Personal Chimp-Pig

Nothing Personal

Paul Nedelisky | Hedgehog Review | 23rd November 2023

Like a modern-day Diogenes, Derek Parfit tried to practise what he preached, and with similarly disconcerting results. He became a saint to some and a sociopath to others. "He spent decades arguing for the idea that we should behave more impersonally toward those close to us. His antisocial behavior reflected his philosophy. You might say he lived down to his principle" (2,160 words)

The Chimp-Pig Hypothesis

Uri Bram | Atoms vs Bits | 22nd November 2023

Place tongue firmly in cheek before accepting this invitation to reconsider Eugene McCarthy's theory that humanity's ancestor was a chimp-pig hybrid. "This is a rare theory that is internally consistent and coherent enough not to be ridiculous, overturns everything we think we know about a major area of knowledge, and doesn't have any meaningful implications for our current lives" (2,400 words)