It’s a lovely day for a long, long walk. Won’t you join me? After a number of fits and starts, I’m ready. Sorry for the delay. Some worries and distractions held me back. Family and friends needed me here and there. Work called. Doctors insisted that I visit them. I had to get advice about what to take along on this adventure, and what route promises the most sunshine. (I tend to be too cautious. It’s impossible to foresee every need; and besides, it makes the backpack burdensome. But I’ve researched about where to find the sun; it’s everywhere.) Oh, and I wrote a couple books. Now it’s time to start again, at least on this leg of the journey.
The website bears my name – not because it’s about me, but because it’s my invitation for you to join me on a journey towards … what? Well, towards wisdom, if possible. At least that is what philosophy is called. It requires critical thinking about important questions, which is not comfortable or easy; and it demands guiding our lives by what that search reveals, which is not natural. I didn’t initiate this journey. No one person did; and no one will end it. The path is heavily trodden in some places and almost invisible in others. It has changed direction many times, over the ages. I’m sure there are countless fascinating side tracks, some of which I’ve traveled. Like the picture that heads this website, the destination is not visible, but the way straight ahead seems peaceful and inviting. If we take time to look around, and walk slowly enough to take in our surroundings, even though we don’t know the end, it will be lovely – especially if we can find a few good companions on the way.
The website bears the suffix ‘.org’ instead of ‘.com’ for good reason. Not wanting to sound pretentious, I hope this will be the work of many people coming together out of genuine curiosity, and for good purposes. Although these travelers can expect to profit from what they find here, and by their efforts, the site certainly doesn’t aim at commercial ends.
As you can see by the menu items across the top, the site will deal with varied topics, besides a blog: essays, websites, other blogs, books to read, and topics of current special interest – maybe even poetry.
The blog – LetsDiscussIt – will include short and long posts. I intend posts to be provocative, or pose questions, on topics related to education, popular culture, religion, international events, public policy, macroeconomics, the arts, language learning, local, national and international events, and, of course, social problems. These issues and questions invite comments and ‘answers’, from readers. Some posts will be my critical view of such topics. Others may be by guest bloggers. All posts will encourage comments and discussion.
