Environment Man

Then why did you start this damn threat then? I Kant understand it.

Mike D.

The old musty smell has its variations, most of them akin to a faint mold. Sometimes an old book has a nice smell. Yellowing pages are disappointing but practically unavoidable unless you want to have your library hermetically sealed.

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Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Tolstoy

Environment Man

But as you said, there is something nice about picking up an old book like that and scanning back through the writings. I guess I could have Googled it but having the books seems special. Now you can Google and Wiki every (damn) thing.

Mike D.

I like Kierkegaard because he so well mixed philosophy with theology. Not many I have read do it and do it well. I have been having a go at St. Augustine's City of God for a few months and I hate to admit I keep allowing myself to be easily sidetracked with other books--poor old Augustine's prose was as dry as a twig.

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Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Tolstoy

Mike D.

Yes, it is a shame of sorts. Nothing is better than seeing a wall of books in my living room. And my sunroom. For me the old-fashioned book will never be replaced.

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Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Tolstoy

Environment Man

Carlos Castaneda. Do you consider him to be a philosopher or a fiction writer? It was LOTS of fun reading him back in the early 70s. As Forest Gump would say: "That's all I have to say about that."

Mike D.

He was a well-intended drug hippie. I read that series of books he wrote back in the day. I suppose that old Indian he followed around might have had some sort of spiritual thing going on. Who knows? One can experience almost anything under the influence of such copious amounts of peyote. That is why I am glad to worship the one true God--I don't have to get stoned off my gourd in order to reap the benefits.

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Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Tolstoy

Environment Man

True that. It was when I finally got around to studying the Bible after much exploration and readings of the philosophers that I found the simple answers to the great questions. I felt kind of stupid but the timing was right. And then to reapply Bible knowledge with regular logic, science and philosophy was quite enlightening.

Mike D.

Then everything falls into place. The important questions are answered. Sometimes we humans think the answers must be difficult when in fact the important ones are ridiculously simple.

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Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Tolstoy

Environment Man

Yet if it it self worship that one seeks, then one has to say, "there are not answers right now," or "science has not discovered the answer to that yet."

I am amazed that intelligent people actuallly decide to ignore useful information. Epistemology without God is simple narcissism.