From the original Star Trek episode “Who Mourns for Adonais”:
Dr. MCCOY: In spite of Apollo’s bag of tricks, he comes up essentially normal with just a few variations. However, there’s an extra organ in his chest that I can’t even make a guess about.
Ahem. I think now we all know what species Apollo is ….
The deadline for submissions to the Alabama Philosophical Society’s undergraduate essay contest has been extended to September 1st, to make it easier for faculty to get the word out to promising candidates. The deadline for the regular program remains unchanged: August 2nd. The meeting is October 11-12, in Pensacola. Details here.
After a bit of a delay, the Diabolical Masterminds website has been updated with The Frighteners.
Karel Čapek; Franz Kafka; Jaroslav Hašek
Sarah Skwire’s article on Orwell vs. Kafka here reminds me that I’ve never posted the slides from my presentation on Austro-Libertarian Themes in Three Prague Authors: Čapek, Kafka, and Hašek from last year’s ASC. So here they are; czech ’em out!
Part 1, covering Karel Čapek: powerpoint or pdf
Part 2, covering Franz Kafka and Jaroslav Hašek: powerpoint or pdf
Eventually there’ll be a completed paper as well.
This cool pic –
– is from this likewise cool collection of sf-themed bars and restaurants.
[cross-posted at BHL]
Stephen Corry criticises Steven Pinker and Jared Diamond on the diminution-of-violence thesis. (CHT Jesse Walker.)
See also my exchange with Matt Zwolinski and Gary Chartier on Pinker here, and my comments on Diamond here.