the fisherman of halicarnassus

cratylism is the belief that the words or names that we use for things accurately reflect the true nature of those things. this belief is based on the idea that words have an inherent meaning that is intrinsic to the things they represent, and that this meaning is somehow encoded in the structure or sound of the word itself.

one example of cratylism might be the belief that the word "dog" accurately reflects the true nature of dogs, because the word itself contains some inherent meaning that corresponds to the characteristics of dogs. for example, some proponents of cratylism might argue that the word "dog" contains the sound "d-o-g," which represents the barking sound that dogs make, or that the word "dog" is derived from an ancient word that means "protector" or "guardian," which reflects the role that dogs often play as protective companions.

another example of cratylism might be the belief that the word "tree" accurately reflects the true nature of trees, because the word itself contains some inherent meaning that corresponds to the characteristics of trees. for example, some proponents of cratylism might argue that the word "tree" is derived from an ancient word that means "life," which reflects the role that trees play in supporting and sustaining life on earth.

in practice, however, cratylism is generally considered to be a flawed or unscientific approach to understanding the meaning and use of words. most modern linguists and philosophers reject the idea that words have an inherent meaning that is intrinsic to the things they represent, and instead view the meaning of words as a social or cultural construct that is shaped by the way that they are used and understood by speakers of a particular language.

freedom of speech, or the ability to freely express one's thoughts and opinions, was a concept that was explored by several ancient greek philosophers.

one of the earliest philosophers to discuss freedom of speech was socrates, who believed in the importance of questioning and challenging established beliefs and ideas. socrates believed that the pursuit of truth and knowledge was more important than the fear of offending others, and he famously stood by his beliefs even in the face of persecution and death.

other ancient greek philosophers, such as plato and aristotle, also recognized the value of free expression and the importance of allowing individuals to engage in open and honest dialogue. plato, in particular, argued that the ability to freely express one's thoughts was essential for the functioning of a just society.

however, it's worth noting that the concept of freedom of speech as we understand it today was not fully developed in ancient greece. in fact, many ancient greek philosophers believed that certain forms of speech, such as blasphemy or treason, should be restricted. nonetheless, the ideas of socrates and other ancient greek philosophers laid the foundation for modern ideas about the importance of freedom of speech and the value of open and honest dialogue.

game theory is a branch of economics and mathematics that studies strategic decision-making. it is based on the idea that people and organizations often make decisions by considering how their actions will affect the actions of others.

in game theory, a "game" is a situation in which two or more individuals or groups (called "players") make decisions that simultaneously affect each other's outcomes. these decisions are often modeled as "strategies," and the outcomes of the game are determined by the combination of strategies chosen by the players.

an example of a game in game theory is the "prisoner's dilemma." in this game, two suspects are arrested by the police and held in separate cells. each suspect is given the option to confess or remain silent. if both suspects remain silent, they will each receive a small punishment. if one suspect confesses and the other remains silent, the confessing suspect will go free while the silent suspect will receive a severe punishment. if both suspects confess, they will both receive a moderate punishment.

in this game, each suspect must decide whether to confess or remain silent, without knowing what the other suspect will do. the outcome for each suspect depends on the combination of strategies chosen by both suspects. if both suspects remain silent, it is the best outcome for both of them. however, if one suspect confesses and the other remains silent, the confessing suspect will go free while the silent suspect will receive a severe punishment. therefore, each suspect has an incentive to confess, even though confessing is not the best outcome for either of them.

this game illustrates how individuals may make decisions that are not in their own best interests when they are interacting with others and trying to anticipate the actions of their opponents. game theory is used to analyze and understand situations like these, and to make predictions about how people and organizations will behave in strategic situations.

life in ancient greece varied greatly depending on a person's status, occupation, and location, but there were some common elements that characterized daily life for the majority of the population.

for most ancient greeks, the day began with a simple breakfast of bread, cheese, and perhaps a cup of wine. afterward, they would set off to work, whether that meant farming, crafting, or trading. the workday would typically last from sunrise to sunset.

after work, ancient greeks would return home to their families. dinner, the main meal of the day, was typically a communal affair, with the family eating together at a table. dinner might include a variety of foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes, as well as fish, meat, and dairy products.

