Examined Life

Philosophical reflections

  • What is the Difference Between Having a Child and Taking Drugs?

    Disclaimer. I regret to report that I no longer espouse the argument hereunder set forth, if one could call it that. I wrote this long rant at night after a drunk conversation with a friend. I re-read it the day after, thought it through, and concluded that the argument does not work structurally, and the… Continue reading

  • On Abortion

    In April 2019, Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled that the provisions of the Criminal Act and the Mother and Child Health Act — which criminalized abortion without regard to gestational age — unconstitutionally infringed upon pregnant women’s rights to self-determination. At the time, I expressed my support for the decision, framing the central issue as “a… Continue reading

  • In Defense of Oxford Philosophy

    Review of N. Krishnan, A Terribly Serious Adventure To those with no particular interest in philosophy, the phrase “Oxford philosophy” will mean very little. But among those who do care about philosophy, it conjures a distinct impression—one not unlike, perhaps, the impression that cocktails and jazz might have made on the young crowd at Woodstock… Continue reading