Copyright notice
All text and original images in this blog © 1990-2010 by William P. Coleman. Some rights reserved. You may reuse only as specified in the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License or by written permission.About me
If you'd like to know more about me, please see the About page. My qualifications for the scientific entries are in my CV.
I see no reason to segregate scientific and technical posts from humanistic ones. In my life, scientific concerns mix with ethical ones, and they shade into a philosophical interest in the nature of cognition and the nature of people. Doing science is as creative as writing fiction, and I get inspiration for both from the same gods.
You will find little here on current politics. I'm an activist, but not in symptoms. Experience in martial arts shows me that the sure way to lose is reactivity; but if you stay cool and remember your training and what you're there for then you achieve goals and, when conflict is unavoidable, you fight and win. The idea of the liberal arts I was brought up in is that broad understanding of cultures and ideas gives you deeper, better goals -- making success more likely and more satisfying. Negatively, the hysteria since 9/11 shows how a country frightened and reactive can destroy itself more than an enemy can. I'm trying to contribute by changing the terms of discourse. . . . As Allen Ginsberg wrote, "America, I'm putting my queer shoulder to the wheel."
One fact shouldn't require special mention, but it sometimes does: namely that I'm gay. This blog is not primarily about being gay, but the topic sometimes comes up. I'm proud of being gay and do not hide. Muse
Category Archives: Being gay
Remembering Lawrence King
On the national annual Day of Silence, students observe a vow of silence to bring attention to bullying and harassment of LGBT students. This year’s Day of Silence — 25 April, 2008 — will be dedicated to the memory of … Continue reading
The terms “homosexual” and “sexual orientation”
We need to be aware that the concepts “homosexual” and “sexual orientation” are modern, and perhaps Western. I don’t feel that recognizing this has anything to do with essentialism versus social construction. One is not arguing the fact that people … Continue reading
Kai Wright’s “Drifting Toward Love”
Book Review Kai Wright, Drifting Toward Love: Black, Brown, Gay, and Coming of Age on the Streets of New York Beacon Press, Boston, 2008 ISBN 978-0-8070-7968-3 This is an important book. Why would I — a dead, white male, a … Continue reading
Al Gore — on gay rights and gay marriage
I have no comment on this. There’s no way I could improve it. It says just what needs to be said — succinctly. precisely. I am preparing other posts about being gay, including analyses of recent scientific work whose authors … Continue reading
Shelter — pictures by Lucky Michaels of homeless LGBTQ youth at home
Untitled, 2007, Courtesy of Lucky Michaels (click picture to enlarge) The picture above was taken by Lucky Michaels, a photographer and also a counselor at Sylvia’s Place, located within the Metropolitan Community Church of New York. The shelter (named after … Continue reading
Socrates — running his hand through Phaedo’s hair
Plato’s Phaedo is one of the hardest dialogues for me to understand. The way some commentators present it seems uncompromisingly, patronizingly self-righteous. Yet, I think there are more humanistic ways to understand it.
Heroes — Luchino Visconti
Count Don Luchino Visconti di Modrone Here’s a sampling of my favorite Luchino Visconti films.
Allen Ginsberg’s “America”
Note: this post is an extension of my About page. Allen Ginsberg in 1960 by Mario Jorrin/Getty Images YouTube: Photomontage of Ginsberg and his “america” music by Tom Waits. Incredibly moving. America by Allen Ginsberg America I’ve given you all … Continue reading
Michelangelo’s “Slave Awakening”
Robert Snyder made two inspiring documentaries about Michelangelo—and films about others including Buckminster Fuller, Claudio Arrau and Willem de Kooning. I’ve been haunted by his 1989 documentary Michelangelo: Self Portrait.
