Category Archives: Writing

Fake Muse? Finding Allies in Voegelin and Cuomo

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Bill Schmitt

This discussion of philosophy–in ancient times and on the nightly news–appears in the current edition of “Phronesis in Pieces,” my Substack publication at billschmitt.substack.com. Eric Voegelin I want to point out a link I have added to the “Defining Phronesis” section of … Continue reading →

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When Cents Make News, News Can Make Sense

Posted on June 2, 2023 by Bill Schmitt

The following commentary is a preview of a soon-to-be-published edition of “Phronesis in Pieces” at billschmitt.substack.com. This is newsworthy if it’s true: The U.S. Mint has ceased producing pennies. I have reason to believe this might be true, and many … Continue reading →

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Collaring the Chatbot: Let US Pray!

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Bill Schmitt

Can a chatbot pray? I had a chance to converse with Bard, Google’s newest artificial-intelligence product for the masses. It asked me what I wanted, so I typed in a request: “Write a prayer asking God to give AI wisdom.” … Continue reading →

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Game of Kings, King of Games

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Bill Schmitt

First published in “Phronesis in Pieces” at billschmitt.substack.com on Dec. 19, 2022. The world of political reporting groans with a desperate need for graduates of the Shelby Lyman School of Journalism. This is a problem because there is no Shelby … Continue reading →

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The Abstract Arts, Framing Reality

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

Published 10/28/22 at billschmitt.substack.com, reprinted here with some modifications. Previously on Substack … We talked about the “Brights” as a movement of liberal atheists who introduced themselves in a New York Times commentary in 2003 and continued promoting their doctrines of illumination. Those ideas … Continue reading →

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The Foresight Saga

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

Published on 9/1/22 at billschmitt.substack.com. The prescient 1977 book Mediaworld, written by John M. Phelan, who taught my Broadcasting 101 course at Fordham, defined propaganda as “the control of behavior through the control of belief.” Phelan wrote, “The evil of propaganda is … Continue reading →

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Pope Francis Sees a World of Emergencies, Wants a World of Human Encounters

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Bill Schmitt

Bill discussed subjects related to this post on Catholic radio with program host Matt Swaim on October 6. Click on the archive here and advance to the 1 hour-17 min. mark. The encyclical sent forth to all the world by … Continue reading →

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Breaking News about Broken Politics

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Bill Schmitt

“Frontline” episode (July 28, 2020): “United States of Conspiracy”   It’s jarring enough to discover at any time  the bombastic theatrics of Alex Jones, whom Wikipedia describes as “an American far-right radio show host, political extremist, and conspiracy theorist.” But it’s … Continue reading →

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All the News About What’s Not Fit to Print

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Bill Schmitt

This 2019 video shows Bari Weiss, who resigned  from New York Times in mid-July, 2020. The open letter of resignation posted by New York Times opinion writer and editor Bari Weiss on her website this week reminds us that journalism … Continue reading →

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Happiness and the Jordan Peterson Factor

Posted on June 3, 2020 by Bill Schmitt

Jordan Peterson interviewed Bishop Robert Barron, discussing plot twists our world needs now. This post was published in Fr. Robert Spitzer’s Magis Center blog on June 3. Imagine we’re writing the current chapter in a history of human relationships to … Continue reading →

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