Philosophy Now Forum

Part 1: As a Canadian who has lived in Australia since he was 26, I find I have reacted more to the secularism than to the materialism. North America was for me, anyway, more materialistic but far less secular than Australia. Australia's secularism, it seems to me, rivals that of Europe. And, so it'...

Part 1: "Can we cut to the chase," you say, "Bernard?" In simple terms, I have no trouble. I say:"Australia is a very materialistic society", I say. This I believe. Like so many things, though, there is a story behind such an opinion, a story that gives nuance and compl...

Part 1: Fifty years after David Armstrong's appointment to Sydney’s fabled Challis Chair of Philosophy, he remains Australia’s most important philosopher. Without qualification, he has been one of the twentieth century’s most influential thinkers. As the Quadrant online , 1/3/'14 edition, pointed ou...

Of course you are right, Sappho, "all humor does not contain some grain of truth." probably "all humor does not contain some grain of anything except, perhaps, words and or gestures." I did not take offense at your remark about two heads as I don't take offense about that sort of...

One of the wonderful things about humour, having imbibed many Australian versions now for over 40 years, is that it often--if not always--contains grains of truth far beyond the quips that are intended. I receive your quips with pleasure, but prefer to react to those grains of truth, at least as I s...

Yes, Sappho, indeed. Although the concept is dated for this age of 24/7 stresses, in 1978 Ronald Conway wrote a book that for a time went into the Australian lexicon of self-examination alongside Donald Horne's The Lucky Country. It was called The Land of the Long Weekend . For a book of social crit...

Thanks, Sappho. I'll post here a little prose-poem I wrote recently about humour at home in North America and Downunder.-Ron ------------------------- HUMOUR Another of the six part, six one hour, epic showcasing of the funniest men, women and moments in American entertainment Make ‘Em Laugh: The Fu...

Good point, Sappho, about the link....I've added it and appreciate your note regarding the courtesy of that addition to my post.-Ron

You might enjoy this piece, Sappho, as I thank you for your post found at this link: http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/T/Tas%20reputation.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tasmania's reputati...

It has been more than 2 years since I have been at this forum-thread. I've been thinking about that editor comment. After 32 years in classrooms as a teacher and tutor, lecturer and adult educator, I must have "edited" 100s of 1000s of pages of stuff.-Ron

A very belated thanks for that "happy birthday" wish 3 years ago. I am now going through my 70s, 2014 to 2024, and my 80s, 2024 to 2034, if I last that long.-Ron

You should have been a teacher, Arising_uk. On the other hand, you would have gone crazy correcting the spelling and the grammar of students in classrooms in this 21st century. You might like to correct your use of the word "to" in your sentence...."And I think you would to if you got...

It's been more than six months, Arising_uk, since I was at this thread. You are right about Tasmania's blood-soaked history. It's a bit like England's blood-soaked history: you've never know it looking at the delightful landscape.-Ron

Ah well, one wins some and one loses some. One can only please some of the people some of the time. Best wishes, Arising_uk, from arising Australia---as spring hits us this week.-Ron

You asked me about my life in Canada, Arising_uk, and you got what you asked for.-Ron