September 2009
5 posts
3 tags
Michael Sandel and Televised Philosophy
People talk about Michael Sandel’s Harvard University “Justice” class all the time. But I’ve always been skeptical: he teaches to something in the neighborhood of 1,000 students at a time and, as someone who teaches political philosophy, I can’t imagine how a class like this would work…especially since discussion and debate play such a central role in my...
Sep 26th
5 notes
2 tags
Rosh Hashana Reflections
For the past ten years, ever since I started looking closely at the words that everyone says, I’ve been bothered by this part of the Rosh Hashana service: How many shall leave this world and how many shall be born into it, who shall live and who shall die, who shall live out the limit of his days and who shall not, who shall perish by fire and who by water, who by sword and who by beast, who...
Sep 21st
3 tags
Spartan Field Hockey Rules!*
I’m not sure if you’ve heard but Michigan State’s field hockey team had a major win today, taking ODU behind the woodshed up in Syracuse, NY. 4-1, baby! Football? Never heard of it. Unless you mean soccer. Do you? Given the sad state of play at Spartan Stadium today against Central Michigan and the Heisman Trophy candidate no one’s ever heard of, Dan LeFevour, I’m...
Sep 12th
5 tags
WatchWatch
This video from The Onion is funny. But, as a life-long Detroit Lions fan, it’s also very sad. And it got me thinking: what are the realistic expectations for this coming season? They start out this weekend at New Orleans, where I believe they will be destroyed. It’s Stafford’s first regular season start and New Orleans, even with a banged up running back, is likely to heap...
Sep 9th
4 tags
Politics=Funny
I just finished reading two really terrific pieces in the New York Times and knew, right away, that I had to share. Too funny to pass up. The first one is about Conservative parents who are up in arms because the President of the United States wants to talk to their children. His message - allegedly - is about the virtues of working hard and staying in school. But the parents are pretty sure -...
Sep 4th