Saved by Philosophy: A Novel About Philosophy,
And the Amor Dei Intellectualis

By Steven H. Propp

Hypatia Washington is 22 years old; an unemployed widow, living on welfare, and estranged from her four-year old daughter, she is profoundly alienated from life-when she enrolls in a community college course in Philosophy thus beginning a profound journey of the mind and heart.

She debates skeptics as well as Christian apologists about Evolution, Islam, Womanism, and God, while lecturing about ethics, science, consciousness, and the meaning of human history. She analyzes not only philosophers such as Russell, Rawls, Wittgenstein, and Sartre, but wrestles with such questions as: Which famous philosophers were racists? Was Heidegger a Nazi? Was Wittgenstein homosexual? Did Foucault know he had AIDS? Were any important philosophers women? Or black?

Professor Washington is no "ivory tower" philosopher: she agonizes over the Rodney King trial and its aftermath; The O.J. Simpson verdict; the death of Tupac Shakur; the "Black Athena" controversy, and the publication of The Bell Curve-as well as the horrors of September 11, 2001, and its consequences.

Join Hypatia, in her pursuit of the Amor Dei Intellectualis ("intellectual love of God").

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Mar 1, 2007
• ISBN: 9780595873043

Steven H. Propp

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steve Propp lives and works in Sacramento, California, and graduated from CSU Sacramento. He has written many novels with spiritual or philosophical themes including Three Brothers (2007), Saved By Philosophy (2007), Josué: Prisoner At Shalem (2005), A Multicultural Christmas (2005), Utopia on the 6th Floor (2004), Beyond Heaven and Earth (2003), Tattered Pilgrims (2001), and Work, Death & Taxes (2000), as well as the nonfiction book Inquiries: Philosophical (2002). He welcomes E-mail from readers at: [e-mail]

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Copyright © 2007 by Steven H. Propp

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN-13: 978-0-595-42963-9 (pbk)

ISBN-13: 978-0-595-87304-3 (ebk)

ISBN-10: 0-595-42963-7 (pbk)

ISBN-10: 0-595-87304-9 (ebk)

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PART I:      THE WELFARE MOM

Chapter 1:     THE UNEXAMINED LIFE

Chapter 2:     THE NEOPHYTE

Chapter 3:     THE WORKING WOMAN

PART II:    THE STUDENT

Chapter 4:     THE DEIST

Chapter 5:     ATYPICAL BULL SESSIONS

Chapter 6:     LIVING AUTHENTICALLY

Chapter 7:     CROSSROADS AND COFFEE BREAKS

Chapter 8:     SOME LIGHT READING

Chapter 9:     COMMON SENSE, AND CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Chapter 10:   END OF THE BEGINNING

Chapter 11:   GRAD STUDENT

PART III:   THE HERETIC

Chapter 12:   FIRST-YEAR TEACHER

Chapter 13:   THE RULES OF CIVILIZED DISCOURSE

Chapter 14:   THE CHALLENGE

Chapter 15:   THE DEBATE

Chapter 16:   THE SKEPTIC

PART IV:   THE PHILOSOPHER

Chapter 17:   OFFICE TALK

Chapter 18:   ALL THINGS COME TO AN END

Chapter 19:   WHERE IS HISTORY GOING?

Chapter 20:   A SLAP IN THE FACE

Chapter 21:   NO MATTER, NEVER MIND

Chapter 22:   PRAGMATIC CONVERSATIONS

PART V:     THE TEACHER

Chapter 23:   MIDLIFE CRISIS

Chapter 24:   A BLACK FEMALE THING

Chapter 25:   BROWN ATHENA?

Chapter 26:   HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF …?

Chapter 27:   HATE … AND LOVE

PART VI:    THE PUBLIC INTELLECTUAL

Chapter 28:   THE FACTS OF SCIENCE

Chapter 29:   ALL THE ANSWERS

Chapter 30:   THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED

Chapter 31:   ARE YOU SCARED?

Chapter 32:   BEHIND THE VEIL

PART VII:  THE INDIVIDUAL

Chapter 33:   A BLACK BUDDHIST WOMAN THING

Chapter 34:   JUST POLITICS

Chapter 35:   A THEIST WAY OF THINKING

Chapter 36:   IN THE MIDST OF DEATH, LIFE

Chapter 37:   GOING HOME

Chapter 38:   SOME REALLY BAD NEWS

Chapter 39:   SAYING GOODBYE

Chapter 40:   TRULY BLESSED

EPILOGUE CONCLUDING UNPHILOSOPHIC POSTSCRIPT

Appendix:   THE RELIGION OF BERTRAND RUSSELL

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dedicated to all of the honest seekers after the truth … Really.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With love and gratitude for the help and support of:

My beautiful wife and soul mate Nancy,

    the light and love of my life;

My best buddy Devonte;

My little partner Joseph;

Mi amigo Dominic;

Mariah the little Angel;

Kayla the Precious one;

My brother-in-law Darrel Buzynski;

My wonderful and indispensable big sister Susan;

The newlyweds Brade and Jennifer;

My favorite nephew and college student Jason;

ALL of Nancy’s and my fantastic, diverse, and always loving family;

To all my friends and readers at work;

And to all my other readers everywhere.

But mostly, to all of the philosophers, past and present—who have encouraged us all to live the examined life …

P A R T   I

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THE WELFARE MOM

CHAPTER 1

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THE UNEXAMINED LIFE

***** (September 1980)

Hypatia yawned, then unlocked the door to her apartment, and stepped outside. Damn, it’s hot already, she thought, as she reached in the pocket of her robe for her cigarettes and matches. She shook the pack, and saw that she only had three cigarettes left. Shit; that means I’ll have to stop by Mom s on the way home from Welfare to get some cash, which means that the whole day will be shot. She took out a cigarette and lit it, carefully replacing the pack in her pocket. She sat down in one of the two plastic chairs that were on her small porch, and exhaled a loud sigh of smoke through her nostrils. She thought, I need to get moving; I have to catch the bus in half an hour to get downtown in time for the appointment with my case worker. She made no move to get up, however, and just continued smoking in silence for a while.

Hey, Hypatia, came a voice from her right. She turned and saw her neighbor Romelle walking laconically towards her. Hypatia tried to hide her cigarette underneath her chair (hoping that Romelle wouldn’t notice it), and answered lazily, Hey, Romelle; how you doin’?

