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A.G. Holdier

A.G. Holdier is a doctoral student in philosophy and public policy at the University of Arkansas interested in cultural capital, social and political epistemology, and the intersection of ethics with philosophy of language. More info available at www.agholdier.com

photograph of Liz Cheney at Trump inauguration

Politics

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14 May 2021

On the “Canceling” of Liz Cheney

"During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition called war."

image of faded Captain America shield

Ethics in Culture

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28 Apr 2021

On Climate Refugees and Captain America

Marvel's latest has superheroes struggling with problems we're only beginning to confront.

image of anti-vaxx protestor

Why Anti-Vaxxers Are (Kind of) Like Marxists

The co-commitments of abortion-based anti-vaccine rhetoric seem to produce untenable results.

30 Mar 2021

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image of failed tv signal noise

Grief and Saint Augustine (and WandaVision)

The latest chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe looks for the lessons that loss teaches.

8 Mar 2021

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photograph of several snowballs at the bottom of hill with tracks trailing behind

Under Discussion: Conspiracy Theories, Climate Change, and the Crisis of Trust

There is no obvious cure for the climate change skepticism that has hold over a significant chunk of the population.

1 Feb 2021

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photograph of Duke Ellington record

The Social Justice of Copyrights and “Public Domain Day”

What might explain the delay in making our most important cultural artifacts freely accessible to the public?

18 Jan 2021

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On Some Philosophical Roots of Pixar’s "Soul"

Pixar's latest film draws on ancient philosophy to explore the nature of existence and the meaning of life.

7 Jan 2021

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photograph of full subway car with half of the passengers unmasked

The Bigger Problem with “COVID Conga Lines”

In this together? What can the rights and responsibilities of Dewey's public tell us about our current predicament?

4 Jan 2021

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photograph of raw steak arranged on butcher block with cleaver and greenery

Under Discussion: Aristotelian Temperance and Cultured Meat

Lab-grown meat might lessen the instances of animal cruelty, but its invention also betrays an inability to keep our appetites in check.

21 Dec 2020

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image of the season 7 title card for the show Supernatural

What Would Nietzsche Think of Sam and Dean Winchester?

The long-running show lowers the curtain by considering a familiar theme: what to do with our freedom once we cast off the divine yoke.

2 Dec 2020

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photogrph of Twitter homepage on computer screene

What Would Kierkegaard Make of Twitter?

Is our inclination toward "talkativeness" hindering recognition of our true place in the cosmos and standing in the way of a genuine relationship to the world?

19 Nov 2020

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photograph of protesters occupying Brookyln Bridge

Under Discussion: Democracy Demands More than Your Vote

The obligations of a democratic citizen extend beyond registering a presidential preference every four years.

19 Oct 2020

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photograph of business man with his head buried in the sand

The Ethics of Escapism (Pt. 2): Two Kinds of Escape

Escape of the Deserter or Escape of the Prisoner? Not all kinds of escape are justified.

25 Sep 2020

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image of someone whispering in an ear

Under Discussion: Dog Whistles, Implicatures, and "Law and Order"

Coded messages and dog whistles like "law and order" signify much more than their literal meaning suggests.

11 Sep 2020

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black-and-white photograph of group of students studying outside

Against Abstinence-Based COVID-19 Policies

Colleges' policies regarding students and gatherings offers another lesson about using ideal theory in a non-ideal world.

7 Sep 2020

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photograph of army reserve personnel wearing neck gaiter at covid testing site

On "Doing Your Own Research"

For many, the pandemic is only further tarnishing science's name. But we need to raise the bar for what does (and does not) constitute research.

25 Aug 2020

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photograph of a fountain pen and a signature on yellow paper.

Under Discussion: On Cancelling "Cancel Culture"

What are all the sources that might imbue a thing with meaning, and how might we separate our endorsement of any one of those strands from the thing as a whole?

29 Jul 2020

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photograph of teenagers at corwded concert on the beach

Moral Panics about “COVID Parties”

We need to communicate risks and encourage compliance, but sensationalization threatens to undue whatever gains we might make.

24 Jul 2020

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photograph of D&D figurines and dice

Dungeons, Dragons, and Du Bois’ Race Problem

What might be the real-world harm of racial essentialism in a fantasy role-playing game? What does it take to confront the Veil?

6 Jul 2020

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A group of six people holding signs at a protest, gathering to be included in a selfie taken with a phone

Protest Selfies and the Wrong of Grandstanding

There's a few things wrong with taking selfies at protests, not least among them moral grandstanding. Pictures can endanger other protesters and objectify the very cause you might be trying to support.

16 Jun 2020

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Police officer on horseback. Both horse and person are shown from behind

The Immorality of Nonhuman Police Officers

As many police practices come under increasing scrutiny, we must consider the role of nonhuman animals in police forces.

12 Jun 2020

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cartoon image of group of confused people

Figleaves, Bothsidesing, and the Ethics of Implication

The disconnect between semantic and pragmatic meaning hides all sorts of political motive and epistemic claims.

13 May 2020

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