Tag Archives: philosophy

Nazi Show Trials and the Politics of Condemnation

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Ryan Buesnel

Roland Freisler was one of the more unsavoury personalities of the Third Reich-era. This achievement was no small feat given his competition: Himmler, Bormann, Goebbels and Streicher were all strong contenders in the crappy personality department. Nevertheless, Freisler occupied a … Continue reading →

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Netflix’s Fargo and the Morality of Crisis

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Ryan Buesnel

‘I got a cold mind to go tripping cross that thin line Sick of doing straight time.’ Bruce Springsteen, Straight Time. I have recently been enjoying the Netflix T.V. series Fargo. Set in rural Minnesota, Fargo explores a range of … Continue reading →

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Teilhard de Chardin and the Unity of Experience and Intellect

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Ryan Buesnel

In his introductory essay to a collection of works by renowned German theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg, Richard John Neuhaus draws attention to the unity of thought and experience in Pannengerg’s theological corpus. He writes of Pannengerg’s commitment to a ‘comprehensive idea … Continue reading →

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Søren Kierkegaard’s Existential Hermeneutics

Posted on November 29, 2018 by Ryan Buesnel

Introduction Although widely recognised for his contribution to the fields of Western philosophy and psychology, Denmark’s Søren Kierkegaard was first and foremost a religious author. In this simple truth lies the key to unlocking the underlying convictions of Kierkegaard’s vast corpus. … Continue reading →

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Nietzsche’s Hermeneutics: Chaos, Morality and the Future World

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Ryan Buesnel

Of all the influential philosophers to have graced the 19th century European intellectual landscape, Friedrich Nietzsche rates as one of the most profound and controversial. Nietzsche’s influence towers over the Western philosophical tradition, and his concepts continue to inspire rigorous … Continue reading →

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The Souls Need For Silence

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Ryan Buesnel

In the early 18th century the brilliant yet cantankerous German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer penned a scathing indictment of the way in which the abrasive noise of modern society had shattered his sense of inner peace and diminished his ability to … Continue reading →

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Friedrich Schleiermacher’s Ethical Vision

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Ryan Buesnel

I present to you the following question for reflection: how would you define the essential difference between ethics and morals? At first, the problem may seem straight forward. Many conventional interpretations often view ethics merely as a form of meta-morality, … Continue reading →

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Aphorisms and Reflections #2

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Ryan Buesnel

I. I consider it safe to conclude that in the present age humanity can be divided into two distinct groups: those who are willing to be exploited by a reality TV show, and those who are genuinely alive. II. One … Continue reading →

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Nihilisms New God

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Ryan Buesnel

  I. The meta-narrative of contemporary Western culture is nihilism, and its maxim is this: we come from nothing and are heading towards oblivion. This truism is evident when one reflects on what we pursue as objects of ultimate value. … Continue reading →

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Made Me Smile #1

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Ryan Buesnel

I. A beautiful image yesterday: an elderly man walking his granddaughter home from primary school. He was carrying her bag and had made her fairy bread as an after school treat. She was singing a made-up melody with the abandon … Continue reading →

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