An essay of the living English philosopher, Colin McGinn, recently caught my interest: “Against Laughter.” He argues that laughter should be banned – whether by explicit policy or merely social custom he leaves somewhat ambiguous. He evidently recognizes that his argument is fighting an uphill battle, as most people will want to preserve their rightContinue reading “On Laughing Less”
Category Archives: Theory
Morality & Joking: Considerations with C. S. Lewis
A topic which I believe has become progressively more difficult to navigate during my short lifetime has been that of humour. As certain topics or issues emerge in the cultural “dialogue” (though this may be a generous term here) of mass media, social media, and daily social interaction, there is often a debate around howContinue reading “Morality & Joking: Considerations with C. S. Lewis”
On the Problem of Abstractions
A prominent public intellectual, who happens to be a fellow countryman, has pursued a line of reasoning that I find – truthfully – rather problematic. Jordan B. Peterson has often defended various works of both mythology and fiction on the grounds that they (when “great”) reveal truths that are more ‘real’ than ‘life’ itself. AnContinue reading “On the Problem of Abstractions”
R. G. Collingwood on ‘Duty’
A peculiar detail about me, that is of an unknown origin to myself, is that I have a seemingly innate disposition to act out of a sense of duty. In some ways, this may come from my family; my parents and extended relatives tend toward a fierce (almost tribal) sense of familial loyalty – evenContinue reading “R. G. Collingwood on ‘Duty’”
Hume, Miracles, and the Importance of Epistemology
Fresh ink need not always be spilled upon fresh ideas, and I am of the persuasion that revivified thinking may spring from echoes of old debates. For today, I take my task as such a reinvigoration of our thoughts: I want to discuss David Hume’s rejection of miracles – a subject that has perhaps hadContinue reading “Hume, Miracles, and the Importance of Epistemology”
What Is ‘Knowledge’ and How Is It Known?
(Or The Folly of Philosophers) As is typical, the title of this post is much more grandiose than the conclusions that I will be able to come to by the end of the essay. What I intend here is a response to a specific problem that has floated about in philosophical circles, but I believeContinue reading “What Is ‘Knowledge’ and How Is It Known?”
In Pursuit of Democracy
The word ‘democracy’ has become something of a buzzword in today’s political discourse, though it tends to be used in a manner that is not merely an easy term to throw around but as something believed to have true substance – this word is supposedly making a real demand of us. There has been anContinue reading “In Pursuit of Democracy”
Natural Confusion
Though it is never the purview of philosophical reflection to impose the correction of errors it perceives in daily life, such theorizing can render clearer aspects of our habits that may make us reconsider our actions – whether this induces a change in behaviour or merely changes our perceptions of what we do. Herein, IContinue reading “Natural Confusion”
Poems & Poetry
The nature of beauty and its reality as something ‘objective’ or ‘real’ has, as far as I can tell, been utterly corroded in recent centuries. As someone who loves poetry, I have found that many people resist my preference for formalized poetry and my tendency toward lofty themes. When I argue that poetry should helpContinue reading “Poems & Poetry”
On Being “Open Minded” – Pt. 1
The culture of our contemporary anglophone world, to my eye, seems ordered toward the ideal of ‘toleration.’ There is much wrapped up in this claim, but the general thrust is that we believe in some form of individualism and therefore want to allow each person to pursue life as he or she sees fit –Continue reading “On Being “Open Minded” – Pt. 1″
Hoping for Clarity 