Stoic philosophers in antiquity held that ‘the world … is like a city and a polity’, and that the nature of humankind is like ‘a code of civil law’ (Cicero, De Finibus III 62–67). In his late-antique text, De Natura Hominis (ca. 390 A.D.), Nemesius of Emesa rejects a number of Stoic tenets. His world… Continue reading “The World City” – a forthcoming article on Nemesius of Emesa
History of ideas Baltimore
Delighted to be giving a lecture this evening at Loyola University Maryland - on Sherlock Holmes & the cult of data, Sigmund Freud & "the rubbish-heap of observations", Winwood Reade & Victorian trans-humanism - & how it all relates to machine intelligence & the dawn of "ubiquitous capture" in 21st-century cities. Note – due to… Continue reading History of ideas Baltimore
Bloom on truth
“I am aware that these truths are scarcely welcome, but what truth is?” - Harold Bloom, Jesus and Yahweh: The Names Divine (New York, 2005), p. 112
Modernity is the real antiquity
Francis Bacon reminds us that modernity is the real antiquity: "True", Bacon says, 'antiquity' is "ancient and older in relation to us, but with respect to the world itself, it was newer & younger. ... Our age is the older of the world, enriched & stocked with countless experiences & observations." - The New Organon,… Continue reading Modernity is the real antiquity
“contra Academicos”
and only we against whom the Church Fathers would have written pamphlets contra academicos only we will meet with a terrible fate flames and lamentation for having received a baptism of earth we were too valiant in our uncertainty - Zbigniew Herbert, "Baptism", 1957 Z. Herbert, The Collected Poems: 1956-1998, ed. and tr. A. Valles… Continue reading “contra Academicos”
Imperial wit
"How I wish", said the Emperor Domitian, "that I were as fine-looking as Maecius thinks he is." - Suetonius, Domitian 20
Chaucer’s algorithm
Keep your smart-phone by your bed? You shouldn't. But see if you can spot the relevant lines in Chaucer: "His Almageste and bokes grete and smale, His astrelabie, longinge for his art, His augrim-stones layen faire a-part On shelves couched at his beddes heed ..." The picture, here, is of Clerk Nicholas keeping his algorithm… Continue reading Chaucer’s algorithm
“Here I confirm my philosophical arrogance” – Žižek
My motto for the new year comes from Slavoj Žižek - yes, Žižek - in conversation with Alain Badiou: "I am prepared to advocate my views in a democratic way; but not, however, to allow others to decide democratically what my views are - here I confirm my philosophical arrogance." - Slavoj Žižek & Alain… Continue reading “Here I confirm my philosophical arrogance” – Žižek
“The business done by machines”
The project of modernity in three phrases: "There remains one hope of salvation ... that the entire work of the mind be started over ... and the business done (if I may put it this way) by machines." Reread that: "the entire work of the mind ... done by machines"! - Francis Bacon, preface to The… Continue reading “The business done by machines”
“Postnatural Intelligence” in First Things
I have an essay, "Postnatural Intelligence," in the new issue of First Things (Feb. 2019) - on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818), the arc of modern philosophy, & the rise of 'intelligent' technologies. "The novel’s genius is that it shows how the 'modern Prometheus' and his critics can both be right. It may be within our… Continue reading “Postnatural Intelligence” in First Things
