You literally cannot parody the left anymore.

I just finished a dystopian story where the premise involves a dark age that forms because people begin to despise their history and culture and human life itself....

....and then I read in the news that faculty and students of the University of Virginia object to the quoting of Jefferson because he was a slave owner.



//CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The University of Virginia president defended her use of Thomas Jefferson quotations after a group of students and professors criticized her, saying Jefferson shouldn't be used as a "moral compass" because he was a slave owner.

School president Teresa Sullivan quoted Jefferson in statements made to the campus community before and after Donald Trump's election, urging students in one email to remember their own responsibility in the world, local media reported.

"By coincidence, on this exact day 191 years ago - November 9, 1825, in the first year of classes at U.Va. - Thomas Jefferson wrote to a friend that University of Virginia students 'are not of ordinary significance only: they are exactly the persons who are to succeed to the government of our country, and to rule its future enmities, its friendships and fortunes.' I encourage today's U.Va. students to embrace that responsibility," Sullivan wrote last week.

In response, assistant psychology professor Noelle Hurd drafted a letter denouncing Sullivan's use of the quotes. More than 400 faculty members and students signed it.

"Though we realize that some members of our university community may be inspired by quotes from Jefferson, we also realize that many of us are deeply offended by attempts on behalf of our administration to guide our moral behavior through their use," the letter stated.

According to the letter, using quotes from the school's founder "undermines the messages of unity, equality, civility, and inclusivity" that Sullivan was trying to convey.

Sullivan wrote Monday that she supports their right to express their opinions and that quoting Jefferson doesn't indicate she agrees with all of his actions, thoughts or politics.

"I fully endorse their right to speak out on issues that matter to all of us, including the University's complicated Jeffersonian legacy," Sullivan wrote. "Quoting Jefferson (or any historical figure) does not imply an endorsement of all the social structures and beliefs of his time."//

So. Totally. Cool!

The first issue of The Sci Phi Journal is out on Amazon. 

You should stop reading this and go there and buy the first issue ASAP.

Ignore the fact that I have a book review in Sci Phi Journal #1, but who can resist an article entitled "I am Groot: An Aristotelian reflection on space aliens and substance."!!!!!

Aristotle + Space Aliens = Total Science Fiction/Philosophical Nerd Heaven.

Or "Personhood in H.Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy," the prospective enjoyment of which requires knowledge of 1950s Science Fiction.

Or for the Star Trek fans out there - and you know who you are - Philosophy prof Jim Druley pens "Star Trek's Prime Directive: Moral Guidelines, Exceptions and Absolutes"....for which, I'm guessing, the only absolute is "don't get caught violating it."

Oh....and there are science fiction stories, including one by John C. Wright.

This journal grows out of Jason Rennie's Sci Phi podcast. Over the years, Jason has analyzed some fascinating philosophical issues through the perspective of science fiction, or, if you prefer, analyzed some fascinating science fiction stories through the perspective of philosophy. He has also interviewed science fiction writers including Mike Resnick and Robert Sawyer and philosophers including Alvin Plantinga (who seemed like a real nice guy.) It makes for a fun melange of science fiction/philosophical chewy goodness.

Check out the Sci Phi Journal and expand your mind.

Write the Great American Novel.

November is National Novel Writing Month.

The philosophy of writing in a nutshell.

I've been cranking out an opposition to a motion for summary judgment, which kept me up until 1:30 a.m. to finally grind out the statement of facts.  The key is to lose yourself in the work so that your perception of time is episodic; you look up every now and again and realize that another hour has passed and that your legs may be experiencing some kind of deep vein thrombosis because you haven't moved them since the last time you moved from the aeviternal realm back into mundane time-space.

Apparently, I'm doing something right, however, as John Scalzi notes one of the basic rules of writing:

b) like most things on the planet, thinking about doing it is a lot
worse than simply sitting down and doing it. The writing wasn’t hard
to do, you just need to plant ass in seat and go from there.

It is true that thinking about writing a long piece is worse than writing the piece, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the reason thinking about writing a long piece is so difficult is because doing it can be so debilitating.