(We can call this one an experiment. I hardly know what to think of it myself.)
Earned Knowledge, L7, P2
Religious Details
Sacrifices to the gods were basic parts of the ancient religions. We’ve mentioned them before, but from the records left by the Romans we get a very clear picture of how they operated. Historian Will Durant describes them this way: Continue reading “Earned Knowledge, L7, P2”
The West’s New Faith
Christianity, as people in their 60s and 70s have observed, was pushed off the public stages of the West over the past two generations. At this point, whoever speaks well of it in such places must be prepared to absorb blows.
Nonetheless, nature abhors a vacuum and just about everyone, including the most strident atheist, requires something to believe in. And so the exit of Christianity drew in new faiths, and one in particular, to replace it. Continue reading “The West’s New Faith”
Earned Knowledge, L7, P1
Living In Rome
While we’ve discussed the similarities between the Greeks and the Romans, it’s also necessary to understand their differences. Because in may ways they were very different.
The first area of difference, and certainly the most important, was how they thought of themselves. Certainly both groups had a high level of civilizational confidence. That is, they believed that their ways were far better than the old ways or even the ways of anyone of their time. They were not ashamed of their ways, as so many modern societies are. But how these two groups envisioned their greatness differed. Continue reading “Earned Knowledge, L7, P1”
Demolishing The Warren Report
One of my entertainments, from time to time, has been the Kennedy assassination… John Kennedy’s, that is. I’m not particularly a fan of mysteries, but once in a while one of them intrigues me, and this is a good one.
What I’m going to show you today are two images from a CBS News Special Report from 1967, filmed and broadcast because so many people had failed to believe the Warren Report. I’m quite sure they didn’t realize they were making their esteemed report ridiculous, but they did it just the same. Continue reading “Demolishing The Warren Report”
Earned Knowledge, L6, P6
The Delphic Maxims
My Depression
Don’t worry, it was a low-grade thing, not at all like the debilitating depression many people suffer through. So low-grade, in fact, that I didn’t think of it as more than a bad mood.
I wouldn’t normally discuss such a thing beyond family and friends, but this time it seems a good idea, and if you’ve been reading my writings for any length of time, I’ll take you as a friend. And so I’ll get a bit autobiographical today. Continue reading “My Depression”
Earned Knowledge, L6, P5
The Greeks, however, were not especially well-mannered. Here are a few comments from Will Durant, describing their behavior: Continue reading “Earned Knowledge, L6, P5”
Privacy-GPT
“I’m sorry to bother you again, Mr. Rosenberg…”
It was Dorie. I was hoping that she hadn’t had a problem with her program.
“Things are going well enough, I hope?”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “Everything’s coming together well… but I have another issue. Can you please meet me again?” Continue reading “Privacy-GPT”
Earned Knowledge, L6, P4
Daily Life In Greece
Daily life in the Greek city-states, as well as in the farming areas, was family-centered, usually involving what we’d call extended families. That is, the family (more often called household) included not only a mother, father and children, as it usually does now, but grandparents, in-laws and even cousins. Family groups might also be clustered together in the same general area. Continue reading “Earned Knowledge, L6, P4”