parresia

sometimes I feel like Lewis'

sometimes I feel like Lewis' mentor, Kirkpatrick, as I read about him in Surprised by Joy

"The idea that human beings should exercise their vocal organs for any purpose except that of communicating or discovering truth was to him preposterous. The most casual remark was taken as a summons to disputation...

Although Lewis describes Kirk in fond narrative, I do not think I would fair so well; I seem to have many of the same traits as Kirk, but without the omniscient mastery of such topics that would justify my argumentative nature in my dealings with most everyone. Is it wrong to have the desire to debate ideas, discuss truth and one's perception of it, all the time?

Although Kirk, and perhaps even Lewis, would answer "No" there still seems to be something wrong with the way I pull it off.

Posted by jeremy stock at January 17, 2002 06:10 AM