Welcome to the web site of Gregory Desilet.
Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view Click for larger view
Home Biography/Contact Books Essays Eulogies Fiction Reviews Links Outre'
Culture Highlights Column

Periodically Updated
 Recommendations

Featured music:

"Footprints in Paradise"
Title track excerpt
from Larry Lagerberg's
first CD release.
Smooth, relaxing jazz.
Album available at Larry's website here


Play music sample


Recommended reading:

Nihilism in Film and Television
(2006)
by Kevin L. Stoehr

Stoehr offers a critical overview of the nihilistic vision of film noir from Citizen Kane to The Sopranos. Though I offer an alternative to a noir interpretation of The Sopranos (click here), Stoehr's chapter on this TV series is insightful, as is the entire book. For publisher's information click on the title.


Evil Incarnate: Rumors of Demonic Conspiracy and Satanic Abuse in History
(2006)
by David Frankfurter

Consistent with the thesis of Our Faith in Evil, Frankfurter challenges the social/cultural value invested in the traditional concept of evil by revealing how this fictional concept creates very real horrors in human community. For publisher's information click on the title.

Featured reading among recent additions to this site:


W. B. Macomber's
Love and Culture

A Philosophical commentary inspired by Plato's Symposium
Chapters released monthly
For Table of Contents, further information,
and chapter links click
here


Recommended viewing:

No Country for Old Men
(2007)
Directed by
Ethan and Joel Coen

Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy and winner of four Academy Awards. See further comments and links on the home page.


Merry Christmas
Mr. Lawrence

(1983)
Directed by Nagisa Oshima

Optimum's 2005 DVD release of this classic film contains an interview with the author of the book on which Oshima's screenplay is based--Laurens Van Der Post--as well as interviews with David Bowie and Ryuichi Sakamoto. This World War II POW drama presents an extraordinary clash of cultural differences and individual wills. Click on the title above for my commentary on the film.



Recommended art:

The Salvador Dali Gallery
Browse a complete collection of Dali's work along with a wealth of information about each work and his life

The Zeugma Mosaics
Beautiful GrecoRoman art saved from a flooded section of the Euphrates River. See the video fly-through at this link for the 14 room Roman villa that housed these amazing mosaics.



 
 
 

 

Writings, Publications, and Scholarly Works


(2007)
Derrida and Nonduality: On the Possible Shortcomings of Nondual Spirituality: Published at the Integral World web site http://www.integralworld (http://www.integralworld.net/index.html?readingroom.html#GDE).

(2007) Misunderstanding Derrida and Postmodernism: Ken Wilber and  "Post-Metaphysics" Integral Spirituality: Published at the Integral World web site http://www.integralworld (http://www.integralworld.net/index.html?readingroom.html#GDE).

(2006) Potential Effects of Violent Video Games: The Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2006, pp. 9-10.

(2006) Not Necessarily 'Censorship': Withholding of Columbine Tapes Might Be Only Prudent, Legal Way to Proceed. Guest Opinion in The Boulder Daily Camera, Sunday, July 2, page 3E.

(2006) Killers' 'Basement Tapes' Hold Danger. Speakout opinion piece in The Rocky Mountain News, Friday, June 30, page 54A.

(2006) Derrida Forum: Demonizing Derrida and Deconstruction. Skeptic, Vol.12, #2, page 17. (A response to L. Kirk Hagen’s article “The Death of Philosophy,” in Skeptic, Vol. 11, #4, 2005, 18-21).

(2006) Our Faith in Evil Studies Effects of Film Violence. Book Signing to Feature Longmont Author Gregory Desilet. Interview by Valerie Singleton. Longmont Daily Times-Call Day & Night Entertainment Magazine. March 10, page 12.

(2006) Library Marketplace Interview—Self Publish or Perish: How one Author Moved from Self Publishing to the Mainstream. An Interview with Gregory Desilet author of Our Faith in Evil: Melodrama and the Effects of Entertainment Violence and Cult of the Kill: Traditional Metaphysics of Rhetoric, Truth, and Violence in a Postmodern World. Against the Grain: “Linking Publishers, Vendors and Librarians,” Vol. 18, #1, February, 31-39.

(1999) Torched Banks, Toasted Marshmallows. Feature-length docudrama screenplay (reg. # 773301 The Writers' Guild of America, West). Based on the events of the novel by the same name. (For a sample of the novel click here).

(1999) Physics and Language—Science and Rhetoric: Reviewing the Parallel Evolution of Theory on Motion and Meaning in the Aftermath of the Sokal Hoax. The Quarterly Journal of Speech, Vol. 85, No. 4, 339-360. (Chapter Four of Cult of the Kill contains the unabridged version of this essay)

(1998) Cult of the Kill: Kenneth Burke, Martin Heidegger, and the Specter of Nazism at the Origin of Rhetoric and Violence. Convention Paper presented at the National Communication Assoc. Conference in New York City. Awarded top competitive paper. (Chapter Three of Cult of the Kill contains the complete version of this essay)

(1996) Physics of Language: A Study of Parallel Developments of Theory in Physical Science and Language Science. Convention Paper presented at the National Communication Association Conference in San Diego.

(1995) Linguistic Relativity: Comparisons between Jacques Derrida and John Macksoud. Convention Paper presented at the Western Speech Communication Association Conference in Portland, Oregon. (Chapter Five of Cult of the Kill contains the complete version of this essay)

(1993) A Conversational Analysis of Conversation Analysis: The Practical Uses of Metaphysics. Convention Paper presented at the Speech Communication Association Conference in Miami Beach. Awarded top competitive paper.

(1991) Heidegger and Derrida: The Conflict between Hermeneutics and Deconstruction in the Context of Rhetorical and Communication Theory. The Quarterly Journal of Speech, Vol. 77, No. 2, 152-175. (Chapter Two of Cult of the Kill contains the revised version of this essay)

(1989) Nietzsche Contra Burke: The Melodrama in Dramatism. The Quarterly Journal of Speech, Vol. 75, No. 1, 65-83. (Chapter One of Cult of the Kill contains the revised version of this essay)

(1986) Symbolic Action, Drama, and Conflict, With Commentary on the Film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. Convention paper presented at the Speech Communication Association Conference in Chicago.

(1984) Burke and Heidegger: Choosing a View of Language. Convention Paper presented at the International Communication Assoc. Conference in San Francisco.

(1982) Singing the Body Electric: The Role of Bioelectricity in Human Health and Sexuality. A REACT Publication in collaboration with The University of the Trees.

(1982) Handbook on Love and Relation. Unpublished book length manuscript examining various philosopher’s views on love and human relations.

(1979) Kenneth Burke’s Dramatism in Perspective. Thesis for the Master of Arts Degree at the University of Colorado, Boulder in the Department of Communication.

(1976) Kenneth Burke’s Cathartic Poetics in Perspective. Convention Paper presented at the Western Speech Communication Association Conference in San Francisco.

(1975) How Phenomenological Method May Be Seen As Rhetorically Based. Convention Paper presented at the Western Speech Communication Association Conference in Seattle.


Click on the following link to preview recent works on Media Violence 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top of Page ↑

Copyright © Gregory Desilet 2005
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Digital photography and website designed by WebNet Solutions