Lemme have a cig, Romelle asked, holding out her hand as she arrived and stood directly in front of Hypatia.

I’m almost out, Hypatia replied.

C’mon, girl; I’ll hook you up with a pack later—I got somethin’ goin’ on this afternoon, Romelle insisted. Reluctantly, Hypatia reached in her pocket for her pack of cigarettes and handed Romelle one, along with the book of matches. Romelle lit up, then handed back the matches, saying, Thanks, girl; you a beautiful black woman.

Yeah, yeah, Hypatia replied, taking another drag from her cigarette. You always love me when you borrowin’ my stuff.

I told you, I’m gonna hook you up this afternoon, Romelle replied. Say, I need to use your phone.

What’s wrong with your phone?

Same ol’ shit. Phone company cut me off again.

Need to remember to pay your bill, woman. Nodding at her door, she said, Go ahead; you know where it’s at. Romelle quickly disappeared inside the door, as Hypatia remained outside. Something occurred to her, and she got up and went to the door of the apartment, and said urgently, Rome, you know you ain’t supposed to smoke in the apartments; if the landlord sees you … There was no response, so she took another drag on her cigarette, while she waited nervously for her friend to come back outside.

Romelle finally emerged from the apartment, and said brightly, It’s all set; she comin’ by at 3:30. She came and sat down in the other plastic chair next to Hypatia.

Who’s coming by at 3:30? Hypatia asked, sitting back down with relief, taking one last drag on her cigarette, and grinding it out on the porch sidewalk.

That white girl Stacie; she buyin’ a couple bags of weed, soon’s she cash her check after work. She patted Hypatia’s shoulder, and said, So I’ll split a pack of smokes with you, after she pay me.

Sounds good, Hypatia said, and they sat in silence for a moment.

So what you doin’ today? Romelle asked.

Got my regular appointment with case worker at 11:45; nothin’ else.

Romelle shook her head, and said, "Glad I ain’t on the county."

So what? You’re on disability, Hypatia chided. So you ain’t workin’ neither.

With a pained expression, Romelle leaned forward in the chair and felt her back with her hands, then said self-righteously, If my back wasn’t still messed up and I could sit down, I’d be workin’ again. It ain’t my fault that the company was too damn cheap to buy me a decent chair, and they messed my back up.

Hypatia laughed, and said, Rome, you’re sittin’ just fine now, and every other time I see you.

Indignantly, Romelle answered, But I got to take these Vicodin all the time, otherwise I couldn’t do nothin’. She took a drag from her cigarette, and ground it out on the cement. A gleam came into her eyes, and she asked slyly, Say, where your daughter at? How come I don’t see her no more? When Hypatia didn’t reply immediately, she added with a slight smile, School don’t start ‘til next week.

She’s staying with her grandmother for a few days, Hypatia replied noncom-mittally. Just ‘til the weather gets cooler.

A few days? Romelle replied with a sneer. In a triumphant tone, she added, "Girl, I ain’t seen her here in months—she livin’with her grandma, I know."

This is her legal residence, Hypatia insisted, turning away, hoping to stifle further conversation on the subject.

Romelle persisted in a sly tone of voice, Supposin’ I was to tell them welfare people that your daughter ain’t livin’ wit’ you no more, but you still collectin’ benefits for her? Hypatia tried to ignore her, but Romelle said sharply, They’d cut you off for sure … maybe even throw your ass in jail!

Desperation widened her eyes, and Hypatia whirled around in her chair to face Romelle and hissed anxiously, Don’t … tell anyone about that!

Immediately, Romelle laughed heartily, and slapped Hypatia’s shoulder playfully, saying in a jovial voice, "Hey, don’t get all mad; I was justplayin’wit’ you, girl!"

"You’re such a bitch sometimes, Rome, Hypatia muttered, but with undeniable relief in her voice. Maybe I should turn you in to the landlord for sellin’ weed!"

The landlord can kiss my black ass, she replied with a smirk. In a confident tone of voice, she announced, I ain’t gonna tell no one about you, and you ain’t gonna tell no one about me; you my girl, Hypatia.

Yeah, yeah, Hypatia said, wearily. I’m your girl, but you take my next to last cigarette when I ain’t got no money.

I told you I’m gonna hook you up this afternoon, she replied. Why you in such a bad mood?

"’Cause I’ve got to see my stupid case worker today and have her jump all over me about not lookin’ for work, and then I’ve got to stop by my Mom’s and ask her for money, and have her dump on me for missin’ church last Sunday, Hypatia replied. This whole day is gonna be screwed."

Every day is screwed. Romelle replied, adding sarcastically, "So what: you got somethin’ better to do, Miss Thang?"

Hypatia instinctively started to reply in kind, but something made her stop. She thought for a moment, then shook her head and said honestly, "No; actually, Rome, I really don’t have something better to do. Bitterness in her voice, she added, I haven’t had anything better to do since … since Derek." Tears started to come to her eyes.

Romelle interrupted her rudely, saying, "Oh, stop it wit’ the boo-hoo, and all that shit; you got to be hard if you want to survive in this world, girl, and that’s the truth!"

Maybe I don’t want to survive in this world, Hypatia countered.

"Your whole problem is, you be thinkin’ too much, Romelle replied. In a bright tone of voice, she suggested, Whyn’t you come over to my place tonight, and we’ll have us a couple’a shots? She slapped Hypatia’s shoulder playfully, and added, You need to do you some drinkin’, to get you out of that bad mood you in."

Maybe I will, Hypatia replied gratefully. She thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I sure as hell need something."

*        *        *        *

Looking through her file on Hypatia, the welfare case worker said wearily, So why didn’t the warehouse job work out?

I couldn’t lift all of that heavy stuff, so they sent me home the first morning, Hypatia replied quietly. But I’ve been applying at lots of other places since then; today’s the only day I haven’t been out looking, she said, handing over written confirmation of this; the case worker took the documentation and began reading.

Computer Operator … Legal Secretary … Security Guard … Medical Assistant … the case worker read the job titles aloud, a doubtful expression on her face. Ms. Washington, it looks to me like you’re only applying for specialized jobs that you’re not qualified for.

The job announcements all said they would train on-the-job, she replied noncommittally.

