Percival, the wild rabbet living in our backyard was sighted again yesterday. I suspect that he/she is finding shelter under our deck. Does the young animal “know” there are fewer predators in our yard than just 50 yards away in Almond Marsh? Maybe. Was reminded of a line from Bergson in yesterday’s post that…
Life is a certain effort to obtain certain things from raw matter, and that instinct and intelligence, taken in their finished state, are two distinct means of utilizing a tool for this object; in the first case, the tool is a part of the living creature; in the other, it is an inorganic instrument…
LIFEis a co-ordinationof disciplined elementsamong whichthe work is divided.therefore, the socialunderlies the vital. This is so in those societies where the individualmust be ready to sacrifice itselffor the whole:the hive and the anthill.This result is obtained by instinctwhich is an extensionof nature’s work of organization.This means that natureis more concerned with societythan with the…
Everyone finds the pumpkin attractive. The kid-in-me loves pumpkins. The pumpkin is a signature of the Fall season, a symbol of cooler days, falling leaves, the turn of Nature toward a season of rest, of quiescence. Who does not need a season of reduced activity, to contemplate, take stock with gratitude, — the good…
Having moved to Batavia, I have discovered Randall Road. Randall Road, running north and south is a dense strip of retail shopping. Some of the national chains have more than one store along this well traveled artery. Randall road is iconic of America if you think that the achievement of “the American Dream” is…
No question that instrumental rationality is the heartbeat of our time. Science gave us the industrial age, — the telegraph, railroads, automobiles, radios, television, industrialized warfare, the hydrogen bomb…. There is no need to go on. The industrial age has been eclipsed by the age of communication made possible by hyper miniaturized solid state…
Sunday can be a day of reflection, a generally recognized, if little practiced “time out” day. Monday through Saturday, the other six days of the week are pure hustle. The organism of society and economy is in “fast forward” mode, and a majority of us have a defined role which we play, mainly out…
“Where to from here?” is the question that I always ask. Not every one asks, as many are content to remain where they presently are. Why the difference? Upbringing is often mentioned as the decisive factor in the orientation of the individual. What about upbringing? Why not include the physical and emotional upbringing of…
Another Friday morning at Starbucks, and as on any day, a majority of patrons walk in, scarcely looking up from the small iPhone screen held in their hand. A beverage order has been placed by means of the device, and paid for prior to their arrival at the serving counter. All that remains is…
The love of humanity is not a self sufficient force or one that has a direct efficacy. …as every teacher knows you cannot prevail over egoism by recommending “altruism.” — excerpt The Two Sources of Morality and Religion By Henri Bergson p. 36
