Monthly Archives: September 2011

Language

Posted on September 26, 2011 by

Re-reading a chapter of Herbert McCabe’s ‘On Aquinas’ last night, the outline of a new understanding emerged from the complex conceptual haze of the ‘philosophy of language’. Language is the means through which we transcend individual experience and share our … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristotle, Language, Life, Philosophy, Psychology | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Shame There

Posted on September 25, 2011 by

Does seeing cruelty make us more or less likely to engage in it? Catalunya has just banned bullfights. But I saw one in Colombia nearly 20 years ago and felt I could see the nobility in it which Hemingway describes … Continue reading →

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Veni, Vidi, Amici

Posted on September 24, 2011 by

As I get on in life, I get to spend time with some interesting, clever people. But they can come with sizeable egos. And that can translate into ‘High Status Behaviours’. That’s not necessarily a problem. ‘Happy High Status’ is … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristotle, Ethics, Life, Philosophy, Truisms, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Five Minutes

Posted on September 21, 2011 by

What is time? Judging by my day today, five minutes is the difference between happy and sad, frustration, tears, pressure in the chest cavity and making it just in time – or just too late. As Kierkegaard said, the demands … Continue reading →

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Sacre Bleu

Posted on September 19, 2011 by

A splendid weekend en famille à Paris was marred only by two extraordinarily slooowly served meals. I’d write Zzzzz. But with four children, from 4 to 8 years old, over an hour of waiting – each time – for any … Continue reading →

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Character Forming

Posted on September 15, 2011 by

I read an interesting article in my old favourite the New Scientist this week. I’ve been ploughing through some accumulated backnumbers, the magazine having recently been forcibly rehabilitated as a format, after the missus trod on my Kindle and bust … Continue reading →

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The Eaves

Posted on September 11, 2011 by

Cycling to work every day I get a regular soaking. Decent waterproofs help. But there are days, when looking out of the kitchen window, I don’t fancy it much. A number of years ago in the book ‘Angry White Pyjamas’ … Continue reading →

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Sock Drawer

Posted on September 7, 2011 by

In a brief moment of peace this morning – as newly shod children ran from the house with their mother – I wedged in a bit of Aristotle. Via dailylit.com, I opened a couple of chapters of ‘On Poetics’, including … Continue reading →

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Luke Skywalker

Posted on September 3, 2011 by

I read a survey in the week which said 70% of grandparents think their children are too soft in disciplining their kids. I spoke to a grandmother at work about it and she laughed but agreed. She said her grandson … Continue reading →

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