after dinner, ancient greeks might engage in leisure activities such as playing games, visiting with friends and neighbors, or attending cultural events such as plays or athletic competitions. some people also spent their evenings studying or engaging in religious rituals.

it's important to note that ancient greek society was highly stratified, with a small elite class of wealthy landowners and politicians at the top, and a large class of poor peasants and slaves at the bottom. daily life would have been very different for these two groups, with the wealthy enjoying a much higher standard of living and more leisure time, while the poor were burdened with hard manual labor and had little time for leisure.

ghosting is a term that is used to describe the act of abruptly ending a relationship or friendship without any explanation or communication. ghosting is often associated with dating, but it can also happen in other types of relationships, such as friendships or professional connections. ghosting typically involves one person simply disappearing from the other person's life without any warning or explanation, and it can leave the person who has been ghosted feeling confused, hurt, and rejected.

in psychological terms, ghosting can be seen as a form of avoidance behavior. by ghosting someone, the person who is doing the ghosting is able to avoid dealing with difficult emotions or situations, such as having to break up with someone or confront a problem in the relationship. ghosting can also be a way for the person who is doing the ghosting to avoid taking responsibility for their actions and to avoid facing the consequences of their behavior. ghosting can be damaging to the person who has been ghosted, as it can leave them feeling rejected and uncertain about what went wrong in the relationship.

a god complex is a psychological term that is used to describe a person who believes that they are all-powerful and all-knowing, and who behaves in a way that reflects this belief. someone with a god complex may believe that they are superior to others and that they have the right to make decisions for others without their consent. they may also be unwilling to listen to others or to consider their opinions and feelings.

examples of god complex behavior might include a boss who makes decisions without consulting their employees, a teacher who refuses to listen to their students' ideas, or a parent who insists on making all the decisions for their child without considering their input. in general, someone with a god complex may have a tendency to be overbearing and controlling, and they may struggle to see others as equals.

the civil rights act of 1875 was a federal law that was passed by the united states congress in 1875. the act was the first federal civil rights law to be passed since the reconstruction era, and it was intended to protect the rights of all americans, regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. the act prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude in public accommodations, such as inns, public conveyances on land or water, theaters, and other places of public amusement. it also provided for criminal penalties for anyone who violated the act's provisions.

despite its good intentions, the civil rights act of 1875 was largely ineffective in achieving its goals. many states and local governments ignored the act or actively resisted its implementation, and few cases were ever brought under its provisions. in addition, the act did not address other forms of discrimination, such as discrimination on the basis of gender or religion. despite its limitations, the civil rights act of 1875 was an important step towards greater equality and justice for all americans, and it paved the way for future civil rights legislation.

a guilty pleasure is something that brings enjoyment or pleasure, but that is considered to be lowbrow, embarrassing, or otherwise unworthy of admiration. for example, someone might consider watching a cheesy romantic comedy or listening to bubblegum pop to be a guilty pleasure. guilty pleasures are typically seen as indulgences that are not to be taken seriously, and they may be something that a person enjoys privately or only with close friends. some weird examples of guilty pleasures might include eating raw cookie dough, watching reality tv shows, or collecting figurines of cartoon characters.

range anxiety is a term used to describe the fear that electric vehicles will run out of power before reaching their destination. this fear can be a barrier to the adoption of electric cars, as many people are concerned that they will not be able to find a charging station when they need one.

one humorous way to explain range anxiety is to compare it to the "quarter panic" that some people experience when using a payphone. just like with a payphone, electric car owners may worry that they will not have enough "juice" to make it to their destination. however, just like with a payphone, there are ways to mitigate this anxiety, such as by planning ahead and checking for charging stations along the route. and just like with a payphone, range anxiety may soon be a thing of the past as technology and infrastructure continue to improve.

the boys is a television series that is available on amazon prime video. the show is based on the comic book series of the same name and is set in a world where superheroes exist, but they are corrupt and abusive. the series follows a group of regular people who team up to take down the corrupt superheroes and expose their wrongdoing. the boys is known for its dark and satirical tone, and it has been praised for its exploration of complex themes such as power, corruption, and corporate greed. the show has been a critical and commercial success, and it has been renewed for a third season.

here are a few famous quotes on love from some of history's most notable philosophers:

