Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Book Review: On Liberty by John Stuart Mill

On Liberty by John Stuart Mill edited with an introduction by Elizabeth Rapaport

A core problem in democracies is balancing the freedom of individuals to act in ways they think are acceptable against the restraints of government protecting social order. Mill lays out a lot of philosophical groundwork in support of the rights of individuals against the will of the majority, which can often feel like (and sometime is) tyrannical. Mill's first attempt to resolve this problem is by invoking the principle of doing no harm to others. A person can decide for themselves what is okay to do and, as long as no one else is effected, that person should not be interfered with. His first chapter is about freedom of thought and discussion. He advocates for very broad freedoms with regard to opinions and recognizes a need for ideas to be presented and argued over in order to prove their worth. He objects to opinions that are held by tradition or authority without knowing the reasoning behind those opinions. 

Mill acknowledges that the problem of liberty becomes trickier when moving from individual opinions to individual actions. While he believes in a free market of ideas, he states that opinions which encourage or inspire bad actions can legitimately be limited by society. All the more so, the actions that harm others (his idea of "bad actions") can and must be held in check by society. He recognizes that very few actions are not public actions--as long as any other person is involved, the action is public. Also, actions provide examples or ideas to other people, possibly causing harm. Further, there can be circumstances where the state has an obligation to protect someone from harming themselves. So he needs to refine the No-Harm-To-Others principle to allow exceptions. 

His new criterion for social obligation is to act in a way not to violate a specific obligation to another person or group of persons. Some relationships create obligations (which are often mutual or complimentary), like between husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employees. One can't spend money recklessly and cause harm to family members or failure to make payroll. Contractual obligations need to be fulfilled and can be enforced. Mill cites two types of public coercion. First, public opinion can and does punish people who do harm through their actions; fear of public, social criticism is a motivator not to do acts contrary to what's publicly acceptable. Second, legal punishments are used to redress grievances between individuals or groups. The tricky part of the system is to find the dividing line between practices that can be tolerated by society (Mill cites the example of Mormons) and those that cannot. At the end of this essay, he provides some examples of applying his principles.

Mill presents a clear and thorough argument for his position. While his investigation is interesting, I found it incomplete. As a utilitarian, his idea of liberty is built on what makes one happy and he depends on people to discover what their own happiness is and pursue it in their own ways. There is no depth of understanding human nature, no authentic human anthropology, underpinning Mill's theory. Anyone can chose any form of happiness and claim it is authentic regardless of its actual compatibility with their own human nature, as long as they are not harming others. Mill needs a more robust anthropology in order to understand and explain what constitutes harm for other people and how much harm can be tolerated in a democratic society.

Mildly recommended--this is a classical philosophical text but it is not the best there is.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Book Review: Slam Dunk Vols. 9 and 10 by Takehiko Inoue

Slam Dunk Volume 9 by Takehiko Inoue

The Shohoku High team is in the playoffs, thanks to some non-team fans taking the most of the blame for the fight that broke out in the last issue. The coach still thinks some players need some discipline, so he benches Hanamichi, Rukawa, Ryota, and Mitsui. At least, they are benched for the start of the first playoff game. The boys still have issues to work out and Hanamichi needs to figure out two things: how to shoot free throws and how not to foul out of games.

The story is definitely improving since the last issue, with more focus on basketball and less on personal dramas. The comedy works well too.

Mildly recommended.

Slam Dunk Volume 10 by Takehiko Inoue

The team advances to final four contention with a big game against Shoyo. The Shoyo school team is dying to play against their rival Kainan but must get Shohoku out of the way. Shoyo's team is huge, almost all six-footers. Shohoku has momentum coming in. The game starts as a blow-out in favor of Shoyo but the Shohoku squad starts slowly making it back from a big deficit by leaning into the strengths of the individual players, making a better overall team.

This whole issue is only half of the game, which may sound like the game is dragged out but it really is not. The action is exciting and the players' dynamics are finally starting to coalesce into a team. Can they win and move on to the next level? While I think the answer is a given, I'm still going to read the next one.

Mildly recommended.



