Einstein’s Folly

A human being is a part of the whole, called by us, “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our [...]

Notes on teaching literature

When you are done the body must be alive. Literature provides models or types of the virtues in at least three ways: characters, writers, and texts. The protagonist will almost always model a virtue. The writer might be virtuous in his lifestyle or writing disciplines. The text itself is virtuous if its form and content fulfill [...]

2010 Conference Reading List

Are you registered for the upcoming summer conference? If so, you can prepare by reading the following books. This list will be updated from time to time so add a bookmark and check back soon! THE ABOLITION OF MAN The Magna Carta The Constitution of the United States The Declaration of Independence Two more added: [...]

The Limits of Rules

The purpose of rules is to prevent thinking. When a person is under a rule, it is not important how he thinks or feels about a matter; what matters is obedience. That is why central planning and regulation have limited value or are positively destructive. Rules do the thinking for the actor. But if the [...]

Gunton on Freedom

In The One, the Three, and the Many the late Colin E. Gunton works through the lectures of Sir Isaiah Berlin on the title Two Concepts of Liberty . Berlin arrives at a point that defines human beings not as individuals, but as social beings.  All humanity is related.  This concept reminds me of a [...]

Wondering

Why is it that beautiful things are so regenerative? And why do we always want to “change the world” is some silly abstract way, when simply tending it is all we need to do?

Gregory Wolfe On Art and Culture

One of the best interviews I’ve read on the place of conservatism and its approach to our culture: Jeremy Beer interviews Gregroy Wolfe of Image magazine. Please read this. An excerpt: I am not about to say that things haven’t gotten bad in Western civilization over the last 100 years, but on the other hand, one [...]

Why write?

Writing is only incidentally a way of telling others what you think. Its first use is for the making of what you think, for the discovery of understanding, an act that happens only in language. Richard Mitchell, The Gift of Fire, P. 11

Non-Pareil again

This one is mild, but I haven’t provided a non-pareil for a while. Here’s the latest. Can you tell what’s wrong with this sentence from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sports page? He used free agency to sign defensive tackle Santana Dotson, kick returner Desmond Howard, wideout Don Beebe, left tackle Bruce Wilkerson, linebacker Ron Cox [...]

Why Language Matters

Failures of understanding… always take the form of bad language. Just as there is nothing but language in which to make sense, there is nothing but language in which to make nonsense. Richard Mitchell: The Gift of Fire, p. 11