Continuing on the Tractatus Theologico-Politicus, ch. 1–11. We go more into natural laws vs. ordinances; does it make sense to say that God makes rules for people? Spinoza claims that laws were given to the ancient Hebrews because they were needed for that society, but what's the nature of this necessity? Also, how does Spinoza deal with alleged miracles given that natural Continue Reading …
Episode 165: Spinoza on Biblical Criticism (Part One)
On Benedict de Spinoza's Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1670), ch. 1–11. What's the proper relationship between church and state? That seems like a no-brainer to us now, but that's thanks to a long intellectual tradition that fed directly out of Spinoza, and a Spinoza-like take on, say, Islam is badly needed in many parts of the world today. Spinoza, despite what his Continue Reading …
Ep. 165: Spinoza on Biblical Criticism (Citizen Edition)
On Benedict de Spinoza's Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1670), ch. 1–11. What's the proper relationship between church and state? That seems like a no-brainer to us now, but that's thanks to a long intellectual tradition that fed directly out of Spinoza, and a Spinoza-like take on, say, Islam is badly needed in many parts of the world today. Spinoza, despite what his Continue Reading …
Parables as a Guide to Jesus the Philosopher, Part 3: Shocking Images
In the previous part dedicated to prudence, one of the parables I analyzed was "the Assassin" from the noncanonical Gospel of Thomas. The question of why this parable is not in the biblical canon is an intriguing one. It may simply have been invented by the authors of Thomas, but it does not sound unlike Jesus to me. Now, as well as it being the only noncanonical parable of the Continue Reading …
How Many Virgins Does It Take to Carry a Propane Tank?
Andreas has reminded me of my challenge on the parables episode for folks to give us your most innovative/bizarre interpretations of The Ten Virgins parable. Here it is copied from Wikipedia: Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Those who were foolish, Continue Reading …
Topic for #112: Paul Ricoeur on Religious Hermeneutics
On 3/4/15, we were joined by our former guest Law Ware to discuss two 1973 Paul Ricouer essays on applying hermeneutics to religion: "The Critique of Religion" and "The Language of Faith." Listen to the episode now. "The Critique of Religion" advised religious folks that they need to take the criticisms of Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud seriously. He conglomerates them all in a Continue Reading …
Episode 111: Gadamer’s Hermeneutics: How to Interpret
On Hans-Georg Gadamer's Truth and Method (1960, ch. 4), "Aesthetics and Hermeneutics" (1964), "The Universality of the Hermeneutical Problem" (1966), and "Hermeneutics as Practical Philosophy" (1972). Hemeneutics is all about interpretation, primarily of texts, but of other things too, and Gadamer thinks that even if we learn all about the history and customs and probable Continue Reading …
Topic for #111: Gadamer’s Hermeneutics: How to Interpret
On Feb. 8, the regular four discussed a spate of works by Hans-Georg Gadamer about hermenutics. Listen to the episode now. Hermeneutics is all about how to properly interpret a text, and was initiated mainly to deal with the Bible, e.g. Augustine wanted to know how to reconcile the Old and New Testaments, and many more recent folks wanted to know how to interpret the Bible Continue Reading …