Voltaire - Abbé & Abraham

I love Voltaire's sarcasm and wit. This is the first of many entries on Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary, translated by Peter Gay. Just a sample of his sarcasm comes in his Preface to the Seventh Edition: "This book will be read by enlightened persons alone, the common herd are not made for such knowledge, philosophy will never be their portion. Those who say there are truths that should be hidden from the people need not feel any alarm; the common people do not read; they work six days a week and go to the tavern on the seventh" (Voltaire, 56). I have read this volume before, though I don't know how fully so there may be some posts in other journals that will be added here duplicating these. But, that is ok for me - sorry, if it bores the readers, of which I am sure there are only a few enlightened ones.

Abbé

Voltaire notes the distinction between a father (Abbé means father) and a Father of some group of monks. A father does a work for the state; he does the best thing a man can do - causing the birth of a human being. But a Father of some Abby has become a perverse office. In the beginning they were poor men leading other poor men. Now they are corrupt and rich. Sarcastically, he encourages them to enrich themselves to the fullest at the downfall of the common man. But, he warns them to tremble, "lest the day of reason arrive" (Voltaire, 58).

Abraham

The post on Abraham is a scathing, anti-Semitic rant. But in some of the shrillness of the article he poses some difficulties for Christians to tend with. First, he brings up the age question of Abraham. The ages of the Old Testament patriarchs are definitely difficult to deal with for the believer. The second point of difficulty he brings up is the fact that Abraham passed his wife off as his sister to the king of Egypt and the king in the desert. While Voltaire attacks this from numerous angles, the angle I'm most concerned with is the moral aspect. If Abraham is the father of the Jews and through spiritual descent the father of Christians everywhere are we to absolve Abraham of this lie? What are we to do with it? I haven't answers at the moment, but it is a question to be asked.

Now his attack on why we give credit to the Jews rather than the more ancient established cultures like that of Assyria, Babylon, Egypt and Phoenicia is much easier for me to understand. He claims that "The Jews, then, treat their history and ancient fables as their peddlers treat their old clothes: they turn them and sell them for new as dearly as possible" (Voltaire, 61). Firstly, that shows some of Voltaire's racist tendencies towards the Jews, earlier he speaks of the Jews as "our masters and our enemies, whom we believe in and detest" (Voltaire, 58). But, the sum of his argument is that the Israelites were relative newcomers on the scene in the Ancient Near East, surrounded by powerful and more ancient civilizations like the aforementioned societies. Why then do we give credit to the Jews and not these others? He claims that the name Abraham or Ibrahim, comes from Babylonians and that the Jews gave names to God such as Eloi, Eloa, Adonai, and Jehovah after the Phoenician usage. I'll disregard his skepticism about the historicity of Abraham at this point. Just because the journey of Abraham seems to difficult to have been done is not a valid argument for it not having been undertaken. (The age question still persists though). But, as for language it is only natural that languages adopt from their neighbors. Also, on a more fundamental level the commonality of language and religion throughout the region (and really throughout the world) often leads those skeptical of the existence of God, or of organized religion to point out that the similarities between the religions automatically show that religion is man-made, hence the similarities. But, a counter point to this is that the similarities of religious sentiment could also point to the fact that there is a truth behind all of these religions and some of the closeness of religion throughout the world is actually a testament to the existence of God, or the event of the flood, or other shared "fables" across world religions. He ends this article with an elevation of the Greeks above the Jews. "A man must be either a great ignoramus or a great rascal to say that the Jews taught the Greeks" (Voltaire, 62). Even in the Greek philosophy, which is highly sophisticated we can weave it in to this commonality theory. Not, so much a commonality theory as a divine plan theory. To some God gave a similar vein of religion to pave the way for the human understanding and eventual acceptance of Him. To some he gave Philosophy to pave the path for understanding Him. To others he gave some ineffable, mystical experience. To all he gave a general revelation. To the Jews he gave the Chosen revelation. And through the Jews he gave Christ and at that moment all the other paths were the framework for which Christ could be understood culturally. The other paths were not paths to salvation, but paths to the one way to salvation.

