Too Good to Pass Over

This comment is too good to pass over. In SHARE magazine no. 19, of the Philosophy Sharing Foundation of Malta, an editor writes about my work (page 60): 

"Many fundamental interpretations of realities would be radically reshaped ... 

if only humanity could give more attention [to it]." 

OBSERVATION: The magazine is available, at a price, at the Philosophy Sharing Foundation. That price will fall away in July -- which is to say, the magazine's e-version will be gratis from July. 

First Submission

Another milestone. Today I submitted the next original, systematic, panoramic metaphysics to a publisher, at their invitation. It is my first submission of this new and very different work. The cover is experimental -- a colour cover, here printed in black and white. I don't think that this will be the endurance race that the last book was. OBSERVATION: Publishers' reactions vary hugely. They might simply say, "Not for us thanks", they might proffer crucial advice, they might respond a year later and ask whether your book is still in the running! And so on. Or as in my case: "As your project manager ..." Hey, wait, have we met?

I Request an AI Poem

An award-winning poet wrote to me this morning: "It's not so much the writing as the idea, I've found, that makes one poem better than another." I turned to artificial intelligence (AI). I instructed it: "Write me a poem about ideas." AI responded:

Ideas, oh ideas,
How they dance and spin!
They spark and ignite
A fire deep within.

From a tiny thought
A world can be born,
A revolution, a change,
A new path to be worn.

They can come from anywhere
A dream, a book, a friend,
And with a little nurturing
They can grow without end.

So cherish your ideas
And let them take flight,
Who knows where they'll lead you
Or what they'll ignite.

Ideas, oh ideas,
Let them fill your mind,
For they hold the power
To change all of mankind.

OBSERVATION: Actually, that's not bad. And it focuses on a vital philosophical thought in verses 2 and 5, on the world-shaping power of ideas. I could write a poetry book in half a day.

Sister-in-Law

Look who dropped by today. It's my sister-in-law, who lives 440 km (275 mi) to the east. Today I visited a China shop, to send back gifts for the children. She has an older daughter, whose father was killed in an accident at Coca Cola, and two bright and lively tots with her husband now. The tots made absolutely sure that their requests for gifts were conveyed to me! OBSERVATION: Chinese gifts are unbelievably cheap. For instance, a gun which one winds up with a crank handle to shoot table tennis balls costs a mere R15 (US 76 cents).

Integrating Ethical Theories

The Philosophy Sharing foundation's SHARE magazine rightly picks up this week that, with my metaphysics, "conflicting [ethical] theories could converge". Their word "conflicting" is appropriate. This is how it seems. That is not, however, how these theories look to me, after the work I have done to integrate them. This is in fact the goal of my book Everything, Briefly -- in its sections on ethics -- to provide "the means to unite the major ethical theories". OBSERVATION: The “big three” ethical theories are consequentialism (which judges ethics by its consequences), deontology (which views ethics as being self-evident), and virtue ethics (which sees ethics as being rooted in character).

Statement: ‘Wrongdoing’ Under My Ministry

I made my first formal statement this month -- an affidavit -- in connection with "wrongdoing" under my Cape Town ministry. It had to do with audits. Audits may be described as "the bedrock of one's financial credibility". One may click on the images to enlarge, or right-click on them to save. I point out in this affidavit that this is not conceived as being against anyone. However, some dates, names, and places were necessary to the statement. 

Bajaj And Mustang

For more than ten years, I drove this vehicle on the left -- rather, two of them which looked much the same. The inferior vehicle is the Ford Mustang on the right. My three-wheeler had four reverse gears while the Mustang only has one. The three-wheeler carried half a ton on the back, while the Mustang only has a small boot. The three-wheeler travelled four times the distance on the same amount of fuel as the Mustang. And the three-wheeler was much easier to manoeuvre in traffic and to park. OBSERVATION: The three-wheeler pictured here is a rebadged Vespa, a Bajaj. I first drove the two-stroke Bajaj, then the four-stroke Bajaj. 

Unreal Critter

Thankfully, this isn't real. I spotted this critter some time back in our Green Point Urban Park. You may click on the photo to enlarge. OBSERVATION: What I enjoy most about the park is its edible and medicinal plants. Some of the old folks still have an intimate knowledge of these plants in South Africa.

Steering a Church (Not)

Many fall for the temptation to try to steer a Church -- not now in its physical form (buildings, staff, savings, and so on), but in its spiritual form (ideology, ethos, emphasis, and so on). While it is good for a minister to have solid beliefs, and a certain line, the rest is for the Holy Spirit to do. One can't control the spiritual Body. One needs to let the Spirit develop the Body -- and keep interventions to the minimum. OBSERVATION: It is interesting how many principles in politics -- such as this -- derive from the Church.

The Ship of State

Our ruling party's General Secretary is quoted by the BBC today: "We have been able to cushion our people from the worst," after a legacy of "300 years of deprivation and a mismanaged country and economy." This in the context of a looming "failed state". I wonder how such a perspective would be accepted in the Church. Many Churches would say it's a failed minister if he or she can't overcome history to some extent within a year -- or produce some useful indicators in that time. OBSERVATION: Some countries have indeed been turned around fast. I think a failing Church can be well turned around in five years, even with a long history. 

Some Recognition

Some good news on the philosophy front. As of today, there is a major review of my book in SHARE 19, the organ of the Philosophy Sharing Foundation (PSF), a member of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie (FISP). This is accompanied by an article by myself, which complements the review. On the Contents page (right), I appear on pages 54 and 59. One may order an E-Version or Print Issue. OBSERVATION: It took me 43 months to gain first recognition by a major publisher, then 11 months to gain first recognition by a major society! My book may be ordered from Wipf & Stock, among many others. It is a new metaphysics -- the first in a long time. From the editorial: 

"The review commends the author on his attempt to reconcile divergent views in philosophy through a concept that he originates as the philosophy of relations."

Mother-in-Law

Photos of my mother-in-law are exceedingly rare -- but there are a few in circulation at the moment, due to her 70th birthday coming up. In this photo, she was 60 years of age. OBSERVATION: I could not wish for a better mother-in-law. Incidentally, Xhosa custom governs much of the relationship between mother-in-law and son-in-law, unlike the do-as-you-please of my own culture.

Return to Reputational Matters

I noted here some time ago that I intended to return to some reputational issues. What kept me, apart from busyness, is "audi alteram partem" (give others a chance), and information which required some time (years, in fact) to obtain and to validate. I made a sworn statement some days ago, and have scheduled it for release. It is a sworn statement, not only to indicate that it is true, but because this gives people the opportunity to hold me to account. It is something one can grasp hold of -- it is not elusive, as one too often finds. However, my statement is not conceived as being against anyone. It is simply a statement that needs to be made.

Big in Zejtun

I was delighted to hear this evening that my latest article is with the printers in Zejtun -- shown in the five-second video. They deliver this coming week. It is the magazine of the Philosophy Sharing Foundation (PSF), a member of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie (FISP). More details in due course. 

800+ Views

In the last two days, in a few places, I put up an extract of a chapter on Ethics, from my (I hope) next book -- spoken by Micromonster AI. On the surface of it, this has had 800+ views so far. Perhaps it's the AI that attracts people, perhaps indeed my philosophy! OBSERVATION: Again, I concretise abstract concepts. While it's a narrative, it is concepts which have been quite densely packed, in disguise! My current philosophy book: www.thomas-scarborough.com