"Yes, but you’re competing against people who have experience in these specialized areas; why would an employer hire someone like you with no experience, rather than hire someone with experience in the field? Hypatia didn’t reply, and the case worker said in a brighter tone, What happened with that telephone survey job I sent you out on the week before last? You should have been well-qualified for that job, since you have relatively good English skills for a … I mean, you speak pretty well."

Hypatia shrugged her shoulders, and said, Search me; they interviewed me, and then said no.

Maybe you need to take our class in ‘Job Interview Skills,’ the case worker said.

I’ve taken it; twice, she replied. It doesn’t do me any good. Employers just don’t like me, that’s all.

The case worker pursed her lips, and said, Ms. Washington, I frankly get the feeling that you aren’t seriously trying to find work. I mean, you seem to be applying exclusively for jobs for which you aren’t likely to be successful.

Look, I’m doing the best I can, Hypatia replied, starting to get irritated. "You think that I like coming in here, and having to talk to you all the time because I’m not working?"

"Ms. Washington, you need to do more! You can’t just sit around and collect Section 8 housing and AFDC for doing nothing! They faced each other stone-faced, neither one blinking, until the case worker said, If you can’t find work yourself, I’ll have no choice but to send you to one of our county-sponsored work programs."

That’s your choice, Hypatia replied calmly.

Abruptly changing the subject, the case worker asked, How’s your daughter?

She’s fine, Hypatia replied cautiously.

And you haven’t heard anything from her father? the case worker asked casually, before she noticed the sudden expression of fury on Hypatia’s face, which caused her to immediately relent, and say apologetically, I’m sorry, I forgot; it’s one of our standard questions. Her father passed away, didn’t he?

"He didn’t ‘pass away’—he was shot," Hypatia replied, her voice cold. Killed, murdered, wasted, smoked, blown away.

I’m sorry, but I’ve got so many other cases, that I forget sometimes, the case worker said, looking somewhat sympathetic. She asked casually, How did it happen, again?

Case of mistaken identity, she replied. Some people thought he was a drug dealer who lived in our apartment complex, and owed them money.

Did they catch the people who did it?

Yes.

Oh, that’s good, the case worker said with a smile, looking satisfied.

Except it doesn’t bring my husband, or my baby’s father back, she replied sarcastically. She was only two-and-a-half years old when he was killed. She hardly remembers him.

I can understand that this was a very tragic event in your and her life, Ms. Washington, the case worker said, in a patronizing tone. But please try and understand my position here: It’s been what—two years? three years?—since it happened, and you don’t exactly seem to be moving on with your life. A thought occurred to the case worker, and she said casually, Have you ever thought of going back to school? You could get your GED.

I don’t need a GED; I graduated from high school, Hypatia said, wearily. I’ve told you that before.

Oh … right; I see that now, the case worker said apologetically, flipping through her file again. What kind of grades did you have?

I had excellent grades, Hypatia said proudly. I was in all the College Prep classes. I scored high on my SAT, too.

Why didn’t you go on to college, then? the case worker asked, with genuine curiosity.

I got pregnant in my senior year, so we got married, she replied. "After that, I had a young daughter to raise, so my husband Derek was working to support us.

The case worker thought for a moment, and then said, You know, since you have your high school diploma, you could go on to college now. If you take an approved program at a community college, your time in class and labs counts towards your work requirement. In a more encouraging voice, she said, If you’re bored with the kind of jobs you’ve been applying for, getting more education might qualify you for a better kind of job—something you’re interested in.

Right; me go to college, now, Hypatia said disinterestedly.

It’s either that, or else go to work at one of the county sites, the case worker said grimly. Frankly, since you don’t seem to be interested in any of the alternatives, I think that I’m going to have to flag your file …

College, huh? Hypatia interrupted her, and thought for a moment. She then said, Maybe I could just take one class, to see what it’s like. But how would I enroll in college?

The case worker gave her a skeptical look, but said, Here’s the brochure, and handed her one. And here’s a course catalog.

Hypatia took the offered materials, then dramatically closed her eyes and let the course catalog fall open at random, and she put her finger on it, without looking. "Introduction to Philosophy; Instructor: N Kentworth, she read. She showed it to the case worker, and said, I’ll take this class."

The case worker frowned, and said, Philosophy—even just an introduction—would be too difficult for you; I know, because I took a philosophy class in college myself. It would be better for you to take typing, or shorthand, or at the most ‘Intro to Business,’ and …

Bristling, Hypatia insisted stubbornly, I’m taking this class, or I’m not signing up at all.

Fine, replied the case worker with a sigh of resignation. Fill out the paperwork, and bring it back here. But classes start next week, so you need to hurry.

*        *        *        *

Hey, Mom; how you doin’? Hypatia said, holding the door open for her mother Dorthea, and taking both bags of groceries from her.

Thanks, sweetie, her mother replied, setting her purse on the table.

Where’s Joanna? Hypatia asked, having expected to see her daughter following closely behind her grandmother. She helped her mother put away the groceries as they talked.

She’s still on that campout with the Youth Group from church; I told you about that last week, her mother replied wearily. She’ll be back tomorrow; Esmeralda’s one of the counselors.

Well, it’s good to know that Auntie Esmeralda is looking out for my baby, Hypatia replied, turning on the coffee pot.

Her mother asked pointedly, How come you didn’t go to church last Sunday?

I didn’t have any money for the bus, Hypatia replied, casually.

You know I would have gladly picked you up, if you’d called, her mother replied, reproachfully. You’re just avoiding church, that’s all.

And you know why, Hypatia replied curtly.

I know that you were bitter about what Pastor Roland said when Derek died, her mother replied. "But Pastor Roland is retired, now. And our new Pastor is …

Look, Mom, Hypatia said, shrugging her shoulders. "I don’t really have anything against that new Pastor Marcus, but it seems like he’s stuck on this ‘Prosperity Gospel’ thing, and ever since he started the new building program … I don’t know, it just makes me uncomfortable. I don’t think that Jesus would have had visions of creating some big building, you know? Jesus would have been out on the streets, giving away everything he had to help people. She put away the last of the groceries, and said, I mean, maybe I’m just being cynical, but Pastor Marcus is sounding like those TV preachers who are only concerned with building up their own empires, and …"

Well, frankly, Hypatia, a little bit of ‘prosperity thinking’ wouldn’t do you any harm, her mother replied, sharply. You’re 22, you’re on welfare, and your daughter has been living with your sister and I ever since Derek was …

Mom, I’ve been looking for jobs, Hypatia said, trying to cut off further discussion on this recurring topic. I’ll get one soon, I promise.

