Larry's blog

Professor Roger Fleming had taught this course many times before.  Philosophy 101 wasn’t his favorite.  It was an undergraduate introduction to philosophy class that seem to attract the most arrogant, snot nosed, spoiled rich kids at his sprawling urban institute for the overprivileged.  It wasn’t like the advanced graduate classes that attracted serious students that could challenge the limits of his knowledge.  As he prepared for the first day of the fall semester he thought he could go on autopilot and ignore the rude comments he sometimes got when minds would wonder during some of the more tedious lectures. “Rene Descartes is considered the father of modern philosophy,” he said at the beginning of his second lecture.  “The issues he dealt with are still being debated today.  Everything since Descartes can be considered a footnote to his works. He believed there are two types of substances:  Mental and physical.  He held that the material substance and the mental substance interac

It was a hazy, hot day in New York.  The temperature reached 112 by 1 pm, a new record for the date.  The date was January 18, 2108.  It was an unusually warm winter people were saying.  Usually the winters in NY rarely see the temperature go over 90.  112 was more like the usual high temperatures in May.  Experts said the war against global warming was lost when a 21st century president named Donald Trump did not take strong action when there was still time to avert disaster.  Instead greenhouse warming spiraled out of control faster than anyone predicted at the time. Nadine Gordon lined up at her usual watering station according to the current schedule.  The line was two blocks long, but moved quickly.  When she reached the front the water guard filled her regulation one quart jug to the top.  Nadine then pointed to the pint container she had in her other hand.   “Do you have a ration card for that?” the guard asked.  Nadine shook her head.  “You know the rules.  No extra water wit

Philo:  Have you ever wondered why we are here? Hobbes:  You mean why we are here as opposed to somewhere else? Philo:  No, I mean why we are anywhere. Hobbes:  I know why we are here.  By chance and random events. Philo:  So there is no meaning to any of this? Hobbes:  No.  Why do you always try to give meaning to random events? Philo:  How do you live like that?  Maybe the fact that you see life as a series of random events is how you ended up here. Hobbes:  Excuse me.  Aren’t you here too?  What is your excuse? Philo:  At least I’m trying to understand and change things. Hobbes:  Is that why I saw you reading “Man’s Search for Meaning” in the library?  What a waste of time!  A search for nothing. Philo:  What do you plan to do if you get out of here? Hobbes:  Drive my motorcycle, bang as many broads as possible, and get high as much as I can. Philo:  And that will make you happy? Hobbes:  It’s the only reason for getting up in the morning. Philo:  How is