The central argument of Black Athena by Martin Bernal, that Greek culture (and, therefore, so-called “Western” culture) had roots in the Levant and in Asia and Africa, and that these roots were obscured in the 18th and 19th centuries by simple racism, is compellingly stated, and appeals to a liberal mind accustomed to seeing suppression and institutional […]
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Aristotle vs. Gorgeous Gorgias vs. Socrates
I’m kidding about the photograph, of course; Socrates wasn’t that pretty. That’s actually wrestling legend Gorgeous George and his wife, Betty. But it seems appropriate to use a wrestler to introduce a post about ancient Greeks, not only because of their famed love for the sport, but also because Gorgias, Polus and Socrates, as quoted […]
On Aristotle’s “Rhetoric”
Some thoughts on my reading of Aristotle’s Rhetoric. Aristotle talks a great deal about enthymemes, and doesn’t really explain them too deeply; which is a problem for those of us unaccustomed to the term. He does, however, make clear that they are a subset of syllogism. For example, he says that “the enthymeme must consist of […]
“Beth/Rest” by Bon Iver
I will admit to being a Bon Iver fanboy. Pretty much everything Justin Vernon touches turns to gold; from his incredible work as Volcano Choir (especially their second album, “Repave”) to his subtle additions on the insanely catchy Kanye West-led “Monster” (warning for those of you who aren’t familiar: it features graphic language). But back […]
Google Home, Pixel, and the Future of Search
NOTE: an edited version of this post has also been published on the company blog of Bruce Clay, Inc. as “How to Optimize for Google Home NOW”. ICYMI, on October 4th, Google held a press conference that felt like their take on a muted Apple product launch; in lieu of the latter’s trademark dramatic blacks […]