Spinoza’s system presents one of the most ambitious projects in all of Western philosophy.… Read the rest
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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
On Teaching Philosophy to Teenagers 
Jun 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
France worries about low marks, but UK universities find undergraduates bored by Descartes.… Read the rest
Brigham Young Philosophy Instructor Dismissed
Jun 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
BYU says philosophy department chose not to renew contract: editorial contradicted church statement.… Read the rest
Libraries Matter
Jun 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Free public libraries have been an engine of social and intellectual improvement.… Read the rest
Marko Attila Hoare Reviews Occidentalism
Jun 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Anti-imperialist ideas can become hostility to democracy, pluralism, the emancipation of women.… Read the rest
Alan Johnson Interviews Paul Berman
Jun 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Yes, for me, it’s always been entirely natural to be literary and political at the same time.’… Read the rest
Trial of Oriana Fallaci for Defaming Islam Begins
Jun 13th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Fallaci is alleged to have made 18 blasphemous statements in recent book.… Read the rest
Review of Book on Amartya Sen’s Work
Jun 13th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Defining development as the process of improving human lives is not something we have always done.… Read the rest
Which is Worse: Sharia or Warlordocracy?
Jun 13th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No music, no dancing, no football in Mogadishu.… Read the rest
The View From Nairobi
Jun 13th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Islamist militia supported because populace fed up with secular warlords perpetuating violence.… Read the rest
NASA Admits Deutsch Muzzled a Scientist
Jun 13th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Internal inquiry reveals that a media request for an interview was inappropriately declined.… Read the rest
Milt Rosenberg Interviews Frederick Crews
Jun 12th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A great skeptic on psychoanalysis, intelligent design, and contemporary literary theory. … Read the rest
What’s Up With Ann Coulter?
Jun 12th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
People like Coulter and Moore drive serious, nuanced conversation out of the market.… Read the rest
Wales Millennium Centre Refuses to Cancel JSTO
Jun 12th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
More than 100 church leaders have signed a letter calling for the cancellation of the show.… Read the rest
Julian Baggini on the Scottish Enlightenment
Jun 12th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘The French provided the Enlightenment with style, but it was Scotland that gave it its substance.’… Read the rest
Shalini Umachandran on Human Rights Discourse
Jun 12th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Current human rights discourse only speaks of equality of opportunity.’ Really?… Read the rest
Head of MCB Influential via Self-fulfilling Prophecy
Jun 11th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Every five minutes he takes calls: from the media, Downing Street, the police, mosques.’… Read the rest
Stephen Law on What Reason Can Do
Jun 11th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Quite a lot, actually.… Read the rest
How a Scientist Changed the Way We Think
Jun 11th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
By combining synthesis with clear writing.… Read the rest
Faisal Bodi on the Siren Call of ‘Community’
Jun 10th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘An iron law of history is that birds of a feather will flock together.’ Ick.… Read the rest
