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Some worthwhile items, for those having the time and interest

Good Reading

Musings About Society

"Fortress Theology and the Mirage of Paradox," Michael Bauman

Bauman writes about theology here, but his message is about truth-seeking habits in general. (long)

"Art and Society," Clive Bell (last chapter of Art)

Bell offers thoughts on art's societal function and effect. (long)

"OK Computer?", Jennifer Berger

An observation that maybe less people would hate computers if more people used Macs. (short)

"Is Google Making Us Stupid?", Nicholas Carr

Carr discusses the influence of technologies on the mental workings of people, arguing that such influential effects need to be recognized. (medium)

"Have We Entered a Post-literate Technological Age?", Adam C. Engst

Engst identifies a seemingly-increasing inability of people to talk about the technology they use, and he analyzes it and wonders at its consequences. (medium)

The Gift of Fire, Richard Mitchell

The book looks at thinking, with Mitchell offering what better thinking might look like. The focus is on good education--not of groups, but of individuals.

"If At First You Don't Succeed--Quit!", Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss makes an observation and suggestion. (short)

"Pearls Before Breakfast," Gene Weingarten

What would happen if Joshua Bell played as an unknown street musician in Washington D. C.? Here's an answer, with some ruminations along the way. (long)

Philosophy

"Must God Create the Best?" Robert M. Adams

Adams argues that the traditional Judeo-Christian conception of God does not require that God create the best of all worlds, that "even if there is a best among possible worlds, God could create another instead of it, and still be perfectly good." (long)

"Analytic Philosophy and the Nature of Thought," Lawrence BonJour

BonJour criticizes the linguistic or symbolic conception of thought, arguing that separate conclusions of Quine, Putnam, and Dummett are absurd and function as reductio ab absurdums against the linguistic conception of thought. He suggests that rejecting such a conception would have a dramatic effect on current philosophy.

"God or Blind Nature?" ed. Paul Draper

Some contemporary philosophers write back-and-forth articles on several issues relating to the question of God's existence.

"Giving Dualism Its Due," William G. Lycan

Lycan argues that, although substance dualism is implausible, it is not irrational. (long)

"Pessimsim versus Existentialism," Robert Solomon

Solomon contends that existentialism does not deserve it gloomy image. (medium)

"Why Philosophy of Art Cannot Handle Kissing, Touching, and Crying," Nicholas Wolterstorff

Wolterstorff argues that a proper philosophy of art must account for all the various ways in which art has meaningfully appeared in people's lives throughout cultures and time. Along the way, he offers some characterizations of analytic-style philosophy. (long)

Religion

"Did My Neurons Make Me Do It?", Warren S. Brown

Brown emphasizes the importance of community while taking apart Descartes's conception of the soul: Christians should not believe that people are nothing but self-individuated souls. (long)

"Preaching Hell in a Tolerant Age," Tim Keller

Keller clarifies the Christian doctrine of hell. (medium)

"Teaching a Calvinist to Dance," James K. A. Smith

Smith explains how being Pentecostal and being Reformed go hand in hand. (medium)

"The social construction of nature," J.D. Walters

Walters surveys John Oman's take on the idea of neutral explanation in religion and science. (short)