As we were saying about “the sufficiency of the present moment”…

"…We live almost entirely in past and future tenses—replaying old conversations, planning future triumphs, worrying about potential catastrophes. The present moment becomes merely an annoying loading screen between memory and anticipation.

This temporal displacement profoundly affects our search for meaning. We've been conditioned to view purpose as something to be discovered in the future, as though there's a predetermined calling with our name on it waiting to be found. But spiritual traditions remind us that meaning isn't found—it's made. Purpose isn't discovered—it's cultivated in the present moment..."

https://open.substack.com/pub/robertwaldinger/p/beyond-the-scroll?r=35ogp&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay

Phil.Oliver@mtsu.edu

👣Solvitur ambulando

💭Sapere aude

Testing philosophy

It is the birthday of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Robert Hofstadter, born 1915 in New York City and best known for his research on the nucleus of the atom. He was the son of a salesman and attended the City College of New York. Hofstadter wanted to major in literature and philosophy until a physics professor told him, "the laws of physics could be tested and those of philosophy could not." He won the Kenyon Prize for outstanding work in physics and mathematics in 1935.

Hofstadter went on to measure the precise size and shape of the proton and neutron, the particles of the nucleus, winning the Nobel Prize on December 10, 1961, for presenting the first reasonably accurate picture of the structure and composition of atomic neutrons and protons. Hofstadter's discoveries played an important role in medicine, astronomy, military defense, and many other fields.

https://open.substack.com/pub/thewritersalmanac/p/the-writers-almanac-from-thursday-337?r=35ogp&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay

Phil.Oliver@mtsu.edu

👣Solvitur ambulando

💭Sapere aude

Questions FEB 10

1.  Coming soon. Go ahead and post any of your own comments or questions...
2. 
   

Cornel West’s perspective

Bold language. Is it called for?

https://www.threads.com/@josh.jagdfeld/post/DUTNC9iDRBv?xmt=AQF0a1QHI6pTdQziGJds2BpwhT9ugICJ0f1McGZPcnCvvR7TQcEGXramoB_C5uCOQrlznp4&slof=1

How humanist are you?

Phil.Oliver@mtsu.edu

👣Solvitur ambulando

💭Sapere aude

Midterm report presentations

Select a topic related to the class date's assigned reading (on March 3 you can choose from the entire book). Indicate your preference in the comments space below. Plan to speak for at least ten minutes before opening the floor to discussion, give us a discussion question or two, and a suggested question for the exam.

FEB

3 Richard Ford, Be Mine -p.87. Midterm report presentation: ___

10 Richard Ford, Be Mine -172. Presentation: Ashley,

17 Richard Ford, Be Mine -266. Presentation: Amanda,

24 Richard Ford, Be Mine -342. Presentation(s): Markeem, Jalen

MAR

3 Exam. Select final report presentation topic & date. Presentation(s): ___

Tiny acorn, majestic oak, positive change

Speaking of Aristotle, as we were about to (in my CoPhi classes) before the ice so rudely interrupted us… 

The dogs and I took a hike at Stone's River Greenway yesterday and came across this memorial to the woman responsible for its existence.

Bertha Chrietzberg was a meliorist, like Aristotle and William James.

Phil.Oliver@mtsu.edu

👣Solvitur ambulando

💭Sapere aude