Thursday, February 07, 2013

V&A Visit and #49 Evil

V&A London


Today we took a visit to the V&A and had a nice bowl of soup in the (perhaps surprisingly)  first Museum restaurant in the world - very nice too, one of the restaurant rooms is designed by William Morris.
The museum has an awful lot of things to see but to my mind it's noticeable that it offers a far more relaxed ambience than either the Science or Natural History Museums. It has a relaxed attitude to photographing the exhibits as well.
 
 
Part of the education in the visit for me was to learn how long the British Government has taken an interest in the design of British products.
Social history is well in evidence around Silver and the way it is (and was) utilised in the dining rooms of the country.  Some truly Fantastic Stained Glass Windows on show including this one of the last supper.
 
Crofton's Big Idea today is Evil (Number 49)

Crofton picks the obverse of Good (we considered yesterday) and puts Evil under his analysis, he notes two Evils that of the natural world (like plague or natural calamity) and the other which is morally wrong.
Crofton says that in Theology Evil is an abstract (but real) entity that is personified by the Devil and goes on to note the question
Is killing always wrong?  which has and does  trouble philosophers.