Tag Archives: philosophy/religion

James A. Michener on Dark Ages

Posted on December 30, 2021 | Leave a comment

“An age is called Dark not because light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.”

James A. Michener (1907-1997)

Excerpted from: Howe, Randy, ed. The Quotable Teacher. Guilford, CT: The Lyons Press, 2003.

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Casuistry

Posted on December 30, 2021 | Leave a comment

“Casuistry (noun): The determining of right and wrong in matters of conduct or conscience, or the applying of principles of ethics, particularly in instances that are complex or ambiguous; false, deceptive reasoning about law or morals; sophisticated persuasion. Adjective: casuistic, casuistical; adverb: casuistically.

‘After you strip this prose of its casuistic caveats, distinctions and reservations, there still remains the “needs to be taken seriously as studiously”; there remains the “structural” identity that, at least for this high culture illiterate, means flagrant gilding by association.’ John Simon, Reverse Angle”

Excerpted from: Grambs, David. The Random House Dictionary for Writers and Readers. New York: Random House, 1990.

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Common Errors in English Usage: Humanism (n), Humanist (n/adj)

Posted on December 27, 2021 | Leave a comment

OK, last but not least today, here is a worksheet on using humanism and humanist adapted from the pages of Paul Brians’ book Common Errors in English Usage (to which he allows free access at his Washington State University website). This is a full-page worksheet with a three-sentence reading and ten modified cloze exercises. Professor Brians nicely explains the caution one should use when using these words (e.g., they are not synonymous atheism and atheist). The worksheet is a simple usage exercise, with the context of the cloze exercises indicating which noun to use, or if the adjective humanist is called for by the sentence.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

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Humanities

Posted on December 27, 2021 | Leave a comment

“Humanities: A term generally used in Europe and America for literature, languages, philosophy, art, history, theology, music, as opposed to the natural sciences and the social sciences. See HUMANISM.”

Excerpted from: Cuddon, J.A. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. New York: Penguin, 1992.

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Karl Kraus on Morality

Posted on December 17, 2021 | Leave a comment

“Morality is a disease which progresses in three stages: virtue—boredom—syphilis.”

Karl Kraus

Excerpted from: Winokur, Jon, ed. The Big Curmudgeon. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal, 2007.

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The Doubter’s Companion: University

Posted on December 13, 2021 | Leave a comment

“University: A place in which a civilization’s knowledge is divided up into exclusive territories.

The principal occupation of the academic community is to invent dialects sufficiently hermetic to prevent knowledge from passing between territories. By maintaining a constant flow of written material among the specialists of each group they are able to assert the acceptable technique of communication intended to prevent communications. This in turn establishes a standard which allows them to dismiss those who seek to communicate through generally accessible language as dilettantes, deformers, or popularizers.”

Excerpted from: Saul, John Ralston. The Doubter’s Companion. New York: The Free Press, 1994.

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Ex Voto

Posted on December 13, 2021 | Leave a comment

“Ex Voto: (Lat., out of thankfulness) A painted or sculptured image given to God or gods in thanksgiving for favors and blessings. Occasionally the donor is depicted in the work.”

Excerpted from: Diamond, David G. The Bulfinch Pocket Dictionary of Art Terms. Boston: Little Brown, 1992.

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Anno Domini

Posted on December 13, 2021 | Leave a comment

“Anno domini: Latin for ‘in the Year of Our Lord’; i.e., in the year since the nativity: generally abbreviated to AD. It was Dionysus Exiguus who fixed the date of the Nativity; he lived in the early 6th century, and his computation is probably late by some three to six years. The custom of determining dates on this basis is said to be the result of the work of the Venerable Bede.”

Excerpted from: Murphy, Bruce, ed. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.

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Ex Cathedra

Posted on December 13, 2021 | Leave a comment

“Ex Cathedra: Pronounced from the seat or authority or by the right of one’s office, as by a papal declaration; authoritatively judgmental, sometimes without explanation or justification; presumptuous. Adverb: ex cathedra.

‘Both stamped Irving’s ‘Hughes’ samples as authentic, and both spoke forth with the certainty of the Holy Father making a pronouncement ex cathedra.’ James Phelan, Scandals, Scamps and Scoundrels

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A Glossary of Competitive Debate Terms

Posted on December 5, 2021 | Leave a comment

OK, lastly on this relatively cool morning in Brooklyn, here is a glossary of competitive debate terms that might come in handy if you’re involved in such things.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

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