Plato and Platypus

When I moved in to my present apartment I did not feel at home because I did not have my books with me because I wanted to wait until I could build a bookshelf that will not make my apartment look cluttered. I finally made the bookcase and got some of my books up. I don't read as much as before because I think I have ADD or maybe it's the cobwebs in my brain, but I still pretend I can read.

So last night, I attended the Authors Series here in Plano. Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein are 2 philosophy graduates from Harvard and their featured book last night was Plato and a Platypus Walk into a bar.

The St. Andrew UMC building is very imposing but maybe because it was my first time there, so I asked the man I saw in the parking lot if he knew which side I should go in. He didn't know about the presentation but he laughed curiously, "Plato and Platypus? That sounds like a joke." I said: "Well, the authors will supposedly show how philosophical concepts can be illuminated by jokes and that jokes are loaded with fascinating philosophical content."

Anyway, I found my way in, sat alone at the very back then this tall, tired looking elderly man came up to me and introduced himself as Tom. He wanted to know if I was with somebody and why I sat at the back alone. I don't like sitting at the front and I am always alone and love being alone. " Aw, ok. I will try to speak louder so you can hear me, I am one of the authors." He was Thomas Cathcart.

Him and Klein were both on stage and took turns talking about Plato, British Empirism and Kant's synthetic and analytic statements. I thought: Don would love this but my menopausal brain can't deal with this anymore. Luckily, Klein illuminated it with his jokes, and I can process jokes. Here's one he told that I could relate but am not sure what philosophical concept this falls into.

A woman reports her boyfriend's disappearance to the police. They ask her for a description and she says, " He is 6'3" tall, well built with thick curly hair. Her friend says, "What are you talking about? Your boyfriend is 5'4" and bald with a huge belly.

And she says, " Who wants that one back?"

My sentiment exactly.