Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The Greatest Happiness Principle

60 Minutes: Happiness


We could learn a lot from the Danes (and all Scandinavians for that matter). A new study shows that they are the happiest people in the world.

I consider myself a Utilitarian in this sense: we should strive to create the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. I am not a purist, mind you. There obviously are values that would more important (where it would conflict with Justice, for instance), but in a broad sense I find this principle to be the correct one.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Sunday Music: Major Tom

There are a few reasons why this video seems appropos right now:

1. I recently visited the Houston Space Center. I'll get around to posting the pics eventually. I promise.

2. Hellasious yesterday wrote a post on his blog, Sudden Debt, called "Space Oddity" where he referred to David Bowie's Major Tom lyrics. Why am I not using David Bowie's song, then? Because I like this song more.

3. There are some reports of a bus-sized satellite hurtling toward earth that will hit sometime in early March. They don't know where it will hit yet. Or they are not telling us so that we won't panic. How big was the meteor that killed the dinosaurs again?

Peter Schilling - Major Tom