Hypatia, I’m worried about you, her mother said. If those welfare people ever find out that Joanna isn’t actually living with you, but that you’re continuing to collect benefits as if she was, they could …

Mom, I can handle it, don’t worry, she said, attempting to sound reassuring, as her mother shook her head wearily. Nervously, Hypatia went to the counter and picked up the college brochures she had been given at the welfare office, and said, Besides, I might be going to college part-time soon.

College? What do you mean? her mother replied, suddenly very interested.

I talked with my case worker today, she replied, projecting false enthusiasm into her voice, and sitting down at the table next to her mother. It seems that you can take college classes while you’re receiving benefits, and it counts towards your work requirement.

"I think that’s a wonderful idea, her mother said energetically. You were such a good student in high school, it broke my heart when you didn’t go on to college. A note of sadness in her voice, she said, I always hoped that you’d the first one in our family to go to college. She put her hand on Hypatia’s shoulder, and said, You know, I’d be glad to pay your tuition, books, and anything else you need."

Hypatia squeezed her mother’s hand, and said, Well, I have to go home and read up on the requirements. I think the county pays some or all of the costs, as long as you’re in an ‘approved’ study program. A worried expression came over her face, and she said, Only I don’t want to put even more of a burden on you. I mean, you’re already taking care of Joanna, and you’ve got Esmeralda living here, and …

"Your sister pays her own way and more, and Joanna is our joy, so that’s not a problem, her mother interrupted. Remember that I just got that promotion to supervisor at work, so I’m making more money now—and what better way to spend it than on my oldest daughter’s future?"

A tear came to Hypatia’s eye, and she said, Thanks, Mom; I’ll let you know, after I read these brochures. I’m probably only going to start out with one introductory class, just to see what it’s like. Standing up, she said, Well, I’d better get going, or I’ll miss my bus.

I can drive you … her mother began, but Hypatia shook her head and said, No, you had to work all day, and then go grocery shopping. I want you to take it easy now.

At least let me get you some groceries, her mother said, getting up quickly to gather a supply of groceries that she put into plastic bags, and handed to Hypatia.

Thanks, Mom, Hypatia said gratefully. Attempting to sound casual, she said quickly, Say, Mom; I don’t suppose that I could borrow a few dollars …?

Her mother opened her purse and took out a twenty dollar bill, which she held out to Hypatia, saying, Come over here, and give your Momma a hug, and Hypatia immediately came to give her mother a heartfelt embrace.

You smell like cigarettes; you need to quit smoking, her mother clucked distastefully, as Hypatia took the offered $20 bill and turned away, embarrassed. Her mother continued, It’s a waste of good money, and it makes your breath smell like garbage; how are you ever going to find another man if your breath smells like garbage?

I’m not looking for another man, Hypatia replied immediately, sticking the money in her pocket.

You should be, her mother replied. "Maybe that would give you some motivation in life."

I doubt it, Hypatia replied, shrugging her shoulders, and adding, I already had the best man possible in Derek; after him, other men just don’t measure up, you know what I mean? Her mother didn’t reply, so Hypatia said casually, Well, I guess I’d better be going …

I expect to see you in church this Sunday! No excuses! her mother declared.

I’ll try, Mom, Hypatia said, without enthusiasm, as she kissed her mother on the cheek, then picked up her bags of groceries and opened the door. See you later; and thanks for everything.

Love you, baby, her mother said.

Love you too, and she closed the door behind her.

And she lit the last cigarette in her pack with relief, as she headed toward the bus stop, thinking, Wonder if I’ve got enough time to stop at the store and get another pack of cigarettes before the bus gets here?

CHAPTER 2

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THE NEOPHYTE

***** (September 1980)

She got off the bus and immediately lit a cigarette, then looked with trepidation at the numerous large buildings on the college campus surrounded by well-established trees. Consulting her map, she walked on the paved path toward the Humanities building. She was fascinated to watch the other students, filled with first-day-of-school excitement as they hurried to their own classes alone or in pairs, their backpacks overflowing with books slung over their shoulders, engaged in passionate discussions about all kinds of things. She thought breathlessly, I don’t feel like I really belong here, but the atmosphere is kind of exciting. It’s like there’s this expectancy in the air—as if something really significant could happen at any moment.

She found the building she was looking for, put out her cigarette, and entered the building; it was crowded with students walking purposively to their own classes, who greeting each other with loud exclamations of happiness. After several false turns, she eventually found the location of her class. The door to the classroom was propped open (she was reassured to see the Philosophy 101—Introduction to Philosophy sign posted on it), so she entered the room as inconspicuously as possible, and found a seat near the door. She saw from the clock on the wall that she had made it with two minutes to spare, and she breathed a silent sigh of relief. She looked around at her surroundings: it was a large, auditorium-style room, with a podium in the center of the floor, and a screen for an overhead projector to the side of the podium. On this screen was projected the following:

Course: Introduction to Philosophy (Phil 101)

Professor: Dr. Norman Kentworth

She instinctively looked around at the other students and realized, I’m the only black person in this room, and practically the only female, she thought nervously. Something tells me this was the wrong class to sign up for. Seeing most of the other students with nice, expensive-looking backpacks, she felt out of place holding her single spiral notebook and stubby pencil, but her inner stubbornness wouldn’t let her get up and make a quick exit, so she sat watching the clock.

Precisely at 10:02, the side door opened, and a surprisingly young man entered the room, wearing a casual sports jacket (with the elbow patches of the traditional college professor) with an open necked light blue shirt. He walked confidently up to the podium, placed a binder on it, then looked up and around at the classroom for a few moments, before he said anything.

Good morning, the professor finally said, with a broad smile. Hypatia noted that he had a distinct New England (almost English) accent.

Good morning, was the response from most of the class members.

Everyone’s here for Intro to Philosophy, right? the professor asked, looking expectantly out at the crowd of students, most of whom nodded their heads. "If anyone wandered in here by mistake looking for The Bible As Literature, I’m afraid that class is Philosophy 302, or maybe English 405 .or whatever the hell it is, he said, which brought a warm laugh from the class. He added, But if you were looking for ‘The Bible as Lit’ and just happened to wander in here by mistake, let me say that you are very welcome to stay, and even to add this class; who knows: for someone like that, this class might even change your life!" and this brought more good-natured laughter from the class. Hypatia found herself liking the easy-going manner of this professor.

