Jesse Spafford
@jessespafford.bsky.social
Philosophy lecturer at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. Interested in rights, egalitarianism, and anarchism.
Not sure what the best way to counter the far right is, but this thread on the rise of Sanseito in Japan suggests to me that the accommodationist approach—i.e., the approach endorsed in the thread—is a dead end.
July 15, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Not sure what the best way to counter the far right is, but this thread on the rise of Sanseito in Japan suggests to me that the accommodationist approach—i.e., the approach endorsed in the thread—is a dead end.
With all the details coming out on Cremieux/Jordan Lasker, I’m reminded of an email I wrote to a friend explaining why I’m not interested in the rationalist social movement (wherein Jordan has become an influential figure): x.com/rivertamydn/...
July 7, 2025 at 7:40 PM
With all the details coming out on Cremieux/Jordan Lasker, I’m reminded of an email I wrote to a friend explaining why I’m not interested in the rationalist social movement (wherein Jordan has become an influential figure): x.com/rivertamydn/...
The piece has a lot of one-sided hippie punching, but its ostensible point is that RCV is undemocratic. Yet the arguments for this conclusion are embarrassingly thin, often boiling down to the boomerism of “this isn’t how we did things when I was growing up!”
June 12, 2025 at 11:55 PM
The piece has a lot of one-sided hippie punching, but its ostensible point is that RCV is undemocratic. Yet the arguments for this conclusion are embarrassingly thin, often boiling down to the boomerism of “this isn’t how we did things when I was growing up!”
Objectifying women—in this case, a 22 year old college student—is a recurring tactic men use to take those who challenge them and put them in their place:
May 31, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Objectifying women—in this case, a 22 year old college student—is a recurring tactic men use to take those who challenge them and put them in their place:
I'm pleased to report that the publisher has now released a paperback version of the book (at a much more reasonable price). And, it has also given me a discount code! So, if you want an additional 20% off, you can go to the CUP website and enter PHIL1825 at checkout.
May 23, 2025 at 10:29 PM
I'm pleased to report that the publisher has now released a paperback version of the book (at a much more reasonable price). And, it has also given me a discount code! So, if you want an additional 20% off, you can go to the CUP website and enter PHIL1825 at checkout.
Now, you might be thinking that it’s a distraction to focus on cancel culture when the Trump administration is actively suppressing any speech it dislikes. But that fails to appreciate [vague and empty rhetoric that sounds better than “I have a book to sell”].
April 29, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Now, you might be thinking that it’s a distraction to focus on cancel culture when the Trump administration is actively suppressing any speech it dislikes. But that fails to appreciate [vague and empty rhetoric that sounds better than “I have a book to sell”].
The suggestion in the article is that we need to try to empathize with censorial types like McCarthy because… that helps us understand cancel culture somehow? Or see that cancel culture is worse? Of course, no effort is ever made to empathize with those who favor cancel culture.
April 29, 2025 at 10:59 PM
The suggestion in the article is that we need to try to empathize with censorial types like McCarthy because… that helps us understand cancel culture somehow? Or see that cancel culture is worse? Of course, no effort is ever made to empathize with those who favor cancel culture.
There’s at least some tension between being a free speech champion and suggesting that maybe McCarthy was onto something, actually:
April 29, 2025 at 10:59 PM
There’s at least some tension between being a free speech champion and suggesting that maybe McCarthy was onto something, actually:
Second, it's worth watching popularists to see how many adjust their views in light of this evidence. If it goes ignored, that would reflect another way in which popularism is non-falsifiable (namely, that the theory is *treated* as non-falsifiable by its adherents).
April 24, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Second, it's worth watching popularists to see how many adjust their views in light of this evidence. If it goes ignored, that would reflect another way in which popularism is non-falsifiable (namely, that the theory is *treated* as non-falsifiable by its adherents).
(I also disagree with almost all of Heath’s philosophical points. For example, even if cooperation is positive sum, the distribution of the resultant product is necessarily zero sum. So the image still functions as a useful model in that respect.)
April 15, 2025 at 11:30 PM
(I also disagree with almost all of Heath’s philosophical points. For example, even if cooperation is positive sum, the distribution of the resultant product is necessarily zero sum. So the image still functions as a useful model in that respect.)
