Author Archives: William Ockham

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About William Ockham

I am a father of two with eclectic interests in theology, philosophy and sports. I chose the pseudonym William Ockham in honor of his contributions to philosophy, specifically Occam's Razor, and its contributions to modern scientific theory. My blog (www.teilhard.com) explores Ignatian Spirituality and the intersection of faith, science and reason through the life and writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (pictured above).

Scientific Potpourri (October 4, 2013)

Posted on October 3, 2013 by William Ockham

Below are some of the top stories in astronomy, cosmology and evolutionary biology from the last couple of weeks: Curiosity Finds Lots of Water on Mars. From The Guardian: Water has been discovered in the fine-grained soil on the surface … Continue reading →

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Intersection of Faith and Science: Vatican Astronomer Guy Consolmagno, S.J. (More Interviews)

Posted on October 2, 2013 by William Ockham

One of my favorite speakers is Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J. Consolmagno is an M.I.T. graduate and research astronomer and planetary scientist at the Vatican Observatory. Consolmagno has served on the governing boards of the Meteoritical Society; the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Division III, Planetary Systems Science (secretary, 2000 … Continue reading →

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Teilhard de Chardin Quote of the Week (September 30, 2013): Unity in Diversity and Love

Posted on October 1, 2013 by William Ockham

“Christianity is pre-eminently a faith in the progressive unification of the world in God; it is essentially universalist, organic and ‘monist’. There is obviously some special quality in this ‘pan-Christic’ monism. Since, from the Christian point of view, the universe is … Continue reading →

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Feast of St. Jerome (September 30)

Posted on September 30, 2013 by William Ockham

Saint Jerome (347 — 420) was a theologian and historian, who also became a Doctor of the Church. He is best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate), and his commentaries on the Gospel of the Hebrews. His list of writings is extensive and … Continue reading →

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Sunday Reflection, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 29, 2013): Establishing the “I-Thou” Relationship

Posted on September 28, 2013 by William Ockham

“This encounter with personalism [in the thought of Martin Buber] was for me a spiritual experience that left an essential mark” — Pope Benedict XVI “When I confront a human being as my Thou and speak the basic word I-Thou to … Continue reading →

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Heroic Leadership, Jesuit Style, and Pope Francis

Posted on September 27, 2013 by William Ockham

I told myself that I would refrain from discussing Pope Francis’ interview last week as that subject was widely covered elsewhere. I have largely stuck to that other than a brief reference to Blessed Peter Faber, S.J., one of the … Continue reading →

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Feast of St. Vincent de Paul (September 27)

Posted on September 27, 2013 by William Ockham

Today is the Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul. Vincent de Paul was born in April 1581 of a Gascon peasant family in Pouy in the south-east of France. He had four brothers and two sisters. At an early age, he showed … Continue reading →

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Consciousness, the Mind and the Wonder of the Human Person

Posted on September 26, 2013 by William Ockham

“There are two absolutely unpredictable happenings in the story of the cosmos. The first was the origin of life, the second the origin of the mind.” — John C. Eccles, Nobel Prize, Medicine, 1963 “How the Self Controls Its Brain”, p. 167 For the past … Continue reading →

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Life of Teilhard de Chardin: Discovery of Peking Man and Travels (1928-1940)

Posted on September 25, 2013 by William Ockham

I am gradually building out the “Life of Teilhard de Chardin” posts. It has taken longer than usual as work and family preclude me from spending more time on the blog. However, here is the latest installment: Discovery of Peking … Continue reading →

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Pope Francis and Blessed Peter Faber, S.J.

Posted on September 24, 2013 by William Ockham

  Don’t worry, this is not yet another analysis of Pope Francis’ interview with Antonio Spadaro, S.J. which was translated by and published in America Magazine. That interview has been covered in-depth in a variety of news outlets and blogs. One of the remarkable things … Continue reading →

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