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Letters
Letters
The Tears of Many Clowns • Original Thinking • Liberty, Equality, Technology • Can Robots Wrestle with Ethics? • Uncommon Sensations • Absurd Speculations? • Who Am I? • Atheism On Its Own Terms
The Tears of Many Clowns
Dear Editor: In his article in Issue 111, Mordechai Gordon, paraphrasing Freud, tells us that “people who suffer from mental illnesses such as depression and paranoia typically have a very stern super-ego and are, therefore, not able to recognize and appreciate humor.” Yet some of the greatest comedians – Tony Hancock, Kenneth Williams, Spike Milligan, Frankie Howerd and many others – suffered from depression. How does he explain that?
Ian Birchall, London
Original Thinking
Dear Editor: As a female philosopher I would like to comment on Peter Adamson’s article in Issue 111 regarding the distinct scarcity of us within the philosophical arena. We are here, and we do have something to say – the issue appears to be the lack of interest in the topics we discuss rather than the lack of discussion itself. Raising humanity, which globally and historically has been the role of women, seems to be of little interest to male philosophers past and present – as if you can somehow discuss the human condition and the ideal society without taking into account the familial bonds which are the foundations of society.
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