Meaning and Reality I am going to drill right into the heart of twentieth-century analytical philosophy, which includes its antecedents going back at least to the seventeenth century. This will be a major operation: the body of philosophy will be laid open on the operating table. I will not be pussyfooting around. The question is […]
Hospital Grammar I went to the hospital yesterday for my yearly check-up with my head and neck surgeon, Dr. Civantos. I waited awhile reading The Naked Ape. Eventually he came in and remarked how well I looked (this is good to hear from a cancer doctor). He had operated on me for twelve hours over […]
Our Generations I’m going to be talking about them. Yesterday I was hitting against the wall, as I do nearly every day. I was hitting pretty good, despite what people might say who want to put us down. I wasn’t hoping I would die before I get old. Next to me a young lad was […]
Existence and Essence Essence is usually defined in terms of existence: an essential property is one without which the object could not exist. For example, water couldn’t exist without being H2O and Aristotle couldn’t exist without being human. A contingent or accidental property is one that is not required for the object’s existence—for example, water […]
My Left Hand Readers will want to know how my left hand is doing these days. Thanks for asking. It’s a very interesting question. My left hand is in a period of transition. Its knife throwing ability is making steady progress—getting harder and faster all the time (though still sometimes missing). It keeps on surprising […]
Becoming and Identity What is the relationship between the acorn and the tree it becomes? They look very different and one is much bigger than the other. An acorn isn’t a tree and a tree isn’t an acorn. Yet some maintain an identity between them: acorn and tree are literally one and the same (numerically). […]
From me to Jennifer Hudin: I feel I haven’t insulted American philosophers enough. Perhaps we should do a joint insult. Colin Her reply: Would love to insult American Philosophers. I was planning to do so at the memorial. And you are right. It is American philosophers who are the worst offenders. Jennifer I edited […]
Bread Philosophy What do fire, metamorphosis, and bread have on common? Transformation. One thing becomes another thing—a better thing. Potential is unlocked; the hidden is made manifest. Nature performs miracles. Water becomes wine. Bread is made from just water and flour aided by a transformative agent (yeast). Every culture has it, but it was a […]
Existence, Essence, and Time The traditional view was that essence precedes existence: things have essences before they come to exist. This makes sense if the thing in question is designed: the designer has its essence in mind before he makes it, e.g., a carpenter making a table. It also makes sense if there is no […]
Thumb Fretting As dedicated readers know, I am all about the hand. Lately, my left hand has been impressing me mightily: it has been throwing knives with confidence and panache; it has really come into its own on the tennis backhand; and its fingers have been performing nimbly on the guitar. Even my left baby […]