Journeys with Tim

begging the question

Working on a lecture on informal fallacies and saw this: a perfect image of the begging-the-question fallacy - a fallacy in which one assumes what one is trying to prove. Look carefully, there's more than meets the eye.

Unfortunately there's no way to show it to the class. So enjoy.

professorship as a calling

Nicholas Wolterstorff is a professor of philosophy at Yale who was kind enough to send me an article of his called Professorship as a Legitimate Calling. It discusses some of the ways a university professor is a distinctive calling for some Christians. Highlights…

The work of a professor is something to which some of us are called by God – in the classic sense of Luther and Calvin, such that if we did not do it, we would be acting disobediently.

I think one of the fundamental callings of the Christian community, which translates down to some individuals, is to engage in that contest over meaning and interpretation – and to engage at its most fundamental levels, to engage in a spiritual struggle.

The church needs scholars to assist in the task of seeing precisely how the biblical vision applies to our present social realities…and to give scholarly and intellectual development to the vision of meaning found in the gospel.

Ultimately, scholarship done creatively and redemptively is in the service of shalom, in the service of human fulfillment.

A great start, and in fact it seems more needs to be done to aid those, like Wolterstorff, who are engaged in representing Jesus in our universities. Here’s an idea: Every September set aside a moment of the Sunday service to pray for professors, and other professionals who devote themselves to such a high calling.

virtue

I'm not sure exactly how I came to it, but I've decided that virtue ethics is the correct ethical theory. Early Christians may have been virtue ethicists, but with the rise of modern theories it wasn't always clear which ethical system fit best with scripture. Some Christians have been Kantians because they see similaries between Kant's emphasis on duty and the commands of scripture.

Other Christians have been divine command theorists because that theory seemed to best capture the nature of biblical imperatives.

But recently I've come to think that virtue ethics is best because of it's emphasis on character rather than duties or actions. I believe character is fundamental, and behavior secondary. Of course many will say that character is developed through character, or that character is evidenced by behavior, which is true enough, but it's still the case that behavior is simply the means; the goal is good character.

Thus don't look for rules, look for virtue. The virtue ethicists asks not 'what should I do?', but 'what type of person will I become?'

Now, if only I knew more about the virtues...

time to dig out

With sunny weather expected tomorrow, the university resumes classes. (The picture is of the Union, though I'm not sure when it was taken). Canceled classes never interfere with grad students, especially when you take seminar classes - there's no real lecture, just discussion of the reading.

I like seminar classes. Not just because there's usually no exams, but the style is more informal, more open to discussion. I would love to head a seminar course sometime. In some ways it's just a glorified bookclub, which I just love. Reading with other people just rocks.

Surprisingly it doesn't happen enough at school. Sure we all read the same books, but there's not nearly enough discussion, which ideally should take place at a coffee shop.

In fact these days I'm in the mood for a little fiction bookclub. Harry Potter anyone?

snow day

Looks like the university is taking the day off after a severe snow storm rolls into Lincoln. Seems like a good day to spend with Herr Doctor Kant.

review of Passion

I loved this review of Passion found here. Better yet were the comments about the review here.

My thoughts exactly!

freezing rain

I was going to post about the church service this morning, but instead I'm posting about the annoyances joys of picking ice off my car. That's right my friends, today I found that overnight freezing rain had encased my car (just after I washed it yesterday) in a nice block of ice. Oh, in case you're wondering, it takes about 20 minutes (it helps to have the defrost on).

Needless to say, with the roads covered in ice I skipped church and had my own service, which included some of my favorite worship CD's, and the first chapter of Philippians.

What I read, I now pass to you. So, from Paul and (me) to you...

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it out on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the friut of rghteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.

Be blessed.

...

There is much to post about...

• why is that college students are opinionated, but can't think on their own.
• the joys of The Two Towers extended version.
• is there anything funnier than American Idol?
• best books read in 2003.
• a post mortem on the movie Timeline.

tonight...

After teaching 4 classes today, tonight seems like a good night for pizza and The Two Towers (extened version, thank you very much).

snow and cold

I think the cold changes things. The body gets tired, we are less likely to go out, and of course cabin fever is a real phenomena. Perhaps it's good for the mind; it's good not to be distracted, but instead focus on books and study. I know my car doesn't like it. But there is something nice about winter. The air is fresh, the snow is beautiful, and change is welcome.

Too bad, you folks from Cali. can't experience it!

Winter is here

It may not look it, but temps have been hovering around the 20 degree mark. Thankfully there's no snow, so Lincolnites can still get around.

Good News

Looks like Mel Gibson's Film 'Passion' will debut on 2,000 Screens. Not that I expected it would be hard to find.

Wobbles the Mind

One of my classes this semester is a study of the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, specifically his book, Critique of Pure Reason. Easily one of the most studied, yet difficult books in all philosophy. My mind hurts already.

Happy New Year

Ah, Christmas break was great, but now it's time to get working! I've got lots to do this semester, but don't worry, I'll still blog.