's Dilemma's 'Chicken': see Robot, Robot, Chapters 11 and 27. Chapters 11 and 27.

Francis Galton tested prayer's efficacy by seeing whether European royalty - at the time prayed for by most - lived the longest lives of the affluent. They didn't. Maybe the prayers were to the wrong G.o.d or G.o.ds. I came across the Galton test in Stephen R. L. Clark, G. K. Chesterton G. K. Chesterton (London:Templeton, 2006). (London:Templeton, 2006).

Chapter 18 The brain.

There have been many 'brain in vat' discussions. This one, at heart, is Arnold Zuboff's distinctive 'The Story of a Brain', in Douglas Hofstadter and Daniel Dennett, eds, TheMind'sI TheMind'sI (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1982) - an excellent collection. For recent stimulating work, wide-ranging, see J. J. Valberg, (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1982) - an excellent collection. For recent stimulating work, wide-ranging, see J. J. Valberg, Dream, Death, andtheSeIf(Prvnceton: Princeton Univ., 2007). Zuboff has his own - and our - special take on these matters: see Chapter 26's notes. Princeton Univ., 2007). Zuboff has his own - and our - special take on these matters: see Chapter 26's notes.

Chapter 19 What's wrong with eating people? or even or even Who's for dinner? Who's for dinner?

For history and controversies, see Daniel Cottom, Cannibals andPhilosophers Cannibals andPhilosophers (Baltimore MD: John Hopkins, 2001). A (Baltimore MD: John Hopkins, 2001). A TwilightZone TwilightZone tale uses the tale uses the ServeMan ServeMan ambiguity, information courtesy of Hiren Desai. ambiguity, information courtesy of Hiren Desai.

Jonathan Swift's proposal is 'A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland, from Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country; and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public' - found in many collections of Swift's works. Michel de Montaigne noted that the barbarity of Brazilian cannibals, who roasted captured prisoners once dead, was nothing compared to the European barbarity of roasting prisoners alive.

For objectivity in ethics, using Montaigne's cannibalism - Montaigne was no relativist - see David Wiggins, Ethics: TwelveLectures Ethics: TwelveLectures (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ., 2006). Meat being 'another man's person' is a quip from Appiah, cited in 'Further reading'. Recently there have been cases of people wanting to be eaten alive. For the importance of Forster's 'Only connect', see my (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ., 2006). Meat being 'another man's person' is a quip from Appiah, cited in 'Further reading'. Recently there have been cases of people wanting to be eaten alive. For the importance of Forster's 'Only connect', see my Humanism Humanism.

Chapter 20 How to gain whatever you want.

Such logical puzzles frequently do the rounds. The examples here are versions derived from Raymond M. Smullyan, 'Self- Reference in All Its Glory', in Thomas Bolander etal. etal., eds, Self-Reference Self-Reference (Stanford: CSL, 2006). The 'yeah, yeah' riposte to Austin was by the witty influential American philosopher Sidney Morgenbesser. For more gems, find him, via Google, in Wikipedia. (Stanford: CSL, 2006). The 'yeah, yeah' riposte to Austin was by the witty influential American philosopher Sidney Morgenbesser. For more gems, find him, via Google, in Wikipedia.

Chapter 21 'I am the greatest' or or 'There ain't no Sanity Claus' 'There ain't no Sanity Claus'

For extracts from St Anselm and detailed discussions, see John Hick, ed., The Many-Faced Argument The Many-Faced Argument (London: Macmillan, 1967). Recent attempts to defend ontological arguments are by Alvin Plantinga and Daniel A. Dombrowski: try the latter's (London: Macmillan, 1967). Recent attempts to defend ontological arguments are by Alvin Plantinga and Daniel A. Dombrowski: try the latter's Rethinking the Ontological Argument Rethinking the Ontological Argument (Cambridge: CUP, 2006). The quip 'There ain't no sanity claus' is from a Marx Brothers' film, (Cambridge: CUP, 2006). The quip 'There ain't no sanity claus' is from a Marx Brothers' film, A Night at the Opera A Night at the Opera (1935). (1935).

Chapter 22 Veils of woe: beats and peeping Toms too.

The Liberty Principle - the Harm Principle - is presented in John Stuart Mill, On Liberty and Other Writings On Liberty and Other Writings, ed. Stefan

Collini (Cambridge: CUP 1989).The Golden Rule comes in different versions. It is often a.s.sociated with Christianity. I give a version from Confucius s a.n.a.lects, a.n.a.lects, a few centuries before Christ. a few centuries before Christ.

Many of us are inclined to support free speech, including a free press. Newspapers' main headlines, though, are sometimes exaggerated, highly misleading, and even downright nasty, yet may influence thousands of readers. Unhappiness with this does not mean an advocacy of censorship, but it could lead us to reflect that maybe some proper 'right of reply' should be available, with replies receiving as much coverage as the original misleading or disreputable articles.

Chapter 23 Paintings, within and without.

Richard Wollheim introduced 'seeing in' in Painting as an Art Painting as an Art (London:Thames and Hudson, 1988); for critical discussion, see Jim Hopkins and Anthony Savile, eds, (London:Thames and Hudson, 1988); for critical discussion, see Jim Hopkins and Anthony Savile, eds, Psychoa.n.a.lysis, Mind, andArt:PerspectivesinRichardWollheim Psychoa.n.a.lysis, Mind, andArt:PerspectivesinRichardWollheim (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992). (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992).

Chapter 24 The un.o.btainable: when 'yes' means 'no'.

