Regular observations and conversations on ways the humanities serve, or fail to serve, the greater good.
A letter about writing
A letter about writing: a correspondent argues against the mania for writing Editor’s note: The following letter, printed below in its entirety, was written in response to an earlier post, Against Reading. The editorial [...]
Against Reading
Against Reading: why life is better spent doing other things. Ferreus. Hi, Procopius. What are you up to? Procopius. Hello, Ferreus. I’m just catching up on my reading. Ferreus. What magazine is that? Procopius. The [...]
Lunar travels, earthly travails
Lunar travels, earthly travails: from our fictional science correspondent. What different choices will our technology offer us? I recently traveled to the moon to get a better view of things. Not with Space-X or Virgin [...]
Triumph of the Advocates
Triumph of the Advocates: a vision for this world, or the next. Lapidus. Hey you, Lepus! What are you doing there, sitting around? Are you stargazing? Lepus. Lapidus, what’s wrong? You look distressed. Lapidus. I’m [...]
A quarrel for the ages
A quarrel for the ages: Past Present, and Future are at odds with each other. Past: Can you hear me? Future: I am waiting for your voice, and your counsel. Speak up! Present: What's the [...]
How the calendar runs our lives. The time of science in the season of love
Do we need a calendar for the season of love?
A Dream of Cicero
A Dream of Cicero Marbles: What’s wrong, Swan? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Swan: I have! I had a crazy dream last night I met Cicero. Marbles: You’re kidding. You’ve been reading [...]
Looking Both Ways
Looking toward the past, and the future, on New Year's Day
Thinking and Thanking
Rabbit: What are you doing, Hare? Hare: Nothing much, it seems. Rabbit: Ah, the dolce far niente again. It must be your modus vivendi. Hare: There's nothing like a mixture of languages to get me going. So what [...]
STEM talks
Grundlos: Watch out, you almost ran me over! Where are you rushing off to? Magnus: I'm off to give a talk and I'm in a hurry. Grundlos: What is the talk about? You're not very [...]