Category Archives: Philosophy

A Dummies’-Style Guide to Becoming a Cult Leader

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Bob Shepherd

These guidelines will help people to recognize such scam artists when encountering them. Just about all cults include most or all of these elements. Make a Promise that gets at something people really want and don’t have, such as community, … Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Philosophy, Religion, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Science and Ethics

Posted on March 5, 2020 by Bob Shepherd

Why Ethical Statements Are Not Merely Matters of Opinion Ideas matter. Over time, some spread virally and have consequences far beyond their place of origin. In our time, in which philosophy has become, alas, an academic discipline far removed from … Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Philosophy | 4 Comments

A Brief Explanation of Everything. You’re Welcome.

Posted on February 8, 2020 by Bob Shepherd

NB: The following is a story. It is not fact. It is based in facts, yes, but it is entirely speculative. This was an exercise I set myself to create a myth that is completely consistent with current scientific understandings. … Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Existentialism, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Religion, Short Stories | 3 Comments

Robert’s Rule

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Bob Shepherd

ROBERT’S RULE: If you are wondering whether a new policy, procedure, technology, law, regulation, or system is a good idea, just think of the worst person at the worst time in the future wielding its power. –Robert D. Shepherd Bob’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Ed Reform, Existentialism, Technology, Trump (Don the Con) | 2 Comments

Why Science Fiction Is Impossible: A Science Fiction Writer’s Confession

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Bob Shepherd

When I was still a child, I fell in love with Sci Fi. I stayed up nights devouring stories and then novels by Asimov and Heinlein, Clarke and Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. LeGuin, Poul Anderson, Frederick … Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Short Stories, Teaching Literature and Writing | 2 Comments

The Writer Puts Words in Their Place

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Bob Shepherd

I’ve seen it argued that animals (by which the authors meant nonhuman animals, for we are animals too) can’t be self-aware because they don’t have language. Yikes. The notion here is that in order for a creature to have a … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Teaching Literature and Writing, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Ideas Matter, Exhibit 1: The Horrific Legacy of Christian Neo-Platonism

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Bob Shepherd

The Christian Church grew up mired like a fly in treacle in the utter darkness that was Platonism–the sick, world-and-life-denying doctrine of Plato, who split the universe down the middle, into an airy-fairy spirit world “up there” and a contemptible … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Religion, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Using Derrida, from Notes to Krystalina

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Bob Shepherd

This is from a book-length work that I’ve been working on for many years. 2.1 Every actor has had The Actor’s Nightmare. You find yourself on stage, with a set and properties and another actor, but you haven’t any memory … Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Teaching Literature and Writing, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Solution to the Fermi Paradox

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Bob Shepherd

The current NASA estimate is that there are 19,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars in the observable universe that are Class G stars like ours AND that have at least one planet similar to Earth. That’s at least 19 SEXTILLION Earthlike planets, folks. No, … Continue reading →

Posted in Existentialism, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Sci-Fi Stories: Visions of “The Future” as Verdicts on “The Now”

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Bob Shepherd

A red light blinked repeatedly in the lower left portion of Talia’s field of vision. This was meant to be scary and was, as was the fact that she couldn’t order the voice accompanying it to go mute and to … Continue reading →

Posted in Short Stories, Teaching Literature and Writing, Time, Uncategorized | 1 Comment