The opening pages of Outline of a Theory of Practice (Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology) (pp. 1-9) are a brilliant reflection on theory formation. Pierre Bourdieu examines the “theoretical distortion” that get embedded in social science, especially anthropology, when . . . . Continue Reading »
In a 1993 article in the Intercollegiate Studies Review , Mark Henrie appeals to Alexander Kojeve to argue that “the differences between social democracy and American liberty are not as great as they may at first appear.” Kojeve also, he says, captures something “which has . . . . Continue Reading »
A couple of days ago, I posted a tweet suggesting that the most basic constituents of reality may not be fixed unchanging bits of stuff but sequences of actions, events. (It was more concise when I tweeted it.) Bryan Johnson wrote to say explicitly what I vaguely knew: “your description of . . . . Continue Reading »
Plato worried that writing would spoil memory. He should not have. Jack Goody has found that verbatim memorization only appears in literate societies. As summarized by Ian Morris in 1 1986 Classical Antiquity article, Goody concluded that “It is only when mnemonic devices drawn from writing . . . . Continue Reading »
Perry Hall offers this intriguing analysis of the chiastic relationship between the prophecy of the servant (Isaiah 42) and the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3): A - “This is My Servant; I strengthen Him, this is My Chosen One; I delight in Him (Is.42:1a). B - “I have put My Spirit on . . . . Continue Reading »
Mike Bull responds to my recent posts and tweets on the tabernacle furniture and the faces of the cherubim with a riff of his own, reflecting themes he develops at more length in volume III of his Bible Matrix , which will be entitled The House of God . The remainder of this post is from Mike: . . . . Continue Reading »
John Paul also ( Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology Of The Body , p. 161 ) notes that Adam reacts to the appearance of Eve with the first expression of joy: “For the first time, the man (male) shows joy and even exultation, for which he had no reason before, due to the lack of a being . . . . Continue Reading »
John Paul II offers these observations on Genesis 2’s account of the creation of Eve ( Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology Of The Body , p. 160): “‘Bone from my bones’ can . . . be understood in the relational sense, like ‘being from being.’ ‘Flesh . . . . Continue Reading »
My tribute to the late Ray Bradbury is up at http://www.firstthings.com/ this morning. . . . . Continue Reading »
Thanksgiving was clearly a part of the liturgical life of the early Christians. In talking about tongues, Paul says that one who does not know the tongue cannot join in the “Amen” at the eucharistia , since he cannot understand what has been said (1 Corinthians 14:16). Paul uses the . . . . Continue Reading »
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