Tag Archives: jefferson

Is Fiction Useful? Note on Jefferson’s Letter to Robert Skipwith, Aug. 3rd 1771

Letter of Thomas Jefferson to Robert Skipwith, Aug. 3rd 1771 Jefferson honors a request to create a catalog of books for Skipwith’s library. We find him, strangely enough, defending the value of fiction: A little attention however to the nature of the human mind evinces that the entertainments of fiction are useful as well as …

October 30, 2012 – 11:10 pm | By ashok | Posted in philosophy, politics, xenophon | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Jefferson’s Epitaph, Education and the Enlightenment Republic

Thomas Jefferson’s tombstone | Jefferson’s epitaph and tombstone design – original A friend asked about the linkage between American government and education: the United States is an Enlightenment country certainly, and we definitely make claims to be a meritocracy. But as any reader of this blog knows, Enlightenment came at the expense of ancient and …

October 24, 2009 – 4:40 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged | Comments (2)

Thomas Jefferson to William Ludlow: Monticello, Sept. 6, 1824

I googled Mr. Ludlow several times, but didn’t find anything particularly relevant. If anyone has any information pertinent to these reflections, paste links or references in the comments. The letter below is from here: Sir – The idea which you present in your letter of July 30th, of the progress of society from its rudest …

October 11, 2009 – 6:30 pm | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged | Comments (2)

Does the Earth belong to the Living? On Jefferson’s Letter to Madison, Sept. 6, 1789

Letter of Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, Paris September 6, 1789 I think we can see a more radical Jefferson in this letter, one who may have changed in some ways after holding the Presidency, but I’m not sure. What I am sure about is that this letter has a few strange elements I can’t …

December 26, 2008 – 2:34 am | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged | Comments (4)

Beyond the 2008 Election: How Do We Create a Better, More Educative Politics?

If you read this blog regularly, you can skip this. It’s a right-wing rant that does cite some interesting passages of Jefferson’s, but the link to the letter is directly below and more worthy of your time. I just feel that some things really need repeating, especially when my political views are in one key …

September 17, 2008 – 4:33 pm | By ashok | Posted in education, politics | Tagged , | Comments (2)

Thomas Jefferson On the Nature of News

Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell, Letter of June 14, 1807 I thought the above letter had some sections worth sharing, so here goes (words in italics are Jefferson’s): 1. I think there does not exist a good elementary work on the organization of society into civil government: I mean a work which presents in one …

February 15, 2008 – 6:22 am | By ashok | Posted in media, politics | Tagged , | Comments (2)

Between Religion and Reason: Equality In Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address

A copy of Jefferson’s First Inaugural is available here. The text is about 1700 words long. Commentary: Jefferson introduces a problem and seemingly solves it in the opening. He first says he is afflicted by “anxious and awful presentiments which the greatness of the charge and the weakness of [his] powers so justly inspire.” Then …

November 3, 2007 – 2:14 pm | By ashok | Posted in politics | Tagged | Comments (0)

Dreaming in America

Note: What follows is from a while ago. I will be posting older stuff here more often, as I want to transfer all my writings to one place, and have backup copies. This trip actually happened; it was the second trip I took that summer, and it was a learning experience, as you can see …

April 15, 2007 – 5:30 pm | By ashok | Posted in lincoln, politics | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Is Politics Reducible to Rhetoric?

The following is only a summary (with some purposely loaded comments) of an aspect of Leo Strauss’ essay “On Aristotle’s Politics,” found in The City and Man, pg. 17-24 Machiavelli held that it was possible for tyrannical power to come about from a “deep knowledge of political things.” The conclusion of the essay on Macbeth …

February 13, 2007 – 3:50 pm | By ashok | Posted in aristotle, politics | Tagged , , | Comments (3)