The professor then explained that his name was Norman Kentworth, and that he was from Maine, and had received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Manchester in England (which explains my curious accent, he added). Professionally, he said that he specialized in the philosophy of religion. (God, life after death, free will, morality—all that shit, he explained with a smile, his casual vulgarity drawing a loud laugh from the students, including Hypatia.) He then proceeded to explain in detail about the class: the textbook that was required; the suggested Outside Reading list; and what grades were based on. (You are graded 100% on your four term papers, and your four essay tests, he said, to groans from the classroom. "You see, you learn Philosophy by philosophizing, not by filling in bubbles on computerized test forms, so I’m going to make all of you philosophize in order to earn your grades.") By the time that he had finished with all of these details, there were only about fifteen minutes left in the class. I’ve almost made it through my first college class, Hypatia thought triumphantly. And it was a piece of cake. I can do this …

"Well, before I let you go for the day, I guess we’d better give you a quick ‘Introduction’ to the Introduction to Philosophy, right? he asked rhetorically, with a smile. In a serious tone, he began, Philosophy was defined by the ancient Greek philosophers as ‘the love of wisdom’—or philo sophia in the Greek. What does that mean? Well, ‘wisdom’ for the ancient Greeks meant knowledge in its highest sense, the very pinnacle of human thought and reason. Philosophy has held this rather exalted position even up to modern times. In fact, it is only fairly recently that we have begun to specialize so intently, making ‘philosophy’ a separate discipline in its own right. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, by way of contrast, what we would today call ‘science’ was called ‘natural philosophy’ by its practitioners. The most important book of the famous physicist Sir Isaac Newton was called Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, for example. All branches of learning were seen as deriving from philosophy, which is in the most fundamental sense an inquiry into knowledge itself: knowledge about the world, about reality, and about ourselves."

He paused for a moment, and then said, In this class this semester, we’re going to challenge a lot of your most cherished beliefs: about God, about life after death, about human freedom, and about politics, among other things. He paused, and then added insouciantly, You may want to know what my personal beliefs in those areas are, and I think you have a right to know. The ears of all the students perked up, and he said casually, "I happen to be a firm and unyielding atheist; I don’t believe in any form of life after death whatsoever; I think that science is increasingly making the notion of’freedom of the will’ implausible; and I am also a fervent Democratic Socialist."

He’s an atheist? And a Communist? Hypatia thought, in shock. And he’s admitting all of these things to us right up front, without even trying to sugar-coat them? I’ve never heard anyone like this. She could tell from the silence in the classroom that many of the other students were just as astonished as she was.

The professor continued calmly, Over the course of this semester, as I challenge you in class, and in my comments on your papers, there may be moments in which you will want to strangle me—moments in which you will hate me, for seeming to attack your unchallenged preconceptions. Moments in which, if you were a theologian like the famous Protestant Reformer John Calvin, you would want to have me killed, even as Calvin had theologian and physician Michael Servetus burned alive at the stake in Switzerland in 1553. He paused for a moment to let this statement sink in, and then went on, "But burning at the stake or any other form of coercion isn’t how we solve things any more in the modern world, and certainly not in this classroom. The standard that we go by in this class will be the standard of rational argument. In philosophy, either something is objectively true—like this podium here, that we can all see and touch—or else you can back up what you’re saying by logic and reason; otherwise, you shouldn’t bother to mention your opinion, because we’re not interested in it."

What about faith? one of the students (wearing a fashionable turtleneck shirt and a sport coat) called out, causing every eye in the classroom to turn to him. He went on boldly, "Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is ‘the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’ Aren’t there some things that we all must take on faith?"

"Ah, yes; faith," the professor replied, with a confident smile. "In the college or university, young man, we are interested in obtaining evidence for a position, not with just blindly having ‘faith’ in some dogma that medieval theologians and preachers invented. The professor turned his attention to his notes on the podium, then said, One of the greatest of modern philosophers—as well as a Nobel Prize winner, and profound humanitarian—Lord Bertrand Russell, said the following about ‘faith’: ‘What I wish to maintain is that all faiths do harm. We may define faith as a firm belief in something for which there is no evidence. When there is evidence, no one speaks of faith. We do not speak of faith that two and two are four or that the earth is round. We only speak of faith when we wish to substitute emotion for evidence.’ This quotation generated a few laughs and scattered applause from class members, as the professor went on, Two of Lord Russell’s books that I would commend to all of you are Why I Am Not A Christian, and Religion and Science; they’re both on your ‘Suggested Outside Reading’ list, by the way."

Addressing the student who had spoken up, the professor said, "I presume that you’ve read a book by a man named Josh McDowell, called Evidence That Demands a Verdict?"

The young student who spoke up said, Yes, sir; that was a great book.

The professor smiled slightly, then asked the student, "Do you, sir, know how many times in the New Testament the Greek word for ‘evidence,’ elegchos, appears?"

The student blushed, and stammered, Umm … no, I … I don’t know.

Only once, the professor said, shaking his head in pretended sadness. In that very passage you just quoted to us, in which the word doesn’t even mean providing logical facts to support a position, but is just talking about an irrational, inward ‘hope.’ He paused for a moment to let this statement sink in, then went on, "And the Hebrew word for ‘evidence,’ sepher, appears in the Old Testament only eight times: and all of these occurrences are in the 32nd chapter of the book of Jeremiah. There isn’t a word about ‘evidence’ written by Moses, or Joshua, or Ezra, or Isaiah, or Ezekiel, or Solomon, or anyone else. Addressing the entire class now, he said, So obviously the Bible isn’t trying to provide evidence to rationally persuade us to accept a certain position, and thus the Bible is not supporting either a philosophical or a scientific viewpoint, arrived at through an intelligent, reasonable process. The biblical writers just want you to believe what they say. He paused, and then added with a grin, And of course, to also support them financially." This generated a laugh from many of the students.

Turning away from his notes, he addressed the student who had spoken up, as well as the whole class, "In this classroom, gentlemen and women, you can’t just appeal to what the Bible says; or to what the Pope says; or to what some deranged Ayatollah like Khomeni says—in this classroom, if you’ve got a rational argument, then let’s hear it; if you don’t have a rational argument, then please remain silent—so that you might just learn something."

