Heidegger and National Socialism
Given Heidegger’s towering presence in the landscape of 20th-century philosophy and “deep ecology” environmentalism, How Green Were the Nazis? is an important book.
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Philosophy
Would Immortality Be Worth It?
I initially wrote “Would Immortality Be Worth It?” for my Introduction to Philosophy class. It’s a thought-experiment essay for a unit on The Meaning of Life towards the end of the semester. The essay was then published in Objectivity (1:4, 1992, 81-96) and is now online in pdf format. The issue I take up is
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Why C. S. Lewis gives me the creeps
One of the books I use in my Introduction to Philosophy course is Lewis’s Mere Christianity. It’s very clear and accessible and covers a wide range of traditional religious philosophical themes. I’m reviewing it now in preparation for the new semester which begins (yikes) in two weeks. I find Lewis’s chummy, let’s-pop-round-to-the pub-for-a-quick-one writing style
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Rand in the New York Times
The New York Times published a wide-ranging piece on John Allison and the controversies over Ayn Rand’s philosophy and influence: (“Give BB&T Liberty, but Not a Bailout”, August 1, 2009). It’s a mix of solid and straight-up reporting along with slightly off and completely wide-of-the-mark interpretations. Here’s a short letter I sent off to the
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The four healthcare debates
Like many of you, I am engaged with thinking through the healthcare proposals and debates and am occasionally frustrated with the scattered focus and the talking past the other guy’s position. So, as a start, I propose a clarification of the questions involved. As I see it, the overall healthcare discussion is a four-dimensional debate:
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Sandefur reviews Anne Heller on Ayn Rand
. . I haven’t read Anne Heller’s book, but Timothy Sandefur’s review makes me want to. (Thanks to Bob H. for the link.) . . .
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Philosophy’s longest sentences, part 4
My fourth contribution to contest, my earlier three being from John Stuart Mill, Immanuel Kant, and Aristotle. I am surprised that we have no entries from Hegel, Fichte, or Heidegger, noted for their why-say-it-in-eight-words-when-sixty-are-available tendencies. But to my knowledge, the longest sentence written by a philosopher is the following 309-word original from the pen of
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Late to the show, but excellent timing
John Adams the mini-series came out last year, but I just began watching it yesterday. The first two episodes are excellent. What a great way to spend part of July 4. Paul Giamatti’s performance hooked me: I have a renewed appreciation for John Adams’s brilliance, determination, and integrity. I also have an enlarged appreciation for
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