Category: Uncategorized

• August 25, 2014

  A review of Chapter One of Sam Harris, Waking Up: Preliminary questions

  I recently read Chapter One of Sam Harris’s forthcoming book, Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion and found myself thinking, ‘This may not end up being an excellent book, but for all that it is an important and prescient one.’ (You can read Chapter One here on his website.) Harris’s principal question, which goes unstated…
• February 22, 2013

  Philosophical Improv no. 11: Virtues for Unsettled Time

  Since Episode 9 on self-surrender, we’ve been making the slow turn to Part III: the path of radiant living. In this episode, I discuss the four virtues (courage, patience, openness, and compassion) as well as the four vices (cowardice, hurriedness, closedness, and contempt) for unsettled time. This subject is explored at greater length in both…
• February 14, 2013

  Philosophical Improv no. 7: Our Unsettled Time

  In Episodes 1-6, I spoke about the nature of radiance. In this episode and in the next, I seek to show that radiance is the most excellent way of being for our time. In my forthcoming book, Radiance: An Essay for Unsettled Time, I discuss the important connection between goodness and beauty.
• February 6, 2013

  Philosophical Improv no. 4: Guidance Thesis

  In this video, I explore the thesis that the radiant figure is a guide for the pupil who longs to be a better person. In my forthcoming book, Radiance: An Essay for Unsettled Time, I discuss the important connection between goodness and beauty. To view other episodes in this series, you can visit my YouTube channel. I’m…
• January 10, 2012

  On lived logic and speculative philosophy

  The Stoics enjoined their pupils to live according to nature. The dictum, in essence, says that metaphysics is the way of ethics. If my way of my life is not in harmony with the way of the world, then I shall be overcome with strife, believing either in the power of my will to crush…