(Text as at 14/07/2019 18:05:46)*** THIS IS NOT THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS NOTE ***
This Blog continues to evolve over time, though suffers from long periods of stasis. I'm not sure whether it should count as a “real” blog, but I intend it as a general dumping ground for discussions that don’t obviously fit elsewhere, or which are hidden about the site but to which I wish to draw attention.
The entire blog and the individual entries use my patent “Note” technology which I developed for my more formally philosophical investigations into Personal Identity, which is why it comes with the usual cross-referencing baggage, though the reading-lists are usually switched off. Here is the “Jump Table” for the entire Blog, which allows quick access to the various sub-topics. One day I may make these tables topic-specific, but currently I think the cross-pollination a potential “good thing”.
In the table below, individual notes will say – in the “Reference” column – whether they have a printable version. The motivation behind the “unprintable1” versions – marked as “Note” – is the hyper-linking, more relevant in some texts than others. If a word is underlined and followed by a superscript, clicking on the underlined word will usually lead to further enlightenment or obfuscation. Underlining with a subscript links to a footnote within the Note itself. The “printable” versions show the level to which the print goes. L0 (“Level 0”) is just the main Note. “L1” has the main Note and all Notes referenced by the main Note, and so on. If the reading list is carried through to the printable Note, this is shown by “, R”.
Some of these entries are discussions between me and an interlocutor or correspondent. Comments that belong to the correspondent appear in a different colour, a rather nasty shade of purple. To allow for candour, I’ve in general not been explicit about the identities of correspondents, though those who know me well may be able to make deductions in some cases. If anyone wants their identity revealed (or even further disguised), no doubt they will let me know. I have to admit that this “Notes” procedure with interlocutors hasn’t worked very well, and fragments the conversation somewhat.
| Date | Topic | Reference |
| 4 November 2018 | Coxes Farm: This page provides a timeline of the vicissitudes – good and bad – that have come upon our house – Coxes Farm, Billericay, Essex – since we purchased it in February 2012.
→ Historic England: Coxes Farmhouse Listing. → Historic England Photos: Coxes Farmhouse. | Part 1 → Note2 → Printable (L0) Part 2 → Note3 → Printable (L0) Part 3 → Note4 → Printable (L0) Part 4 → Note5 → Printable (L0) |
| 2 August 2018 | Tottering Towers & Listing Buildings: This is an account – theoretical as well as practical – of the problems that can arise for those with the responsibility for a Listed Building, illustrated by my own experiences with Coxes Farm. It is currently work in progress. | Note6 → Printable (L0) |
| 31 August 2017 | Aeon: Throughout 2017 I attempted to keep up with all relevant (or at least interesting) papers posted on a daily basis to Aeon. I attempted to categorise all the papers and hoped to add comments against each, but – as with most of my many projects – it turned out to be too much work, and since the end of 2017 it has been on the back burner. However, it was quite stimulating while in progress, and I learnt a lot, having read 500-odd papers, and commented on quite a few of them. Follow the link for more information. | Note7 → Printable (L0) → Printable (L0, R) |
| 31 January 2016 | Somerset Maugham Short Stories: This may not have been worth the effort, but I was – in my youth – impressed by W Somerset Maugham’s short stories. In 2015 I came across a volume of these, and over the next couple of years read them and made notes on the ethical issues that arose. For completeness, I supplied summaries of each story. Because of the size of the task, the results are split over two Notes. | Part 1 → Note8 → Printable (L0) → Printable (L0, R) Part 2 → Note9 → Printable (L0) → Printable (L0, R) |
| 19 November 2013 | Bach's Greatest Hits: This is an attempt to exorcise a recent obsession with J.S. Bach, and in particular with his St. Luke Passion, Passacaglia and Fugue, and the Chaconne from the Second Partita for solo violin. The entry is mainly links to YouTube with a few jottings. | Note10 → Printable (L0, R) |
