Updated for the new year: My collected posts on key thinkers from Homer, Socrates, and Augustine to Descartes, Kant, and Rand. Related: My Philosophers, Explained series.
Intellectual History page updated Read More »
The cartoon reminds me of an earlier post about Rimsky-Korsakov on the “hardship” of the composer’s life. According to Shostakovich: “Rimsky-Korsakov used to say that he refused to acknowledge any complaints from composers about their hard lot in life. He explained his position thus: Talk to a bookkeeper and he’ll start complaining about life and
The difficulties of being/not being an artist Read More »
“We have a panel discussion with Stephen Hicks, Professor of Philosophy, on the impacts of GenAI on the human condition.”
Interviewed by Israel’s Harry Kaufmann: Related interview: “Rand, Kant, Israel v. Islamists, & Career integrity”—Stephen Hicks with Vinay Kolhatkar and Roger Bissell.
A common trope is that art and science are opposed to each other. That, despite the long list of artistic innovators—from Leonardo, Michelangelo, Monet, and others—who self-consciously applied science and the fruits of technical engineering to make their independent visions real. Leonardo and mathematics, Michelangelo and anatomy, Monet and the chemical industry’s new pigments, and
Rock band Boston’s music: on the integration of science, engineering, and art Read More »
What explains the appealing transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge? My annual reposting, in audio and text form below. The many interpretations of Scrooge // Robin Hood analogy // Scrooge as villain of Socialism // as anti-Christian // as Savvy Investor // as Environmentalist // as Malthusian // as anti-Commercialization // Scrooge’s Aristotelian hero’s journey By Stephen
The Meaning of Life and Scrooge’s Hero Journey Read More »
Reminds me of past extended-family debates over whether Christmas is a legitimate Christian holiday: * One faction argued that we need to put the Christ back in Christmas.* Another faction argued that Christ never was properly in it so Christians should boycott.* A third, semi-pagan faction just got on with enjoying the good food, presents,
Christians against Christmas? Read More »
In the following two passages, with a nod to Tocqueville, Mill makes two strong claims. First he praises American culture: “Almost all travellers are struck by the fact that every American is in some sense both a patriot, and a person of cultivated intelligence. … No such wide diffusion of the ideas, tastes, and sentiments
J.S. Mill on American culture and politics Read More »