Have you ever even read the Bible? the student who had spoken up challenged him.

Certainly, the professor replied. "And I frankly thought it was a bunch of crap!" This bold vulgarity drew whistles of admiration from some of the students.

Then you didn’t really read it, the student replied, saying expansively, If you had read the Bible with an open mind, it would have convicted you of your sinful condition before God. Hebrews 4:12 says, ‘The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’ The student smiled, leaning back in his seat, looking pleased with himself.

Don’t get too cocky, dude, Hypatia thought. The professor ain’t hardly done with you, yet.

What’s your name, young man? the professor asked pleasantly.

Nathan Crane, the student replied, obviously pleased to be getting such attention so early in the class.

Mr. Crane, I take it that you believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God? the professor asked, keeping a straight face.

I believe that the Bible is God’s inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word, the student replied immediately.

The professor cupped his chin in his hand, as if he were pondering some deep question, then said, "Well, then, Mr. Crane, that’s an interesting notion you’ve got there: that the Bible is the Word of God.’ You don’t mind if we briefly put that theory to the test, do you? Just to see whether it’s true? Addressing the rest of the class, he said, That’s the scientific method, after all: first you form a hypothesis, and then you test it out to see whether or not it’s true, right?"

Go right ahead, the student Nathan Crane said smugly, opening up the Bible that was sitting on his lap. God’s Word can withstand any test that sinful man can throw against it.

With a relaxed expression on his face, the professor consulted a page in his notes on the podium, then said confidently, "You see, Mr. Crane, one of the reasons that I reject the Bible is that it seems to be absolutely obsessed with sex: and not with normal, marital relations-type sex, but with the most perverted, and degrading kinds of sex."

That’s ridiculous, Nathan replied. The Bible strongly condemns all sexual relations outside of heterosexual marriage as sinful.

The professor replied, Well, then, let us read ‘God’s Holy Word’ in the book of Genesis, Chapter 16, where it tells us that Sarai said unto her husband Abraham, ‘I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.’ He paused for a moment, and then said, "So God’s Holy Word is telling us that Abraham’s wife asked her own husband to commit adultery with their household servant, and this holy man of God did it, right? The student blushed and was silent, and the professor continued, Next, let’s take the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19; Sodom is of course the story that you Christians use to beat all the poor lesbians and gays of the world over the head with, right? Now, according to the Bible, the people in Sodom were destroyed by God for their wickedness, right?"

Nathan flipped a few pages in his Bible, then replied, That’s correct; Genesis 19:24-28 says that they were burned up with brimstone and fire from heaven, destroyed ‘as the smoke of a furnace.’

Well, if the people of Sodom were so bad as to deserve to be destroyed, what about Lot, the supposedly godly ‘hero’ of the story? Was he any better? the professor asked. Consulting his notes, he said, "It says right here in verse 8 that when a mob was gathered outside his house—wanting to have sex with the two male angels that were staying with him—Lot said to them, ‘Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes …!’ So the ‘Holy Bible’ tells us that Lot is inviting this mob to rape his own virgin daughters? Is that right?"

Nathan blushed fiercely, and tried to explain, Lot was protecting the two angels that were staying with him, and …

But those angels were well able to protect themselves! the professor interrupted, triumphantly. It says in Chapter 19, verse 11 that the angels ‘smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness.’ So the angels weren’t exactly helpless, and depending upon Lot for protection—like his poor daughters were! Shaking his head, the professor said self-righteously, So this ‘holy man’ Lot was ready to send his two virgin daughters out to be gang-raped over and over again by a wild mob! Do you think that’s right?

No, of course it wasn’t right, but … Nathan began.

The professor cut him off sharply, saying, "And was Lot ever punished for this? No! Quite the contrary, he was spared by God, even as his wife was turned into a pillar salt for the outrageous crime of what? Simply looking back at the city of Sodom as it was being destroyed! The professor raised his hands in pretended bewilderment, and added, I mean, wouldn’t it be completely natural to look back if you heard behind you the sounds of your hometown being destroyed by fire and brimstone coming from heaven? How could you resist looking back?"

Nathan objected, God had instructed Lot, ‘look not behind thee,’ and his wife’s turning back to the city shows that metaphorically, her heart was still in the …

The professor interrupted the student again, saying, "Interestingly enough, this same basic story is recycled in Judges 19 with different characters, only this version features a woman who is a concubine, or unmarried lover, rather than two virgins, and this version adds the gruesome detail that the mob ‘knew her’—sexually, that means—’and abused her all the night until the morning.’ And when this poor woman had collapsed on the ground at the door of the man’s house after having been brutally raped all night—pitifully, it says, ‘her hands were upon the threshold’—the next morning when the man opened the door to find this poor bruised, bleeding woman on his doorstep, did he do anything to help her? Or even offer any sympathy for his having turned her over to a licentious mob in such a cowardly fashion? No, quite the contrary; he simply says in verse 28, ‘Up, and let us be going.’ He tells her, in effect, ‘So what if you’ve been raped all night because I threw you out to a savage mob? Get your butt up, because now I’m ready to split.’ Then when he realizes that the poor woman is dead, we read in verse 29 that ‘he took a knife, and laid hold of his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel’! With pretended outrage, the professor added, shaking his head, So now he doesn’t even give her a decent burial, but cuts up her body into twelve pieces, and sticks them in the ‘Outgoing Mail’ slot. How would you like to get that bloody package in your In-basket?" This generated some nervous laughter from the students.

Nathan replied weakly, That woman died the shameful death of a harlot because verse 2 says that she ‘played the whore against him,’ and …

Oh, I get it, the professor said, cutting him off. So God’s Word says that it’s OK to rape someone and then dismember her body, as long as she’s a hooker, right? Nathan blushed, but had no answer.

