Garth Zietsman
Garth Zietsman is a professional statistician who initially focused on psychological and social research at the Human Sciences Research Council, followed by banking and economics, and then medical research. Some of his research has appeared in academic journals. He has wide interests, with an emphasis on the social (including economics and politics) and life (mostly evolution, health and fitness) sciences, and philosophy. He has been involved with groups advocating liberty since 1990 and is currently consulting to the Freedom Foundation. He has written for a wide range of newspapers and journals.
Articles By This Author
The miracle of reason: how shaky tools can build glorious edifices
Animals all need to communicate with one another, both with their own kind and with other beasts like potential predators. Humans have evolved particularly powerful
Sociology and science: why optimism can fall short
Many social scientists believe that what we become is entirely a result of the social causes, of things our families and societies do to and
Being humane, part two: nudging society towards genetic health
The first part of this essay detailed how our basic humanity has gradually resulted in an accumulation of genetic problems. One term that captures the
Being humane, part one: the virtues and the challenges
Humanity has been moving toward ever greater rejection of needless suffering, that is, toward the humane, or, as Canadian-American psycholinguist Steven Pinker put it, “the
From cancer and IQ to crime: probability and life’s discontents
Probability is not intuitive – even for very numerate people. I have heard accountants and engineers say their stats course was the one they struggled
Better to reach for risky heights of inequality than lows of equal comfort
Friedrich Nietzsche said of socialism that it was the demand for the comfort of the greatest number of people possible. Many will no doubt say
Rescue yourself: swap phone time for serious reading
Have you ever bumped into someone marvellously erudite, full of wisdom and interesting information on a wide range of issues? On the other hand, have you ever bumped into someone who seems to have stepped straight out of the movie Idiocracy?
Is religion good for us?
Atheists and progressives routinely predict the demise of religion and traditional ways of living. Not only do they predict it, but they have also actively worked for that outcome ever since humankind first realised there were alternatives.
The price of some supposedly priceless things
Every creature has needs, and therefore values whatever meets those needs.
Slavery and the demand for reparations
In March this year the UN declared slavery “the gravest crime against humanity”, though the US voted against and every European nation abstained.