Great Deal on Philosophia Christi

Philosophia Christi, the bi-annual publication of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, is currently offering an incredible deal on subscriptions: first-time subscribers can receive the current issue as well astwo additional years (i.e., 4 more issues) for merely $30! This is a savings of $50. You can check out the back issues here. I’m not sure how long this offer will be available, so take advantage while you can.

For the Greek student…

This is a really awesome learning tool called ivocab which helps you learn Biblical Greek* through visual and auditory learning. You can use this with a # of the current Greek textbooks out there right now (Basics of Biblical Greek, The Elements of New Testament Greek, etc.). To learn more, go to the following website:

http://www.ivocab.net/

*I believe that you can buy a similar Hebrew aid as well.

Alvin Plantinga on “Religion and Science”

Alvin Plantinga has recently contributed the “Religion and Science” entry to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (online).

HT: Trent Dougherty at The Prosblogion.

Good Advice

“We should love both: those whose opinion we follow and those whose opinion we reject.  For both have applied themselves to the quest for truth and both have helped us in it.”

Thomas Aquinas

Are You Wise?

In his quest for the science of wisdom, Aristotle purposes to catalogue wisdom by identifying the characteristics of a wise man. In the Metaphysics, book 1, ch. 2, he identifies several (either five or six, depending on your reading) such characteristics:

(1) a wise man knows everything in its generality
(2) a wise man knows things it is difficult for a human to know
(3) a wise man has accurate, precise knowledge
(4) a wise man is able to teach the causes of things
(5) a wise man seeks wisdom for its own sake, not for the sake of some other science
(6) wisdom orders the other sciences, thus the wise man can do so, as well

My guess is that if you haven’t read a little Aristotle, then these don’t make much sense; they certainly didn’t mean much to me before I read the primary source. I say this not in a tone of condescension, but rather with a tone of encouragement! Go! See what Aristotle says, and determine whether he was correct or not.

Plato’s Divided Line

*This post is intended merely to recount Plato’s ‘Divided Line’ concisely, not to ask and (attempt to) answer all the relevant questions.

We all know that, for Plato, the highest form about which one may inquire is the good. He writes, in the Republic (VI, 504e), for example, that, “the form of the good is the most important thing to learn about…” Unfortunately, however, when his interlocutors implore him to “discuss the good as [he] discussed justice, moderation, and the rest,” Socrates declines, saying, “I’m afraid that I won’t be up to it and that I’ll disgrace myself and look ridiculous by trying” (VI, 506b-e). What he can do, however, is discuss the visible reality that is most like the good. This leads to a distinction between two orders of things: the visible and the intelligible.

Interview with Richard Swinburne on mind-body dualism

The interview is farily short (4 pages), informal, and, as one would expect, interesting. It may be found here.

New Christian Worldview Magazine Hits Shelves

I subscribe to a lot of Christian periodicals. Faith and Philosophy, JETS, Chronos, First Things, Books and Culture, Areopagus Journal, Philosophia Christi—the list goes on. As far as I’m concerned, these (give or take a title) represent the cream of the periodical crop.

Now, given the sort of work I do, I’m kind of privy to new publications. Some are good; most, well, not so good (just being honest!). One of the good ones really good ones has just come across my desk: Salvo .

Jerusalem, Athens, and Kant

Bill Vallicella has once again started an interesting discussion over here.  For those like me who find ancient and medieval philosophy much more interesting than the modern and contemporary, read David Tye’s comment.

A Blog of Dialogue?

OK, I just found this blog, which may have some real potential. It appears to be run by two guys: one atheist and one theist. If you’re interested in observing how and what an atheist thinks of theism, check it out. BUT PLEASE (!!!!!), I BEG OF YOU (!!!!!): IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT,or IF YOUR INTEREST IS MERELY TO ARROGANTLY SPOUT OFF YOUR BELIEF WITH NO ARGUMENT, PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THE ATHEISTS! You will do more harm than good. Gosh, I know that sounds bad, but I could not be more sincere. I’ve seen it on too many blogs: Christians (even some who mean well) show up and “engage” the atheist. But it doesn’t take long to see that the Christian is way out of his/her league in such debates as the existence of God. If you think there’s even a chance that you aren’t very familiar with the arguments being discussed (e.g., ontological, teleological, moral, etc), please content yourself to read and learn, for now (which is how we all start).

At any rate, the blog appears to worth a visit. Enjoy!