X-Phi and Sex Essentialism

Kevin Timpe at the Experimental Philosophy blog has put up some interesting results in response to a classroom poll:

When asked whether they think having sex chromosomes (either XX or XY, depending on whether the student is male or female) is an essential or accidental property, the male students generally replied the property was accidental while the females thought it was essential. Timpe is asking for additional studies or research along these lines–if any readers have suggestions, head over to the blog and contribute. While it’s a single sample and a small sample size, the results are interesting.

Any thoughts on implications of the results, if you think there are any?

Troy Davis: Take Action

Remember the case of Troy Davis? He’s on death row in Georgia and has an appeal pending based in part on the fact that many witnesses have recanted. JJ blogged about this back when the Supreme Court had agreed to hear his appeal and Georgia was planning to execute him anyway before the Supremes could hear the case. At the last minute they granted him a stay. Amnesty International has a clemency petition you can sign here. For more information, see here.