Cultural relativism lets much that is reactionary and oppressive be justified… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Sean Wilentz on Separation of Literature and State 
Dec 12th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Our politicians’ prose is reduced to hollow sentimentalism or manipulative semi-literacy… Read the rest
Flew’s Change of Mind
Dec 12th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Because DNA is complex. Yes but the designer would be more complex, so what then?… Read the rest
The Argument is About Types of Liberty
Dec 12th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The most fundamental liberty of all is freedom from harm by others.… Read the rest
Ian Mayes on Chomsky and Metacomplaints
Dec 12th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Letter from Aaronovitch, Kamm and Wheen about Johnstone and Chomsky on Srebrenica.… Read the rest
Xians and Muslims Join Hands Against Materialism
Dec 10th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
How touching – ID brings God-huggers together.… Read the rest
Like All of Us, Experts Violate the Linda Problem
Dec 10th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Plausible detail makes us believers.… Read the rest
Tolerance or Else
Dec 10th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Defenders of many-fronted assault on free speech routinely tag critics of Islam as racists. … Read the rest
Dawkins Interview
Dec 10th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The universe doesn’t owe us consolation.… Read the rest
Oh Now What
Dec 9th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Christians pitch a huge fit over baby Jesus, Xmas, Happy Holidays, whine fuss moan.… Read the rest
Secularists, Gays, Other Rowdies Fight Back
Dec 9th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sainsbury’s and Woolworths may have caved in too early.… Read the rest
UN Investigates Newspaper Cartoons
Dec 9th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Arbour deplores any statement showing lack of respect towards other people’s religion.… Read the rest
Jane O’Grady Reviews Nicholas Fearn
Dec 9th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This book is not for those who seek the easy and emollient mind-massage.… Read the rest
Amartya Sen Receives Award from USAID
Dec 9th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Thinking deeply about the age-old scourges of humanity: famine, disease, and poverty.… Read the rest
Scott McLemee on Althusser
Dec 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sartre’s radical freedom countered by Ideological State Apparatuses.… Read the rest
Roger Scruton Interview
Dec 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Many of our most important forms of life involve withdrawing what we value from the market.’… Read the rest
Witch Hunts in Northern Ghana
Dec 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Crops fail, someone is ill – must be the fault of elderly women, who must be witches.… Read the rest
Betraying the Left
Dec 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In classic socialist terminology, we are seeing a fight between ‘anti-imperialists’ and ‘anti-fascists’.… Read the rest
Paul Mirecki of University of Kansas Assaulted
Dec 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Religious studies professor fails to take ID seriously. Naughty.… Read the rest
Culture Wars More Serious Now Than in ’80s
Dec 8th, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Calls for reasoned debate can take away the role of academics in asking hard questions.… Read the rest
