Man is the Pasture of Being: Interlude on the Old Man Himself

by KARL STEEL

British Library, Royal MS 15 D II, 192v, Great Feast of God

Stop flinching! This one isn't that long.

If you've been following along, even hesitatingly, you know that I've been captured by the theme of "sky burial" throughout this second half of July. The first blogfruit of my research is here, on the medieval afterlife of the Babylonian king Evilmerodach; the second is here, on classical and late antique enthnography of the Persian and Central Asian practice of exposure of the dead. Together they constitute some 5500 words of brand-new research.

I realize that's a bit much, particularly for a group blog. And I realize that asking you to read this stuff may be asking you to work for me, for free. Sorry. Since my semester's starting in about a month, I can't really see slowing down (teaching will accomplish that, neatly); but I can save you from the bulk of what I wrote today, if you like: this is about 1100 words on, apologies, Martin Heidegger, where I go after his famous "Man is the Shepherd of Being." They're far from sympathetic. If you want to read it, click HERE, to go to my own website (www.medievalkarl.com). I can promise you not only Heidegger-wrasslin' -- of interest perhaps only to a tiny group -- but also a brief consideration of Elaine Tin Nyo's laudable, lifetime project to transform herself into sausage.

Next time I post here, I can promise MANDEVILLE + TIBET.