Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

["Henry P. Mills" <wppdirector AT gmail.com>]

Dear Percy-L:

Community members will enjoy this short and interesting read from a recent presentation by Brian A. Smith, author of Walker Percy and the Politics of the Wayfarer (Lexington Books, 2017). 

Reflecting on the themes of LC again is always a delight, as Smith reminds. If the community wishes to consider taking up another Percy book for listserv discussion this summer, LC might be a very worthy choice.  Please and do share their thoughts with the group if you have interest in an organized Percy reading discussion for this summer.

For now, enjoy the below article link!

All best,

Henry Mills

Percy-L Administrator

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Soulcraft, Indirectly: Reading Walker Percy's "Lost in the Cosmos"

By Brian A. Smith, Managing editor of Law and Liberty, May 4, 2018

http://www.libertylawsite.org/2018/05/04/reading-lost-in-the-cosmos-today-walker-percy/

The following is a notable quote from Smith’s piece:

"Lost in the Cosmos isn't exactly a conversation, but it has more in common with Socrates, Plato, and Thomas Aquinas than it does with a treatise. Platonic dialogues take opposing views seriously, as do Thomas' efforts to lay out his own reasoning. Percy's multiple choice questions serve a similar function.

The trouble with direct argument that Percy doesn't mention directly—but that's implied in the way he says "words are worn out"—is that people are very good at deflecting arguments they don't want to hear. To really accept an unsettling argument, it's not just our rational capacity that needs to be persuaded; our hearts need to be won over, too. This requires a different approach...."