Philosophy
Today is my birthday and it is fun to look at all of the greetings on Facebook from folks I've known over the entire range of my life. Some who know me only as a graying department chair and others who knew me as a member of the red group in Wellwood Elementary, and every phase in between. Seeing the mix of folks from all of the different places and stages and reflecting on who it is to whom they think they are sending birthday greetings, it does make you wonder if they are all going to the same person.
If you look at the evolutionary development of a given type of animal, there are points along the line that we designate as different species. They are related, but they are signified as different even though they are all points along the same developmental history. In the same way, as we trace our own timelines, are there spots where we say "that was a different person"? We have memories that span the time, more or less. Does that give individuals a unity that species don't have? Is it something else? Am I the same person I was then -- whenever then happens to be?
- Fricking Fracking Fixtures
Two questions from Michael Schmidt. First, "Frack" a suitable substitute for the expletive "fuck," and "frickin'" (or "frikkin'") is a suitable substitute for the participle "fuckin'". Why, then, is "frick" rarely used as a substitute...
- Are Friends Necessary?
Having friends is a wonderful thing. No one would deny that. But is having friends necessary for a well-lived human life? Could you have a full and satisfying life without friends. The question does not ask whether one could be a happy...
- Historians, Archaeologists, And Scientists
Are historians scientists? They frame hypotheses about the causes and effects of real events and use empirical evidence to support their accounts. But they don't do not look for regularities to make into laws; to the contrary, they account...
- Grammar Curmudeons
Had a student ask yesterday about grammatical pet peeves. His was "irregardless." My big three are: 1) "Quote" used for "quotation." Quote is a verb. You quote someone. What you write down is not a quote, but a quotation. ...
- Presidential Age Limit
On the heels of the Iowa caucus, let's ask about the requirements to be President of the United States. It is written into the second article of the Constitution that to be eligible for the position, one must be thirty five years old. ...
Philosophy
Continuity of Self
Today is my birthday and it is fun to look at all of the greetings on Facebook from folks I've known over the entire range of my life. Some who know me only as a graying department chair and others who knew me as a member of the red group in Wellwood Elementary, and every phase in between. Seeing the mix of folks from all of the different places and stages and reflecting on who it is to whom they think they are sending birthday greetings, it does make you wonder if they are all going to the same person.
If you look at the evolutionary development of a given type of animal, there are points along the line that we designate as different species. They are related, but they are signified as different even though they are all points along the same developmental history. In the same way, as we trace our own timelines, are there spots where we say "that was a different person"? We have memories that span the time, more or less. Does that give individuals a unity that species don't have? Is it something else? Am I the same person I was then -- whenever then happens to be?
- Fricking Fracking Fixtures
Two questions from Michael Schmidt. First, "Frack" a suitable substitute for the expletive "fuck," and "frickin'" (or "frikkin'") is a suitable substitute for the participle "fuckin'". Why, then, is "frick" rarely used as a substitute...
- Are Friends Necessary?
Having friends is a wonderful thing. No one would deny that. But is having friends necessary for a well-lived human life? Could you have a full and satisfying life without friends. The question does not ask whether one could be a happy...
- Historians, Archaeologists, And Scientists
Are historians scientists? They frame hypotheses about the causes and effects of real events and use empirical evidence to support their accounts. But they don't do not look for regularities to make into laws; to the contrary, they account...
- Grammar Curmudeons
Had a student ask yesterday about grammatical pet peeves. His was "irregardless." My big three are: 1) "Quote" used for "quotation." Quote is a verb. You quote someone. What you write down is not a quote, but a quotation. ...
- Presidential Age Limit
On the heels of the Iowa caucus, let's ask about the requirements to be President of the United States. It is written into the second article of the Constitution that to be eligible for the position, one must be thirty five years old. ...