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Food for Thought

Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens

Tim Madigan presents a symbol most fowl for philosophy.

“The sun isn’t yellow, It’s chicken” Bob Dylan, Tombstone Blues

When choosing an animal symbol for philosophy, the one which immediately comes to mind is the owl of Minerva, which as Hegel tells us, only flies at dusk. But consider what that means: by the time the owl comes to understand what is going on, the moment has already passed. What kind of a symbol is that for a discipline which prides itself on its prescience and relevance?

Therefore I propose another bird to be our symbol – one which, unlike the owl, comes to life with the break of day. I’m speaking, of course, about the chicken: a regal creature who crows for joy as the sun arises, and who struts about majestically rather than furtively skulking about in the dark constantly asking ‘who?’ Instead, the chicken makes bold assertions: cockle-doodle-DO. This is pragmatism in action.

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