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From: kort@hounx.UUCP (B.KORT)
Newsgroups: talk.philosophy.misc
Subject: Re: Decline of Philosophy
Message-ID: <979@hounx.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Sep-86 03:14:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: hounx.979
Posted: Tue Sep 23 03:14:37 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Sep-86 05:23:59 EDT
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I appreciated Todd Moody's lamentations on the relative inaccessibility
of philosophical inquiries to the lay public.  I think this is an
issue which philosophically minded afficianados (professional and
hobbyist alike) would do well to keep in mind.  I agree that we
often plunge into arcane discussions which don't fill the bill as
a spectator sport.

On the other hand, books like _The Tao is Silent_, _The Mind's I_,
and _Elbow Room -- The Varieties of Free Will Worth Wanting_ are
good examples of philosophy packaged for the educated layman.

Perhaps it is time to revive the Atheneum, that arena of philosophical
debate with which the Greeks amused themselves some 2500 years ago.
I would love to hear George Will on Free Will or Anthony Lewis on
the Evolution of Opinion.  A strong dose of civility plus good-natured
humor would make for healthy and lively dialogue that would attract
a larger following.

In the meantime, could we have a review of the bidding?  I seem
to have forgotten the point which we were arguing about....

Barry Kort
hounx!kort