"[LIFE!] is a philosophic work written by a physicist, grounded in rationality and empiricism. ... A central assertion is that life exists because it perseveres whereas things that do not persevere tend not to exist. There is something Buddha-like and iron-clad in this utter simplicity that is arresting.
[Walker's] is an "objective morality" that does not rely on doctrines or authority, but, as he argues, is derivable directly from the way of the universe and the way of life. I believe he is correct in this, and that his book is very much worth reading for this alone.
Walker writes, "...the totality of material existence...is transitory and conditional... We came from nothing and we will return to nothing. What happens in between has meaning and importance only to the extent that we grant it such meaning and importance." -- Dennis Littrell
"superb... [LIFE] deserves a wide audience... where the individual discussions cohere, greater themes emerge..." -- Dr. Chris Shields, Prof. of Philosophy, Oxford University
"the best part about his thesis is that it is neither difficult nor unreadable…thought provoking rather than mind boggling. Serious students can compare his succinct 122 pages to something like the 835 page club of a paperback Critique of Dialectical reason Vol. 1 by Jean-Paul Sartre. Walker’s structurally solid book promises hope and affords time for a gathering desire to think…Satre’s book induces blurred vision and guilt from straining to understand.†-- Bob Howdy, PhD.
"the author's love for all forms of life shines through every page. A gifted teacher, he answers unanswerable questions in a way that is deeply satisfying and uplifting" -- Karen Brunson, Editor
I'd like to meet:
people who question and think...
|I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4 |
Music:
will oldham (aka bonnie 'prince' billy), dayna kurtz, modest mouse, beck, nick cave, cocteau twins, ry cooder, roy harper, mark kozelek (sun kil moon), smiths, swans, neutral milk hotel, beck, david bowie, gillian welch, felt, fall
Movies:
groundhog day, ferris beuler's day off, lost in translation, nil by mouth
Television:
david letterman
Books:
Life's Rational Meaning and Purpose
An objective why of existence must agree with our experience of the world around us -- that which we feel, see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. It must be clear and simple and it must be something we can readily apply to our practical experience. The answer, happily, is right here for us to find. We have all of the evidence of our senses to work from, as well as the understanding provided by indirect knowledge through observation and analysis. We make judgments of purpose and goodness every day. Instinctively, intuitively, we all have access to the answer.The material universe exists according to a set of rational principles. We, too, exist according to those principles. This understanding can help us explore human concerns that otherwise seem dauntingly subjective and intractable.
Heroes:
plato, socrates, aristotle, hume, bertrand russell, schopenhauer, alan watts, jorge luis borges, albert camus, gunter grass, robert graves, william faulkner
