The argument
Openly angled · signed · the other side stated first
First Principles
How We End Up Disagreeing
Two people can read the same figures and walk away certain of opposite things. The reason is rarely that one of them cannot read. It is worth knowing which of four things is actually happening, because only one of them is worth arguing about.
The Crossbencher · 18 Jul 2026 · 4 min read
First Principles
One Culprit in the Dock
Some findings are so well replicated that to doubt them marks you as a crank. The trouble is not that they are false. It is that they answer a narrow question and are read as a verdict on the world.
The Crossbencher · 18 Jul 2026 · 2 min
First Principles
No Villain to Crown
When a pattern is ugly and everywhere, the mind goes looking for the hand behind it. Usually there is no hand. That is not a comforting thought, but it is the more useful one.
The Crossbencher · 18 Jul 2026 · 2 min