[MD] The case for Essentialism

[Ham Priday]

Happy New Year everybody!


I'm pleased to report that my philosophy of Essence is finally available 
from Xlibris in softback form.  (Consider reading it as a good start to the 
new year!)  The cost is $20 (US dollars) and it can be ordered online from 
www.Xlibris.com/Bookstore.  Search for the book under its title, 'Seizing 
the Essence' or type my name on the Author line.  Xlibris is a "print on 
demand" publisher, so delivery may take a couple of weeks.  Please don't ask 
me for copies; I'm allowed only five free samples, and they've all been 
promised to friends and family.

Aside from the fact that your purchase will help recover my cost for this 
self-publishing venture, I really believe MOQists, no matter how they feel 
about my philosophy, will benefit from a broader understanding of it. 
Questions about intellect vs. mind and experience are explained in the 
context of the awareness/otherness dichotomy, rather than as levels or 
patterns of existence of course, and I've addressed the theories of Kant, 
Descartes, Schopenhauer, Rand, and Pirsig, etc., as they relate to 
Essentialism.  I've also expanded on the societal and cultural implications 
of this philosophy, especially as they concern the contemporary scene. 
Complete with the extended glossary, the book is only 157 pages thick, so 
you can read it in one or two days.

While 'Seizing the Essence' is written for a "general" audience, I suspect 
the content will be of interest to a small segment of the intelligentsia, 
hopefully well represented by the MD.  Naturally, I'll be interested to hear 
your reactions, and I'm preparing myself for criticism and condemnation from 
many sources.  Let me know if you encounter any problems in the ordering 
process, and I'll try to remedy them through Xlibris.

Thanks for this opportunity to plug the book, and I look forward to sharing 
my thoughts with you.

Best wishes to you all,

Ham