tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post1332927845485512178..comments2024-03-29T03:19:09.227-04:00Comments on The Philosopher's Stone: ENOUGH IS ENOUGHRobert Paul Wolffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-42387534067546882822012-03-15T12:54:15.418-04:002012-03-15T12:54:15.418-04:00Yes, that's me. I'm trying to write it up ...Yes, that's me. I'm trying to write it up at the moment (and feeling a bit frustrated about it at the moment!). It's very gratifying that the topic has interest for people outside my field though.Joseph Streeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09063000313935445659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-72450765868268093522012-03-13T22:56:11.504-04:002012-03-13T22:56:11.504-04:00Are you the DPhil dissertation student in ancient ...Are you the DPhil dissertation student in ancient history at Oxford? If so, your dissertation topic sounds quite interesting.Robert Paul Wolffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-80734321348990829542012-03-13T17:08:58.408-04:002012-03-13T17:08:58.408-04:00Thanks. The discussion in the LRB was prompted by...Thanks. The discussion in the LRB was prompted by a review of John Hall's recent biography of Gellner, which apparently does not mention his politics very much (at least, not his particular political allegiances). The reviewer suggested that Gellner probably supported the Harold Wilson government of the 1960s, but that he turned to the right in the 1970s. You may well have read it already, but the review and subsequent letters are here: <br />http://www.lrb.co.uk/v33/n11/stefan-collini/whats-not-to-likeJoseph Streeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09063000313935445659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-42431092526568661642012-03-13T15:33:59.014-04:002012-03-13T15:33:59.014-04:00Dear Mr. Streeter, I honestly have no recollectio...Dear Mr. Streeter, I honestly have no recollection, but given my own politics, I think I would have remembered if he was not supporting Labour. If I am not mistaken, he moved somewhat to the right in later years, But that may be wrong.Robert Paul Wolffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-8439993669199047132012-03-13T09:54:19.578-04:002012-03-13T09:54:19.578-04:00Our of curiosity, which party was Ernest Gellner s...Our of curiosity, which party was Ernest Gellner supporting in the 1966 British election? There was a discussion about his political leanings in the letters page of the LRB quite recently.Joseph Streeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09063000313935445659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-65584091029519201222012-03-09T18:15:37.899-05:002012-03-09T18:15:37.899-05:00It is so damned annoying that the Republicans won&...It is so damned annoying that the Republicans won't just get out of the way and let Obama continue ordering the murder of children, threatening war with Iran, and forcing all U.S. citizens to purchase insurance products from private health care conglomerates. <br /><br />Those dangerous clowns!High Arkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14723123626955733759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-64035153907550664542012-03-07T12:48:51.130-05:002012-03-07T12:48:51.130-05:00I've put the Callicles comment in perspective ...I've put the Callicles comment in perspective as explaining the unique perspectives of youth and his or her introduction to philosophy being a means of entering adulthood. My explanation must necessarily be in song this time, and in this case, through a folk song. <br /><br />I'll let Judy Collins introduce the concept as she explains the song and its words Pete Seeger: <br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP3spauYdxs<br /><br />full text of the song by its writer at this link: <br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTdZHC4McRU<br /><br />I therefore introduce the song to explain Callicles in that it explains that the teaching philosopher in all likelihood shatters the illusions of youth through his methods, yet it is one which is necessary for the youth to enter the world of adulthood. The songs portrays this necessary rite of passage as a sad, sentimental one. <br /><br />On the other hand, I would think the teacher would get a pass from Callicles. <br /><br />The adult gets a pass from me by anology from one of Dylan's other songs (from his acoustic period which I find to be virtually the only worthy one) and that song is "Forever Young". The antithesis would be a song from Ecclesiastes that Pete Seeger put to words "Turn, Turn, Turn" (to everything there is a season). <br /><br />In case you wanted an odd explanation but perhaps through a different path to the brain as a mechanism to put the quote from Callicles in a different perspective. If you choose to follow this explanation, enjoy the songs. They're quite short and their meaning is easy to get. Hopefully others can see the analogy.Superfluous Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14935534194246434873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-35532661833311273112012-03-07T11:36:35.899-05:002012-03-07T11:36:35.899-05:00I think he would consider us to be uttering large ...I think he would consider us to be uttering large and important speeches in the public space. I loe the passage because it always pulls me up short when I start congratulating myself on being a philosopher.Robert Paul Wolffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-10702240874971760642012-03-07T11:23:52.971-05:002012-03-07T11:23:52.971-05:00I wonder if Callicles would find any difference be...I wonder if Callicles would find any difference between old men prattling and lisping about philosophy and old men prattling and lisping about politics. <br /><br />Nothing personal intended insomuch as this question is coming from a (relatively) old man himself, who often finds himself often prattling and lisping about both, at least since I discovered this blog.Superfluous Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14935534194246434873noreply@blogger.com