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

[Lauren Berdy <lauren.stacy.berdy AT gmail.com>]

WP had an approach to reality

It was in the weeds of our particulars.

He knew our particulars are worthy

Of our study and admiration and

We are not divorced from reality

By being particulars.

He was interested in our Creaturely

Uniqueness 

Isn’t that remarkable?

Come on the man sucked crawfish

Heads in the restaurants with 

The klan Oldsmobile dealer. He had

Quite a perch even better than

Fire tower. And he was without fear.

I see him watching 

Everything 

Even

The Hulk

Dostoevsky gambled with a fever

They both lived inside life.

Not abstract

Never 

It is our uniqueness that attracts

The observer

The universe is not expendable 

It’s not

Useful

It opens the door on discovery

Wasn’t he a good explorer?

Nuff said

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 7, 2020, at 2:25 PM, Karey Perkins <kareyperkins AT gmail.com> wrote:

According to Charles Sanders Peirce (paraphrased badly):  

There is a reality out there.  It’s not a matter of opinion; reality exists quite separately from any human opinion.  While no human has a 100% grasp on reality, some human views are more close to that real reality out there than others.  Those whose views of reality most closely coincide with reality itself are most successful; those whose views deviate more from what reality actually is — will fail.  

I may believe I can fly, but if I jump off of tall buildings in order to practice that belief, it won’t bode well for me.

If I believe in gravity, I’ll not be jumping out of buildings. I’ll fare far better than my compatriot who IS jumping off of buildings.

That’s pragmaticism.   

We as humans have a profound responsibility to seek the truth and propagate the truth — not as an abstraction, but as a flesh-and blood physical reality.  

Because dying in a pandemic is a flesh and blood reality.  Being unemployed (by some estimates, 47.2% of Americans) and evicted from your home is a flesh and blood reality with real physical consequences.  

This is no longer about abstracted religious “belief” or political “belief.”  This is not about silly political arguments.  This is life and death.

This is not an abstraction for hundreds of thousands of Americans. 

Karey

Karey Perkins, M.A., M.A.T., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of English

296A Turner Hall, South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC 29117

kperkin1 AT scsu.edu | 803-536-7016

www.scsu.edu 
Member, Institute for Studies in Pragmaticism
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX  79409-0002

kareperk AT ttu.edu | http://www.pragmaticism.net

On Aug 7, 2020, at 1:31 PM, RHONDA MCDONNELL <rhonda_mcdonnell AT msn.com> wrote:

In just the last few posts, where we see some polarization, I am reminded of Tom More reflecting on the arguments among his fellow prisoners in THE THANATOS SYNDROME — can’t help but smile.

Wishing y’all well,

Rhonda

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 7, 2020, at 6:36 AM, janetcantor37--- via Percy-L <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org> wrote:

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