This is the question put to some of the world’s most eminent intellectuals (such as Steven Pinker, pictured) on this fascinating page, which I’ve been meaning to write about for some time. Responses range from climate change to Wikipedia, incorporating science, politics, philosophy and maths. There’s (arguably) some more veiled sexism from Simon “Not Borat” Baron Cohen. I would post all my highlights, but it’s much more fun to scroll through and choose your own.

Me? I used to be a moral relativist. I used to think that a body of international law designed to minimise conflict between ideologies was the best invention humanity had come up with. It was what separated us from barbarians. The war in Iraq was thus pretty much the worst atrocity in the history of the world (since Vietnam, anyway). I’m racking my brains to try and work out where I got this wacky idea, and the only inspiration I can think of is the Prime Directive in Star Trek. It’s not philosophy that’s changed my mind (generally, I think philosophical arguments against relativism are pretty dodgy), but just plain empathy. If we’d signed a peace treaty with Nazi Germany, but realised in 1943 that they were perpetrating a massive genocide, should we have intervened? Of course. Obviously.

What have you changed your mind about?

Filed under: climatechange, culture, ideas, jonathanbirch on January 20th, 2008