Month: August 2011
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On speculative philosophical biography: A conversation with Antonio Dias
On April 5, in a post on the work and life of the artist Eric Gill, I wrote that “philosophical biography is the study of how well a philosopher’s ideas are realized in his life, in the core of his being, in his thoughts, habits, and actions.” I suggested that speculative philosophical biography would thus be concerned with testing…
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On prescribing Aristotle: Show transcript and clarifications
Here’s a transcript of my live chat on philosophical counseling, “Prescribing Aristotle: Philosophical Counseling 101.” It is pared with the Washington Post story by Emily Wax,“Philosophical Counselors Rely on Eternal Wisdom of Great Thinkers.” — First off, thanks to Haley for guiding me through the chat. Thanks also to Emily for writing such a positive story…
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A few essays on philosophy as a way of life
We are entering an unsettled time when our previous ways of life have started to unravel but new ways of life have not taken root. The economy, civil society, the state, the family–all these are, in one way or another, undergoing world-historical changes. And these changes, in turn, are being reflected in our general uncertainty…
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3 jokes about Flaubert, Bergman, Ingmar, & dear hubris
Hugo and Flaubert are sitting down to lunch. They have been writing all day, and they’re meeting to report on their progress. Hugo says he’s just finished a chapter; he’s quite satisfied. Good day so far. Flaubert says he’s been wrestling with a comma. He’s decided to leave it in. Excellent thing. After lunch, they…
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The poet Mary Oliver on poetry and prose
The following is the Foreword, posted in its entirety, of Mary Oliver’s book, Long Life: Essays and Other Writing (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2004), xiii-xiv. Oliver, an American poet living in the Northeast, is the winner of the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Please enjoy. — I would rather write poems than prose,…
Andrew Taggart, Ph.D. 