The professor continued confidently, flipping back and forth in his notes on the podium, Let’s switch back to Lot, again; it says in Genesis 19, verses 32-36 that his two daughters wanted to sleep with their father, so they got Lot so blind stinking drunk that ‘he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.’ The professor scratched his head in pretended amazement, and then said casually, That’s pretty damn drunk, when you don’t even know that a young woman is getting into bed with you. This brought a chorus of raucous laughter from the classroom, and the professor went on, "And then both daughters got pregnant from this ‘holy man’ Lot, who was their own father! And yet the ‘Holy Bible’ itself in 2 Peter 2:7-8 calls Lot ‘just,’ a ‘righteous man’ with a ‘righteous soul.’ Professor Kentworth added with a smile, Perhaps they were grading Lot on a curve … and the room erupted with laughter, as poor Nathan seemed to be trying to disappear in his seat. So in just the first chapters of the first book of the Bible, we’ve already seen adultery, gang rape, homosexuality, prostitution, and incest—not to mention drunkenness."

Flipping a page in his notes, the professor continued his assault without letup, saying, "Quite a few people in the Bible seem like they have a drinking problem, by the way. Take Noah, who supposedly built the famous Ark during a worldwide flood. Well, immediately after this ‘holy work’ was completed, Genesis 9 tells us that Noah got so drunk that he passed out naked in his tent! With a sly smile, he addressed the whole classroom, I’m sure that none of you in this room have ever had a similar experience: getting drunk and taking all your clothes off, and then passing out! and this brought a chorus of laughs, applause, and even some cheers from some students. The professor continued, But then amazingly, when Noah’s son Ham told his brothers about this spectacle, they discreetly placed a blanket over Noah’s naked body, which was actually kind of a nice thing to do, but Noah woke up in a bad mood—that often happens when you’re hung over—and he drunkenly pronounced a curse on the son of Ham! Shaking his head in feigned bewilderment, the professor said, That is truly remarkable: if Noah had some problem with Ham having told his brothers, ‘Yo, Dad’s passed out drunk, and he’s lying naked in the living room; it’s kind of disgusting—let’s go throw a blanket over him,’ shouldn’t Noah have cursed Ham, and not Ham’s son? He paused, to allow this to sink in, then added, This unjust cursing of

Ham’s son Caanan is one of the justifications used by white racists to justify slavery, by the way, as the black race was traditionally considered to be derived from Caanan—so that’s yet another reason why we shouldn’t pay much attention to what the Bible says."

Indignantly, Nathan interjected, You’re focusing on the sins and indiscretions of individuals. The fact that God used a person in one specific situation, and that person later committed grievous sins, doesn’t mean that …

Then how about Moses, the great leader of his people? the professor shot back. "Numbers chapter 31, verses 15-18, says that after the Hebrew armies had returned from burning and pillaging yet another neighboring city, Moses told his captains, ‘Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.’ He paused for effect, then added, The great American Revolutionary War patriot Tom Paine wrote about this passage in his book The Age of Reason—a fantastic book, by the way, that’s also on the ‘Suggested Outside Reading’ list for this course—saying that ‘Here is an order to butcher the boys, massacre the mothers, and debauch the daughters.’" This brought ribald laughs from a good portion of the students—including Hypatia.

Nathan blushed fiercely, but was unable to think of anything to say, so the professor continued, "And that’s just the beginning: In 1 Samuel 18:25-27, David, before he became King, was in love with King Saul’s daughter Michal, so King Saul asked David—in lieu of a dowry—to kill one hundred Philistines, and deliver their foreskins to him. He made a face, and then continued, And if that weren’t sickening enough, David went ‘above and beyond,’ killing two hundred Philistines, and delivering their foreskins ‘in full tale to the king.’ He paused, and pretended to be contemplating this scene, saying, Now for our religious edification, let us all visualize David dumping in front of the king a bloody pile of 200 foreskins, freshly cut from the penises of dead men … and this generated an uproarious burst of laughter from the class. I don’t suppose any of you have ever heard a sermon preached from that text, have you?" the professor asked rhetorically, with a chuckle.

He continued, Then after becoming king, David—who according to 2 Samuel 5:13-16 already had plenty of concubines and wives—looked lustfully upon a naked married woman named Bathsheba, and then he committed adultery with her; and when Bathsheba told him she was pregnant, David sent her husband off to his death, so that he could have her for himself! It’s all right there, in 2 Samuel 11. He shook his head in pretended outrage, and added, So now we have double adultery, leading to murder! I tell you, folks, this Bible is worse than anything you’d see in an XXX-rated movie. This generated some applause from the classroom, and Nathan squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

The professor consulted his notes again, and said, ’Family values’ in the Bible? How about David’s son Solomon, who had 300 wives, and 700 concubines. Remember the story that supposedly demonstrates Solomon’s profound wisdom, in 1 Kings 3, where two women were arguing over which of them was the mother of a particular child? Solomon proposed to cut the child in half, cleverly knowing that the real mother would be willing to give the child away, rather than let it be killed; no problem with that, right? In fact, that was pretty sharp, wouldn’t you say? Most students nodded their heads, and he went on, "Well, it says right in verse 16 that these two women were harlots, which means that Solomon not only didn’t take away the illegitimate child of a prostitute, but he returned the child to that kind of dysfunctional environment to be raised, and …"

Professor Kentworth, all these stories you are quoting are from the Old Testament! Nathan interrupted, a bit desperately. There are obviously many instances in the Old Testament in which even holy men of God sinned, and they were condemned by God for it. But, as in the case of David, if they truly repented, they were forgiv …

Oh, so you think that all this depravity is just some sort of ‘Old Testament thing,’ right? the professor interrupted, smiling and turning to another page in his notes. "Well, I find the same prurient interest in sex, as well as the same sexist attitudes, in the New Testament, as well. For example, when it says in John 8 about a woman who was about to be stoned by an angry mob, ‘This woman was taken in adultery, in the very act,’ doesn’t that tell you that her accusers were therefore peeping into someone’s own bedroom? Isn’t that kind of a ‘kinky’ thing to do?"

This brought hearty laughs from the classroom, and the professor said indignantly, "And how come Jesus only condemned the hypocrisy of her accusers—’let he who is without sin … cast the first stone’—yet Jesus didn’t say a thing condemning this horrible practice of stoning a person to death? Can you imagine how painful being stoned to death would be, with huge stones smashing you in the mouth, the eyes, your ears, and your private parts? There were murmurs of agreement from the classroom, and the professor said with pretended disgust, And incidentally, where is the woman’s male partner in all this? How come Jesus doesn’t say anything about his sin? How come these pious people of God aren’t proposing to stone the woman’s partner to death? Don’t tell me that ‘God’s Word’ is sexist, as well as racist?"

