Against Biden’s vaccine patent suspension, pharmaceutical companies argue that it undermines risk-taking and innovation. This argument is based on false premises. Studies have found that subsidies from patents account for only 30% of R&D costs for the pharmaceutical industry. In the case of Covid-19, vaccine producers have received much more…

The arguments in favor of honoring Napoleon are twofold. The first argument focuses on things about Napoleon that, at first sight, appear worth celebrating. In Roger Cohen’s words, he was a ‘modernizing reformer ’, and a general who ‘represents a quintessence of French audacity and genius’. The second argument does…

Oxford University’s Pembroke College has recently come under heavy criticism from the Oxford Preservation of Philosophy Society (OPPS) after it was revealed that its new student accommodation building will not come with an armchair in each room. This cutback is done in an effort to save money. It was well…

During our time at Oxford, we’ve all heard our share of mum jokes. Who can forget Eddie’s classic mom joke — ‘yo momma’s so fat that theists got the idea of omnipresence from her’ — that is now being taught to English Literature students in universities all over English-speaking countries…

*Many students find the concepts of producer surplus and economic rent confusing. Hopefully, these excerpts will help clarify the concepts. The following are excerpts from Varian (2014). 14.9 Producer’s Surplus The demand curve measures the amount that will be demanded at each price; the supply curve measures the amount that…

*Unless specified otherwise, the following are excerpts from NYT’s How Humanity Gave Itself an Extra Life By Steven Johnson. Between 1920 and 2020, the average human life span doubled. How did we do it? Science mattered — but so did activism. In effect, during the century since the end of…

Notations: ^ denotes counterpoints * denotes notes from me Unless otherwise noted, the following are excerpts from Dreske’s “Simple Seeing”. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — The point may not need emphasis, but let me stress, nonetheless, that the issue over…

Abstract: This paper argues that Locke is theoretically committed to the view that governments have a duty to refrain from becoming irresistible. A government is irresistible in the intended sense if and only if it is practically impossible for its people to successfully defend their natural rights against its attempts…

Abstract: This essay seeks to explain examine Mill’s account of cooperative socialism’s instrumental role in the cultivation of character. It argues that Mill endorses a view which sees character development as both a precondition and a consequence of socialism. The claim that socialism is an important source of character cultivation…