Category Archives: Philosophy

Looking Up Instead of Down

Posted on Monday 19 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Two pieces today about how humanity is progressing, in its understanding of the world and in its social progress, rather than regressing, as conservative movements around the world are striving to do. Richard Dawkins on science as a jewel in … Continue reading →

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The True and the Real

Posted on Sunday 11 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

About the difference between “true” and “real” and recalling Delany’s DHALGREN; An essay about the reality of mathematics, and whether math implies God. Years ago there was a novel — it was Samuel R. Delany’s 1975 novel DHALGREN — that … Continue reading →

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Items about Science, Math, and Philosophy

Posted on Thursday 8 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

There are always looking glass items, as I described topics in yesterday’s post, but for today let’s look at more substantial items. It’s been 100 years since Hubble discovered that our own galaxy wasn’t the entirety of the universe; Steven … Continue reading →

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Bertrand Russell, THE PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHY

Posted on Tuesday 6 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

This is the third of three short books about philosophy that I read in January. It’s as unlike the other two as those two were unlike each other. (Oxford University Press, 167pp, first published 1912, paperback edition 1959, edition shown … Continue reading →

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Stalwarts? Traditionalists? Tribalists? Cultists? Some Evidence

Posted on Monday 5 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

First, I’d thought to post a summary review of the third short philosophy book I’ve read recently — Bertrand Russell’s THE PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHY — but as the day turned out, I had time only to do another round-up of … Continue reading →

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Will Durant, THE GREATEST MINDS AND IDEAS OF ALL TIME

Posted on Thursday 1 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

I’ve read three short books about philosophy recently; this is the second. Each is quite different from the others. If the first book (review here) was an overview focusing on the big questions that philosophy asks – What should we … Continue reading →

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Those Who Believe Things that Are Not True, and Those Who Try Not To

Posted on Tuesday 30 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

There’s a spectrum of people from those who settle into narratives, believing things that are not true, and those who try to escape those narratives and try to perceive the real world; Paul Krugman on how MAGA is not grounded … Continue reading →

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Edward Craig: PHILOSOPHY: A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION

Posted on Thursday 25 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Proceeding with my foray into philosophy a bit discursively — not yet one of the big histories — I begin with the ‘very short introduction’ I displayed in my initial philosophy post back on 12 January. This is a volume … Continue reading →

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Einstein’s Rules; Arranging Books; Who Owns the Moon

Posted on Wednesday 17 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Today let’s do three substantial topics, and push items about politics and religion to the end. To the fringe. Einstein’s 7 rules for a better life; A peculiar Guardian article about arranging “curated” books; Adam Lee on religious taboos and … Continue reading →

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Backing Into Philosophy: Stipulations

Posted on Friday 12 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

I do have another batch of links about current events, but I’ll save them for this weekend and instead spend tonight’s blog post jotting down thoughts about philosophy. I mentioned back on Jan 6th that one of my resolutions for … Continue reading →

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