tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32362551.post2767317629042621027..comments2023-12-13T16:57:33.142-06:00Comments on Blogodidact: Louis L'Amour: Laconic Law - From Cicero to Blackstone to YouVan Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08470413719262297062noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32362551.post-30087992243249898292009-10-20T11:10:16.426-05:002009-10-20T11:10:16.426-05:00Mushroom said "I don't know that there...Mushroom said "I don't know that there's any great philosophical message, but the Soviets get a smackdown."<br /><br />I think there is far more philosophy in our imagery and in the tales we tell ourselves, than anyone suspects, and often far more owrthwhile philosophy than in the the wretched philosophical tomes which pretend to philosophy.<br /><br />I'd take the new Batman movies over the worthless ramblings of John Rawls 'Theory of Justice', any day of the week.<br /><br />"God bless Julie Newmar."<br /><br />Imagery indeed!<br /><br />;-)Van Harveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08470413719262297062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32362551.post-54141901743591697862009-10-20T11:03:30.583-05:002009-10-20T11:03:30.583-05:00Lance said "As to Boethius. I felt that his d...Lance said "As to Boethius. I felt that his defense of Free Will did not work due to the concept of God and his Omnipotence and his Omniscience. The main idea for me being that if God know everything and is all powerful and he exists outside of what we think of as our time line then. I will know all I do and do not do. So since he wrote the book of my life. I do not have free will it has all be pre-ordained by God writing my book. I think my mind lets me believe I have free will to cope. I will gladly send you an electronic copy of my thesis if you are interested. I am sure you would enjoy slicing it up. ;)"<br /><br />Since I don't think any Proof's of God are possible, or even logically proper (any premise to be proved must be <i>contained</i> within the scope of the proof, since the concept of 'God' at the very least, is itself ALL, it can't fall within a valid scope for being proved - I think the best you can do is <a href="http://blogodidact.blogspot.com/2006/09/as-it-is-above.html" rel="nofollow">intuit it, personally, internally</a>), and proof which relies upon such a 'proof', doesn't hold much water with me either. I do enjoy the first half, where he knocks down the illusions of exterior values or bestowed honors as having any permanence or true significance. <br /><br />For me Free Will is an axiom, a self evident issue, a starting point of all thought, beneath which, we cannot go - there is no thinking possible <i>without</i> choice, it is consciousness in action - you either recognize that as obviously true, or you <i>choose</i> to chase your tail in endless foolishness.<br /><br />Of course I'd appreciate digging into your thesis, thanks, and thanks for the Sackett tip.Van Harveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08470413719262297062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32362551.post-40696699344443903522009-10-15T16:26:07.870-05:002009-10-15T16:26:07.870-05:00I read this yesterday and meant to comment before ...I read this yesterday and meant to comment before being distracted by some shiny object or another. Another L'Amour book I like is a non-western, <i>Last of the Breed</i>. I don't know that there's any great philosophical message, but the Soviets get a smackdown.<br /><br />My wife recently had a similar experience watching the <i>Dark Knight</i>. She had a hard time reconciling the impact of this Batman movie with what she remembered about the old TV series.<br /><br />God bless Julie Newmar.mushroomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32362551.post-65570612486402756782009-10-15T13:47:11.995-05:002009-10-15T13:47:11.995-05:00Van, thanks for your thoughts. I know things will ...Van, thanks for your thoughts. I know things will get better it is all just such a shock right now. <br /><br />I would recommend starting from 'Sackett's Land' it isn't specifically a western but it has some good stuff to say about England and why people came to America and then went West. I highly recommend them all. <br /><br />As to Boethius. I felt that his defense of Free Will did not work due to the concept of God and his Omnipotence and his Omniscience. The main idea for me being that if God know everything and is all powerful and he exists outside of what we think of as our time line then. I will know all I do and do not do. So since he wrote the book of my life. I do not have free will it has all be pre-ordained by God writing my book. I think my mind lets me believe I have free will to cope. I will gladly send you an electronic copy of my thesis if you are interested. I am sure you would enjoy slicing it up. ;)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04973448750714819716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32362551.post-52022065440154612582009-10-15T12:05:14.582-05:002009-10-15T12:05:14.582-05:00Lance, sorry to hear about the tail kicking... pai...Lance, sorry to hear about the tail kicking... painful, but as you know, it does pass. Eventually.<br /><br />I don't think I read Louis L'Amour before, but did see a Sackett movie years ago, with Sam Elliot, Tom Selleck and Glen Ford, if I remember right, and that was what prompted me to pick up the Sackett book in the store. The last thing I was expecting to come across in a western was Blackstone! <br /><br />I've done a bit of checking into L'Amour... quite a character, if anyone was ever qualified to write the type of stories he did, he was. Eventually, I want to read the whole series, and so I have a question for you, looking at the 'Sackett' list, it looks like I started in the middle of the series, but then book series don't always go chronologically... any particular starting point you'd recommend, or just start off with the 'first' "Sackett's Land" circa 1600?<br /><br />"... my deep and abiding interest in Boethius and his "Consolation of Philosophy" I did my senior thesis for Philosophy on it and his defense of Free Will."<br /><br />No, I didn't know that... interesting (thinking back to a couple of your posts, I'm guessing you didn't buy his defense of Free Will?), I'm going to post on it eventually, and will definitely want to drag you in! I did read it years ago, but it's been my PocketPC book over the last couple months now, something I read in small bites, make some notes on, and have in mind as I'm reading other books.<br /><br />Once I finish with the series of posts on Justice (which that long argument on your site between me, David & Charles over libertarianism, got me going on), I want to begin doing some posts on individual books I've found to be key, and that'll definitely be one of them.Van Harveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08470413719262297062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32362551.post-45294610327272272422009-10-15T10:57:02.995-05:002009-10-15T10:57:02.995-05:00Oh I just realized I didn't mention my deep an...Oh I just realized I didn't mention my deep and abiding interest in Boethius and his "Consolation of Philosophy" I did my senior thesis for Philosophy on it and his defense of Free Will. There is some great stuff in the book.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04973448750714819716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32362551.post-77021363203262893682009-10-13T22:29:33.023-05:002009-10-13T22:29:33.023-05:00Hey Van, "Sackett" is one of my favorite...Hey Van, "Sackett" is one of my favorite books. I have read I believe all of Louis Lamours books. I know for a fact I have read the Sackett series several times over. <br /><br />To answer you question about living alone. Yes that relates to the Grey Gees post. While life for me in terms of work has been really amazing lately on the personal side of things it has been kicking my tail. Only time is going to tell how things shake out. Thanks for checking in. I do appreciate it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04973448750714819716noreply@blogger.com