Today’s soundtrack is Thelonious Monk: Monk’s Dream. This morning, I’m reading the third and final part of Socrates’ dialogue “Charmides,” from The Dialogues of Socrates, by Plato. The first part is here; the second is here. Picking up where I left off, Critias had just agreed with Socrates that “the discovery of things as they … Continue reading 06.14.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction

Today's soundtrack is Shiny Toy Guns: III. This afternoon, I'm reading the next ten pages of Socrates' dialogue Charmides, by Plato. Yesterday, I read about Socrates' discussion with Charmides about the definition of temperance. Where I left off, Socrates had proposed to Charmides that the definition of temperance as being "doing our own business" (p. … Continue reading 06.13.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction

Today’s soundtrack is clipping.: Splendor & Misery. This afternoon, I'm reading the first 20 pages of the first chapter of Plato's The Dialogues of Socrates, "Charmides." Socrates returned from Potidaea and visited his friends. He told them about his adventures, then asked whether there were any beautiful young men who were interested in philosophy. Critias … Continue reading 06.12.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction

Today's soundtrack is Childish Gambino: "Awaken, My Love!" This evening, I'm reading chapter 3 of John Calvin's The Institutes of Christian Religion, "The Knowledge of God Has Been Naturally Imprinted In the Human Mind." God imparts a knowledge of His existence into every man's mind "so that no one can plead ignorance" (p. 27). If … Continue reading 06.11.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction

Today's soundtrack is Christcentric: The Ephesians Project. This evening, I'm reading chapter 14 of Larry Gonick's The Cartoon Guide to Physics, "Capacitors." To make a capacitor, we separate two conductors by an insulator. To charge a capacitor, we transfer charge from one conductor to the other, usually with a battery. To do so, we create … Continue reading 06.10.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction

Today’s soundtrack is Crosby, Stills & Nash: Crosby, Stills, & Nash. This afternoon, I’m reading Book 1 of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, a stoic. In this little book, Marcus Aurelius lists the things that he learned from seventeen people in his life, those he is thankful to: Verus (grandfather): morality and control of temper Father … Continue reading 06.09.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction

Today's soundtrack is Marian Hill: Unusual. This afternoon, I'm reading the ninth chapter of Aristotle's Ethics, in which he continues to examine goodness and happiness. How do we attain happiness? Is it given to us or acquired? Happiness is achieved through the process "of study or application of our mental powers" (p. 44); thus, we … Continue reading 06.05.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction

Today's soundtrack is Ween: The Mollusk. This morning I'm reading the next chapter of Behaviorism: Classic Studies, "Behavior and the Concept of Mental Disease," by John B. Watson. It was originally published in 1916. in the Journal of Philosophy, Psychology, and Scientific Methods. Watson noticed that medical doctors referred to diseases without physical causes as … Continue reading 06.04.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction

Today's soundtrack is Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells. This afternoon, I'm reading the first chapter of James White's The Potter's Freedom, "The Vital Issue." The Jesuit Catholics believed that the Protestant Reformation was heretical; one of its proponents, Luis de Molina, wrote the Scientia Media (Middle Knowledge), a philosophical paper that attempted to show that God … Continue reading 06.03.2018: One Chapter of Nonfiction