by W.D. James We are the Skyscraper Condemnation AffiliatesGod save Tudor houses, antique tables, and billiards Preserving the old ways from being abusedProtecting the new ways for me and for youWhat more can we do? We are the Village Green Preservation Societyi - The Kinks, The Village Green Preservation Society In the previous essay we … Continue reading The Structure of a Whole Life (Revolutionary Aristotelianism Part 5)
by W.D. James Riders on the storm Riders on the storm Into this house we're born Into this world we're thrown Like a dog without a bone An actor out on loan Riders on the stormi - Jim Morrison, Riders on the Storm In the lines above, Jim Morrison lyrically presents an ‘existentialist’ take on … Continue reading Modernity as Fragmentation (Revolutionary Aristotelianism Part 4)
by W.D. James A modern-day warriorMean, mean strideToday's Tom SawyerMean, mean pride Though his mind is not for rentDon't put him down as arrogantHis reserve a quiet defenseRiding out the day's eventsi - Rush, Tom Sawyer Aristotle had begun his Politics with the assertion that human activity is aimed at what is at least perceived … Continue reading Good Cities, Good Citizens, and Good People (Revolutionary Aristotelianism Part 3)
by W.D. James We sang the songs of childhoodHymns of faith that made us strongOnes that Mother Maybelle taught usHear the angels sing alongi - Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Roy Acuff’s lyrical adaptation For the duration of the classical period, the Greek philosophers were able to retain a marvelous appreciation for the bare fact … Continue reading The Coming to Be of Society (Revolutionary Aristotelianism, Part 2)
by W.D. James He say I know you, you know meOne thing I can tell you is you got to be free Come together, right now, over mei - The Beatles The Organic Radicalii school of thought hinges on the possibility of an organic social order which, in turn, provides the basis and motivation for … Continue reading Goods, Desire, and Community (Revolutionary Aristotelianism Part 1)
by W.D. James …poetically dwells man upon this earth. -Friedrich Hölderlin as quoted by Martin Heidegger What if the gods returned? Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) spent more time than most pondering that and related questions. His thought is notoriously (and justly) considered extremely obscure and dense. Yet, there is no one more important to read … Continue reading Poetically Dwells Man: Heidegger and Spiritual Rebirth
by W.D. James On April 3, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and other civil rights organizations, commenced a planned campaign of civil disobedience aimed at targeting the segregation laws operative in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. The campaign would include lunch counter sit-ins, marches, and a boycott of downtown businesses. … Continue reading Martin Luther King, Tyranny, and Natural Law
The final essay in a six-part series by W.D. James, who teaches philosophy in Kentucky, USA. Where have all the rebels gone? Hiding behind computer screens Where’s the spirit, where’s the soul? Where have all the rebels gone? Why don’t they come out of the woodwork now? One for the money, two for the show … Continue reading Forest Rebels (Deep Resistance Part 6)
The penultimate essay in a six-part series by W.D. James, who teaches philosophy in Kentucky, USA. Fish in the sea, you know how I feelRiver running free, you know how I feelBlossom on the tree, you know how I feel It's a new dawnIt's a new dayIt's a new life, for meAnd I'm feeling good … Continue reading Nature, Freedom, and Joy (Deep Resistance Part 5)
The latest essay in a six-part series by W.D. James, who teaches philosophy in Kentucky, USA. Life can be so easyLife can be so hardMake you wanna cuss and fussMake you wanna tear things all apartYou try to stay calm and not act a fool – Cedric Burnside, Hard to Stay Cooli Epictetus (roughly 50-135 … Continue reading Stoic Freedom (Deep Resistance Part 4)
winter oak 