Smith of Wootton Major & Farmer Giles of Ham

I just finished Smith of Wootton Major & Farmer Giles of Ham by J.R.R. Tolkien and really fancied it, especially Farmer Giles of Ham.

In Smith, I really enjoyed the description of the morality of the villagers. "A fair number of folk lived in it, good, bad, and mixed, as is usual" (Tolkien, 9). I just like the simple, yet enlightening description. I like the folksy language that Tolkien uses throughout the two stories.

"Some found one, and some found two, and several found none; for that is the way luck goes, whether there is a doll with a wand on the cake or not" (Tolkien, 20). I like this description of luck. It struck me to think about the arbitrary nature of pure chance, written out in simplistic terms.

"But later in long journeys he had seen things of both beauty and terror that he could not clearly remember nor report to his friends, though he knew that they dwelt deep in his heart. But some things he did not forget, and they remained in his mind as wonders and mysteries that he often recalled" (Tolkien, 26). This is a good description of mysticism that I would like to emulate somewhere in my stories.

The interaction between Alf and Nokes on pages 55-56 is a great description of meeting someone of great religious import (Alf) and then rearranging the circumstances in one's own mind so as to be naturally skeptical (Nokes). In some people there is no chance of recognizing truth no matter how plainly it appears to them. Faith is something internal and those devoid of its capacity will reinvent their own history to intentionally misunderstand it. Tolkien's approach devastatingly shows this in the short little passage.

While most of my notes have been on Smith of Wootton Major, I enjoyed reading Farmer Giles of Ham more than the the former. I like the idea of forcing a dragon to do things against its will and the idea of a farmer and commoner overcoming the powerful king. I also like the idea of the Little Kingdom - I think it speaks volumes of what today's "non-elite" can do. Also, it speaks volumes of what the elite (the knights in the story) are unwilling or incapable of doing. In today's society of palpable class divisions in America, it is a triumphant story of the lowly being able to rise above the elite in spite of circumstances and wealth difference. Farmer Giles may have been lucky and unwilling to go his destiny, but even in his unwillingness he ended up doing it. With luck, even those who are apprehensive can overcome massive odds and rise above and thus be subversive to a system stacked against one - it is a triumphant story!

This notion of overcoming the unfair system is a stark contrast to the current situations in Baltimore, a place I nominally claim as a birthplace, though I am truly suburban in my own mind. That said, I have a great affinity for Baltimore. But, even in a place that may have the odds stacked against the lower classes, it is my strongest belief that those willing to work within the system that anyone, regardless of social status can overcome the system to rise to the top. The only difference between those who do not overcome a system stacked against them and those that rise above it is there willingness to work. Farmer Giles had no business getting his hands on the Tailbiter. But, the brute fact of the matter is that he did. With it he was able to amass his wealth and power. He got the Tailbiter because swords had fallen out of fashion with the elite and it was given to him as it might fit someone provincial as it was no longer loved in the elite. Today, there are so many chances afforded to everyone, regardless of class. If only those in the lower classes would grasp at what is afforded to them, they too can threaten and tame dragons. And in doing so, they can carve themselves their own little kingdoms.  While luck may play a part, as it did for Farmer Giles, no amount of luck would have behooved this mere provincial if he hadn't seized it. So let us seize our luck and if it fails, let us seize it again. 

Timeline of Definitive History of Texas

Here is a rough sketch and some research points for the Definitive History of Texas up to the American Civil War. (Again this is a farcical account and pseudohistorical).

