Secular Frontier

Previously, An Invitation to Listen to Edouard Tahmizian and Richard Carrier’s Upcoming Discussion: The Problem of Free Will. Last time I made 2 notes in the comments I’d like to expand on. Derrida notes we are not determined in our actions, even when we try to be. When acting, there is never enough time, information, ... (2/2) An Invitation to Listen to Edouard Tahmizian and Richard Carrier’s Upcoming Discussion: The Problem of Free Will.

Tahmizian and Carrier will be recording a discussion on Free Will vs Determinism soon and here are some of my thoughts: What is the free will vs determinism debate? For example, if we ask with Keith Augustine why aggressive behavior in society is overwhelmingly a male issue it seems to point to testosterone as the ... An Invitation to Listen to Edouard Tahmizian and Richard Carrier’s Upcoming Discussion: The Problem of Free Will.

Previously What is Continental Philosophy Phenomenology? (2/2)What is Continental Philosophy Phenomenology? Now, the Conclusion: Last time in a note I mentioned we see subject-object unity as even more basic than the in-itself-ness of the object, such as in an object of affection. In-itself-ness is not simply a pure encounter, but a later mental bracketing of ... (Conclusion) What is Continental Philosophy Phenomenology?

Last time I noted Concepts (e.g., houseness) are inherently vague and indeterminate, but can be clarified by triangulating or intersecting related concepts. This means comparing and contrasting to un-cover from hiddenness. My basic example is houseness is “present” in an incarnate or exemplary way in the mansion, merely present in the average house, and deficient ... (2/2)What is Continental Philosophy Phenomenology?

Hegel, in his inaugural address, Heidelberg, 1816, says “The Being of the universe, at first hidden and concealed, has no power which can offer resistance to the search for knowledge; it has to lay itself open before the seeker — to set before his eyes and give for his enjoyment, its riches and its depths.” ... What is Continental Philosophy Phenomenology?

We spoke before of the intersecting concepts teaching/learning strategy (ethics/freedom/morality; spirit/soul/mind). Let’s do that again with: social pretense/acceptance/slumming. One of the important keys in media literacy in the world of today is non-standard comparisons. If you can engage with a book, why not also a song? For example: (1) William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair (1848): ... Surreptitious Media Literacy

Previously The “Spirit” of Pride (It’s Pride Day here in Sydney, Nova Scotia Canada!) Ethics, Morality, and Freedom: Why Research Word Histories (Etymology)? Gamification and Game-Based Learning Now, the Conclusion: What are the types of distorted thinking (catastrophizing, black and white thinking, etc) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) gets you to challenge and how might those ... (2/2) Gamification and Game-Based Learning: Classroom Management

Previously The “Spirit” of Pride (It’s Pride Day here in Sydney, Nova Scotia Canada!) Ethics, Morality, and Freedom: Why Research Word Histories (Etymology)? Now, In the previous two short posts I looked at various fun teaching/learning strategies for creating meaning for students: Intersecting Concepts (e.g., mind/soul/spirit; freedom/ethics/morality); Word Histories; Proving Claims by Appealing to your ... Gamification and Game-Based Learning

Last time I did a reading of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave from the Republic guided by Heidegger’s interpretation of Plato’s cave pioneered in his The Essence of Truth: On Plato’s Cave Allegory and Theaetetus, a lecture course he did from 1932. Today I’m going to look at the meaning three intersecting concepts, Ethics, Morality, ... Ethics, Morality, and Freedom: Why Research Word Histories (Etymology)?

We speak in a vague way of mind, soul, and spirit, although when we eliminatethe intellect and the soulish passions, it’s unclear what would be left over as spirit.  And yet we speak of spirit clearly when we say Zeitgeist, or acting in the spirit of justice, or the spirit of 76, etc.  Sprit is ... The “Spirit” of Pride (It’s Pride Day here in Sydney, Nova Scotia Canada!)

One of my proudest moments was when I got into 2 PhD programs in Continental Philosophy about 25 years ago, but decided not to go.  There are many reasons (the job market was bleak), but I think some of it had to do with one of Nietzsche’s aphorisms I mentioned last time. Nietzsche’s aphorism 399 ... Happy Birthday: I’m 50!

Martin Heidegger was born on September 26, 1889, roughly 8–9 months after Friedrich Nietzsche’s mental collapse on January 3, 1889 (in Turin). Nietzsche remained incapacitated until his death in 1900.  Heidegger died on May 26, 1976, in Freiburg im Breisgau, West Germany, at the age of 86.  I was born about 2 months later on ... Reflections on Turning 50 Tomorrow

Previously: New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – First Lecture by Bart Ehrman, Genesis: An Introduction to the Key Scholarly Debates as a primer (2) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lectures by Dan McClellan and Ron Hendel (3) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lecture by ... (Conclusion) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lectures by Joel Baden and John Collins and Esther Hamori

Binding of Isaac: Why Abraham’s Test Changed Everything By Dr. Kenton Sparks Throughout the ancient world, child sacrifice was a grim reality, a desperate transaction to bribe the gods for rain, victory, or protection. But in the shadow of Mount Moriah, the narrative shifted forever. The Akedah, often referred to as the “Binding of Isaac,” ... (4) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lectures by Kenton Sparks and David Carr

