Category Archives: Uncategorized

Was there something strange about the June 7, 2023 episode of the Jeopardy! game show? Here’s the answer, in the form of a question. Like so much of American popular culture, this TV episode–where nearly two dozen clues became “triple … Continue reading →

First published in “Phronesis in Pieces” newsletter at billschmitt.substack.com on Jan. 17, 2023 A recent study of empathy from Cambridge University prompted me to think about the role of that virtue in the pursuit of practical wisdom. CNN’s report on this … Continue reading →

This is a special entry from the November post at billschmitt.substack.com. Please read it on Substack as part of “Phronesis in Pieces”–along with background on the project–or access the four-page “phronesis focus letter” here.

Published in Substack on 10/15/22 at billschmitt.substack.com Religion is making a lot of news. Some pundits say its conventional forms are a remedy for the chaos in society today. Some say religiosity has morphed into a secular theology particularly common … Continue reading →

This two-part blog post combines (and adapts) commentaries written for my regular contributions to “Substack” (found at billschmitt.substack.com). The pair of reflections, which carried dates of August 16 and September 15, respectively, appeared under my Substack title, “Phronesis in Pieces.” … Continue reading →

(This was also published on August 6 as the first segment of my newsletter at billschmitt.substack.com) Words demand good stewardship. They are multi-dimensional containers of meaning. Never have they been more definition-fluid, and never have they shown more definition-intersectionality, thanks … Continue reading →

(Also published on August 5 as the first segment of my newsletter at billschmitt.substack.com) My “Spidey sense” was tingling as I finally watched the Spiderman: No Way Home film. I watched it on DVD, not the web. As an avid fan of … Continue reading →

(Published in the blog of the Magis Center on July 28) This month, the world got to watch a public service announcement released by New York City’s emergency management office. It offers steps to take when a nuclear attack has … Continue reading →

My reporting for the June 25, 2022 issue of The Tablet, Brooklyn’s Catholic diocesan newspaper, reminded me that only one-third of U.S. Catholics say they believe in the “real presence” of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine consecrated at … Continue reading →