by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | Philosophy, Plato
When did you learn that a table is a table? Chances are it was when you were but a toddler. A parent no doubt told you that this was a table and that was a table, so your brain processed the information and created a notion of the table. Or did it? Do we put together...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | Aristotle, Philosophy
In my previous piece on Plato’s theory of forms, I asked the question – how do we know a table is a table? As Plato’s most famous student, it is no surprise that Aristotle too had an opinion on Forms. What may surprise those new to Aristotle is that he rejected...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | Being, Philosophy
As someone who is on the autism spectrum, I’ve always been curious about the different ways in which people think. If I had a pound for every time what I think is a simple statement is met with a completely unexpected interpretation and response, I’d be richer than...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | Beasts and Monsters, Etymology, What's in a Word
Ok, I have a thing for bears. It’s not the cuteness though it might be a childhood evolution of loving Winnie the Pooh. They are surprising human-like in some aspects, are powerful despite all the fluff, and have permeated our mythologies. So you can imagine my shock...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | Atlantis, Atlantis, History, Philosophy, Plato
The Richat structure in Mauritania is the closest known match to Plato’s description of Atlantis. There is no positive evidence to directly tie the two together or of an ancient civilization in the Richat, but it is in the right place, matches the geography of Plato’s...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | Atlantis, Atlantis, History, Philosophy, Plato
I’ve known for a long time that Plato discusses Atlantis and its fall. However, I never knew the context. After watching some videos on Atlantis theory, I decided to grab a copy of Timaeus and Critias and have a look at what Plato actually says about the city. Plato...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | Human Evolution
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Tolkien was thinking of a low hillock crowned by a great tree probably somewhere in his native Warwickshire. After his philological discovery he came to the conclusion there were three hobbit races – the harfoots,...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | English History, History
The Justinian plague had a devastating yet unequal effect on Britain in the 6th century. The Romano-British kingdoms which still traded extensively with the remnants of the Roman Empire fell victim to the plague en mass. While some of the English were affected, many...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | English History, History
Saelferth and Sigeferth were two prominent members of the Secgan tribe. They are only mentioned in the Finnesburg Fragment and the poem Widsith. All we can tell for certain is that Saelferth was a king and Sigeferth a landless wrecca. On top of this, I suggest in this...
by M. W. Wollacott | Mar 7, 2022 | English History, History
The Fight at Finnesburg took place at Finn’s stronghold in Frisia. All we can guess from the Finnesburg Fragment and the episode in Beowulf is that Finnesburg was a defended hall with a settlement around it, and that it was cut off from ships by winter ice. The...
