Monthly Archives: January 2013

The Pleasure of Seeing Heedless Aktis Grow Heedful

Posted on January 31, 2013 by garyborjesson

Oh, the joys of paying attention!  Recently I saw a decisive sign that my German shepherd Aktis is growing wiser as he grows older. To put what I saw in context, you need to know that Aktis is a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Dog Stories, Dog Training, dogs | Tagged | 1 Comment

New Study Adds to the Story of How Dogs Differ from Wolves

Posted on January 30, 2013 by garyborjesson

The sole ancestor of the dog is the wolf.  But how, exactly, did Canis lupus familiaris, the domestic dog we know and love, come to distinguish itself from Canis lupus lupus, the wild wolf? The story of how dogs evolved … Continue reading →

Posted in dogs, Science | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Why the Private Practice of Philosophy Needs Defending

Posted on January 21, 2013 by garyborjesson

In an earlier post, I sketched a public defense, or apology, for philosophy by suggesting how her unconventional activity might nevertheless be valuable to the city. I also promised that I’d say a little about the private defense of philosophy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Plato | Tagged | 1 Comment

General Prahasta and His Badass Chariot

Posted on January 16, 2013 by garyborjesson

What follows is a quotation from William Buck’s translation of the great Indian epic, Ramayana, composed by the poet Valmiki sometime between 200 BCE and 200 CE.   It describes the chariot of one General Prahasta.  All I’m saying is, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Quotes | Tagged | Leave a comment

Training Tip #17

Posted on January 11, 2013 by garyborjesson

17. Don’t let the dog step on your feet. (And don’t believe him if he swears it was an accident.) This is #17 of 20 training tips that I provide in the appendix to my book, Willing Dogs & Reluctant … Continue reading →

Posted in Dog Training, dogs | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Virtues of Vomiting

Posted on January 5, 2013 by garyborjesson

I intensely dislike throwing up. I assume that’s a feeling shared by most of us.  In particular—don’t worry, I won’t get too particular—I dislike vomiting because from my earliest experience it’s associated with sickness: stomach flus; seasickness; and later, of … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, Science, Yoga | Tagged , , | 3 Comments