Monday, May 29, 2023

Random Bits of Montreal 2023

Here's some stuff from the visit to Montreal that did not make their own blog post...

Near our rental house is Eglise catholique Nativite-de-la-Sainte-Vierge, a fine-looking church that was not open when we went nearby.

We really wanted to go inside

We visited in early April, which apparently was not late enough for all the snow to melt. One dead-end street was really a snow-end street!

You shall not pass!

Also nearby was a playground with a fun climbing web.

Making his way to the top

We went to Mont Royal, the mountain (though maybe it is technically a hill) to do a hike, not realizing the previous months' weather was against us.

Hiking trails?

Now they tell us

Another tool to use in the snow

We did make it to one overlook, Belvedere Kondiaronk lookout. The Chalet du Mont-Royal is right behind the lookout.

Chalet du Mont-Royal

View of the city

Some more view

Even more view

With my son

A bit from one of Montreal's founders

A view from the other side of the mountain

We drove around the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood and found a bakery for a snack. Patisserie Au Kouign Amann is a small shop with a lot of great stuff. The signature item is Kouign Amann, a butter and sugar cake with a crusty outside (think caramelized sugar), that was fabulous.

Best apple tart ever

House special 

We visited the Google office in Montreal, which had all the usual fun amenities.

Cool sign

Hot fireplace

Free breakfast

Play room

Foosballers

We stopped by the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal but did not go in. We were in a time crunch and the kids were a little burned out on churches. Also, they charge a bit to get in! The church has some sort of laser/light show in the evenings that guide books recommend but we were divided over it.

Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal

Photo from a geocache

The Basilique neighborhood is full of official and official-looking buildings.

Ministry of Finance, I think

A monument to Lord Nelson is right in between the government buildings and the old port. It's all in English, I guess there's no French pride in Nelson.

Nelson Monument

The base

The other side of the base

The weather wasn't warm enough for this fountain to be going, but the statue of Jean Vauquelin stands guard nonetheless. He was a French naval officer who fought the British on the St. Lawrence River during the Seven Years' War

A dry fountain

Vauquelin

View of the city from Vauquelin's statue

City Hall

We tried to find lunch in Chinatown, but we couldn't agree on any of the restaurants that were open.

Chinatown

Old port neighborhood

Typical building (and a nice couple)

We saw a sculpture called Les Chuchoteuses on a random corner. 

Random street art

Another touch of England was the Wolf and Workman pub, with a typical sign above.

Wait, what?

Another cool-looking building

Charming street with a flag in case the fire hydrant gets buried in snow

Bank on a narrow street

Another random art display

We used a fancy metro entrance to make our way back to our lodgings.

Definitely French-looking

Friday, May 26, 2023

Movie Review: Asterix & Obelix: L'Empire du Milieu (2023)

Asterix & Obelix: L'Empire du Milieu (2023) directed by Guillaume Canet, based on the comics by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo

Chinese Princess Sas Sa (Julie Chen) has fled from China where her mother the Empress (Linh-Dan Pham) has been imprisoned by Deng Tsin Qin (Bun-Hay Mean) who wants to marry the princess and rule all of China. Sas Sa travels to Gaul, where she's always wanted to visit, and enlists the aid of Asterix (Guillaume Canet) and Obelix (Giles Lellouche) to free her mom and restore the kingdom to its rightful ruler. Asterix has decided he eats too much meat so he's gone vegetarian, creating a rift between him and Obelix (who loves to eat boar for every meal). He's also sworn off using the village potion that gives him super-strength though he takes a bottle with him "just in case."

Meanwhile, Deng Tsin Qin visits Julius Caesar (Vincent Cassel) to get extra troops to finish the conquest of China. At first Caesar is reluctant but merciless mocking by his wife Cleopatra (Marian Cotillard) convinces him to go conquer a land that has heard of Cleo but not of Caesar. They march east while Asterix and company also head east, having adventures along the way and an ultimate confrontation in China.

