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Mar. 20th, 2013
Thomas Nagel, the philospher who wrote "The View from Nowhere" and the classic essay "What Is It Like To Be a Bat" has recently published a book that has roiled the world of materialist philosphy, that is, those who oppose the religious and supernatural views of the world. It feels like a betrayal. He was on the side of the well-reasoned rather than the angels. Nagel's new book is titled "Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False". Nagel seems to be giving aid and support to the Intentional Design and theist zealots, even though Nagel is wholly anti-theist himself.
Andrew Ferguson has a longish and glowing piece on the controversy at "The Weekly Standard" magazine. He is a Christian, I take it, and loves the brouhaha. He begins by discussing a meeting and workshop titled "Moving Naturalism Forward", the materialist camp, which is attended by our old philospher friend Daniel Dennett. Ferguson shares the back-and-forth discussion over how materialism should be conveyed to the religiously inclined and supernaturally tinged masses.
( Read more... )
Andrew Ferguson has a longish and glowing piece on the controversy at "The Weekly Standard" magazine. He is a Christian, I take it, and loves the brouhaha. He begins by discussing a meeting and workshop titled "Moving Naturalism Forward", the materialist camp, which is attended by our old philospher friend Daniel Dennett. Ferguson shares the back-and-forth discussion over how materialism should be conveyed to the religiously inclined and supernaturally tinged masses.
( Read more... )
Never Growing Up
Mar. 20th, 2013 08:07 pmI see on my Friends Page that Avril Lavigne has a new song coming out called "Here's To Never Growing Up". I can certainly sympathize with that message. But the funny thing about never growing up - or the unfunny thing, as the case may be - is that you still have to grow old. But it's what's in your heart that really counts, right? Yeah, right.
(Source: ONTD)
(Source: ONTD)
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Mar. 20th, 2013 08:33 pm10:28. So, I return home even a few minutes later this time than from my last walk. This time, I was not hung up at the pond feeding the ducks. I exercised much greater self-discipline. I also only brought so much feed with me. However, I woke up a little later, at 7:30. And I also had to take care of Trash Day. Hey, at least I enjoy a decent night’s sleep, which is always more important.
* * * *
Ms. Walker comes over. At least it has been a little while. One strange note: as Pop was spraying the house with deodorizer and getting things ready, he asks me, “Who do you like better: Walker or Lorie?” That was out of the blue. My immediate, instinctive answer was that it was all the same to me: a thorn at my side, a grievance on my soul. Though, I was not that specific with Pop.
But what does it mean that he could ask such a question??
I have not even seen or heard from Lorie in... what, several months? Not even a single phone call in all that time.
The most worrisome possibility that comes to mind is that the question was an indirect way of touching upon the possibility that he and Ms. Walker are thinking about making their relationship more serious and to forget about these on-and-off visits. Are they close to having her move in here?
Cripes, somebody throw me a lifeline!
Or maybe Pop’s question did not really signify anything other than the airy, whimsical play of his doddering mind. Let’s hope!
* * * *
Taking the trash out, I hear the neighbor dog whimpering. He is craving some affection. Sadly, the neighbors finally got around to nailing down that board on the fence, so I can no longer pet him. I don’t have the nerve to unfasten the board. Poor baby. That dog was especially gifted to be a loving companion-animal, and to see that gift being so cruelly wasted!
* * * *
Ms. Walker comes over. At least it has been a little while. One strange note: as Pop was spraying the house with deodorizer and getting things ready, he asks me, “Who do you like better: Walker or Lorie?” That was out of the blue. My immediate, instinctive answer was that it was all the same to me: a thorn at my side, a grievance on my soul. Though, I was not that specific with Pop.
But what does it mean that he could ask such a question??
I have not even seen or heard from Lorie in... what, several months? Not even a single phone call in all that time.
The most worrisome possibility that comes to mind is that the question was an indirect way of touching upon the possibility that he and Ms. Walker are thinking about making their relationship more serious and to forget about these on-and-off visits. Are they close to having her move in here?
Cripes, somebody throw me a lifeline!
Or maybe Pop’s question did not really signify anything other than the airy, whimsical play of his doddering mind. Let’s hope!
* * * *
Taking the trash out, I hear the neighbor dog whimpering. He is craving some affection. Sadly, the neighbors finally got around to nailing down that board on the fence, so I can no longer pet him. I don’t have the nerve to unfasten the board. Poor baby. That dog was especially gifted to be a loving companion-animal, and to see that gift being so cruelly wasted!
