What Matters to Me and Why: Realism

January 15, 2003

University of Southern California

This was Dallas’s contribution to a series of lunchtime talks hosted by USC’s Office of Religious Life. The theme for the series was “What Matters to Me and Why.”

Explanations of Terms:

Philosophy: “I like to describe philosophy as the attempt to understand by rational means the necessary structure of the world in which we live.”

Realism: “Realism means that all of those things that you apprehend and perceive really do exist, are right where you experienced them, and they would be there if you didn't see them.”

For Further Study:

The Making of the Modern University: Intellectual Transformation and the Marginalization of Morality, is the book by Julie Reuben that Dallas recommended.

“Naturalism’s Incapacity to Capture the Good Will” is the paper Dallas wrote about the idea that a purely physical entity would not be capable of goodwill.

The poem Dallas read is “The Truly Great,” by Stephen Spender.

Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the School of Kingdom Living, sharing your talents as a volunteer, or contributing financial gifts. Visit https://dwillard.org/donate if you’d like to help us increase the availability of Dallas’s teaching to help people become more like Jesus.

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