Plato and Tipper Gore

An idea that is particularly important to Plato in the Republic is censorship. One thing he is particularly concerned about is the stories that are told to children. He points out that we have a habit of telling children “stories which, though not wholly destitute of...

Had to post this for music geeks

A Book of Burlesques by H.L. Menckenpublished in 1916 II.—FROM THE PROGRAMME OF A CONCERT II.—From The Programme of a Concert [27] “Ruhm und Ewigkeit” (Fame and Eternity), a symphonic poem in B flat minor, Opus 48, by Johann Sigismund Timotheus Albert...

A new beginning: Plato and proportion

I have had a delightful time interacting with people far and near when I began posting about expressivist theory that I have decided to make a new beginning. Amongst other things, I’m going to use this forum to clarify my own ideas about aesthetics in a more...

Weekend rant#2 – on being genetically wired

On a phrase I’m tired of hearing “I’m genetically wired to do X” Increasingly, I am hearing this as an explanation for behavior on news programs. A reporter asks an expert, why is this happening. The expert says, “Well, we’re genetically wired to do this.” So far,...

Expressivst theory (some responses to questions)

Thanks so much for the responses. I received some insightful questions from Ben Koch, Brian Linell, and Jason Mendelssohn on starting to tackle the two terms theory of expressivism. Ben immediately pointed out one of the problem areas. If we assume the third term of...

Expressivist theory and lines

The expressivist theory of art runs into immediate problems in the interpretive phase. If we say that Romeo and Juliet is “sad” (a poor descriptor, I know), what do we mean? Do we mean that Shakespeare was sad when he wrote it, and some of his sadness got into the...

Politics and Religion

Normally, I don’t like to do political commentary here. It’s not my area of interest or study. I usually use my creative time to write music and my scholarly time to study aesthetics, and in particular religious aesthetics. However, I’ve been drawn back in because of...

New Orleans part two – Triptyque

Triptique9:00 pm – Arrive in the French Quarter and park somewhere on Canal St. Head over toward Bourbon St.9:05 pm – Walk down Bourbon St. and remember how wonderfully disgusting it is. A giant electric cross that says, “Jesus Saves” is in the street between a strip...