The good old days When you get older and think back, you mainly remember good feelings and wonderful experiences. You were young, healthy and strong. The world was open to you and you felt up to any challenge. There was more humanity, e.g. camaraderie in the sports club instead of narcissism in the fitness center. Almost all athletes were [...]
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The diesel dilemma
(Status 2018) When Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913) submitted his fundamental patent on February 22nd, 1893, his goal was an internal combustion engine with optimal efficiency that should come as close as possible to the theoretical ideal (the Carnot process). The first prototype ran at Maschinenfabrik Augsburg (later MAN) in 1893, and after many improvements, the first practical model came in 1897. Now [...]
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Modern Atheism
(Published 2015) Atheism is "as old as human thought, as old as faith, and the conflict between the two is a constant feature of Western civilization" (2). In fact, doubts about religions existed in antiquity, and early philosophers, such as the pre-Socratic Xenophanes, expressed their reservations. (See box). At the same time [...]
"Should erroneous views of the origin of the world described in Genesis prevail, all divine promises would melt into nothing and our religion would lose its life." Reformed theologian Peter Martyr (Pietro Mariano) Vermigli (1499-1562). (1, S. 387). In modern times, at least since Copernicus (1473-1543), countless astronomical, biological, geographical discoveries shook the medieval worldview, [...]
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500 years of Reformation
October 31, 2017 The five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation brings a flood of events and publications about Martin Luther, his dispute with the pope, Protestant[1] theologies, and the history of Protestant[2] churches. We do not intend here to pay tribute to Luther's personality or to consider his worldview; many others have already done that at length. We [...]
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The oldest city in America?
About 200 km north of Lima, the capital of Peru, in a desert, there is an archaeological site that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is Caral, the oldest city in the Americas. Its foundation dates back 5,000 years - and perhaps longer. Accordingly, this culture would be almost as old as the Egyptian (about 5,500 years) [...]
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A German doom
A custom that is difficult to understand today leads to the tragedy that ultimately broke the German Empire: the coronation of German emperors, unlike all other European powers, could only take place by the pope and on Roman soil. The regular problem-laden military campaigns to Rome for this purpose overstretched the forces of the empire. Even who [...]
On the 200th birthday of Otto von Bismarck (1. 4. 1815 - 30. 7. 1898). "Even after a century, Nikolsburg appears as the glorious climax of Bismarck's career. To prepare for victory and then to pause on the heights of success, to be moderate, to reconcile the defeated, and to work passionately for it - no greater glory [...]
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Gods and oracles - an "old hat"?
(Published December 2014) The world of antiquity, characterized by gods and oracles, seems outdated and outgrown to us today. But did it have a true core - and are we really so much further along in this today than we were then, or have perhaps only the forms changed? Socrates and Transcendence If one reads the writings of the ancient philosophers, one [...]
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World Population Day on 11. 7. 2006
Published in 2006. 11 July is, as every year, the "UN World Population Day"[1]. There are regular commentaries and political speeches on this occasion, most of which are alike in that they avoid the real issue: Because next to environmental destruction and climate change, overpopulation is perhaps the most dangerous threat to humanity. For environmental destruction and climate catastrophe is above all the too [...]
