Albert Camus is known mostly for his novels which investigate human existence – that is, existentialism as a philosophy. His characters question whether there is meaning in human life or not at all (nihilism). This work, however, is not a work of fiction but of non-fiction. In it, Camus expounds on the nature of human rebellion against the present state of affairs – that is, against the meaninglessness of life. He examines this rebellious act…
In the 1960s, McLuhan presaged the communications age through his studies of “electronic media.” His thoughts shone light on the way forward and are now standards of understanding today. For instance, he coined the term “global village” in showing the ways of globalization. This work consists of much more than text. Published in black-and-white, it portrays a series of images that move the reader through the contention that media – particularly electronic media – “massages”…
Plato’s Dialogues famously represent the earliest serious inquiry written into universal human problems that plague us still. This work is not usually included in those major works though its format is still of a dialogue. Many scholars do not find that this inquiry into friendship deserves a serious place, likely a reflection of the place friendship holds in our culture. Or it could be because this work concludes that friendship is ultimately undefinable, yet people…
The author Ali-Karamali is the daughter of immigrants from India, a Stanford graduate, a corporate lawyer in America, and is trained Islamic Law. A patriotic American, she seeks to describe why modern Islam, in the main, is not a threat to American values. She attempts, and for the most part succeeds, to present Islamic (shariah) law as a peaceful force for universal social justice in world history. Obviously, this is a politically laden topic in…
The twelfth-century monk Francis of Assisi lived one of the most interesting and impactful lives in the history of Christianity. In this novel, Price tells the story of his life using the techniques of historical fiction to bring out Francis’ illustrious personality. Francis attempted to bring out Gospel living in an age of church hypocrisy. In so doing, he shares a tale with us all that lifts our spirit and inspires readers to excel in…
Humanity seems to be moving from paper-based forms of authentication (like licenses or passports) to electronic forms of authentication (like iris scans, face scans, or fingerprints). In this work, Grinnell signals that the changes wrought by such biometric technology might not be all good. Ever-anxious “biometric thought” arises from interacting with this technology, and he analyzes how this thought tends to leave out social relationships that really define us. By trade, I’m a software developer,…
Gandhi’s name sticks out in bold in twentieth-century history. Words associated with this great include India, non-violence, independence, integrity, and freedom. Yet those (like me) who have been schooled in a different religious tradition (for me, Protestant Christianity) might not be aware of the depth of Gandhi’s greatness because of differing idioms. That’s why I originally picked up this book, and that’s why I suggest that your reading of this book is important, too. Gandhi…
Despite the academic publisher, this book is essentially a defense of (a conservative version of the) Christian faith to skeptics. Stackhouse deals with defending religion in general, but he obviously addresses Christianity in the most detail. Despite his expertise in teaching world religions, these other religions receive only superficial treatment. I take issue with Stackhouse’s description of Christianity in chapter 2. It contains a description of conservative Western Christianity. He does not describe progressive and…
This poem attempts to mark a great historical event in English history. It does so not by chronicling history but by celebrating the human spirit. King Alfred the Great, against all odds, defeated Danish invaders in the year 878. The Battle of Ethandune went a long way in establishing the constitutional unity of an English people. Chesterton, writing over a millennium later, sought to use his prodigious talents to excite the English people to embrace…
What makes history tick and what turns history into human progress? These questions have been explicitly asked by philosophers since the Enlightenment, and historian R.G. Collingwood adds his voice to the mix in this classic work. He summarizes how we understand history since its recording began. In each epoch in the Western tradition, he outlines the major players and then provides his critique on their limitations. Unfortunately, Collingwood’s analysis is, too, limited by his era.…