Dear Marion,

Thank you for your letter.  On July 23, Margaret and I were planning
to be in Konnarock; but we would like to see you and we will try to
change our plans. I'll write to you tomorrow with a definite answer,
whether I think we can.

Thank you particularly for your criticism of my ambiguous exposition.
Obviously it's very important for me to be told when what I write is
nonsense. Let me try to do better: The issue I was trying to address
is that while for Plato ethics and esthetics are integral to the ideal,
I am concerned with idealization not as an ethical or esthetic, but
as a cognitive phenomenon. For me the salient characteristic of the
ideal is neither beauty nor virtue, but truth. To justify my preference,
I argue: a) we cannot share our notions of the ideal without communicating.
b) the indispensable quality of communication is its truth.
c) therefore, in order to legitimize communication about the ideal,
it is an essential preliminary to ascertain in what respect that
communication can be true. To me the reasoning seems obvious and simple;
but I may be wrong. I accept the possibility that my argument is nonsense.

This morning I had a very satisfactory telephone conversation with
a Mr. Ben Hayes, who began by reminding me that many years ago I
removed a foreign body from his eye. I also remember his grandfather,
Irvin Stringer who when working for the Forest Service on Straight
Mountain was stung by a bee, and then a few hours later suffered a
severe heart attack. It was my first venture into the legal arena.
I propounded the theory of a pathological process by which a bee
sting could precipitate coronary artery disease. The insurance
company's cardiologist disputed my argument, but I prevailed;
Irvin Stringer received workmens' compensation benefits for total
disability from a work-related accident, and remained my grateful
patient for the several years that he survived. To what extent
the grandson's attitude will reflect his grandfather's loyalty, I'll
find out tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. when Ben Hayes is scheduled
to come to look at the mutilated trees.

Afterwards I'll drive the 40 miles to Bristol to buy more shelving
for Margrit's books which I brought from Detroit earlier this year
in eleven boxes, five of which I emptied today, placing their
contents on five shelves each 48 inches long. As I sorted the books,
I was impressed by their diversity, and by the tenacity of Margrit's
determination to embrace the entirety of the ambient culture.

Your account of the film depicting Arab-Isralei conflict reminds me
of Zeus' justification, at the cabinet meeting on Olympus reported
at the beginning of the Odyssey, - the first theodicee on record -
when reproached about the agonies to which mortals are subjected.
It's their own fault, he says. It's by their own folly that mortals
are destroyed. Obviously, Zeus believed in the freedom of the will.

Jochen