This week, we are going to look at the third in a series of trolley-related moral dilemmas. In the first poll, the majority of you guys said you would flip a switch to divert a trolley headed toward five people toward only one instead. In the second poll, the majority of you said you would… Continue reading Moral Monday: The Trolley Problem and the Fat Villain
Author: JJ Sylvia IV
J.J. Sylvia IV attended Mississippi State University where he received B.A. degrees in philosophy and communications. He later received a philosophy M.A. from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Philosopher vs. Priest: Interpreting the Bible
JJ: In the readings for this week, one of the lines that stands out is one of that I’ve seen debated a great deal: “As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.” Part of the debate always centers around whether or not lines such as this one… Continue reading Philosopher vs. Priest: Interpreting the Bible
Weekend Meditation: No More Complaining
“Realize that if you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo “When you consistently maintain a positive frame of mind, you’ll become known as a problem-solver rather than a complainer. People avoid complainers. They seek out problem-solvers.” – Joseph Sommerville… Continue reading Weekend Meditation: No More Complaining
Film Friday: The Campaign
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you do not want plot details revealed. This week, I took some time out to actually go to the theater and see two of my favorites, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, in The Campaign. The thing that really stood out to me in this film was the way that… Continue reading Film Friday: The Campaign
Todd Akin, Abortion, and Critical Thinking
As I was listening to a recent NPR story on the remarks of Todd Akin, what stood out to me was how out of touch this whole conversation was, and how little follow-up there was to seemingly illogical responses. Consider the following examples: “I think the underlying notion that we should be making decisions on… Continue reading Todd Akin, Abortion, and Critical Thinking
Book Club: Democracy and Education part 2
To make it interesting by leading one to realize the connection that exists is simply good sense; to make it interesting by extraneous and artificial inducements deserves all the bad names which have been applied to the doctrine of interest in education. This next section of the book does begin to emphasize – though in… Continue reading Book Club: Democracy and Education part 2
3 Reasons Random Acts of Kindness Matter
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill Fellow Philosophy Matters author, L, has recently decided that she is going to complete 27 acts of kindness for her 27th birthday. In the class I taught on living the good life, one thing that stood… Continue reading 3 Reasons Random Acts of Kindness Matter
Moral Monday: Trolley Problem and the Fat Man
Last week we looked at the classic philosophic conundrum of the trolley. Nearly 70% of respondents said that they would flip a switch in order to divert a trolley that would then kill one person, but miss 5 others at which it was previously heading. This response percentage tends to line up with surveys that… Continue reading Moral Monday: Trolley Problem and the Fat Man
Philosopher vs. Priest: Wisdom Personified
This week, we are changing things up and Jimmy is asking me a question! Jimmy: The first reading this week is from Proverbs Chapter 9. In what is read at Mass this week, we see wisdom personified as a lady who beckons. The full text of Proverbs Chapter 9 shows Wisdom personified as a Lady… Continue reading Philosopher vs. Priest: Wisdom Personified
Weekend Meditation: Appreciating What You Have
“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” – Frederick Keonig I’ve recently been in Meridian, MS frequently for work. Most of the people I know who have been or lived there have mostly negative things… Continue reading Weekend Meditation: Appreciating What You Have