Category Archives: Philosophy of Religion

The Thin Red Line: Grace in the midst of war?, Part 3 of 12

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Michael S. Pearl

(Continued from Part 2) 3. Witt amongst the Melanesians We first meet Pvt. Witt dressed in remnants of what had been military fatigues and living in the midst of Melanesian islanders. Melanesian life as presented is idyllic; it is as … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Film, Morality, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Religion | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Thin Red Line: Grace in the midst of war?, Part 2 of 12

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Michael S. Pearl

(Continued from Part 1) 2. The problem of the transcendent By juxtaposing the way of grace and the way of nature, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life enlivens the sense that grace is something transcendent, a matter of other-worldliness. Grace, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arendt, Ethics, Film, Morality, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Religion | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Thin Red Line: Grace in the midst of war?, Part 1 of 12

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Michael S. Pearl

1. Introduction The appeal of movies such as The Thin Red Line and The Tree of Life is generated predominantly by their serious concern with the matter of transcendence. Transcendence is commonly conceived of in terms of there being a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Film, Morality, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Religion | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Is Derek Parfit a Speculative Realist?

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Michael S. Pearl

The term Speculative Realism designates an apparently new trend or movement within philosophy. The term is said to have been coined in 2006 by Ray Brassier1 in preparation for a conference held at Goldsmiths College, London, in April, 2007. Participants … Continue reading →

Posted in Arendt, Ethics, Morality, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Evidence, Beliefs, and ‘Wise Blood’

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Michael S. Pearl

In a previous essay, it was noted that the most objective, the most invariant-across-contexts feature of evidence is that evidence fits with a story. To regard evidence as that which fits with (and, thereby, supports) a story is not to … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Science | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

About ‘Militant Modern Atheism’ and Religion

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Michael S. Pearl

Abstract: This essay first discusses the non-eliminable shortcomings (or vacuousness) found in the most vociferous versions of contemporary atheism as put forth in Philip Kitcher’s “Militant Modern Atheism”. The essay then proceeds to the problems which Kitcher’s preferred secular humanism … Continue reading →

Posted in Arendt, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Politics, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Selves, Subjects, and Reductionism

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Michael S. Pearl

In a recent blog entry, John Wilkins denounces the notion of an existent self saying, “Humans have an insistent need for illusions. … The most interesting illusion to me is that we have selves. It is quite obvious to me … Continue reading →

Posted in History and Philosophy of Science, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Science, Religion, Science | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Tree of Life and The Way of Grace

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Michael S. Pearl

Abstract. Terrence Malick’s movie, The Tree of Life, suggests a stark contrast between the way of nature and the way of grace. At first, this contrast – but especially its starkness – seems to set the context for a choice … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Religion | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Tree of Life

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Michael S. Pearl

Abstract. With his movie, The Tree of Life,Terrence Malick escapes the confines of mere rationalism and the poverty of meager empiricism to remind of the enchantment that is always with and within the ordinariness of reality. Malick locates this enchantment … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Javier Marías, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Matters of Choice and Free Will

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Michael S. Pearl

Abstract. In his paper, ‘The Act of Choice’, Richard Holton takes up and well discusses an important issue which the great bulk of the literature about free will has tended to ignore. That issue is the matter of choice: the … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments