Miscarriages of Justice: Paul Blackburn

"How can they put you in prison for something you haven't done?"

After spending 25 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Paul Blackburn took time out to talk to the 2nd year students about his ordeal.

At the age of 15, Blackburn was convicted of attempted murder and attempted sexual assault against a minor. There was no identification and no forensic evidence against him. He was forced to sign a confession and was given a discretionary life sentence of 99 years.

He described prison as "one of the loneliest places you can be" but refused to become a victim. Throughout his sentence he continued to appeal his innocence. Starting with the BBC's "Rough Justice" in the 80's, who rejected his appeal and later to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). After 27 years of appealing, the case against him was proven false and he was released on 17th March 2003.

Nine years on, he has become involved in Innocence Network UK (INUK), attending conferences around the UK continuing his campaign for Justice.

His message: Never underestimate the value of freedom.

Watch the exclusive WINOL interview here:
http://winol.co.uk/wrongfully-imprisoned-for-25-years/

L2: "Empiricism vs. Idealism"

KARL POPPER (1902-1994)

"Logical Positivism" The Vienna Circle (FREUD, WITTGENSTEIN). Attack on Empiricism. Metaphysics as "gibberish" consisting of theories that have not been verified. Rejection of DESCARTES, his Cogito branded a "non-verifiable induction". Something that cannot be proved through aposteriori reasoning.

POPPER was against the scientific process of induction. Like HUME, he saw the process of induction as "unreliable" but necessary in the quest for truth. 

"Hume has proved that pure Empiricism is not a basis for science... without the principle of induction, then science is impossible" (page 612)

In "The Open Society and it's Enemies" POPPER explains how the state should leave maximum room for self-correction in order to minimise suffering. Each law should be highly experimental. There is no 100% knowledge, therefore everything is untrue/falsifiable. Otherwise known as "The Theory of Falsification".

L1: "Science and Certainty"

BACON, NEWTON, EINSTEIN.

"Mechanistic Materialists" - The world as a machine.

Science as the search for the truth. The separation of Mind and Reality. Two forms of knowledge according to KANT (1724-1804). Apriori and Aposteriori. One true "by definition". The other learned through experience.

Object ---> Phenomena (perceived) ---> Noumena (unperceived) 

When an object is unperceived, "noumenal", it becomes a "thing-in-itself". SCHOPENHAUER (1788-1860) believed in the world as a "thing in itself", whereby, it is necessary for existence.

The Cartesian belief of Solopsism. The idea that only you exist and everything else is a dream. "I think, therefore I am". Apriori reasoning of the phenomenal, external world.

Modern Theoretical Physics. The idea that there was no time before time. We view the world through "space time goggles". We see the world in 3D because we, ourselves, are 3D beings. Time as a mental phenomena. [EINSTEIN] - "The Verification Principle" "The truth is of any proposition is the way in which you verify". Supportive of BACON'S inductive method.

NEWTON. The laws of nature from nature itself. Knowledge is objective and independent from perception. Apriori.

Journalists taught to "play dumb". We can know nothing for certain. Aposteriori reasoning of deduction, not induction.

HCJ Seminar Paper (1.11.12)

Economics

Economics, in this sense is scientific and subjective. Based on fact and according to Karl Popper (1902-1994) cannot be falsified. In his view, policies should be judged as experimental leaving maximum room for self-correction, as stated in his work “The Open Society and its Enemies” (1962). Empiricist John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) claims that it is through falsifying that human nature progresses.

Classical Economist Adam Smith (1723-1790) views people as “calculating machines” designed for maximising pleasure and minimising pain. Otherwise known as Utilitarianism, this moral philosophy is hindered by the State, which is viewed as an obstacle to progress. In “The Wealth of Nations” (1776) he states that richer countries come down to too much state intervention. “The hidden hand of the market” in which all value is derived from trade, when in actuality; people should be allowed to be free.

This is the crisis of Capitalism, claimed by Karl Marx (1818-1883) with which the “Iron Law of Wages” will inevitably lead to the fall of Western Civilisation. There is a constant struggle to survive (Charles Darwin, 1809-1882) as humans use up resources to their maximum limit. A prime example being the Golden Age of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, whereby the economic boom lead to high levels of inflation, causing mass unemployment. The rise in monetary value reduced the right of human freedom in the modern world.

The Lucan Case.

As newly appointed Crime Reporter for WINOL, a University based News Bulletin (WinchesterNewsOnline), I have spent the past fortnight undergoing intensive shorthand (re)training and research into some of the most infamous criminal cases.

With less than a week left, I am fully preparing myself for the start of a new semester.

This will be my livelihood from this moment on.

One case in particular has grabbed the headlines recently - The Lucan Case.

Create your own Batgirl outfit. STUDENT STYLE!

Stuck at home all summer? Why not get creative in 10 easy steps.

With reference to http://www.revampfancydress.co.uk/prod-batgirl-hire-costume/861/.

1. Begin with an old plain black top and skirt. Carefully remove any unecessary embellishments.

Creative Memories.

"It's nice that we've all been there for each other and I hope we remain friends" (15.12.11)

"I've started to build my own life now I've settled in and I couldn't be happier" (9.2.12)

"Experienced more this year than my whole life, it feels" (26.6.12)

 "Great times. Bad times. Damn near incredible times. I don't regret a thing" (8.7.12)

As my second year at University begins, I have decided to document my first year in a Scrapbook. I loved crafting when I was little and I thought this would be the perfect way to record my experiences.