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Author Archive | Roderick

Nullify That Self-Externalization, Baby

By on August 27, 2007 10

My favourite Hegel quote:

What Mind Is. From our point of view mind has for its presupposition Nature, of which it is the truth, and for that reason its absolute prius. In this its truth Nature is vanished, and mind has resulted as the ‘Idea’ entered on possession of itself. Here the subject and object of the Idea are one – either is the intelligent unity, the notion. This identity is absolute negativity – for whereas in Nature the intelligent unity has its objectivity perfect but externalized, this self-externalization has been nullified and the unity in that way been made one and the same with itself. Thus at the same time it is this identity only so far as it is a return out of nature.
(Philosophy of Mind § 381.)

In your heart you know he’s right ….

Hwæt the Heck?

By on August 27, 2007 1

Amazon’s description of Christian Wolff’s Real Happiness of a People Under a Philosophical King reads as follows:

1750. This work is demonstrated not only from the nature of things, but from the undoubted experience of the Chinese under their first Founder Fohi, and his illustrious successors, Hoam Ti and Xin Num. Added to this dissertation by way of notes from the other philosophical works of Mr. Wolff, the principles and definition he refers to in this dissertation. Due to the age and scarcity of the original we reproduced, some pages may be spotty, faded or difficult to read. Written in Old English.

Old EnglishOld English? In 1750?

In related news, Miss Teen South Carolina’s geographical concept-poem is enigmatic.

Captains Courageous

By on August 24, 2007 3

On the left is the first DC comic I ever bought. On the right is the first Marvel comic I ever bought.

Two Captain Marvels

Trying to detect a pattern here ….

So Dark the Disappointment of Man

By on August 18, 2007 6

The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre are the two most disappointing tourist destinations in the world, according to this poll.

I can see why the reportedly glacially slow process of ascending the Tower might detract from some tourists’ enjoyment, though I don’t think it would from mine (I’ve been to it but not yet up it).

Louvre galleryBut the Louvre? How could anyone possibly be disappointed by the Louvre?

My guess? These tourists march in to see the Mona Lisa, find a smaller-than-expected painting behind plexiglass and obscured by a clot of viewers, are disappointed by that, and march out without seeing much else.

Hello, I Must Be Going

By on August 17, 2007 3

I’m back from Poland and Michigan – but classes have just started, so more on my adventures later.

In the meantime, congratulations to Kevin Carson for his article in The Freeman – certainly an important milestone for left/libertarian reunification!

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