Enjoying the view from Limbo
An example of the sanguine temperament. — Modern psychology likes to look back at the classical Greek theory of the four humors, and the development of that hypothesis by the Peripatetics, and later Galen, into a psycho-physiological account of temperament, with bemused condescension. Our knowers are wont to say, “Though of course no one takes the humors theory seriously anymore, it is nevertheless...
Things have become quite awkward today for Americans inclined to inquire freely into issues of moral and politico-economic propriety, or historical justice. Even asking the wrong question, apart from leaning toward any particular answer, can place one at risk of public “cancellation,” unemployment, or being lambasted by a late-night television comedian. As a public service of sorts, then, let us take a few...
Perhaps the most interesting and insightful observation made by any academically respected modern psychologist comes from Hans Eysenck, the creator of the oversimplifying and all too social-scientific Eysenck Personality Inventory, regarding the temperament the social scientists simplify as “introversion.” The introvert, he noted, is often misunderstood as a person who dislikes social stimulation, in contrast to the extravert, who enjoys it. On the...
As the city aggrandizes itself, it carelessly obliterates the night sky. On the clearest night these days, no more than a few stars are visible from my neighborhood. Artificial light spreads and engulfs all with its perpetual gaudy clarity, hiding the natural obscurity that once provided the divine backdrop highlighting the distant presence of the most ancient light, thus serving as man’s daily...
A few minutes ago, about 6:40am Korea Time, I opened the internet on my computer, which automatically directed me to my MSN homepage, where I was greeted by this top headline: “Model lowers death projection as more wear masks.” My first thought was, “That is not a news headline, but a propaganda slogan, revealing yet again how thoroughly in the tank for the...
Donald Trump called Anthony Fauci “a bit of an alarmist” about the coronavirus pandemic. Fauci denied being an alarmist, and insisted he is merely a realist.
This is important news because…
Correcting a common misconception among modern conservatives.– The problem with those who imagine they can perfect humans through what they (somewhat euphemistically) call “social change” is not that they hope for perfection, but that they presume they themselves possess perfect knowledge of perfection, and even of how to create it.
Plato’s allegory of the cave (Republic, Bk. VII) is the most memorable and detailed presentation of a belief that was essentially shared by classical thinkers in general, namely that a societally constructed view of reality is a necessary condition of life for all humans, although a minority of men may gradually, through a painful process of spiritual reorientation, begin to find their way...
This is actually not a reply but more like Mayday. Be, it surely is a familiar word, but I’ve never met such a confusing one before. Even though it is not too much to say that “be” is the most common verb, it is extremely difficult to understand the meaning of the word. Be, exist, being, existence, property, essence…
It is admirable that they realized the importance of invisible but existent things and studied them this deeply, and it is surprising that my question was the one that drove metaphysics in the beginning! It feels like I’ve arrived at a strange place after wandering around here and there. You mentioned “metaphysics studies Being Itself, independently of any specific case or type,” and…
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