| 10 June 2013 | Biblical Archaeology: I happened upon three 21st century controversies in Biblical Archaeology – the so-called “King Solomon's Tablet of Stone”, “James Ossuary” and “Talpiot Tomb” – which set me thinking about how controversies in archaeology are resolved, and whether the issues matter. This is work in progress, if not currently so. | Note11 → Printable (L0, R) |
| 31 March 2011 | James Le Fanu: I came across an article on the giraffe by James Le Fanu in The Oldie. What could he possibly be saying? This is work in progress, though not being progressed at the moment. | Note12 → Printable (L0) → Printable (L1, R) |
| 21 February 2011 | The Singularity: This will be a review of an overly-optimistic article from Time entitled 2045: The Year Man Becomes Immortal. This is currently work in progress. | Note13 → Printable (L0) → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) |
| 13 February 2011 | Megawoosh: I was forwarded a “viral video” entitled Megawoosh under the cover of “Who did the calculations for this water slide?”. It turns out to be a clever German advert for Microsoft Project, but it’s fun to watch … | Note14 → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) |
| 1 February 2011 | Contemporary Islamic Thought: I considered taking the course “Unity and Diversity in Contemporary Islamic Thought” at Heythrop, and contacted a friend from my Birkbeck days who has converted from Roman Catholicism to Islam. That conversation didn’t get far, but a few (unresolved) issues were raised. And then another friend sent me a web-link … | Note15 → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) |
| 26 January 2011 | Experts: A further discussion with two Christian friends, mainly on the way the authority of experts ought or ought not to structure our beliefs. | Note16 → Printable (L0) → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) |
| 28 April 2010 | Unmerited Suffering & Hominid Evolution: A discussion of two issues – the difficulties for theism of unmerited suffering, and the scientific status of the various current theories of hominid evolution. | Note17 → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) |
| 22 January 2010 | Hartnett, Carmeli and a Young Earth: Cosmological Relativity and a young Earth. This correspondence arose following receipt of a book that purports to explain how we can see the stars if the universe is only 6,000 years old. | Note18 → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) → Printable (L2) |
| 20 January 2010 | Haiti and the Problem of Evil: This discussion with a couple of friends was stimulated by the receipt of a brief article following the Haitian earthquake, and ensuing humanitarian crisis, on the BBC News Magazine website, alerted by the author on Philos_List. | Note19 → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) → Printable (L5) |
| 14 July 2009 | Virgin Birth: Response to some comments on an ancient booklet of mine on the Virgin Birth of Christ. | Note20 → Printable (L0) |
| 21 February 2009 | Triplet Parapsychology: I was idly watching TV while eating my dinner circa midnight last Tuesday, when a program on Identical Triplets came on ITV1. Just slotted in was a claim and supposed experiment to show that if one triplet feels pain, the others do, at least subliminally. This must have been a spoof, but was completely straight-faced. Follow the link opposite for more information, and my reasoning behind being unwilling to be convinced by the facts. | Note21 → Printable (L0) |
| 14 February 2009 | Creationist Bananas: I received an email from Philos_List requesting submissions for the world’s worst argument. A suggested candidate was that from a creationist group, suggesting that the banana is a good illustration of the “Paley’s watch” argument. Follow the link for the background, and my thoughts. | Note22 → Printable (L0) |
| 14 February 2009 | Jamie Bulger's Killers: Julie received an email petition asking for “something to be done about” the plan to settle the killers of Jamie Bulger in Australia. This is a complex moral issue. Follow the link for my thoughts, though I’m not altogether comfortable with them. In fact, it turns out that the email has been circulating aimlessly for 8 years, and contains numerous inaccuracies. I wish I’d just binned it. | Note23 → Printable (L0) |
| 29 April 2008 | Coldplay - The Hardest Part: A bridge friend forwarded on to me a circular email raving about certain aspects of the Coldplay video The Hardest Part, available on YouTube. The comments seemed to miss the import of the video (indeed, to get it completely round the wrong way) – but the affair raises some interesting questions in philosophical aesthetics on which I’d welcome the thoughts of experts. | Note24 → Printable (L0) |
