"Praise of Folly": Between Erasmus and St. Paul

From my blog title, "Praise of Folly," it is immediately evident I'm implying a double reference. First, it is meant as a tribute to Desiderius Erasmus and his great satire of the corruption of the Church in Praise of Folly, which he wrote while staying at the home of Thomas More (now Saint) immediately after his visit to Rome, and who had meant the original Greek title to be a pun on More's name: Moriae Encomium. The author of the Introduction of the Penguin edition of this work states that "Erasmus, just back from Italy, was ill, disillusioned at the state of the Church under Julius II...." Erasmus, in satirical fashion, moves "from lighthearted banter to a serious indictment of theologians and churchmen," while implementing this theme that I have also emphasized (and is my second reference): St. Paul's outstanding description of "the folly of the Cross" in the first chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians. This Corinthian reference I have quoted in my blog description.

Whether this title will necessarily have any indication of what the contents of my blog will be, I have no idea. But I needed another blog, other than my first, The Charioteer, to discuss something other than philosophy, and so as not to express only the current philosophical happenings in my life. Therefore, I hope this blog will contain more about my life, per se (and not only my thoughts). But I run into the problem of being unable to separate the two. So if I get too "intellectual," so they say, or what is so-called, "abstract," like the the first part of this post may perhaps boarder on, I will try to keep in mind what an undergraduate professor of mine once said: philosophers have this annoying tendency to think that the average person actually puts in serious scrutiny their own conscious experience! In other words, philosophers tend to think everyone thinks in the philosophical manner they do! This, of course, is not as much a jab on the "average person" as it is on philosophers--They're the eccentric ones...not everyone else!

Yes, I admit it. But isn't everyone a philosopher? Indeed. Of course, not in the strict sense, but in a general one, insofar as we all ask question. Now, I am studying to be one of those "philosophers" in a strict sense, but I also think, even in studying philosophy, I haven't lost my childlike or even practical side. In fact, the professor of the Intro to Philosophy course which I'm currently a Teaching Assistant for, said to the class that, "don't you know an adult is only a child in a big body." And he further explains how this becomes most apparent to those who have ever experienced being a parent to one's own (elderly) parents. Professor Stewart, despite his extremely eccentric film scripts about, of example, a giant pimple taking over Los Angeles, etc., has a great academic attitude that is worth exemplifying and learning from; it is because he doesn't have an academic attitude! He is furthest from the "professorial" cliche.

In short, I want to a place to comment in a not strictly so-called, philosophical manner. If, however, the reader does want to read my occasional philosophical musings, please see my blog, The Charioteer at soaringauriga.blogspot.com. I am currently involved in an interesting comparison between Martin Heidegger and Max Scheler, among other things.

"And so I'll say goodbye. Clap your hands, live well, and drink, distinguished initiates of FOLLY."