There are some things in nature that evoke within us a feeling we have termed awe. Perhaps this is a poor word to express the reaction we have inside ourselves when we encounter such a thing, but it is the word we have. It is a word that attempts to give a voice to that […]
Are we a part of nature or separate from it? Perhaps you think the answer to this question is clear, yet for many of us, the way in which we view the natural world differs widely from individual to individual. Even within ourselves we carry a number contradictory beliefs regarding nature. Is it sacred or […]
Walking seems a simple enough activity. We celebrate it when our children do it for the first time, but once that threshold is crossed, we think nothing more of it; we just do it. About the only time we appreciate it is when we feel like we are doing too much of it or cannot […]
Once upon a time I taught World and European history. Both of those curricula involve the study of Classical Rome. Of course well known are names such as Julius Caesar and Augustus, but the second century saw a group of rulers known as The Five Good Emperors, a title bestowed mostly because they were not […]
Last semester I mentioned to my students that I believe one of the purposes of philosophy is to unsettle us. I then offered the age-old example of Socrates who likened himself to a type of biting fly that arouses a sluggish horse to action through irritation and pain. I then mentioned the philosopher Peter Singer, […]
Writing can serves as a valuable tool for understanding.
Read MoreBeing in quarantine may begin to redefine the self.
Read MoreYoung people bear the brunt of many blanketed accusations related to behavior. An especially common one is that they spend all their time mindlessly absorbed in their phones. The trend of staring into cell phones is, of course, not strictly reserved to kids; I see plenty of adults of all ages staring into that magical […]
Read MoreNote: this essay was written in the summer of 2018. Going on a trip to “find yourself” after an emotionally traumatic event is a venerable old cliche, yet it happened to me. It was not on purpose and I did not recognize until some years later, but visiting Oxford in 2008 for three weeks as […]
Read MoreI finally got to visit Magic Kingdom! But was it my first time to do so?
Read MoreDoes our existence have meaning? Yes, it does both biologically and existentially.
Read MoreWhat does it mean when we say that the universe does or does not have meaning?
Read MoreWhy do we reject artificial or synthetic things?
Read More