1. Prehistoric Texas
1. Colvis Culture, Folsom Culture, Bison Latifrons
2. Hueco Tanks
3. Various Indian Tribes fighting for supremacy
4. When the Spanish arrived the Pueblo, Mound Builders and the remnants of the Teotihuacan Empire are there)
2. The Age of the Conquistadors (1520 - 1689)
1. Alonso Alvarez de Pineda
2. Narvaez Expedition
3.  Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
4. Estevancio - important because he fathers many children who form a city. The Chakwaina is developed after him
3. The Five Years of France
1. Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
2. Fort Saint Louis
3. Jean Gery, French deserter and god of the Coahuitecan
4. Spanish Texas
1. Founding of San Antonio
2. Robeline, Louisiana (Nuestra Senora del Pilar de los Adaes)
3. War of the Quadruple Alliance
4. Spanish settlers vs. Apache, Comanche, Tonkana, etc. The enslavement of the descendants of Estevancio
5. Louisiana Purchase
6. First Spanish-American War
1. A lot of sabre rattling, raids in both territories, no pitched battles
2. Ends in the Adams-Onis Treaty (Historical except that Louisiana west of the Mississippi River remains in Spanish hands, including New Orleans. Consequently, Baton Rouge becomes an instrumental city for the US both because of the invention of the steamboat and as a military city. Also the small city of Metairie becomes another major military city in the US as it is directly opposite New Orleans)
5. Mexican War of Independence (Mexican Texas)
1. Empresarials - Add the Stone Family to this
2. The Slave Battle of 1831, Mexican president crushes the Texans and frees all of the slaves
3. Convention of 1832, 1833
6. Texas Revolution/Republic of Texas
7. Mexican-American War
1. US Congress votes to annex the Republic of Texas (narrow majority, northern in favor and southern not as Texas no longer has slaves)
2. Mexico invades Texas and marches up to Baton Rouge crushing combined Texan/American forces
3. Battle of Baton Rouge
4. Mexican Retreat
5. Texas decides not to join the union, but is debt riddled. They cede Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma & Wyoming to the US, but not New Mexico and California as the US wanted.
6. Congress, enraged by the Texans refusal to join the union after the Mexican-American War and their side treaty with Mexico for what would have been New Mexico and Southern California passed that no Americans could emigrate to Texas. The Republic of Texas thus stretched from New Orleans to the East up through the Texas panhandle and cut a line from there to Albuquerque, NM down to Phoenix, AZ and West to San Diego and occupying Baja California. Most Americans obeyed this order, starving The Republic of Texas of vastly needed manpower to work and occupy their newly won territory.
7. The Great German/Czech Migration
8. The US Civil War

Eudaimaniacs

Eudaimonia is the Greek philosophical notion, of the highest good of human kind.

There was debate in the Ancient philosophy of Greece on what that highest good was. Socrates taught that eudaimonia was taking good care of the soul so that it is in the best possible shape (having the most virtue). In Plato the eudaimonia also rested with the soul, but rather than having the most virtue possible, it was that the soul was perfectly balanced. In Aristotle eudaimonia was using, to the fullest extent possible reason - which set man apart from the animals. Epicurus was hedonistic, but a long-term hedonist. For him, the eudaimonia was the long term best pleasure with as little bit of pain as possible. In Plato, Socrates and Aristotle, eudaimonia was an end. In Epicurus, eudaimonia was a means toward happiness.

Using these four basic stances I think a short story could come together about four persons living out these philosophies to the nth degree. Living there lives totally dedicated to the highest good of human kind, but in a post-apocalyptic setting and the characters could be crazed and delusional and thus, Eudaimaniacs.

The Beginning of The Definitive History of Texas - Draft 1

First, of all let's start with the current state of affairs in Texas. Texas is huge. Massively huge. It is the wealthiest of all the oil states in the world and is run by the Stones family. Like most of the royal families in the world, especially those from the oil rich states, the Stones family are wealthy. Massively wealthy. Also like many of the oil rich rulers, the Stones can tend toward the despotic when their power or wealth are seemingly threatened. But, despite this they are generally a benevolent bunch and hands off in their approach to governance. Keeping with this policy, for the most part, the Stones and Texas stay out of world affairs unless they are on a mission to spread democracy to less civilized parts of the world. While the Stones rarely show their ruthless tendencies, explicitly at least, in domestic or foreign policy they rarely show their benevolence in matters of finance. But, all of this will become crystal clear by the end of this chronicle.

In addition to the Stones family there are a few other families of prominence and oligarchs that have shaped the history of Texas and it's current state. There is also Tommy Santa Cruz de la Maria Cebollas, a newly rich rabble-rouser hell bent on fixing his splintering Texas back to its pristine homogenous state. But, this will become clear later as well. For now, suffice it to say that Tommy is neither a friend to the Stones, a member of a prominent family nor oil rich.

