Articles & Blog
Flourishing in the Fire: Fourth purpose of Suffering: Refining
Although the pain from the furnace's heat is definitely real, the true value lies in the changes that happen because of the fire. Another way to see it is that suffering often produces something on the other side that couldn't have been achieved any other way.
Flourishing in the Fire: Third Purpose of Suffering: Transforming
As we continue our series on the Purposes of Suffering in the Fire, I want to remind us of a truth shared in an earlier newsletter article: that the value of suffering may not lie in the suffering itself. Although the pain from the furnace's heat is definitely real, the true value lies in the changes that happen because of the fire.
Dissertation update: Suffering = Significantly Diminished Well-being
In a previous post, I said that I was leaning toward a current theory of suffering which argues that suffering is the absence of species-specific flourishing. I was (and am) attracted to the concept of flourishing because for something to flourish implies a standard—a goal or end (telos) to which the member of that species is moving. However . . .
Flourishing in the Fire: Second Purpose of Suffering: Conforming/Reforming
Part 2 in this series: fire can conform metal to a shape or image, and it can also reform the metal. What does it mean for us to be conformed or reformed by the heat of suffering?
Flourishing in the Fire: Purpose of suffering in the fire: Testing
Suffering can be described as a “fire” or as a “fiery trial”. What lessons can we learn from what fire does to metal? One thing that fire does is to “test” it to reveal things otherwise hidden. What does testing reveal about us?
Dissertation progress: Is suffering a lack of well-being?
Is suffering a lack of flourishing? A lack of well-being? Something else? Check in on my progress!
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