Diary

Because our modern imaginations have lost the ability to perceive the life animating the earth and wider cosmos, our built environment has been designed without life in mind.

June 8, 2016 Art, Design, Ecology, Economics, Philosophy

“It is evident that the more complex organisms have not evolved simply by adapting themselves to the environment. Instead, according to Whitehead, “the upward trend has been accompanied by a growth of the converse relation. Animals have progressively undertaken the task of adapting the environment to themselves.”[9] The primary evolutionary function of Reason is thus…

Being Erased from History: Legacy, Moral-Nihilism, and Boardwalk Empire

June 7, 2016 Art, media, Philosophy, Thoughts

“It’s terrifying to me, certainly, one of the great things about being a writer in this business for me, is you can leave your work behind and people can see it. The idea of being erased from history is scary to me.” — Terence Winter, Creator of Boardwalk Empire I was very late on the…

Different in Degree Not Kind: Nature, Knowing, and Experience

May 31, 2016 Art, Philosophy, Theory, Thoughts

“So long as I myself am identical with Nature, I understand what a living nature is as well as I understand my own life…As soon, however, as I separate myself, and with me everything ideal from nature, nothing remains to me but a dead object, and I cease to comprehend how a life outside me…

Why does the “soul” have to be such a confusing “thing?”

May 26, 2016 Christianity, Philosophy, Theology, Thoughts

“The soul is nothing else than the succession of my occasions of experience, extending from birth to the present moment.” —Whitehead Talking about the soul is confusing. I believe my earliest understanding of the soul was instilled in me by my mother at a fairly young age. Hers was a very Jewish understanding of the…

More on Satan, Evil, and Spiritual Warfare

May 18, 2016 Christianity, integral theory, Philosophy, Psychology, Science, Theology, Thoughts

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” — Isaiah 45:7 I’ve been listening and reading a lot about the Devil in relation to Christian theology lately. Yesterday I listened to the “Devilpalooza” episode of Homebrewed Christianity which featured Richard Beck talking about…

Devils, Demons, Angels, Spirits, Enchantment, Disenchantment and Scooby Doo!

May 13, 2016 Christianity, Psychology, Theology, Thoughts

“At the center of the new philosophy of nature that emerged victorious in the 17th century was a mechanistic doctrine of nature. This position was, in fact, often referred to as the “new mechanical philosophy.” This view of nature had two fundamental dimensions, both of which exemplified the demand that all “occult” qualities and powers…

Participation Trophies, Entitlement, Millennials, Soteriology and Outcomes vs. Process

May 11, 2016 Christianity, Philosophy, Psychology, Theory, Thoughts

“Adults may feel that praising children for their inherent qualities helps combat low self-esteem, but it might convey to children that they are valued as a person only when they succeed. When children subsequently fail, they may infer they are unworthy.” – Eddie Brummelman I recently listened to an episode of Homebrewed Christianity in which…

Can science eventually “explain everything?”

May 9, 2016 Art, Philosophy, Science, Theology, Thoughts

1. Nature is mechanical. 2. Matter is unconscious. 3. Laws of nature are fixed. 4. Total amount of matter and energy are always the same. 5. Nature is purposeless. 6. Biological inheritance is material. 7. Memories are stored as material traces. 8. Mind is in the brain. 9. Telepathy and other psychic phenomena are illusory….

Trump: The Most Effective Ringmaster?

May 4, 2016 Current Events

“A cartoon character, a literal professional wrestling contestant, is one economic downturn or one scandal away from becoming the president.” Great post here by Adam Kotsko (quoted above) about Trump. I’ve got to say I’m largely of the same mind. Reading it, however, a scary thought crossed my mind: First, I read this in Adams’…

White Guys, Gods, and Guns

April 27, 2016 Christianity, Current Events, Politics, Theology, Thoughts

“Either God is identified with the oppressed to the point that their experience becomes God’s experience, or God is a God of racism.” —James Cone, A Black Theology of Liberation I’ve recently been thinking about the connections between beliefs about God, guns/killing, and privilege/power. My views on guns/non-violence/killing humans have changed quite a bit over…