146. New Year’s Day: A Celebration of Real Beginnings
Happy New Year! Go here for my thoughts on the philosophical significance of New Years Day…
145. The Cognitive and Moral Worth of Halloween
A still from Ingmar Bergman’s thoughtful horror film The Hour of the Wolf Aesthetic expressions of horror are produced and enjoyed by people all over the world. But some bemoan such horror and do their best to avoid it. Over… Read more ›
144. Solitude and Education, Part 6: Socrates and Aristotle on Being Friends to Ourselves
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), in his book Daybreak (1881), wrote: “On Education. – I have gradually seen the light as to the most universal deficiency in our kind of cultivation and education: no one learns, no one strives after, no one… Read more ›
143. Solitude and Education, Part 5: Thoreau on Nature and Virtue
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), in his book Daybreak (1881), wrote: “On Education. – I have gradually seen the light as to the most universal deficiency in our kind of cultivation and education: no one learns, no one strives after, no one… Read more ›
142. Solitude and Education, Part 4: Schopenhauer on Contemplation and the Sublime
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), in his book Daybreak (1881), wrote: “On Education. – I have gradually seen the light as to the most universal deficiency in our kind of cultivation and education: no one learns, no one strives after, no one… Read more ›
141. Solitude and Education, Part 3: Harold Bloom on Reading for Greatness and the Sublime
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), in his book Daybreak (1881), wrote: “On Education. – I have gradually seen the light as to the most universal deficiency in our kind of cultivation and education: no one learns, no one strives after, no one… Read more ›
140. Solitude and Education, Part 2: Nietzsche on Increased Objectivity
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), in his book Daybreak (1881), wrote: “On Education. – I have gradually seen the light as to the most universal deficiency in our kind of cultivation and education: no one learns, no one strives after, no one… Read more ›
139. Solitude and Education, Part 1: Nietzsche and Kierkegaard on Authentic Individuality
Friedrich Nietzsche What is the purpose of education? Some common answers come to mind: education is a means to gaining more income, finding one’s calling, cultivating an enriched inner life, being a productive citizen, or becoming a life-long learner. These… Read more ›
138. Ingmar Bergman’s Metaphysical Reduction, Part 3: The Silence
In May 1963, the Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) retrospectively described his films Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, and The Silence as a trilogy with a theme: “The theme of these three films is a ‘reduction’ – in… Read more ›
137. Ingmar Bergman’s Metaphysical Reduction, Part 2: Winter Light
In May 1963, the Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) retrospectively described his films Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, and The Silence as a trilogy with a theme: “The theme of these three films is a ‘reduction’ – in… Read more ›
136. Ingmar Bergman’s Metaphysical Reduction, Part 1: Through a Glass Darkly
In May 1963, the Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) retrospectively described his films Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, and The Silence as a trilogy with a theme: “The theme of these three films is a ‘reduction’ – in… Read more ›
135. Heraclitus on Barking Humans
“Dogs bark at whomsoever they do not recognize” (translated by T. M. Robinson) This aphorism from Heraclitus (fl. c. 500 B.C.E.) suggests many humans are like dogs insofar as they “bark” at that which they think is different. They bark… Read more ›
134. Hobbes vs. Socrates
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) opens his masterpiece Leviathan (1651) with some startling claims that reduce life to a series of motions and mechanisms: “Nature (the art whereby God hath made and governs the world) is by the art of man, as… Read more ›
133. A Crucial Philosophical Move in the Declaration of Independence
July 4, 2017 The framers of the Declaration of Independence knew they couldn’t justify a rebellion against the King of England given the Divine Right of Kings theory of government. According to this theory, Kings rule by divine right which… Read more ›
132. An Argument for Substance Dualism
I have been thinking a lot about what philosophical positions might be implied by the fact that we present and evaluate arguments. Consider this argument or set of premises from which a conclusion is derived: Premise 1: All humans are… Read more ›