i had a conversation with a neorealist today (my postmodern literature professor) and he seemed to think utopia was a place where the most radical and polar ideas were given equal expression and that through this discussion the ongoing human project would progress. reminds me a bit of randy willingham's "courageous conversations". regardless, something about that idea of utopia was very disappointing to me i guess because it did not necessarily imply anything other than a discussion. the discussion for me is neutral. it's where the discussion leads that matters. i feel so cheap because i'm in here studying all these heavy-hitters in philosophy and it seems like all of them bring up questions which are rather easily answered by acknowledging the existence of God, and a very particular God who is behind the curtain of human limitation and is the headwater of beauty, causality, ontology, etc. it gives me chills to think of the newfound connotations this gives for me when i think of God as the I AM. it makes me laugh to picture all of these french philosophers who dig SO deep and surround themselves with all of these constructs of endless ideas. i hope it's humbling one day when (if ever) they reach the top of the mountain of all that is possible for humanity to know and are shocked to find out that all of the "country bumpkins" who have quietly acted out their faith in God their whole lives have made themselves quite at home up there for the last 2000 years.

"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."