Marshall McLuhan (the man behind catchphrases such as 'the medium is the message' and 'global village') is one of the philosophers taken up by Graham Harman, the 'object-oriented' one in the 'speculative realist' milleu. I have mentioned earlier on this blog how Harman draws on the metaphysics of Bruno Latour, but fails to fully appreciate the subtle Catholicism in the latter's philosophy. This year I learned that McLuhan was a convert to Roman Catholicism. Hence, two of the most important philosophers drawn on in the most interesting recent philosophical movement were/are themselves (to put it carefully) blurring the boundaries between philosophy and theology. In 'Media and Formal Cause,' the McLuhans (Marshall wrote much with his son Eric, who is still producing) make more explicit the role of Aristotelian/Thomist formal causality in their analysis of modern media. The failure to understand formal cause accounts for our failure to understand the 'deep' effects of various media, and also the nature of reality as such. In 'The Medium and the Light,' Eric has collected the most explicit religious writings of his father's.
A couple of years ago, Bruno Latour 'came out' as a philosopher. Obviously, his project had never been about the sociology of science at all, but always about ontology - more precisely, the kind of ontology that might account for the ontologies of modernity itself. In this essay collection, he continues to 'come out,' as a religious philosopher. That is, a philosopher who seeks to think and speak religiously, if not necessarily about religion (though the essays do touch upon typical topics of philosophy of religion). Latour is one of those who blur the boundary between the 'secular' and the 'religious' to such a degree (and so generously) that it sometimes feels like a relief to let go of the whole distinction.His reflections on the loudly publicized clashes between 'religion' and 'science' provide entertainment as well as encouragement for those of us who (perhaps because based in Oxford, where the 'science-vs-religion' industry particularly thrives among old as well as young and promising atheists and apologists alike) are beginning to become sick of the whole theatre.
The sequel to the best fantasy novel (I was about to write 'ever written') I have read did not disappoint! The multitalented Kvothe spends a second day recounting his incredible life story to the visiting scribe called Chronicler. I have yet to write about the series on this blog, but for me it already ranks high above both Martin and Hobb. I am delaying the analysis in a kind of reverent fear of what Rothfuss might be up to next. Highly recommended!
Michel Serres's reflection on the nature of property connects the mental pollution of advertizing billboards with the ecological pollution in the global backyard of modern Western civilization. A beautifully written (as always) meditation on the world, on the violence on which the modern civilization of 'peace' is founded, with even a few gestures to the God Incarnate, who claimed nothing for Himself, and so left no material trace; no womb, no bed, no grave. Serres simply calls us to make the decision that a certain amount is 'enough.' One wonders why we don't.
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