— "love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - aristotle
— "love is not consolation. it is light." - simone weil
— "love is the expression of the one who loves, not of the one who is loved." - soren kierkegaard
— "love is the affinity which links and draws together the elements of the world... love, in fact, is the agent of universal synthesis." - pierre teilhard de chardin
— "love is an endless act of forgiveness. forgiveness is me giving up the right to hurt you for hurting me." - beyonce giselle knowles-carter
— "love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit." - peter ustinov
— "to love another person is to see the face of god." - victor hugo
— "love is an untamed force. when we try to control it, it destroys us. when we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. when we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused." - paulo coelho

an internet video on demand service that has the best content so far (as of feb 2022).

thomas bernhard's life was marked by relentless misfortunes from the very beginning. born out of wedlock, he carried the stigma of "illegitimacy" in a society that cared deeply about such things. his mother never hid her contempt for him, and his childhood was overshadowed by a sense of rejection. physical illnesses repeatedly brought him to the brink of death, and a misdiagnosis by a doctor cost him his beloved grandfather—one of the few people he truly loved. although bernhard's parents were austrian, his mother, desperate to escape the social pressures of an illegitimate birth in austria, delivered him in a monastery in heerlen, in the netherlands. he was later raised by his grandparents back in austria.

at eleven years old, bernhard was sent to a boarding school in salzburg, where he studied music aesthetics, violin, and voice. by the late 1940s, he developed the severe lung disease that would haunt him for the rest of his life. during a two-year stay at the grafenhof sanatorium, he suffered devastating losses: first his grandfather, the single most important person in his life, and then his mother a year later. by the time he left the sanatorium, he was a budding young journalist, forced early on to grapple with grief and existential questions.

bernhard's first significant published work was a poetry collection, auf der erde und in der hölle (on earth and in hell), released in 1957. however, his true literary breakthrough came in the spring of 1963 with his first novel, frost (freeze), which quickly garnered critical acclaim. at the time, bernhard was living with his aunt in vienna, making ends meet by taking on construction jobs—digging trenches, driving trucks—and steadily forging his unique literary identity. frost earned him the bremen literature prize, which opened new doors.

with the prize money and additional support from his publisher, bernhard bought a farmhouse in upper austria. he spent most of his life there in isolation, venturing abroad frequently but always returning to this rural retreat. yet he never severed his ties to vienna. he regularly traveled back and forth between the countryside and the city, unable to settle comfortably in either place. whenever he grew weary of rural life, he fled to vienna, and as soon as vienna lost its appeal, he hurried back to his farmhouse. when neither option satisfied him—something that happened often—he escaped beyond austria's borders altogether. in fact, he wrote most of his books during these restless journeys.

in an interview, bernhard explained that every one of his books was created in different places—vienna, brussels, somewhere in yugoslavia, poland. he never had a dedicated writing desk and preferred working in noisy environments. construction cranes, bustling crowds, blaring streetcars, even laundries and butcher shops—none of these disturbed him. he found it stimulating to write where he didn't speak the local language, calling it an "encouraging" factor.

bernhard's fame soon spread beyond austria and germany. he was met with great enthusiasm in many parts of continental europe, especially in italy, spain, and france, where his works were quickly translated. his influence was also immense in russia and across the former soviet republics, earning him recognition in slavic literary circles.

over his lifetime, bernhard was astoundingly prolific: nine major novels, five long stories, four volumes of short stories, two volumes of shorter prose pieces, a five-volume autobiography, eighteen plays, several shorter dramas, three volumes of poetry, and countless interviews. he even had many unpublished works that rivaled in quantity those he had already released.

this vast output brought bernhard numerous awards. he received the julius campe prize in 1964, the bremen literature prize in 1965, austria's national prize and the anton wildgans prize in 1968, the georg büchner prize from the german academy for language and literature in 1970, the franz theodor csokor prize and the adolf grimme prize in 1972, and the hanover theater prize and prix seguier in 1974. in 1976, he earned the austrian economists' association literature prize. twice nominated for the nobel prize in literature by the german pen club, he never won, but he famously declared that he would have gladly accepted it—only so he could then turn it down.

bernhard died in 1989 at the age of 57, finally meeting the end he had contemplated so deeply and woven so thoroughly into his books.