The movie has the spirit of the classic comic series of which I am a big fan. I chuckled every time someone said Deng Tsin Qin's name because it's pronounced "Dancing Queen." Not the most macho of names! It's the best of the ubiquitous comic names, though the princess's body guard Ka Rah Tay is a close second. Caesar and Cleopatra communicate via pigeons in a way that imitates Twitter, so the show has fun anachronisms too. 

On the other hand, the comic violence does not work quite as well in a live action setting, though Ka Rah Tay has some fun Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon wuxia moves. Canet does not have the clever sassiness of the comic book version of Asterix and he's too tall, so he is not as satisfying. Caesar and Obelix are spot on, though Obelix is not as big as he is in the comics (again, a limitation of live action). The plot feels a little stretched out, like there's not quite enough to fill the 112 minute running time. I watched it in the original French with subtitles, so I was distracted when some of the pun-names did not match between the spoken French and the captioned English.

Mildly recommended--this is more for fans of Asterix than for the general public.

As I write (June 2023), this is available streaming on Netflix.

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Book Review: The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow by Allan French

The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow by Allan French

Hiarandi the Unlucky lives up to his nickname. His good nature is not rewarded like characters in Aesop's Fables or Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales. He lives in Iceland in the medieval days, with a large estate on the seashore. His home is atop the cliffs and Hiarandi lights beacons during stormy night so ships won't wreck on his shore, even though under Icelandic law he would own whatever washes up on his beaches. He has a jealous neighbor, Einar, who schemes to get Hiarandi's lands. Einar's son Grani is off in the Orkney Island where he is being fostered by an earl. Hiarandi's son Rolf is at home and, as a lad of fifteen, growing strong. Perceiving him as a threat along with his father, Einar gets Hiarandi killed in a dispute where, according to the law, Hiarandi was in the wrong since he was not on his lands or at least within a bowshot of his lands. Einar contrives to get Rolf banished. Rolf reluctantly goes, winding up shipwrecked in the Orkneys where he is taken as a slave by Grani. Grani does not recognize him and a friendship grows between them, making things harder when they eventually return to Iceland for a reckoning.

The writing follows the style of the Icelandic sagas. The vocabulary is distinctive, with thanes and thralls aplenty. The text switches back and forth between past tense and present tense. When a character's role in the story is done, the author says so explicitly, telling the reader no more will be heard about that person. The text reads a bit archaic but that matches the time of the story and the genre. 

The plot has a strong moral tone as well, dealing with what's right, what's legal, and how those two do not always interact successfully. Some of the characters manipulate the legal system to get their own ends, clearly shown as wrong. The classical values of caring for families and strangers and of being selfless play out well. Nothing seems heavy-handed or preachy. The moral excellence naturally flows from the characters and the situations. The book seems like it is written for older boys but is enjoyable for any age.

Recommended.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Book Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Vol. 3 by Hayao Miyazaki

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Volume 3 by Hayao Miyazaki 

Nausicaa's travels across her world finally place her in the middle of the war. She sides with the Torumekian forces. They are trapped in a few fortifications as the enemy advances. She lands with Princess Kushana, who was the leader of the defenders. Kushana wants to be the ruler of Torumekia and has been in conflict with her three brothers who have been using her army to hold the line against impossible odds. Kushana has a bolder and more brutal plan to save her part of the Torumekian army. She wants to break the siege with a clever assault that could be costly. Nausicaa is opposed to excessive force and wants the safety of all living things. She fights in a style that limits killing to the bare minimum, making an interesting contrast to Kushana.

This volume has a lot more action and excitement. The humanist attitude of Nausicaa is less front and center but still anchors her character, even in the fight scenes. More is revealed about cryptic items like the seemingly insignificant stone Nausicaa was entrusted with. I am looking forward to the next volume!

Recommended.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Montreal

Alfred Bessette joined the Congregation of the Holy Cross in 1870 and took the name Brother Andre. He was given the job of doorkeeper at College Notre-Dame where he greeted visitors to the school. Occasionally sick people came to visit. Brother Andre would pray with them and they would recover. Word got around--more and more people came, not to visit the college, but to ask for Brother Andre's prayers. He attributed the cures to Saint Joseph and encouraged the people to ask the foster-father of Jesus to intercede for them. 

