In 'The Abolition of Man', C.S. Lewis delivers a defense of objective value and natural law, originating from his Riddell Memorial Lectures at the University of Durham in 1943. Lewis argues that education should be conducted within the context of moral law and objective values, which he terms the 'Tao'. He criticizes modern attempts to debunk these values, warning that such actions could lead to a dehumanization of society, resulting in what he calls 'Men without Chests' – individuals whose emotions have not been trained to conform to reason. The book emphasizes the universal nature of traditional moralities across different cultures and warns against the dangers of moral relativism and the reduction of human beings to mere objects of scientific analysis[2][4][5].
The novel centers on the life of Dorian Gray, a young man who becomes infatuated with his own beauty and the hedonistic philosophies of Lord Henry Wotton. After wishing that his portrait would age instead of himself, Dorian embarks on a life of sensual excess and moral decay, while his portrait reflects the true state of his soul. The story delves into the duality of human nature, the allure of aestheticism, and the critique of Victorian society, highlighting the devastating effects of evil and debauchery on Dorian's life and those around him.
In 'Miracles', C.S. Lewis argues that miracles are not statistically anomalous events but rather 'an interference with Nature by supernatural power'. He challenges rationalists and naturalists by presenting a case for the possibility of miracles, defining them as events that do not break the laws of nature but rather operate outside of them. Lewis does not attempt to prove the historical accuracy of Christian miracles but instead lays a philosophical foundation for understanding and accepting the possibility of miracles. The book is a significant work in Christian apologetics, using lucid exposition and illuminating metaphors to make its case.
In this episode of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined in-person by Bethel McGrew (Esther O'Reilly) and Paul Vander Klay to discuss the role of the Christian public intellectual and whether or not we need more Christians in the public arena wrestling with ideas.
If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $3, $5 or more a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_pensees
If you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal:
https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US
Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch
Check out my blog posts: https://parkersettecase.com/
Check out my Parker's Pensées YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA
Check out my other YouTube channel on my frogs and turtles: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParkerSettecase
Check me out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trendsettercase
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkers_pensees/
Parker's Pensées 