the controversy of legacy and identity

two days before he died, bernhard left a will that was as controversial as his life's work. he explicitly banned the performance, publication, or public reading of any work he had published or left behind within austria's recognized borders for as long as his copyrights remained valid. he wanted no involvement with the austrian state, a system whose moral rejection of him began the moment he was born. this ban reflected his lifelong defiance, not only against the austrian government but also against all forms of cultural complacency.

a revolutionary literary style

bernhard's writing stands as a rebellion against the traditional novel in both form and content. readers sense something missing: no conventional story, no grand finale. he dismantles standard narrative structures, refusing to break his work into paragraphs or chapters. everything is presented as one continuous block, resisting logical categorization. his narrative world can begin anywhere and end everywhere, allowing the reader to open the book at any point without losing the thread—because, strictly speaking, there is no linear thread. his works lack the usual "plot" we expect from novels; they exist in a state of suspended action.

this approach leaves the story perpetually "open." you cannot easily summarize a bernhard narrative to someone else because it resists any neat reconstruction. his works might feel repetitive or monotonous at first glance, but this "monotony" actually reveals an intricate landscape of subtle differences for those patient enough to look closely. in describing this effect, bernhard himself used a brilliant metaphor: staring at a white wall long enough reveals that it's neither blank nor uniform. with time—and a certain loneliness as your companion—you begin to notice cracks, indentations, tiny movements, and insects. the wall, like his texts, becomes alive with detail.

everything in bernhard's writing is intentionally crafted and exaggerated. he believed that only through exaggeration could we truly understand how bad reality can be. this overemphasis serves as a form of aesthetic stance: to make something understandable, he insisted, you must present it in an extreme form.

repetition is a core technique in bernhard's work. he tells essentially the same story in every novel—though always in new ways—and then repeatedly revisits phrases, sentences, and descriptions. he frequently employs narrators who restate what the main character has told them. the narrator's voice often risks losing its own identity in the overwhelming presence of the protagonist's worldview. each bernhard novel reads like a monologue, delivered through a proxy, anchored in the same philosophical undercurrent: the inescapable tension between individual existence and a world that feels impossibly hostile.

bernhard's protagonists live secluded, often in remote rural places that serve as both prison and refuge. they flee the city's horrors only to discover that the countryside offers no relief. he despised the notion that pastoral settings or small towns were inherently wholesome or redemptive. for bernhard, nature was "rotten," rural life even more corrupt and depressing than the city. there is no safe haven—no place is free of human folly and decay.

this relentless negativity might seem bleak, but it's central to his vision. for bernhard, the only true escape from the world's misery is death. to live means to suffer, to endure crushing loneliness, and to fail to communicate one's inner torment. it's no surprise that one of his most famous public statements—delivered when he received a national literary prize in austria—was simply that when you consider death, everything else becomes absurd.

in the 18th century, under the personal initiatives of peter the great, a significant wave of westernization swept through russia. the country began adapting western ideas in philosophy, art, and science. russia pursued urbanization and industrialization through a top-down, state-led approach, and these changes significantly influenced art and literature, offering these fields new opportunities.

the unique conditions of russia blended with western thought to create a distinctive synthesis, carrying both material and spiritual elements. the most striking urban symbol of this synthesis is st. petersburg. it is no coincidence that many of russia's most iconic works of art and literature were created by artists and novelists living in this city, built entirely on a swamp with distinctly western architecture. writers like pushkin, gogol, and dostoevsky produced their extraordinary works in st. petersburg, not only because it was a center of the russian empire but because it represented the intersection of local russian culture and western influence. for the same reason, st. petersburg played a pivotal role in the literary careers of turgenev and tolstoy.

the "virtuous yet free" 19th century

in short, russian literature, which produced some of the world's greatest novelists and classics, achieved these feats in just one century and within almost a single city: 19th-century st. petersburg. the 20th-century russian novelist vladimir nabokov, himself born in st. petersburg, attributed another reason to this concentration of literary brilliance: the "incompetence" of 19th-century russian censors.

according to nabokov, the state censors of 19th-century russia were quick to ban obscene works but often failed to understand subtle political allusions, leaving such writings untouched. while this forced russian authors to write their novels in a "chaste" manner, it also granted them considerable freedom to explore political and social ideas.

the decline in the 20th century

the inability of this great literary tradition to sustain itself in the 20th century was largely due to the changing political system. the new soviet regime adopted a highly intrusive and pragmatic approach, controlling nearly every aspect of society.

following the 1917 revolution, the censorship mechanisms of the ussr became far more sophisticated, complex, and educated compared to those of the russian empire. literature was now subordinated to the needs of the system, and the idea of "art for art's sake" was wholly replaced by the motto "art for the people." any attempt to challenge this new motto was harshly banned or exiled.

in such a stifling environment, the only widely recognized 20th-century russian authors were system opponents like boris pasternak and vladimir nabokov, who wrote their works abroad. as a result, when most readers think of russian literature today, they typically refer to its 19th-century achievements.