Before “In the Beginning”: The Creation Myths That Shaped Genesis By Megan Lewis Where did the ideas in Genesis come from? Why do its creation stories sound strangely familiar—and familiar to what? In this lecture, Megan Lewis explores ancient Mesopotamian creation myths and places Genesis alongside stories like Atrahasis, Enuma Elish, and Epic of Gilgamesh. Rather ... (3) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lecture by Megan Lewis

(1) Genesis at the Crossroads: Where Hebrew Bible Scholarship Has Been and Where It’s Going By Dan McClellan In this opening keynote, Dan McClellan takes a wide-angle look at Hebrew Bible scholarship through the lens of Genesis. He reflects on how the field has changed over the past century, why historical-critical study matters now more ... (2) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lectures by Dan McClellan and Ron Hendel

Bart’s primer lecture was a brief overview of Genesis and some of the key scholarly debates like the various sources for the two creation myths and the historicity of the patriarchs I am especially looking forward to Kenton Sparks’ lecture on the binding of Isaac. My take is with the story of Isaac, we get ... New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – First Lecture by Bart Ehrman, Genesis: An Introduction to the Key Scholarly Debates as a primer

Last Time Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? (2/2) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? (Conclusion) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? Jesus in History: Transition from New Testament Studies to Hebrew Bible Studies (Announcement) Now Finishing the Transition For ... (2/2) Jesus in History: Transition from New Testament Studies to Hebrew Bible Studies (Laying to Rest the Christ Myth Theory)

Previously in This Series: Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? (2/2) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? (Conclusion) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? Now, the Transition: Jesus was viewed as a messianic claimant who was specially chosen by God ... Jesus in History: Transition from New Testament Studies to Hebrew Bible Studies (Announcement)

We’ve been thinking about the risen Jesus in Paul as ghost sightings. The concept of ghosts (phantasma in Greek) was well-known in the ancient world. In the gospels, when Jesus walked on water (Matthew 14:26) and when He appeared after His resurrection (Luke 24:37-39), the disciples initially panicked and thought they were seeing a ghost. ... (Conclusion) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul?

As I said last time in a note, a minority of New Testament scholars like Tabor and Carrier think the earliest Christians believed Jesus left his old body of dust behind like shed clothes and received a new spiritual body. It would make sense resurrection wouldn’t mean a resuscitated corpse because what of bodies burnt, ... (2/2) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul?

In 1 Corinthians 15:5–8 (NRSVUE), Paul writes that Jesus appeared to Cephas, the twelve, over 500 believers, James, all the apostles, and finally to Paul himself I’ve noted previously Paul is suggestive of strong ties to stoicism, such as being from the birthplace of the stoic enlightenment Tarsus, his appropriation of the stoic concept of ... Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul?

Last Time: Celebrating 100 Years of Martin Heidegger’s “BEING AND TIME” (Dedicated to Edmund Husserl April 8, 1926) Now the Conclusion For those of you intellectually impatient like me, here’s the gist: Preamble: Paul was an apocalyptic Jew who thought the end times were underway as he saw the resurrected Jesus as the “first fruits” ... Summary of my Last Long Blog Post: Celebrating 100 Years of Martin Heidegger’s “BEING AND TIME” (Dedicated to Edmund Husserl April 8, 1926)

                                              PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES: (INDEX) Education, Philosophy, Religion: The Dog Days of Summer Posts ANNOUNCEMENT: My 50th Birthday is Next Month and Starting August 7th I’ll be Blogging About and Celebrating the 100 Years Centenary of Martin Heidegger’s Gift of “Being and Time!” (Part 2/2) Announcement About My Upcoming Series of Posts Celebrating 100 ... Celebrating 100 Years of Martin Heidegger’s “BEING AND TIME” (Dedicated to Edmund Husserl April 8, 1926)

Previously: ANNOUNCEMENT: My 50th Birthday is Next Month and Starting August 7th I’ll be Blogging About and Celebrating the 100 Years Centenary of Martin Heidegger’s Gift of “Being and Time!” Now: I hope my last post whetted your appetite about the upcoming series on Heidegger’s “Being and Time.” But what is that? Renowned Philosopher Martin ... (Part 2/2) Announcement About My Upcoming Series of Posts Celebrating 100 Years of Heidegger’s “Being and Time” Beginning August 7

PREVIOUSLY (INDEX) Education, Philosophy, Religion: The Dog Days of Summer Posts NOW: “Faith has no place in thought (Martin Heidegger, ‘Anaximander’s Saying,’ in Off the Beaten Track, 280).” What follows are some background ideas and contexts that may be helpful in thinking about Heidegger’s Being and Time. “Being” is a concept we always have with ... ANNOUNCEMENT: My 50th Birthday is Next Month and Starting August 7th I’ll be Blogging About and Celebrating the 100 Years Centenary of Martin Heidegger’s Gift of “Being and Time!”

PREVIOUSLY: Have a Great and Reflective Summer! Celebrating New Teachers: Education and Metaphysics with Squaring and Circling (2/2) Celebrating New Teachers: The Interview What I’m Watching: Jacob Berman and Dr. Robert M. Price on the Parousia (2/2) What I’m Watching: Jacob Berman and Dr. Robert M. Price on the Parousia Most Adults’ Beliefs about Humanity ... (INDEX) Education, Philosophy, Religion: The Dog Days of Summer Posts

I’m still on vacation from regularly posting on the blog, but… In honor of my American friends, I like to celebrate the United States with an English word: “Thing.”  I usually work with translations of various languages like German, French, Latin and Greek, but today let’s meditate on my native language I find it remarkable ... Happy Secular 4th of July to my American Friends!