Promiscuous Disgust

by Peter J. Leithart

Disgust is universal. What disgusts is culturally variable. Continue Reading »

28 Oct 2014

Platonic Purification

by Peter J. Leithart

Socrates was as purity-obsessed as your average taboo-haunted tribesman. Continue Reading »

9 Jul 2014

Philosophy and Purity

by Peter J. Leithart

For many, philosophy is a process of purification in preparation for death. Continue Reading »

8 Jul 2014

Aporia of Purity

by Peter J. Leithart

For ancient Mesopotamians, life itself was the cause of impurity. Continue Reading »

13 Jun 2014

No Pure Purity

by Peter J. Leithart

No purity system is purely about purity. Continue Reading »

12 Jun 2014

Presiding at Death

by Peter J. Leithart

In his masterful study of ancient Greek Miasma, Robert Parker notes death was intensely defiling: “Extramural burial was the norm in almost all classical Greek cities. It would be shocking to mingle the dwellings of the dead with those of the living, still more with those of the . . . . Continue Reading »

1 Apr 2014

Fruitful Cut

by Peter J. Leithart

Howard Eilberg-Schwartz (The Savage in Judaism) traces most every form of impurity in ancient Israel back to issues of fertility. I don’t buy that overall, and he recognizes that it can’t cover everything (see his discussion of menstruation. 177-94, where he uncovers several overlapping . . . . Continue Reading »

28 Mar 2014