Tag Archives: Charles Dickens

Interview: Why Christians Should Read the Great Books

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Dr. J

A recent post here resulted in an invitation to appear on the Research on Religion podcast. Host Tony Gill was intrigued by my applying lessons from Plato to dining at Applebee’s in the 21st century. We recorded the interview last … Continue reading →

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Warning: Audience-Embarrassing Hypnotists May Be Shot

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Dr. J

I took advantage of the holiday this week to catch up more ground in the Great Books Project. I’m now within one day of being back on schedule! Moreover, we’re going to start the greatest satire in the English language … Continue reading →

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Only Vegetables Question the Law of Non-Contradiction

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Dr. J

I’m happy to say that I’ve caught up two days on this week’s Great Books post. The big development this week is that we will finish the Dickens novel after ten weeks. We’ll finish Bacon next week and perhaps Tocqueville … Continue reading →

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Only Liberty Can Cure Equality’s Evils

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Dr. J

Well, here I am making a Great Books post on Saturday after expressing high hopes last week that I’d be back onto a Monday schedule. The demands of a new semester (including breaking in a new professor in my department) … Continue reading →

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Plato Disses Rhetoric

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Dr. J

Travels and spotty internet connections have prevented me from making this week’s Great Books post until now. Here are the readings for the coming week: The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, Chapters 43-48 (GGB Vol. 2)* The Metaphysics of Aristotle, … Continue reading →

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Back to Great Books Monday

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Dr. J

It’s Great Books Monday once again! I can say that with this post, the first Great Books post I’ve made on a Monday in months, it seems. Let’s celebrate by reading both Plato and Aristotle this week. Here are the … Continue reading →

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The Christmas Carol Before “A Christmas Carol”

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Dr. J

I’m clawing my way back towards a Great Books Monday post. Making up two days this week is a good start. The prospect of finishing The Critique of Pure Reason is a powerful motivator to get started on this week’s … Continue reading →

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Stoics are so Christian-Sounding

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Dr. J

Season’s greetings. I trust that most of you, unlike me, have completed your Christmas shopping and thus have sufficient leisure time to devote to reading the Great Books this week. This time out we are completing Volume I of Tocqueville … Continue reading →

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Killing Your Children to Get Revenge on Your Husband Is a Bad Idea

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Dr. J

Some weeks I find my slate of scheduled Great Books readings moderately interesting. Other weeks I’m blown away by the profound ideas I encounter in multiple authors. I’m happy to say that this past week fell into the second category. … Continue reading →

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The Prime Mover

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Dr. J

Now that you are all shopped out following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, surely you’re ready to settle back down to some good reading this week, right? Fortunately for you, this week’s Great Books readings include some Greek tragedy, Stoic … Continue reading →

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