Saturday, June 2, 2007

William of Ockham -- In Our Time


The last edition of In Our Time the great history of thought podcast by BBC's Melvyn Bragg was about William of Ockham. What a delightful subject he should be, but it proved to be a little bit too much of a delight.

Last week's In Our Time did not appear to be able to decide where to concentrate. On the history of the person, his logical thinking (the razor!) or his meaning in religious thinking (at the time or today). Melvyn found himself too many times cutting the speakers in brevity and rushing forth to the next issue. As usual the guests were excellent and each of their exposes were very worthwhile, but being rushed and cut short, the whole became shattered and I feel William has sort of slipped through my fingers. Maybe a tad too much slashing left and right, in stead of a focussed razoring?