Form, not Genus, is Principle If the universals are always more of the nature of principles, evidently the uppermost of the genera are the principles; for these are predicated of all things. Both being and unity will be principles and substances. But it is not possible that either unity or being should be a single genus of things; for the differentiae of any genus must each of them both have […]
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“Metaphysics: I. First Principles” by Aristotle
Artists can Teach We view them as being wiser not in virtue of being able to act, but of having the theory for themselves and knowing the causes. And in general it is a sign of the man who knows and of the man who does not know, that the former can teach, and therefore we think art more truly knowledge than experience is. Having abstract knowledge of the cause […]
Read more“Topics” by Aristotle
Clarity of Definition First of all see whether he has used any attribute that belongs universally. For the genus ought to divide the object from things in general, and the differentia from any of the things contained in the same genus. Now any term that belongs to everything separates off the given object from absolutely nothing, while any that belongs to all the things that fall under the same genus […]
Read moreThe Dark Night, Starry Night
Oftentimes when life is a long night, when everywhere I look, there is darkness and sorrow, I’m tempted to resign with Vincent van Gogh, “The sadness will last forever.” Only if I search attentively and persistently, can I find glimmers of light and joy in the seemingly endless darkness. Why is there so little light? Why can’t life be like the shining Sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect […]
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“Childhood, Boyhood, Youth” by Leo Tolstoy
Tolstoy’s Self-Portrait In this semiautobiographical trilogy, Tolstoy imagined a friendship between his boyhood-self, the narrator, and his young-adult self, Prince Dimitri Nechludoff, who is also the hero of hist last novel, Resurrection. Tolstoy was only in his 20s when he wrote the trilogy, but his self-portrait was stunningly accurate. In him there were two personalities, both of which I thought beautiful. One, which I loved devotedly, was kind, mild, forgiving, […]
Read more“What I believe” by Leo Tolstoy
[AKA: My Religion] When I first read War and Peace five years ago, Tolstoy was nothing but a famous name to me. War and Peace was the first epic novel I’ve ever read, and, to me, it was perfect. Now that I’ve read most of Tolstoy’s works, I’d like to think that I have a decent understanding of the artist through his works, which make up a jigsaw portrait of […]
Read moreTolstoy on Slavery
“The misery of a worker, does not consist in his long hours and small pay, but in the fact that he is deprived of the natural conditions of life in touch with nature, is deprived of freedom, and is compelled to compulsory and monotonous toil at another man’s will.” –Leo Tolstoy The Slavery of Our Times
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