I ventured twice into Riverside Park on Saturday. First for a long run and second to read at a patio bar/cafe along the Hudson River. The picture on the left shows the view from my table. To my left was the Hudson and to my right was a wide, boulevard-like walking/running path and a field with a volleyball game underway. The weather was beautiful and the sun shining, but the unseasonably warm weather, combined with bare trees, meant there was a dearth of shade. It was a bit sweaty...
On Sunday, I went over to Columbia's campus to read and, in a stroke of luck, happened upon an ethnic music festival. I sat on the lawn, listened to the music, finished a book by Daniel Dennett and observed those around me. The variety of music reminded me of my ethnomusicology class in college and the passersby kept me thoroughly entertained. One man attempted to hand feed a squirrel and came out looking like Rambo stalking the Soviets. Next, a couple appear out of nowhere with a cat in a basket. They attempted to leash the cat--in the middle of a loud music festival--and take it for a walk. I have never in my life seen a successful cat walking. Within seconds the cat escaped the leash apparatus and climbed a tree. The cat was still in the tree-albeit a bit lower-when I left about an hour later.
In other news, Christie set a world record by spending an entire day buying things on the internet!
Book Reviews
In his "In Praise of Idleness," British philosopher Bertrand Russell offers his opinions on a variety of subjects--including the merits of hard work. The book is a collection of essays written during the approximate period 1920-1935. He writes as Europe descends into an environment of extreme political ideology, namely the rapid development of communism and fascism.
Russell wears many hats and delves into nearly everything. The essays range from very serious (Fichte and the history of fascism) to humorous (man vs. insects). As a trivia buff, Russell's defense of "useless knowledge" is refreshing. As a disciple of the market economy, his passionate advocacy of socialism is less refreshing. I disagree with his economics, but, then again, I wasn't a personal friend of Keynes...
In "Breaking the Spell", philosopher Daniel Dennett makes a case for the scientific study of religion--a wholly admirable endeavor in my opinion. Typically confined to the realm of geistesweissenschaften (social sciences), Dennett wants to see the methods of naturweissenschaften (natural sciences) applied to determine the inner workings and effects of religious experience. Since he is an analytical philosopher and analytical philosophers tend to embrace science more fully than others, his pathway to uncovering the "mysteries" of religion makes sense. Perhaps his goal is possible, perhaps it is not. Either way, it would be worth the effort.
Expense Report
Day 227:
- Little Italy Pizza, $4.25
- PATH, $3
Day 228, $0
Day 229:
- Burritoville, $6.48
- Vendor, $2.75
Day 230:
- Morton Williams Supermarket, $5.98
Day 231:
- Lunch at Cafeteria, $2.90
- Cafe in Little Italy, $27
Day 232:
- Cafe in Riverside Park, $17
- Deli, $3.80
Day 233:
- Apple from vendor, $0.45
- Morton Williams Supermarket, $26.47
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