Arrears blogging: March 12 -- Yes Man

In order to complete the year I have 24 days of readings to do. Why not blog them?

Here's a dialogue from my least favorite writer in the Harvard Classics, the good Bishop Berkeley. I'm not into the Bish because I don't like arguing about God, and I don't like arguing about God because the history of the human race shows that it is a generally unprofitable activity.

Not that there's really any arguing; here's samples from one side of the "dialogue" -- this guy Hylas is a huge patsy. The dialogue may not prove the existence of God, but it does prove the existence of sycophancy:

Hyl. I own there is a great deal in what you say.
Hyl. I do not deny it.
Hyl. I must confess they are.
Hyl. I begin to suspect my hypothesis.
Hyl. I now clearly see it was a mere dream. There is nothing in it.
Hyl. It is too plain to be denied.
Hyl. You are in the right.

I believe Hylas will go far in life. The actual argument can be summarized by these two limericks. Or maybe you'd rather read this:

But, on the other hand, it is very conceivable that they should exist in and be produced by a spirit; since this is no more than I daily experience in myself, inasmuch as I perceive numberless ideas; and, by an act of my will, can form a great variety of them, and raise them up in my imagination: though, it must be confessed, these creatures of the fancy are not altogether so distinct, so strong, vivid, and permanent, as those perceived by my senses—which latter are called real things.

Didn't think so.