Last week, I wrote about the problem of understanding what the social sciences provide. My intention was to theorize the thinking involved in social science research and reflect on what this means for its outputs. While somewhat critical, my overall position is not that the social sciences are vapid but merely misunderstood – people misinterpretContinue reading “Social Statistics & Moral Inferences”
Tag Archives: social commentary
On Laughing Less
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”
The Incoherence of the “West”
A new concern emerged during the twentieth century that was more common among ‘conservatives’ (of a certain sort), and there has been something of a countercurrent from those more critical of present affairs: I am referring to the defense or attack of what many have called “Western Civilization” (or, more simply, the “West”). To pointContinue reading “The Incoherence of the “West””
A Late Review of Life After God
Writing a book review for a rather obscure little book that was published thirty years ago may seem an odd pursuit, but such might be justified when circumstances give rise to fresh relevance in a given work. In the case of Douglas Coupland’s Life After God, published in 1994, I think this is a bookContinue reading “A Late Review of Life After God“
A Note of Self-Reflection
At the wise suggestion of my wonderful wife, I intend to take a summer break from this blog each year. Though I thoroughly enjoy writing these posts and truly attempt to do so for its own sake, there are weeks in which I have written posts merely to maintain my self-imposed goal of a postContinue reading “A Note of Self-Reflection”
A Layman’s Consideration of the Binding of Isaac
When I was atheistic in my self-consciously held beliefs, I was dismissive of the Bible in many ways. As is the case for many non-Christian critics of Christians, I would accuse believers of never reading their Bibles; if they had read their Bibles, I would then trot out the usual panoply of complaints about theContinue reading “A Layman’s Consideration of the Binding of Isaac”
On the Need and Risk of Poetical Experience
After having run a few errands, I returned home to find my wife and infant son resting on the couch after what seemed to have been quite a good feeding. Though he has not yet figured out his facial muscles and the relevant expressions that display certain emotions, I could tell given his posture andContinue reading “On the Need and Risk of Poetical Experience”
Love or Euthanasia
My wife and I were recently sat in our living room enjoying some tea, and our conversation turned to her asking me a few questions about my return to Faith. She, having grown up in the Church, has had quite different experiences than I, and our conversation occasionally turns to these matters. It is alwaysContinue reading “Love or Euthanasia”
A Note on the ‘Individual’
Our age is, by and large, one that we might describe as individualistic. What precisely is meant by individualism is not always clear, though I believe there are some common tendencies in the way that this word is used today. This notion was perhaps best captured by J. S. Mill in his seminal On Liberty,Continue reading “A Note on the ‘Individual’”
A Tension of Christian Life
Much of my time is spent on a university campus. To be a Christian in such a context often devolves into debates centered around merely speculative theology and philosophy, typically forwarded as a means of defending one’s faith. Especially in the broader culture of twenty-first-century North America – of which the universities are arguably theContinue reading “A Tension of Christian Life”
Hoping for Clarity 