Cadences of God

Richard Rorty, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Literature and Philosophy at Stanford University, passed away on Friday, June 8, 2007, at home in Palo Alto.  

When I heard about Rorty’s death it was in an e-mail from a friend who started with : ”Apparently Richard Rorty’s epistemic peers have come to
an agreement. . . . Richard Rorty, Philosopher, Dies at 75.” [Those who have ears to hear will smile.]

I would include Rorty as one of the most influential philosophers in my life. After my college days and the “reshuffling of my mind” that occurred around that time, I bought just about everything that Rorty published. The content of my shelves has changed a lot since then, but I have always kept Rorty on them. He seems to make the cut every time I trim down in order to restock.

I married a couple last week. The groom was a philosopher (by persuasion, not occupation). He asked me how I came to be a Christian. My answer: “Well, we all have different journeys. But I blame Wittgenstein, and Rorty and West were his accomplices in the matter.”

Anyway, ol’ Rorty will be missed.

Tags: Death, Admired People //