Boredom and Ennui
Notwithstanding Valentine’s, there’s not much to be said for February other than that it’s short. February is boring. Boring. So, let’s talk about boredom. That boredom is…
Recovering Lincoln’s Ancient Faith
Abraham Lincoln, Philosopher Statesman. Joseph R. Fornieri. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2014. When Abraham Lincoln died the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, is reported…
Plato’s Pupil: James M. Rhodes (February 24, 1940-January 23, 2015)
When I received an email from Maria McMahon about her father’s death, I was both shocked and sadden by the news, as I had no indication that…
James Rhodes, Teacher, and Scholar (February 24, 1940-January 23, 2015)
James Rhodes was a man of unfailing humor and boundless affection for others, especially his students, to whom he shared, over the years, his wonderment and respect…
Mikhail Shishkin’s Maidenhair: God of Life
On first reading, Maidenhair stymies the reader, but in a good way for it challenges the reader to engage itself. Since Maidenhair is like a whirling merry-go-round…
Tilo Schabert and the Primacy of Persons in Politics
The Primacy of Persons in Politics: Empiricism & Political Philosophy. John von Heyking and Thomas Heilke, eds. Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 2013. This…
Remembrance of Things Past
In 1943 I had arrived at a dead end in my attempts to find a theory of man, society, and history that would permit an adequate interpretation…