Similar remarks apply to this complaint Heath raises later in the piece. Yes, if it turns out people have property rights over the boxes, then you shouldn’t redistribute them to equalize welfare. But why think the image implies anything contrary?
April 15, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Similar remarks apply to this complaint Heath raises later in the piece. Yes, if it turns out people have property rights over the boxes, then you shouldn’t redistribute them to equalize welfare. But why think the image implies anything contrary?
Second, I don’t agree that the image is incompatible with luck egalitarianism. To say that it is assumes that the image is depicting what justice requires, namely equality of welfare. But one could equally take it to be depicting what justice requires *prima facie*.
April 15, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Second, I don’t agree that the image is incompatible with luck egalitarianism. To say that it is assumes that the image is depicting what justice requires, namely equality of welfare. But one could equally take it to be depicting what justice requires *prima facie*.
(Also, as a picky point, while the image’s creator does say that the left image is supposed to represent equal opportunity, it was never labeled as such, so this bit of the genealogy is fabricated).
April 15, 2025 at 11:30 PM
(Also, as a picky point, while the image’s creator does say that the left image is supposed to represent equal opportunity, it was never labeled as such, so this bit of the genealogy is fabricated).
First, I don’t think that the image should be interpreted as illustrating a distinction between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome.
April 15, 2025 at 11:30 PM
First, I don’t think that the image should be interpreted as illustrating a distinction between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome.
I actually disagree with most of the things Heath says here about the equality/equity meme. josephheath.substack.com/p/why-philos...
April 15, 2025 at 11:30 PM
I actually disagree with most of the things Heath says here about the equality/equity meme. josephheath.substack.com/p/why-philos...
Pretty solid return on investment here:
April 8, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Pretty solid return on investment here:
Given that the reactionary "we love stocks!" accounts are saying that crashing the stock market is good, it seems like the answer to this question might be answered.
April 6, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Given that the reactionary "we love stocks!" accounts are saying that crashing the stock market is good, it seems like the answer to this question might be answered.
Just sent a long email to the @pomonacollege.bsky.social president's office encouraging them to disassociate from the ADL:
March 31, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Just sent a long email to the @pomonacollege.bsky.social president's office encouraging them to disassociate from the ADL:
I think Cuomo winning would fully blackpill me on democracy:
March 26, 2025 at 11:09 AM
I think Cuomo winning would fully blackpill me on democracy:
This post reveals something that many academics are in denial about, namely, that universities *can't* be neutral when it comes to politics because the choice of which research to fund is inherently political/values-driven:
March 17, 2025 at 9:01 PM
This post reveals something that many academics are in denial about, namely, that universities *can't* be neutral when it comes to politics because the choice of which research to fund is inherently political/values-driven:
It's funny that partisans on each side are convinced their guy won, when I would say both debaters lost decisively.
March 12, 2025 at 1:15 AM
It's funny that partisans on each side are convinced their guy won, when I would say both debaters lost decisively.
Just as a sociological matter, if stocks keep going down, I'll be interested to see what portion of Republicans will embrace the "crashing the stock market is good, actually" talking point:
March 11, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Just as a sociological matter, if stocks keep going down, I'll be interested to see what portion of Republicans will embrace the "crashing the stock market is good, actually" talking point:
This is straightforwardly false. There are many canonical ways of talking about race that do not make any reference to "ancestry". See Section 1 of this paper: philarchive.org/archive/PIGOTC
March 4, 2025 at 9:51 PM
This is straightforwardly false. There are many canonical ways of talking about race that do not make any reference to "ancestry". See Section 1 of this paper: philarchive.org/archive/PIGOTC
Definitely good for students to get some exposure to conservative viewpoints! bsky.app/profile/oldj...
March 2, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Definitely good for students to get some exposure to conservative viewpoints! bsky.app/profile/oldj...
Nice to find common ground with Patrick Deneen here. The problem with viewpoint diversity is that it allows in illiberal ideologues bent on pushing their political agenda—and who can ultimately subvert the institution in moments of institutional weakness. x.com/PatrickDenee...
March 1, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Nice to find common ground with Patrick Deneen here. The problem with viewpoint diversity is that it allows in illiberal ideologues bent on pushing their political agenda—and who can ultimately subvert the institution in moments of institutional weakness. x.com/PatrickDenee...