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Archive | September, 2019

Molinari Review I.1 Now Free Online, Molinari Review I.2 Heading to Print

By on September 11, 2019 2

[cross-posted at C4SS, BHL, and POT]

In celebration of the 17th anniversary of the Molinari Institute, we’re happy to announce:

a) The long-awaited second issue of the Molinari Review will be published later this month. More details soon!

b) In the meantime, the entire first issue is now available for free online on the journal’s archive page. You can download either individual articles or the whole thing. Contents include:

  • “The Right to Privacy Is Tocquevillean, Not Lockean: Why It Matters” by Julio Rodman
  • “Libertarianism and Privilege” by Billy Christmas
  • “Capitalism, Free Enterprise, and Progress: Partners or Adversaries?” by Darian Nayfeld Worden
  • “Turning the Tables: The Pathologies and Unrealized Promise of Libertarianism” by Gus diZerega
  • Review of C. B. Daring, J. Rogue, Deric Shannon, and Abbey Volcano’s Queering Anarchism: Addressing and Undressing Power and Desire by Nathan Goodman

Enjoy!

Middelboe Chronicles, Part 63: The Miracle Maker

By on September 11, 2019 0

The Middle Eastern theme continues with The Miracle Maker, a Jesus biopic told partly from the viewpoint of Jairus’s daughter. This extra-long 1999 culmination of the “Testament: The Bible in Animation” series has an especially all-star cast, including Ralph Fiennes, Richard E. Grant, Julie Christie, William Hurt, Ian Holm, Miranda Richardson, and Alfred Molina.

I wonder whether this is really a “Christian movie” as the YouTube description says. When the same team adapted, e.g., Greek or Celtic or Norse legends, as we’ve seen, were those “pagan movies”?

If you like your Jesus biopics a bit more musical, here are two versions of Jesus Christ Superstar. The 1973 version has cooler locations, but the 2000 version has the amazing Jérôme Pradon as Judas:

I couldn’t find the 1973 Godspell movie online, but here’s a clip:

(I was first introduced to Godspell by Paul Cameron Cate back in my high school days, if I’m remembering correctly.)

And here’s Godspell’s Jesus over four decades later:

SciFi SongFest, Songs 169-172

By on September 11, 2019 0

Four songs about escaping into space from a wrecked Earth:

169. Neil Young, “After the Gold Rush” (1970):

170. Black Sabbath, “Into the Void” (1971):

171. Montrose, “Space Station #5” (1973):

172. Joss Whedon (words & music) and Sonny Rhodes (vocals), “Ballad of Serenity: Firefly Theme Song” (2002):

The Talents of Ted Chiang

By on September 10, 2019 0

I’ve just finished reading Ted Chiang’s recently-published second short-story collection, Exhalation: Stories. I’m happy to report that it’s just as good as his first one (from nearly two decades ago – Chiang is definitely a guy who focuses on quality over quantity), Stories of Your Life and Others. (See Joyce Carol Oates’ review of the second collection here.)

Chiang is the kind of science-fiction writer who appeals especially to philosophers (while remaining scientifically literate and responsible). He tackles such issues as free will and fatalism; the impact of information technology on our self-conception; the exploration of world histories, forms of consciousness, and even types of universe very different from our own; and the value of empathy. Even his story titles often evince a philosophical sensibility: “Hell Is the Absence of God”; “Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom”; “The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling.” Highly recommended!

His work was also the basis for the critically acclaimed first-alien-contact movie Arrival (the one with Amy Adams, not the one with Charlie Sheen).

I’m currently part of a science-fiction-and-philosophy reading group that recently discussed the first collection and is preparing to discuss the second.

And I can’t quite believe that I’m the first person on the internet to think of this title, but apparently I am. Sorry not sorry.

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