Protagoras, fifth century bc, Greece, was the first celebrity sophist, offering expert instruction, especially in the persuasive arts. He demanded fees, boasting that he could always make the worse argument the better. He clearly would approve of many in the legal and political worlds. Apparently he invented the porter's shoulder pad. For the Euathlus tale, see Diogenes Laertius, TheLivesofEminentPhilosophers TheLivesofEminentPhilosophers (London: Heinemann, 1938). For more on the Liar, see (London: Heinemann, 1938). For more on the Liar, see Robot, Robot, Chapter 31. Chapter 31.

Chapter 25 Past caring?.

For criticism of the idea that all have moral worth, see John Kekes cited in Chapter 12's notes. For a collection directed towards punishment and secular penance, see Matt Matravers, ed., Punishment andPolitical Theory Punishment andPolitical Theory (Oxford: OUP 1999). (Oxford: OUP 1999).

Chapter 26 Beauty awake.

Arnold Zuboff is a deep thinker, a splendid guy, a lecturer at University College London (UCL) - and so in a sense are we all, according to the one-person view. Crazy theories are sometimes true - and sometimes not. Zuboff's work deserves to be better known, though there is little published to be known. Look for 'One Self' and 'The Perspectival Nature of Probability' in Inquiry, Inquiry, 33/43 (Elmont, NY: Routledge,1990/2000). See also Jerry Valberg, referred to in Chapter 18's notes, regarding 'my experiences'. 33/43 (Elmont, NY: Routledge,1990/2000). See also Jerry Valberg, referred to in Chapter 18's notes, regarding 'my experiences'.

Chapter 27 The greatest miracle?.

In Spinoza's Theological-PoliticalTreatise Theological-PoliticalTreatise, ed. Jonathan Israel (Cambridge: CUP, 2007), miracles are rejected and the Bible is subjected to historical a.n.a.lysis; note Israel's excellent introduction. Spinoza's work was first published anonymously, in 1670. Spinoza had already undergone a bad time, having been excommunicated from the Amsterdam synagogue. The excommunication initially was good for neither his business as merchant nor his social life. He turned to lens grinding. He was, by all accounts, a fine man, fine philosopher - and fine lens grinder.

For Hume's 'Of Miracles' and supporting essay, see Robert J. Fogelin, ADefenseofHumeonMiracles ADefenseofHumeonMiracles (Princeton N.J.: Princeton Univ., 2003). Many other atheistic reflections appear in Christopher Hitchens, (Princeton N.J.: Princeton Univ., 2003). Many other atheistic reflections appear in Christopher Hitchens, The Portable Atheist The Portable Atheist (Philadelphia: Da Capo, 2007). (Philadelphia: Da Capo, 2007).

Chapter 28 c.o.c.ktails, rivers, and Sir John Cutler's stockings

We have only a few fragments from Herac.l.i.tus: they are in G. S. Kirk and J. E. Raven, ThePresocraticPhilosophers ThePresocraticPhilosophers, (Cambridge: CUP 1983). For full discussion, see Jonathan Barnes' The Presocratics The Presocratics (London: Routledge, 1978). For complex and detailed modern ident.i.ty discussions, see David Wiggins, (London: Routledge, 1978). For complex and detailed modern ident.i.ty discussions, see David Wiggins, SamenessandSubstance Renewed SamenessandSubstance Renewed (Cambridge: CUP 2001). (Cambridge: CUP 2001).

Chapter 29 Hove and late: a gruesome affair.

See Nelson Goodman's Fact, Fiction, and Forecast Fact, Fiction, and Forecast, 3rd edn (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1973). The riddle links with a sceptical 'meaning' puzzle some find in Wittgenstein: see Saul Kripke, WittgensteinonRulesandPrivateLanguage WittgensteinonRulesandPrivateLanguage (Oxford: Blackwell, 1982). With Kripke's book, controversy raged: was Wittgenstein's concern as Kripke surmised? Thus talk developed of the Kripkenstein view. (Oxford: Blackwell, 1982). With Kripke's book, controversy raged: was Wittgenstein's concern as Kripke surmised? Thus talk developed of the Kripkenstein view.

Chapter 30 If this be judging*.

For some discussion - not easy - concerning incommensurability and ordering options in terms of 'better than', see John Broome, EthicsoutofEconomics EthicsoutofEconomics (Cambridge: CUP 1999). (Cambridge: CUP 1999).

An ironic quip, suggesting at least a common concern for efficiency, is Chesterton's, 'Whatever we may think of the merits of torturing children for pleasure, and no doubt much to be said on both sides, I am sure we all agree that it should be done with sterilized instruments', quoted in Christian Joppke and Steven Lukes, eds, Multicultural Questions Multicultural Questions (Oxford: OUP, 1999). (Oxford: OUP, 1999).

Chapter 31 Do we make the stars?.

The Goodman claims and critical responses are in Peter J. McCormick, ed., Starmaking Starmaking (Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1996). (Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1996).

The 'moving tales' are in Nelson Goodman and Catherine Elgin, Reconceptions etc. Reconceptions etc. (London: Routledge, 1988). See also R. Schwartz's 'I'm going to make you a star' in Catherine Elgin, ed., (London: Routledge, 1988). See also R. Schwartz's 'I'm going to make you a star' in Catherine Elgin, ed., Nominalism, Constructivism, andRelativism Nominalism, Constructivism, andRelativism (New York: Garland, 1997), whence a couple of examples are garnered. (New York: Garland, 1997), whence a couple of examples are garnered.

Chapter 32 Without end?.