Andrew Jason Cohen has written and important book. While I will not quibble over issues of toleration and the metaphysical dilemma of universalism or monism vs. pluralism—wherein the liberal philosophical tradition while advocating “toleration” endorses metaphysical monism—Cohen’s “reappraisal” of liberalism as a philosophy promoting freedom from harm is not so much new as it is … Continue reading Freedom from Harm: Andrew Jason Cohen’s “Liberalism Reconceived”
Literary Tales Ep. 4: Homer’s Iliad as a Love Epic
In this lecture of Literary Tales we examine Homer's Iliad as a monumental shift away from the purely strife-filled cosmos of Hesiod as he opens the door to love as a new governing force in the cosmos. This lecture is a concise summation of the Iliad with a focus on the characters and imagery as … Continue reading Literary Tales Ep. 4: Homer’s Iliad as a Love Epic
Marx’s “On the Jewish Question”
Karl Marx’s essay “On the Jewish Question,” at the face of it, seems like a typical anti-Semitic piece of writing where Marx decried the god of the Jews as the idol of mammon. However, the essay is of political importance as it details several noticeable things about Marx’s political thought. First is his assertion that … Continue reading Marx’s “On the Jewish Question”
Augustine and the Politics of Love
Augustine’s recognition of the lust to dominate and how it veils itself in concepts like “glory,” “honor,” and “nobility” are as relevant today as in his own time. Augustine’s deconstruction of Romanitas was done to offer all the people of Rome a greater project in its place. How often do we hear, like the Roman … Continue reading Augustine and the Politics of Love
Literary Tales Ep. 3: Greek Theogony and Theodicy
In this episode of Literary Tales, we examine the dialectical development of Greek theogony and theodicy from Hesiod and Homer down through Pseudo-Apollodorus with concluding remarks on this tradition's supersession by Virgil. In starting from Hesiod's Theogony and exploring the role of the gods, their birth and divine decrees, through Homer and the Bibliotheca, I … Continue reading Literary Tales Ep. 3: Greek Theogony and Theodicy
Literary Tales Ep. 2: Sex, Civilization, and the Epic of Gilgamesh
In our concluding lecture on the Epic of Gilgamesh we explore the person of Enkidu and the roles of sex, marriage, and friendship in the formation of civilization. This lecture includes commentary on Aristotle, Catholic sexual ethics, and Camille Paglia to help shed insight into the perplexing and most interesting character of the Sumerian epic: … Continue reading Literary Tales Ep. 2: Sex, Civilization, and the Epic of Gilgamesh
Karl Marx’s Dialectical Historicism
One of the core elements to Karl Marx’s philosophy was his dialectical materialism and historicism, which come together in his dialectical historicism. Most people are probably familiar with it. There are five distinct stages (or epochs) of history: slavery, feudalism, capitalism, socialism, and communism. But the movement of history is not linear-progressive, it is cyclical; … Continue reading Karl Marx’s Dialectical Historicism
Literary Tales Ep. 1: The Epic of Gilgamesh
In the inaugural lecture of our literary tales podcast, we explore the Epic of Gilgamesh as the great epic that captures that moment of humanity's grand transformation from hunter gatherer to settled man with the birth of consciousness capturing the pivotal moment of the Neolithic Revolution. In this lecture I discuss Gilgamesh as the Hegelian … Continue reading Literary Tales Ep. 1: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Virgil’s Use of Consciousness, Memory, and History in “The Aeneid”
The grandest image of Virgil’s Aeneid is the shield forged by the god Vulcan in the eighth book of Aeneas’ adventure to “Lavinian shores and Italian soil.” Virgil pays homage to Homer, his master and mentor, who also describes a grand image on a shield forged by the gods for Achilles. But where Achilles’ shield … Continue reading Virgil’s Use of Consciousness, Memory, and History in “The Aeneid”
Shakespeare: Between Politics and Love
These are two recent essays of mine on the immortal bard from Stratford-upon-Avon. I examine the theme of politics and love in Antony and Cleopatra in the first essay, and I examine the theme of politics and love in the general scope of Shakespearean tragedy in the second. The first essay was published as part … Continue reading Shakespeare: Between Politics and Love
