Leigh M. Johnson

The Muselmann

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Philosophy, Politics 1 Comment

Perhaps one of the most ethically challenging, and truly heartwrenching, figures of contemporary (by which I mean, post-WWII) philosophy is that of the Muselmann. The word Muselmann literally means “Muslim” (“one who submits to God”), but is used to refer to prisoners of Nazi concentration camps who had become so destitute and dehumanized as to…

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Speaking of Philosophy

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Philosophy, Teaching 2 Comments

The picture to the left there is from my dissertation defense party, which took place at a much-beloved dive bar in Philadelphia (Oscar’s Tavern) where I have imbibed almost equal amounts of libations and philosophical conversation. As a matter of fact, this setting (and settings very much like it) is about my favorite mise-en-scène for…

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There Are No Stupid Questions

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Open Source Pedagogy, Philosophy, Teaching 4 Comments

When I was an undergraduate, I remember one of my (English Lit) professors saying on the first day of class: “There is no such thing as a stupid question.” Obviously, this was a warm-and-fuzzy attempt to impart some measure of confidence to students, to encourage us to voice our questions and concerns without reservation, and…

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No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Memphis, Philosophy 4 Comments

And, in this case, the “good deed” was my pedagogical experiment with (now, regular practice of) blogging in the classroom. I’ve been featured on The Dean’s Blog: Celebrating Teaching and Learning at my college, in a story hyperbolically entitled “Philosophy in the 21st Century.” I am, of course, really honored by the recognition… so, what’s…

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File This Under “Jane Doe”

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Politics 1 Comment

It’s not often that I post on something about which I have genuine ambivalence, but here’s one: medical records. Last week, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), one of the goals of which is to encourage the adoption of electronic medical records by doctors and hospitals. At present, medical…

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Reaction to Obama’s 2009 Address to Joint Session of Congress

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Obama, Politics 2 Comments

Last night, I posted the transcript and some video clips of Obama’s 2009 State of the Union Address. Here are my thoughts on the speech: The Tone:Perfect. We all expected that President Hope would sound strong and inspiring last night, that he would steer clear of fear and pessimism, that he would rally the troops……

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Art Imitating Whose Life?

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Philosophy, Politics, Pop Culture/Film, Pop Culture/Film/Literature 1 Comment

About a month ago, I started watching the television show “24” from its beginning. I was immediately hooked, as I wrote in my initial post on the subject (“24” Is Like Television Crack), and this week I just began Season 5. My general impression is that the quality of the show declined after the first…

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My President Is Black

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Obama, Philosophy, Politics 1 Comment

It snowed yesterday in Memphis. Not “real” snow, just some flurries in the air, but it added an unreal sparkle to the morning… a morning in which so many other things seemed so unreal. I watched the Inauguration ceremonies in our campus pub, surrounded by rapt colleagues and students. People cheered and clapped and laughed,…

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“A Good Day for the Rule of Law”

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Human Rights, Politics, Torture Comments Off on “A Good Day for the Rule of Law”

As one of his first acts in Office– a long overdue one– Obama signed an Executive Order to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center within the year. What’s more, Obama’s order also included directives to end torture (such as waterboarding) in U.S. interrogration practices, shutter CIA “black site” prisons abroad, and end the practice of…

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History

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Human Rights, Memphis, Obama, Politics Comments Off on History

An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have A Dream” address to the people assembled on the Washington Mall, August 28, 1963. …In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of…

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