“Via Negativa” is a Latin term meaning “negative way” or “way of negation.” It refers to a theological and philosophical approach that attempts to describe God, the Divine, or ultimate reality not in terms of what it is, but in terms of what it is not. This approach is grounded in the belief that human language and concepts are too limited to adequately describe the transcendent. Thus, it is more accurate to speak of what God is not than to attempt to say what God is. This has been a significant mode of thought in various religious traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and certain Eastern philosophies.
I always get this warm feeling inside when I walk towards Penns Landing.
I’m currently looking out towards the beautiful sun on this winter cold day, but feel at peace with this wide and vast river in front of me. The Benjamin Franklin bridge is extremely aesthetic and offers this sense of grandeur and power. When I look out into the horizon along the riverside, I feel endless and without limits. It seems that walking through the tight and confined city streets can become claustrophobic and overwhelming at times.
“Logos” is an ancient Greek term with a rich and varied history in philosophical texts, and it has been translated and interpreted in multiple ways, including “word,” “reason,” “principle,” “standard,” or “logic.” Its philosophical significance is substantial and multifaceted, having been used to refer to several distinct but often related concepts:
Grounding Principle: In pre-Socratic philosophy, logos referred to a rational principle that ordered the cosmos. Heraclitus, for instance, saw the logos as the underlying principle of change and order in the universe.
Reason or Argument: Aristotle used the term to refer to a reasoned discourse or argument. In this sense, logos became foundational to the study of logic and rhetoric.
Divine Word or Reason: In Hellenistic Jewish writings, logos took on a metaphysical and theological dimension, signifying the creative principle of God or a divine reason that orders the universe. This conception influenced early Christian thought, where the term is famously applied to Christ in the Gospel of John (“In the beginning was the Word [Logos], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”).
Universal Reason: Stoic philosophers conceived of the logos as the animating reason or common law that is inherent in all things, a kind of universal rationality governing the world.
The concept of logos has continued to be a subject of interest in modern philosophy, especially in the areas of metaphysics, epistemology, and hermeneutics, as philosophers have continued to explore the relationship between reason, language, and the nature of reality.
I’m currently writing this blog post using the voice dictation on my iPhone. I’m walking down market Street and speaking directly to the microphone. Maybe it’s best to just allow the grammatical errors to remain present as this will help distinguish human writing from artificial intelligence. This is a really great way to flush out thoughts and I believe it’s superior than using a keyboard and mouse. A keyboard and mouse always winds up giving me the feeling of carpal tunnel. Maybe this is why the Apple Vision Pro is such a revolutionary concept of the future of the way that we compute
One of the most critical things I consider in Philadelphia is our architecture. It seems that the most beautiful works of architecture are no longer used or reside in the old city area. Some of the architecture that remains beautiful is along Broad Street. It’s strange that all of the modern buildings where offices are held, are bleak, boring, and typically ugly.
