Motus Mentis

For years now I’ve been reading, and occasionally commenting, over at Bill Vallicella’s website, The Maverick Philosopher. Bill’s a grumpy old cuss, and an unrepentant dualist, but he’s the real deal, and an excellent writer to boot. A philosophical amateur and autodidact like myself can learn a lot there (which I certainly have). Bill’s blog was recently picked by The Times of London as one of the world’s 100 best.

What I have enjoyed the most at MP has been following, and often participating in, the discussions in the comment threads. The quality of the comments varies, as one would expect (and I have recently been guilty, myself, of leaving some irritatingly trite and unfocused comments there of my own, which I regret) — but at their best the comment threads have been a real glimpse of serious philosophical work being done.

I’m sad to see, therefore, that Bill, obviously weary of keeping up with a rising tide of mediocre interlocutors, has apparently stopped taking comments. It’s understandable, and there are other fine blogs (such as Norman Geras’s) where comments are not allowed, but it is, I think, a disappointment for Bill’s readers — who can no longer find, in one place, daily examples of the argumentative thrust-and-parry by which philosophical positions are refined and defended.

I have a feeling Bill must miss it too, just a little. I hope he changes his mind.