Politics and Philosophy
Contents
I am in the process of writing a book about politics (see below), but while that very long process is under way I am putting a few thoughts here on a variety of subjects, mostly of topical interest (at least in UK) at the time of writing. This page is now just a catalogue of these thoughts, which are each set out on a separate page.
I haven't yet looked to see what is available in the way of on-line discussion groups in this area, and I know there are quite a few. It may be that they will render this page redundant, but knowing how such groups can quickly be overcome by flaming and intolerance, I rather doubt it.
Comments are welcome on any of these topics, provided they are constructive.
As indicated above, I am (slowly) writing a book about political principles. I am putting it in HTML format with a view to publishing it either on the web or on CD-ROM, since I think this will get it a wider circulation. I am not expecting it to make money, but to disseminate what I think are some important ideas.
I have nevertheless included an early (not quite the latest) draft version of the first chapter of the proposed book on this site, discussing the basic principles that I believe should apply in designing political/government institutions and in introducing political policies. To see it click here.
I have now started publishing a major section of the book, entitled Freedom, in serialised form as a blog at http://jimellame.tumblr.com, where comments of a non-abusive nature are welcome, as they also are here.
I have started a page giving my opinions on major topical political issues, with an invitation to send comments which may be published if not abusive.
I have been asked to explain how I as an atheist can have a sound basis for my sense of right and wrong, and for what I mean by morality. So I have created a small page as an attempt to do that.
I have set up a very small page giving a summary of my thoughts (and demands for immediate action). It may be small , but the message is both extemely important and extremely urgent.
I have created a small page to record a few thoughts about a major current topic throughout Europe: the future development of the European Union and the European Monetary Union in particular.
My late friend Ken Sprague produced a series of political cartoons, many of which have been published in national newspapers in the UK. A selection of them are shown here.
My daughter Helen Coleman has written a few thoughts about the problems and causes of drunken behaiour, especially by young people, which can be found by clicking here.
I have created a page - A Diary of Thoughts on Various Issues - to which I am adding (dated) thoughts on a variety of subjects, most of them political, as they become topical. However, updating of this is now largely replaced by blogs at Live Journal (the main one at present) and Wordpress.
Most of the thinking, and all the presentation, on these pages is original, but I get ideas and information from a variety of sources, especially from the following:
For current news presented in an independent way, and for the occasional thought-provoking ideas, The Guardian daily newspaper, and The Observer Sunday newspaper.
For in depth thinking and analysis, numerous books, especially those of John Stuart Mill and Bertrand Russell
For some in depth factual analyses, primarily of financial and taxation issues, I am a member of The Institute for Fiscal Studies, whose journal describes it as "an educational charity whose purpose is to promote research and informed discussion of fiscal matters".
I also get some new thinking and ideas to consider (but only occasionally to accept unchanged) from the publications of Demos, a registered charity which describes itself as "an independent think tank committed to radical thinking on the long-term problems facing the UK and other advanced industrial societies", and from The Institute for Public Policy Research, as well as many other sources, both printed on paper (books and magazines) and on-line.
Click here to contact Jim Fisher, the author of this web site