Robbins Library Notes

Good morning, readers, and happy Monday!

I haven’t done a humorous post in a while, so here is one, via David Chalmers, that may be amusing: “Zombies on the web.”  Chalmers discusses (mostly) philosophical zombies, but other categories (e.g., Hollywood) are mentioned.

Enjoy!

A recent series of Dilbert cartoons finds Dilbert with a broken moral compass, the result of a traumatic head injury.  With the part of his brain responsible for morality damaged, Dilbert acts in heinous ways, and is quickly promoted to senior management…that is, until his moral compass heals… at which time he faces defenestration.

All humor aside, there are some interesting philosophical questions here, about the nature of morality — is it purely a social construct, or are there parts of the brain set up for morality?  How should one act ethically in work environments? There are no quick answers to these and related questions, but some of the research and thought that do exist on these topics is fascinating.

Good morning, readers!

Found this morning on “American Libraries Direct”: a charming video, titled, “Libraries Are Gonna Make It After All.”  (Those of you who remember the Mary Tyler Moore Show may find it even more amusing.)

For those who think libraries are going the way of the dinosaur — sorry, folks.  Libraries — and books and physical media — will be here for the long term, in my view.

At right: Homer Simpson’s brain

Confused by epistemology? This video might help… or not…d’oh!

A hat-tip to my friend, Jerry Harrington, for forwarding this link to me.

At left: 16th century woodcuts of the symbols of the Zodiac

Graduate students — are you wondering what the future holds for you? You might want to consult your horoscope here.

Nota bene: This horoscope is for amusement purposes only! Thanks to David Chalmers for providing the link. My own views on horoscopes, astrology, and such echo that of Cassius –

Cassius: Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus; and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonorable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves,that we are underlings.
– Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, I, ii, 143-149

At right: Periodic Table of the Elements. (c) Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Chemistry Division.

This is just too funny — the Philosophical Periodic Table. When you get to the site, click on the links at the left to view the entries for each “element.”

For instance, here’s the entry for “Zombium”:

Zombium

Symbol: Zn
Philosophical Weight: Depends upon who you ask
Isotopes: Two forms are known, Hollywoodius-Zombium and Qualius-Zombium.
Discovery: Both isotopes of this element were discovered around the same time in the United States by different team of people. Hollywoodius-Zombium is one of the few isotopes in the Philosophical periodic table to be discovered by non-philosophers.
Occurrence: Hollywoodius-Zombium occurs mainly in movie studios, movie theaters and in movie stores. The occurrence of Qualius-Zombium is highly disputed within the philosophical community. Some philosophers even argue that Qualius-Zombium does not even exist.
Properties: Hollywoodius-Zombium and Qualius-Zombium have vastly different properties even though they are isotopes of the same element. Prolonged exposure to Hollywoodius-Zombium can lead to gradual loss of cognitive faculties. Hollywoodius-Zombium is colorless with a highly repugnant smell. Qualius-Zombium on the other hand is marked by absence of Qualia and is the only element known not to have this quality and as such it is not known whether the element has color or even it is colorless or whether it has odour or is odourless.

Amusing, no?

Happy May Day, comrades!

Rather than dancing around the Maypole, or continuing the Revolution, I include a clip starring two of my favorite Marxists: Chico and Groucho. The clip is the contract scene from the 1935 movie, A Night at the Opera, and is one of the funniest scenes in movie history, in my view.

Those who question the philosophical relevance of the Marx Brothers may want to read my earlier post on the topic.

Enjoy!

Good morning, and happy Monday, readers!

To begin this week, check out John Holbo’s Philosophical Abecedarium — a philosopher for every letter of the alphabet, accompanied by a short, witty poem or limerick.

Enjoy!

Does chasing down information and research materials sometimes feel like you are herding cats?

Stop by my desk for a bibliographic instruction session. I can help you get your herd under control.

At left: Image originally from Popes on Ropes.blogspot.com ©1997 Abrupt. It can also be found here.

Sometimes, when I am bored, and have time on my hands, parodies of songs, commercials, and other pop-culture references will pop into my head. So, when I stumbled over the graphic at left a few weeks ago, I started mulling over what I might write.

After several sessions of invoking the gods of satire, the following came to mind –

For a philosopher, every morning should start with orange juice, toast, and a bowl of Post-Enlightenment’s “Reason Bran” cereal.

Every delicious cluster is full of rationality, logic, and enlightened natural goodness.

It also provides 100% of your US RDA of essential vitamins, such as p and -p.

Remember: Post-Enlightenment’s “Reason Bran” is part of a balanced philosophical diet! We bet that once you try it, you “Kant” stop eating it!

I guess I should stick to my day job, eh?