Maverick Philosopher

Footnotes to Plato from the foothills of the Superstition Mountains

Category: Varia

  • Jack Ruby’s Carousel Club

    John Fitzgerald Kennedy was shot down in the streets of Dallas, Texas on this day in 1963.  Yes, I remember exactly where I was and exactly what I was doing when I heard the news.  But I won't bore you with that. Here are Part One and Part Two of a couple of interesting video…

  • There is no God but God and ‘Coffee’ is His Name

    Image taken from Appeared-to-Blogly, the proprietor of which states that the two loves of his life are coffee and books.  For expressing that sentiment alone, he deserves and receives a link.

  • Listen Up, Boomers: The Backlash Has Begun

    Walter Russell Mead is talkin' 'bout our generation.

  • Son of Atheist Neo-Positivist David Stove Converts to Catholicism

    A very interesting counterexample (or exception?) to "Like father, like son." (Memo to self: Write a post on the difference between exceptions and counterexamples.)  Via Feser. I feel moved to comment on parts of R. J. Stove's statement.  Maybe later.  But at the moment I am more strongly drawn to the pleasures of the mountain…

  • Examples of Outfits Not to Join

    "Study everything, join nothing."  I am sometimes asked for examples.  Here are some from Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary under the entry Regalia. (Borrowed from Gilleland the Erudite): . . . Knights of Adam; Visionaries of Detectable Bosh; the Ancient Order of Modern Troglodytes; the League of Holy Humbug; the Golden Phalanx of Phalangers; the Genteel…

  • Autonomy and Automobility

    Read it.

  • Phone Phools

    Here are my two favorite examples of telephonic foolishness. 1. Leaving a message on the wrong answering machine. This has happened more than once. One time, a guy calls and hears our message: "This is Bill and Mary. We are either unable or unwilling to come to the phone at this time. Please leave a…

  • If You Come to a Fork in the Road . . .

    . . . take it.  (Yogi Berra)  

  • Dawkins Among the Cyberpunks

    Here.  I almost feel sorry for the guy.

  • Time to Fire Up the BBQ

    But before I do, I'll wish my American readers a happy and healthy Fourth of July to the strains of Johnny Horton's The Battle of New Orleans.

  • Ed Feser is Productive in More Ways Than One

    Congratulations!

  • Survivalism

    Almost anything can be made into a 'religion.'  (I am using the term very loosely!)  Survivalism, for example.  See J. W. Rawles' SurvivalBlog.com for a taste.  This post provides some insight into the mentality of a distaff survivalist.  It is quite revealing, I think, of both the 'logic' and the propensity for extremism of the…

  • In Defense of Eclecticism

    From an English reader: The extraordinary eclecticism of the Maverick Philosopher blog has struck me with unusual force just recently. This diversity of interest  is what keeps me reading – though sometimes I stare at your commentaries in ignorant awe. I'll never get up to speed with many of your discussions, and give up on…

  • Keep the Lights On!

    Celebrate Human Achievement Hour 2011 from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM today.

  • From the Inside of a Fortune Cookie

    "Mental activity keeps you busy at this time."  Only at this time? "All happiness is in the mind."  This is an example of a half-truth the believing of which is pragmatically very useful. "If you chase two rabbits, both will escape."  Reminds me of the Lovin' Spoonful tune Did You Ever Have to Make Up…