Ask Nathan Anything 2: Self-Absorption Boogaloo

[Antonio the Sixth]

What elements are you most looking for in a work of fiction (be it novel, film, or TV)? In other words, looking at your favorites, what aspects do you like more in them? And what are the aspects that you feel less strongly about, and on which you're more willing to forgive flaws?

Conversely, what do you think are your own greatest areas of strength and weakness as a writer?

[Antonio the Sixth]

I like Hume because he presents such a robust challenge to so many aspects of my worldview--my religiosity, my tendency to take the phenomenal world at face value, my quasi-animist emotive attitude about the natural world, etc. I don't agree with most of his conclusions, otherwise I'd be, well, closer philosophically and religiously to you guys, but sometimes exposure to one of the strongest cases against one's worldview can be clarifying, challenging, and even kind of fun.

I appreciate Nietzsche for exactly these reasons (although his thought creeps me out too much for me to be able to say I like him). But yeah, as someone who actually agrees with Hume on all or most of these points, I'm really glad you take his views so seriously.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Going back to philosophy for a second, I seem to remember we discussed Hegel's theory of history a while ago and you said you didn't know what to make of it. I was wondering if you'd formed a more definite opinion on it, where it fits with your own thoughts on history.