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19On an equal footingThink 18 (53): 43-48. 2019.Athlete Caster Semenya's successes have, in conjunction with her appearance, led to an inquiry. She appeared to have high levels of testosterone; it was decided that she had to reduce them if she wanted to race against other women. I argue that the recognition of the difference between Caster Semenya and her competitors should not result in this outcome: similar differences exist, which are accepted as such. It would be inconsistent to focus on this advantage if one disregards others, while the …Read more
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13Blasphemy in an Age of Corroding SecularityLaw and Critique 32 (1): 51-67. 2020.‘Sacred’ may be defined in various ways, depending on one’s worldview. In a pluralistic society, a single perspective from which to decide what is sacred seems absent. Yet certain elements are taken to be sacred such that they transcend individual worldviews. Their inviolability entails blasphemy laws, where ‘blasphemy’ extends beyond what is traditionally considered religious, since ‘religion’ itself is not clearly demarcated either. The interests of the sacred may be protected by blasphemy law…Read more
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8Book review of Freedom Evolves, Daniel Dennett (review)Australasian Journal of Philosophy 83 (2): 295. 2005.
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19Basic Equality as a Post-Revolutionary Requisite: The Circumstances that are to be Taken into Consideration in the Wake of the Arab SpringArchiv für Rechts- und Sozialphilosophie 100 (1): 26-35. 2014.The task to reshape governments in the countries confronted with the Arab Spring prompts the question whether there are necessary conditions to realize a stable society that simultaneously seeks to eliminate the elements that have led to the uprisings. Acknowledging some constitutional rights seems indispensable in such a process. I argue that such a state of affairs is indeed the case, at least now that the ‘old’ justifications to differentiate between people do not suffice anymore. That is not…Read more
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5Kateb, George. 2011. Human Dignity. Cambridge, MA/London: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press (xiii + 238 pp. ISBN: 978-0-674-04837-9) (review)History of Philosophy & Logical Analysis 16 (1): 380-384. 2013.
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3Beyond DignityArchiv für Begriffsgeschichte 57 57-72. 2015.As a ubiquitous principle for legislation, › dignity‹ has proved to be successful in providing a principle that is supposed to unite people with different religious and ethical beliefs. Whether such a principle can withstand scrutiny is another matter. If ›dignity‹ is based on one or more characteristics, it is difficult to uphold, while the alternative of abstracting from such characteristics is even more problematic, since finding a basis is in that case all but illusory. Forgoing ›dignity‹ al…Read more
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Cartesian Reflections. Essays on Descartes Philosophy (review)History of Philosophy & Logical Analysis 14. 2011.
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Open University of the NetherlandsAssociate Professor