[Cross-posted at Schools Matter.] I. Some time ago I wrote a piece noting how it seems autism is becoming a useful “disorder” to have. (I used the quotes for a reason which I hope becomes clear.) The post, “Autism: the next ‘specialty’ credential,” tried to create a kind of choral effect between an essay by [...]
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What is a Metaphysic?
Evolution may be considered as a fairly straightforward metaphysical theory with a long history which was not so much confirmed by the theory of natural selection as embarrassed by it. The difference between the two is indicated by the fact that Darwin himself did not use the word until the fifth edition of the Origin [...]
Lord of the Level Loadstone
Thou Vain Toy, Part II [ PDF Link ] How can we be done perspectivizing? Yesterday I offered a load of underlinings from an essay by Morse Peckham. As a kind of “proof” text I suggested Ahab’s smashing of his Quadrant as a stance against the “sight” heavenward rather than keeping one’s eyes “level” with the horizon [...]
Thou Vain Toy
For Bobby C., underlinings from an essay by Morse Peckham, “Man’s Use of Nature,” offering powder and ball to my NO! in thunder. And, perhaps as expected, Ahab will have the last word. *** An ideology explains the world, and justifies our behavior in it and towards it, and validates that behavior. An ideology tells [...]
Where Be Your Tygers?
Let this serve as a kind of literary addendum to yesterday’s post. And let us first mark out some territory. Perhaps there are two ways that humans MEAN as beings. 1. The animal that may become a god. 2. Animate matter that will decay. That’s broad, sure, and I know there are other ways to [...]
Minecraft, Or The Play’s the (Latest and Last) Thing
UPDATE: A Literary Addendum I know a boy who plays Minecraft somewhat as if it were his quest to reach the nirvana state that comes of internalizing the Jesus Prayer. I suppose he substitutes “Steve” for Jesus. I argue with him instead of taking away the laptop where he lives within this frame. However, you [...]
Evolving To Heavenly Host
This morning a friend shared a link with me regarding the “good” of science spending as measured against the “evil” of suffering (“With all the suffering…“). Basically, why spend money on “exploration” when so many are starving and dying? Spend money combating suffering instead of space exploration. As answer or justification for spending on science [...]
When I Was a Kid We Had to Call People
This is a guest post by Sarah, originally published on Hundred Moon. Yes, when I was a kid not only was Pluto a planet (my very educated mother just served us nine pies), but we had to pick up the phone and dial a string of 7 numbers that we had memorized to reach our friends. [...]
Anonymous Labor
To be read as postscript to “The Factory Store.” The Future (and Past) is Yours, Young Women! Brought to you by the Cook Group, owners of Bloomington, Indiana, and Ivy Tech, Cook’s publicly subsidized employee training center. Manufacturing Technician Manufacturing technicians are responsible for the manufacture and packaging of potential and existing products. They operate [...]
To Be a Man’s Man in a Man’s Machined World
Carrying Forward Joe’s Vision Mormon Scholars Testify–Todd Humphreys Why do I go to church? Why do I believe? Probably not for any reasons that would convince the skeptic. It’s easy to find the illogic and inconsistency in professions of faith. And a Mormon’s testimony, with its references not only to Jesus Christ as our resurrected [...]