| 1 January 2008 | Loretto Chapel: An email from a bridge friend with a link to a YouTube video about the Loretto Chapel. I've now lost the link, but it was probably Loretto Chapel 1. See also Loretto Chapel 2. The "miraculous staircase" might well be a marvel, but it's not a miracle, nor did St. Joseph have a hand in it. | Note25 → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) |
| 29 November 2007 | Mad, Bad or God?: I got this question from Sylvia: “I remember you saying you were never persuaded by the “mad, bad or God” argument. This has cropped up a couple of times recently, and I can’t remember what your alternative is. Do you mention this on your website somewhere, and if so, where?”. | Note26 → Printable (L0, R) → Printable (L1) |
| 10 November 2007 | Tiahuanaco: I received an email from a friend suggesting that Tiahuanaco - an ancient city in the Andes, close to Lake Titicaca - is evidence for a global flood. I was not convinced. | Note27 |
| 17 August 2007 | Personal Identity and Moral Action: Another out of the blue query – this time about the interaction of Ethics with Personal Identity. | Note28 → Printable (L6) |
| 15 August 2007 | Carthusians - Hugh: An out of the blue query about Carthusians, and subsequent correspondence. Someone does look at my website after all. | Note29 → Printable (L6) |
| 14 August 2007 | Gordon: Another Oldie. An email from a friend I’d not heard from for 10 years at least. His email address now bounces, so this is by way of a response to an interrupted discussion. | Note30 → Printable (L6) |
| 4 August 2007 | Simon: This entry antedates those that precede it, but is still on-going. It is a discussion between me and a friend and former HSBC colleague who now lives with his family in New York. His 16-year-old daughter had just become a Christian, and he needs some philosophical counselling. It is unusual in being initiated by a respondent. | Note31 → Printable (L4) |
| 23 July 2007 | Spain: Herewith the account of some vicissitudes on an impromptu holiday to Spain. | Part 1 → Note32 → Printable (L4) Part 2 → Note33 |
| 22 July 2007 | Bible – Pluses and Minuses: This is my list of worries about the Bible. It’s only here because it’s got no other home to go to. It’s not worth reading as I’ve only just started it (chapters on which I’ve something to say are indicated by superscripted hyperlinks). I intend to produce a parallel, but even more naïve, commentary on the Koran, which I hope will not involve me in the receipt of a fatwa. | Note34 → Printable (L4) |
| 15 July 2007 | Jack and Sheila: The account of a discussion with some old friends, followed by an outreach meeting at a Baptist Church. Sounds dull, but such events can be important. There are some affinities with the item below. | Note35 → Printable (L4) |
| 7 July 2007 | Sylvia: Today I had a discussion on the topic of “Why I am no longer an active Christian”. Here is an attempted account of the discussion, together with some general points about extempore debate. | Note36 → Printable (L4) → Printable (L4) |
| 11 May 2007 | Never Let Me Go: At a former colleague’s retirement lunch, we got talking about the menu, which lead on to the topic of vegetarianism, to which persuasion my friend was persuaded. He loaned me a book, "Ishiguro (Kazuo) - Never Let Me Go", which I read with some interest, but wasn’t fully clear on the connection. So, I jotted down some notes, emailed them off, and awaited feedback. To date, none has come, of course. The story of my life. | Note37 → Printable (L4) |
| Date | Length | Title |
| 03/07/2020 22:09:07 | 19664 | Theo Todman's Blog |
| Date | Length | Title |
| 05/04/2016 23:19:41 | 13859 | Theo Todman's Blog |
| 20/11/2013 10:46:34 | 13386 | Theo Todman's Blog |
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| 27/06/2011 18:57:36 | 12440 | Theo Todman's Blog |
| 19/03/2011 17:18:14 | 12077 | Theo Todman's Blog |
| 18/12/2010 19:58:05 | 10486 | Theo Todman's Blog |
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| 03/05/2008 11:02:24 | 6958 | Theo Todman's Blog |
| Date | Length | Title |
| 04/04/2020 00:14:24 | 23354 | Theo Todman's Blog |
| This version updated | Reference for this Topic | Parent Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 14/07/2019 18:05:46 | 268 (Theo Todman's Blog) | None |
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