Brother Andre wanted to build a chapel to Saint Joseph on Mount Royal in Canada. With so many people coming to see him, it was an obstacle for the academic pursuits of the students. He was given permission in 1904 to build a chapel up the hill which he called "The Oratory." The first chapel soon was too small for the number of visitors, both the sick and those who came back in gratitude after cures. Expansions were made and finally a crypt church with a basilica above was approved. The crypt was completed in 1917. The basilica required more work, including blasting into the rocky mountain. Construction began in 1924 though progress stopped because of the Great Depression. Brother Andre died in 1937 and the various supporters of the Oratory felt a new impetus to finish the project. It was finally completed in 1967, though work on the steps down to the road is on-going.

We visited the basilica which was a breath-taking experience.

Side view of Saint Joseph's Oratory

As we walked in, there were displays on the life of Joseph, which naturally meant on the life of Jesus.

Young Jesus found at the Temple by his worried parents

Teaching Jesus carpentry

Another exhibit shows various actual and fanciful church models.

Amazing Polish creation

The Basilica can seat more than 2000 people and is spacious. The decoration is modern yet tasteful.

Nave

Sanctuary

The main altar is decorated in bas relief with scenes from the burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Back of the main altar

A relatively smaller chapel is dedicated to Saint Andre Bessette.

His small statue is on the side

The back wall of the sanctuary has a mosaic showing eleven scenes from Saint Joseph's life.

Mosaic of St. Joseph's life

Joseph marries Mary

Patron of a happy death

The Stations of the Cross are sculpted in limestone and surround the pillars holding up the dome.

Station I--Pilate condemns Jesus

Station II--Jesus bears His cross

The stained-glass windows are also very impressive.

Saint Joseph in glass

At the ends of the transepts (the two wings off the nave that give the floor plan its cross shape) are elongated statues of the twelve apostles. They are made of oak and are 4.8 meters tall (15.5 feet). We were fascinated to see one of the apostles had two heads! Looking it up in the guide book, we discovered that the Apostle Paul is peering over Peter's shoulder.

Apostles

Apostles on four-for-three special

Various medallion paintings of the Holy Family were taken from the Institut Nazareth.

Flight into Egypt

Learning a trade

The Nativity

Another happy death image

The organ , designed and built by Rudolf von Beckerath, has 5811 pipes. It was originally built in the late 1950s, then restored in 2011 and 2012. The longest pipe is 32 feet!

Organ

Visitors can walk out onto a concourse that has magnificent views of the city, include the College Notre-Dame where St. Andre worked.

College Notre-Dame with the green roofs

More of the city

The concourse also has a copy of Angels Unawares. We saw another casting of it at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. The artist is Timothy Schmalz. 

Angels Unawares

View of the basilica from the concourse

The votive chapel is a long, large hallway between the Crypt Church (which wasn't photographed because Mass was going on) and the rock of the mountain.

Votive chapel

Bas reliefs depict the various titles of Saint Joseph, including my favorite, "Terror of Demons."

Terror of Demons

Patron of the Church

My son lighting a candle

Canes and crutches were left behind by visitors to the Oratory in gratitude for favors achieved though Saint Joseph's intercession.

Crutches and Canes

The tomb of Brother Andre is located in a room just off of the votive chapel.

Tomb of Saint Andre

Bust of Andre

Statue of Mary with the mountain rocks behind her

Another level of the basilica has a museum with an exhibit on Brother Andre.

Various statues

Bell from the college

Doorkeeper's quarters

This area has a reliquary with Brother Andre's heart inside. It's another spot for quiet reflection and prayer.

Brother Andre's heart

On the other side of the parking lot is original chapel from 1904. 

The first Oratory

The main altar

Plaques of gratitude to St. Joseph and Brother Andre

An icon of Brother Andre

Outside is a statue sculpted in 1955 by Emile Brunet.

Brother Andre

Saint Joseph's Oratory is the largest church in the world dedicated to Jesus's earthly dad and is well worth visiting.