The Classical Mind Newsletter for August 2024

A Cat Spoke to Me of God, How Should We Pronounce Augustine?, The Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, "Parable of the Madman", A Review of Dan Brown

Housekeeping

• ICYMI: Our newest episode about Intention by G.E.M. Anscombe is out now!

• We have completed the season 3 draft…it will be out soon!

A Cat Spoke to Me of God by Martin Buber

Alongside the Sufi Muslim poet Rumi, Martin Buber is one of my favorite mystics. In his great book I and Thou, he asks us to reconsider our relationship with the world. In a scientistic world the I too often relates to everything else as an it, objects to be exploited, studied, and dissected. The problem with this mode of engagement is that it dehumanizes the I. Instead, he asks us to engage with others—and ultimately the Other (God)—as thous. The I-thou relationship is humanizing because it allows the other to be confined in the I’s mental box. It’s a wonderful little book and I was excited to see it getting some attention in the form of an excerpt at Plough. You can pick up a copy of I and Thou at Amazon. Maybe this will make a future Classical Mind episode!

Also, if you’re interested, I wrote a Christian engagement with Buber’s work here: “I, Thou, and the Need for We: An Incarnational Reading of Martin Buber”.