The Royal Federation of Texas has a lot of wealth to be thrown around in it. There is of course, the old money, like that of the Stones and other ancient families. Then, there is the black gold men, which is virtually the same as the old money because it all started with oil. But, in large part because of the Stones' laissez faire style economy, many others have become opulently wealthy without any connection to oil whatsoever. Those who got rich without any connection to the oil aren't generally accepted into the high society with the old money or looked at as something to aspire to by the lower classes, but while some egos are deflated and feelings hurt in this hierarchical society, the newly minted rich still go home to their extravagant mansions at the end of the day so no tears are needed for these folks.

The Royal Federation of Texas has been shaped by a number of forces we will explore in this definitive history. It has been shaped by other nations interjecting themselves into their history like the French, the Spanish, the Mexicans and the United States. It has been shaped aristocratic and powerful families. The Stones Family are of course, the royal house of the RFT, but Texas has been shaped by other clans like that of the Zavalas, the Lamars, the Houstons and others. Then there are the heroes of old like those who fought at the Alamo and in subsequent wars against Mexico and the United States. And there are those who like Tommy who are looking to shape the future of the Royal Federation of Texas and secure their place in this history. But, Texas was also shaped by Dinosaurs and ancient fauna that became the oil that Texas got rich on. And oh yeah, Texas has guns. Lots of guns.

New Chronology Time Travel

I stumbled across the New Chronology in looking at models of history. It's a hoot. I'll get more into it later, but I thought I'd write it down now to put it in something. Maybe in A Cornish Mess, maybe in the Future Modern Ancient Greeks or maybe something else. But, topics to study: New Chronology, Nikolai Morozov, Jean Hardouin and Anatoly Fomenko. The idea would be these three guys are stuck in the "middle" where the timetravelers of the story go in between their destinations.
Actually, I don't think this would fit with a Cornish Mess so, it's going to be in the Future Modern Ancient Greeks storyline.

The Ales of London

(Originally written April 16, 2015)

Scotch Egg @ The Ship Tavern

British food has a bad reputation or had a bad reputation. But, I think this is unfair. There were a number of things that were outstanding. The traditional English breakfast was often good. I had four or five Fish and Chips dinners. The mushy peas that went with them were a new experience for me and quite a welcome addition. I had bangers and mash that was pretty good. The street food and ethnic foods of Borough Market and Brick Lane Market were great. And the Indian we had was excellent. But, the traditional Sunday roast at the Hereford Arms was amazing and I found that I love scotch eggs with a side of Coleman's mustard. But, while the food was good, their Ale game was excellent.

Cask Ale or Real Ale is hand-pumped because it doesn't have the co2 in it. It's also unpasteurized and it's not as cold. But, these ales were some of the best beer I've ever had. Some were dark, others weren't. Some were high on alcohol content (5%), others were very low (3.1%). I tried to drink as many of these as I could there and only had non-cask ale when nothing else was available. I also tried to drink the "House Ale" as much as possible. Here is the definitive list of the Real Ales I enjoyed in England at the pubs, (with the one exception being that I had London Pride on multiple occasions):

1. The Ship Tavern - Ship Tavern Ale
2. The Ship Tavern - Cornwall Ale
3. Hereford Arms Pub - London Pride
4. The Northumberland Arms - Wychwood's Hobgoblin
5. The Green - Old Speckled Hen
6. The Green - Sunny Republic Hop Dog
7. The Ale House - Bath's Gem
8. The Red Lion (Lacock) - Wadworth Swordfish
9. The Bell - Abbot Ale
10. The Bell - The Bell Cider
11. St. Stevens Tavern - Hopping Hare
12. St. Stevens Tavern - Tangle Foot
13. St. Stevens Tavern - First Call
14. The Garrick Inn (Stratford-upon-Avon) - Garricks Shakesbeer
15. The Rocket - Marstones Pedigree
16. The Rocket - The Reverend James
17. The Marlborough Head - Black Sheep
18. The Bridge (Heathrow) - The Bridge Ale