# John Duncan on the philosophy of Thomas Carlyle



## Reformed Covenanter (Sep 28, 2019)

John Duncan on the philosophy of Thomas Carlyle

N.B. It is Dr John "Rabbi" Duncan of the Free Church of Scotland.

P.S. Nice trousers?


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## Reformed Covenanter (Sep 28, 2019)

BTW, do you prefer just a link to a blog post or would you prefer the link and the contents quoted below? I think it is easier to read stuff on the blog as you do not need to narrow the browser to read it easily, but some may prefer just to read stuff on PB.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Sep 28, 2019)

At least a good teaser. What trousers? N. B.?


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## jwright82 (Sep 28, 2019)

I never heard of him until now, thanks for sharing! In reading about him it would appear he was a man of his time. He influenced Nietzsche so there you go. People say he influenced Nazism but that's kinda an empty argument.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Sep 28, 2019)

*John Duncan on the philosophy of Thomas Carlyle*






CARLYLE. I am no worshipper of Force. I see nothing to admire in mere power, i.e. in its quantity apart from its quality. Carlyle’s earnestness is very touching and noble; but it seems to me that, according to his teaching, if you could conceive an omnipotent devil, you ought to worship him as much as Israel’s Jehovah. [So that he is in one sense a modem Manichee?] I suspect so. And an omnipotent militia of darkness would be the very horror of horrors. . .

The connection between Carlylism and despotism I see, but the link is nowhere explicitly avowed. Carlyle is sometimes difficult to understand, and very difficult to judge. Why did he call Chalmers the last of the Christians? I suppose he forgets what he has written elsewhere. Hero-worship! ah well, he and I have to meet a strange hero yet … the greatest that I know of next to Him who overcame him. Carlyle has great faith in the devil, but I suspect he always appreciates quantity of being and of power more than quality....

Click on the link to finish reading the quote.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Reformed Covenanter (Sep 29, 2019)

PuritanCovenanter said:


> At least a good teaser. What trousers? N. B.?



He seems to be wearing tartan trousers or is it a kilt?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Reformed Covenanter (Sep 29, 2019)

jwright82 said:


> I never heard of him until now, thanks for sharing! In reading about him it would appear he was a man of his time. He influenced Nietzsche so there you go. People say he influenced Nazism but that's kinda an empty argument.



I came across the reference quoted in the blog post in a history book that I am reading. The authors stated that John Duncan hated Thomas Carlyle's philosophy for the same reason that Adolf Hitler loved it. So, I do not think that we should dismiss the argument as a complete _reductio ad Hitlerium _- especially as Carlyle's racial prejudices were very strong.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Sep 29, 2019)

PuritanCovenanter said:


> What trousers?



You would refer to them as "pants", which is disconcerting to us Brits.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## jwright82 (Sep 30, 2019)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> I came across the reference quoted in the blog post in a history book that I am reading. The authors stated that John Duncan hated Thomas Carlyle's philosophy for the same reason that Adolf Hitler loved it. So, I do not think that we should dismiss the argument as a complete _reductio ad Hitlerium _- especially as Carlyle's racial prejudices were very strong.


I bet Hitler cried himself to sleep (genocide will do that to you). But thanks for introducing me to someone I never heard of, like your other posts. Keep up the good work.

Reactions: Like 1


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