Tom Storm

That's the cliché, of course and it conveniently overlooks other factors. It reminds me of when I used to meet (some) old Germans, in the 1970's. They...

Sure. And even if society is more 'stable' or 'harmonious' under a monolithic religion, it says nothing about the truth of the belief system. It makes...

I figured. I'm not keen on serious 'issue' films. My sense is Heidegger is difficult enough to understand without further obfuscations and the interpr...

Suffering is suffering. What more do we need? :wink:

I totally understand where you are coming from here. I'm sympathetic too. Personally I don't see god as realistic and I'll come back to this in a tick...

I think a key problem is that since modernism (probably) this construct of 'the good life' has been hard to formulate and believe in. It sits better w...

Exactly. Having not read widely in his oeuvre, I have sometimes wondered how Rorty justified his strong social justice beliefs. He one said the the me...

I agree with your summary. In the end I guess it doesn't matter too much if students pursue Shakespeare or (insert canonical writer of preference). Bu...

I'm not sure what you mean. I am asking questions about your position as I don't understand it fully, that's all. You tell me? I don't know what accur...

I think so. Rorty's neo-pragmatism is postmodernism and less mystical that Witty. Rorty's anti-foundationalist project seems primarily (and I only hav...

I don't think anyone ever said high competence is found at the start of any pursuit. Rigor and accuracy are only assessed in relation to something ext...

Indeed. Do you see a solution to this, or does it belong to the culture wars and the general malaise in Western culture?

I wonder if the era of the Great Conversation has ended and amounts to anachronistic liberalism in our postmodern, tradition hating culture? I'm sure ...

I think this is certainly part of it. But this says nothing about competence or rigour. What exactly does 'seeking the truth' consist of in your view;...

A few. Turgid and dull as I recall, except Badlands but it's been 30 years since I saw it. I hated Tree of Life...

I'd say it is unlikely, but who knows? Can you name an example?

Of course. The first doctor would not have been successful either. Or dentist... yikes! The point is, a discourse or tradition is built gradually over...

It could also be the fact that philosophy is poorly regarded, a collection posturing, untied and incomprehensible. :wink:

Good book.

Fuck... if I only smoked hooch, that would be a great three sentence combination to ponder stoned. Yes, I've often felt the need to say almost the sam...

Thanks - interesting piece. How do you read W when he writes this: It seems oddly emphatic, but then maybe it is metaphor??

I can see it and my favorite theists take a similar approach.

It's all about dark energy, as an atheist you wouldn't understand. I used to deal continental jazz cigarettes to the Russian mafia until I discovered ...

Policeman: "Excuse me Sir, you need to be aware that your dog has been chasing a guy on his bike" Dog Owner: "Are you crazy? My dog can't even ride a ...

I usually buy my dogs dead to start with to avoid the later disappointment.

Are most dogs Christian nationalists?

I think that's fair. Do you consider yourself a philosopher, or is it a subject you teach, or both? A significant dimension. Yes, I have often thought...

I understand where you are coming from and you make a good case. I come from a background where philosophy has played a minor role, so the question ha...

Thanks. I'm afraid I find Wittgenstein almost incomprehensible. A theist at the point he was writing this, then? That's for sure.

I like what you wrote but can you clarify the last 'regarded as mystical'? Was there any nuance provided or explication of what mystical meant? Did it...

Could have been worse. He could have died in bed with his sister... :cool:

No idea, but it involves knowledge of the subject :up:

Yes! Totally forgot that one. Tell you what though, as I roll that fuckin' stone up the hill for the umpteenth time, I am definitely not smiling...

What's special about Red Bull that someone would steal it? Is it an energy drink? Can you use it to make meth?

I keep coming back to the idea that to be successful in philosophy (as I see it) one needs a solid awareness of the tradition and how ideas have been ...

Most terms are problematic. What is the alternative to using the word philosopher? It's useful to have a vase to put the flowers in, even if the vase ...

Thank you. I know this is a digression but how would a phenomenologist read idealism in the Kantian or Schopenhauerian sense? Are you getting at this ...

I've read small amounts of Bitbol and seen him deliver lectures. Interesting fellow. From your reading of these 'conditions of possibility' is he a Ka...

It's a gift... burp...

There is that. I still weigh what I did when I was 20 (35 years ago), 325 pounds....

Cool use of language! Very nice. I suspect this is what I am trying to get to as a plodding non-philosopher.

Snow is white to humans. It is a fact about human perception and language use. I have no issue with modest claims like cats being on mats, etc. But fo...

The thing is, I am not sure.

I'm somewhat sympathetic this 'whatever is the case' view of truth. Generally I distinguish between two things 1) things being true and 2) the nature ...

No, I'd say we can get along in the environment we call 'reality' reasonably well. But intelligibility is context dependent. If everything is quantum ...

Not sure I agree with that. Meaning and 'why' don't necessarily go together. The meaning of life is a non-question, possibly incoherent. It generally ...

I think you meant mind in one of the places where you wrote brain. No. Mr S proposes that our physical selves, the brain and it's chemicals are what c...

It's a great line, isn't it? Schopenhauer also says: "Everything objective, extended, active, and hence everything material, is regarded by materialis...

So lovers of wisdom hate loving wisdom?

Thanks for clarifying. OK. Does this render the word knowledge useful then? Do we really know ourselves and our tastes? I'm not certain of this. Is kn...