Nathan replied weakly, "The fact that the scribes and the Pharisees may have acted improperly or unfairly doesn’t implicate Jesus in such activity. On the contrary, Jesus defended her …"

Well, then, let us consider the seventh chapter of the gospel according to Luke, replied the professor. A woman who was a ‘sinner’—a prostitute, according to most commentators—’began to wash (Jesus’) feet with her tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.’ He stepped forward, looking directly at Nathan, and asked coyly, "Now, my young Christian friend, don’t you think that having a sexually attractive prostitute kissing your bare feet, and rubbing ointment and her long, silky hair all over them, would be a fairly erotic experience?"

Nathan blushed deep crimson, and stammered, I … you … but … the Bible doesn’t say that she was a prostitute, and … these incidents only show her … her deep sorrow for her own …

The professor glanced at his watch, and then quickly announced to the whole class, "Unfortunately, our time is almost over for today. Before our next class, everyone please get a copy of the textbook and read Chapter 1, so that we can discuss it intelligently and rationally at our next class on Wednesday. Most of the students nodded their heads, and the professor went on, still consulting his notes, And hopefully, we can forget about trying to quote the Bible as being some sort of’divine revelation’ for the rest of this semester. The Bible is filled with the usual myths and fairy tales characteristic of a pre-scientific people. If you get a Concordance for the Authorized King James Version of the Bible, you can see that there are no less than nine references to unicorns! There are also five references to a mythical sea creature called Leviathan, as well as a reference in Job 40:15 to another mythical beast called Behemoth—and if you read the biblical description of these chimeras, they are obviously not talking about existent creatures such as a hippo or a whale or an ox or an antelope, but rather about the scary sorts of fanciful creatures that all preliterate societies invent to frighten little children, while sitting around the campfire at night."

He smirked, and then added, Did you know that the Bible even contains some ‘nasty’ words? He raised his eyebrows as he looked around the classroom, then added, Really; right there in the Authorized KJV. Mimicking the tones and cadence of a Baptist preacher, he said, "Let us all turn in our Bibles to Isaiah 36:12, wherein we read, ‘hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?’ The class was momentarily shocked into silence, and he continued, And if that weren’t disgusting enough, the same words are repeated in 2 Kings 18:27. Now honestly, have any of you ever heard an inspirational sermon preached on either of those texts? Or upon any of the five other places in ‘God’s Holy Word’ where the word piss is found? He paused rhetorically as many of the class members laughed, and then he shook his head and added, I didn’t think so; you know, that kind of selective use of the Bible by preachers really pisses me off!" and this time the class laughed uproariously (except for poor Nathan, who blushed furiously, and looked longingly at his watch, as if praying for the torment to end).

The professor now closed his notes, and turned to the class confidently, concluding, So hopefully, we won’t need to waste so much class time discussing the Bible from now on. And I’m also afraid that we won’t spend so much time talking about sex, since philosophers don’t have the same obsession with sex that the Bible writers did; frankly, Bertrand Russell, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Julien La Mettrie are about the only philosophers who ever wrote about sex. So I’m afraid that you’ll have to take Sex Ed to get into that kind of thing .or else, study it on your own, and this generated a lot of masculine laughs and some cheers. With an expansive air, he continued, "From this point on, let us all come to this class prepared to engage in reasoned discourse, and to cast aside all of our preconceptions, so that we can simply follow the facts wherever they may lie—because that’s what Philosophy is!" This statement produced applause from a number of students.

Now moving forward and addressing Nathan directly, the professor said confidently, Now, young man, I hope you don’t hold any grudges against me for challenging you on your presuppositions and assumptions. You seem like a bright and articulate young man, who stands to gain a lot from this course. Nathan nodded hesitantly, and the professor then added casually, "In fact, Mr. Crane, by the end of the semester, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see you end up as an atheist!" There were several gasps of surprise among students in the class, and Nathan tried to sputter a reply, as the professor concluded, I see it happen every semester; happily, nearly all of my intelligent and intellectually honest evangelical Christian students lose their ‘faith’ while in the college and university—really, it’s just a normal part of the maturation process.

Before Nathan could reply, the professor announced, Class is dismissed, and he quickly picked up his book of notes from the podium and headed for the door, without looking back.

*        *        *        *

The students in class were buzzing with excitement, as they slowly filed out of class. Hypatia kept her seat, wanting to remain as inconspicuous as possible, but her head was spinning with the swell of emotions that had just run through her over the previous hour. Man, she wondered. The professor knows all kinds of books I’ve never read, and he even knows the Bible; I’ve never heard anyone make the Bible sound so stupid before …

She looked over at the young Christian student, Nathan, sitting alone (obviously castigating himself for having given such a poor witness in class) and ignored by the departing students, and Hypatia felt somewhat sorry for him. But then she stood up and headed for the exit, and thought, Too bad, dude; but you ought to know better than to take on the professor! This is his turf you’re walking on .

As soon as she got outside the Humanities building, she lit a cigarette with relief, then crumpled up her empty pack and threw it into a trash can. Better go buy my textbook, she thought. She then consulted her map, and headed toward the bookstore. When she found it, she wandered around inside, and soon found the required book for the class: Introduction To Philosophy, by Norman Kent-worth.

Suddenly realizing that the professor she had just listened to had written this book, she thought, This guy actually wrote a whole college textbook? That’s amazing. Flipping through its pages, she headed to the crowded checkout line. Checking the price, she quickly calculated, and determined, With the money Mom gave me, I’ve got just enough money for the textbook, and for another pack of cigarettes.

Standing in the long checkout line, she found herself next to a bin of used books, mostly paperbacks. Flipping through them idly while she waited, she saw a copy of a small book called, Bertrand Russell’s Best.

Bertrand Russell, she remembered. He was one of the philosophers that the professor quoted, and she picked the book up and flipped idly through it as she waited in line. The book was a collection of short, pithy quotes from Russell on various subjects, including Religion. As she read them quickly while standing in line, several of them brought a quick smile to her face.

Will there be anything else? the checkout clerk asked her wearily, interrupting Hypatia’s thoughts, and she started ringing up her Philosophy textbook. Hypatia started to say, I also need a pack of… when she hesitated, realizing that the price of the little book she was holding was almost exactly the same as the price of a pack of