"the best" in 23,000 pages

nabokov, who taught literature for many years at cornell university in the u.s. and achieved fame with his novel lolita, focused exclusively on the 19th century in his lectures on russian literature. he claimed that the finest examples of russian prose and poetry collectively amounted to only 23,000 pages—a relatively small volume compared to european and american literature, yet substantial enough to stand alongside them. in his book lectures on russian literature, nabokov's canon includes pushkin, gogol, turgenev, dostoevsky, tolstoy, chekhov, and gorky, suggesting that russian literature is essentially defined by these figures.

admiration and resentment

nabokov ranked these authors in order of greatness: tolstoy as the greatest, followed by gogol, chekhov, and turgenev. dostoevsky, conspicuously absent from this list, was the subject of nabokov's peculiar disdain. throughout his lectures, nabokov referred to dostoevsky as a mediocre writer whose works, in his view, lacked artistic value. he famously wrote, "i can't wait to debunk dostoevsky," and described crime and punishment as a "cheap literary trick," notes from underground as "100% banal," the idiot as a "series of clumsy blows rather than an artist's touch," demons as a "play disguised as a novel," and the brothers karamazov as a "detective story in the guise of a novel" or a "peculiar vaudeville script."

dostoevsky's "best" work is his "worst"

ironically, nabokov considered dostoevsky's the double—widely regarded as one of his weakest works—to be his best, though he dismissed it as a mere imitation of gogol. nonetheless, many literary critics have argued that nabokov's lolita owes much to dostoevsky's a gentle creature, and that characters like humbert humbert in lolita were inspired by stavrogin in demons and svidrigailov in crime and punishment. this dynamic suggests that nabokov's complex relationship with dostoevsky, marked by both admiration and resentment, may have shaped his personal bias against him.

nabokov's genius

despite nabokov's overt hostility toward dostoevsky, the other sections of his lectures on russian literature, recently published in english, offer valuable insights and commentary. his brilliance permeates much of the book, captivating readers and igniting their curiosity. for seasoned readers of russian literature, the book provides a compelling perspective on the trajectory of 19th-century russian authors within the interplay of state, critics, and audiences. however, beginners may find its depth more challenging to navigate.

many of dostoevsky's early narratives center on characters burdened with a unique combination of personal traits—a mix of destructive and self-destructive tendencies—that seem destined to lead to failure.

in his early works, dostoevsky presents a gallery of dreamers, cowards, clowns, masochists, loners, and those born to lose. these characters are at odds with themselves, succumbing to internal contradictions and weaknesses. they fail to adapt to the demands of their social environment and are ultimately undone by their inability to reconcile their inner lives with external realities.

dostoevsky's dreamer is doomed to disappointment, striving for goals they can never hope to achieve. this isolated recluse severs ties with the outside world and attempts to construct a personal reality grounded in illusion. yet, as soon as this dream encounters the tangible world, it crumbles. the protagonist, overwhelmed by guilt, punishes themselves for the dissonance between their actions and their moral values. these individuals, often consumed by delusions of grandeur, are destroyed by their unrealistic perceptions of their own potential. all of them are victims of irrational, self-destructive instincts they neither control nor fully comprehend.

the question of whether it takes strength or weakness for a person to take their own life does not have a definitive answer. a man of weak will often struggles to cope with his existence, unable to adapt to life's external demands. for such a person, suicide may seem like an escape from a reality that has become unbearable and impossible to manage.

however, a weak individual is often indecisive, lacking the inner strength and resolve required to end their own life. conversely, a person with a strong character may possess the willpower to destroy themselves, yet that same strength can also drive them to fight for a better life, to combat the very causes of their despair. this paradox highlights that those who take their own lives can be either strong or weak. no two suicides happen for the exact same reason.