Ciceronianus

Theism seems to tend towards exclusivity. I wonder if that may explain some of the intensity of the debate. Some of the ancient pagan philosophers tho...

It may be more accurate to say they believed there could be no morals without theism, or rather their brand ot it. Lewis and Newman were odd ducks to ...

Oh here it is. Sorry. quote="T Clark;777432"]Oh...why would anyone object to the things that atheists say about religion. I can think of some reasons....

Oh dear. I'm never cute. It's true, though, that I'm not surprised by much. Still, "cutie pie faux surprise" is interesting. In what sense did I expre...

I'm not sure how neoliberal policies impacted the current interpretation of the Second Amendment. And we must deal with the Second Amendment and views...

Yes. But I don't understand the need, or even the desire, they would have in engaging with atheists, unless they feel it's possible to contend with th...

I'm partial to the thought of an immanent deity, and think that the universe evokes a belief in such a deity, as some Stoics claim (and perhaps Spinoz...

The only way I know of to do that, here, is if those who are atheists respond to the OP saying they refute belief in any form. I'm not aware of any bo...

I think that question would arise, yes, if that turns out to be the case.

Well you don't, but I wouldn't let that stand in the way of a laugh, as you see. Even so, I don't think it's appropriate to blame the problems you not...

Quite right. Because it saps all of our precious bodily fluids.

Yes. I shouldn't assume that Christians alone would condemn pornography. I prefer the view taken of sex in antiquity. Visit Pompeii if you haven't alr...

If only Anthony Comstock was here to protect us from it. Or at least John Ashcroft. I wonder whether this "problem" is peculiarly American. Or perhaps...

Don't miss the Vatican fashion show in Fellini's Roma

In no particular order: The Duellists (Outstanding swordplay with various weapons, during the Napoleonic Wars; what could be better? Makes me wish I c...

Dum spiro, spero.

Judging the universe is rather like waging war on Neptune, as Gaius Caligula is said to have done. You may judge it as you please, and even be proud o...

"Unclean"? Then the member would be untouchable, but there would be the hope of a cure.

Hmm. So, the situation we should expect if God does not exist is, also, the situation we should expect if God does exist? He would have to exist, I su...

I'd say instead that the old man acknowledges and accepts the darkness that is there as a part of the world, apart from the darkness we create ourselv...

The old man admires clarity, though, even when drinking or drunk. Thus, he thinks it's important to see one's drink, and finds the contrived darkness ...

Yes. Also more robust.

Well, the question you asked was "How much power and authorityshould the Pope have?" (Emphasis added). I was raised Catholic, but haven't been a pract...

My personal belief is that the doctrine has its basis in the papal assumption of the title of Pontifex Maximus ("Highest Priest") held by Roman Empero...

Well, I was comparing the Roman Stoics (e.g. Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius) to the early Greek Stoics, and specifically Chrysippus. Socrates, ...

There are some fragments of the writings of the Greek Stoics available, but as far as I know we're aware of them only because they're referred to by o...

Some armagnac is quite reasonably priced. I've come to prefer it to brandy, the drink in the Hemingway story, and cognac. Difficult to find sometimes,...

Stoic "apatheia" is freedom from emotional disturbance, not "apathy" as currently defined. Tranquility was valued, as was equanimity. The period of Ro...

Well, you certainly don't want to get caught littering.

I confess I did. Unlike Arlo, though, I didn't feel up to telling them the story of her restaurant.

Thanks. I'll take a look.

Really? I had no idea. Perhaps he wasn't a philosopher, then.

God's teeth. Only those lacking a sense of humor would complain of irony. As well complain of wit and the witty. But, now that I think of it, I can't ...

I think it was part of an anti-metaphysical/quietist movement which continues to this day, and in that sense remains relevant.

Where there is no thing, there's nothing to address philosophically. There's no object to be known, and philosophy subsists on objects which can be kn...

Janus is the Roman god of doorways and gates, also transitions, usually depicted as having two faces, not two asses. But the Romans didn't use js, so ...

Actually, ianus is the significant part of the appellation, typically used in Latin in adjectives formed from proper names. So, Ciceronianus means bro...

Ah, but I wasn't summoned, you see. That would require evocation by use of a name, as one would the Lord of the Flies, i.e. Beelzebub, the chief follo...

Well, that's what I've heard. I've also heard other things about him, which, of course, do nothing to diminish his glory.

I see the Lord of the Flies has made an appearance, despite my restraint, which was all for nought. Or should I say "Nothing"? But perhaps it's to be ...

By referring to "the nature of morality" you identify it as a thing, and so are trapped into thinking of it as if is one. Why should we do that?

I wonder--who would be the Lord of the Flies? Could it be...but no, I won't say the name.

I would say no, if you mean arriving at all-inclusive definitions of that they are; treating them as objects which can be definitively described, obje...

Those folk are, I think, among the flies referred to by Wittgenstein. But so are those who think it possible, and necessary or somehow beneficial, to ...

Well, I think that's certain. That's not to say that's to our credit or benefit, though. I think Wittgenstein wasn't claiming there were subjects we c...

They'll know what their parents and the parents of others, and their teachers, think that they should or should not read quite readily. Banning or try...

I think you'll find that most banning or challenges take place through local school districts or governments. Given the peculiar fascination with and ...

My belief is that he was telling philosophers to remain silent about it. If only they would. He was too clever to think that the clergy or theologians...

Oh, leave science alone. For that matter, leave medicine and law and art and anything else there is a claimed "philosophy of" alone. I think it more t...

I think that's an exaggeration. Intellectuals largely influence other intellectuals, who then write history in which their fellow intellectuals loom l...