Mr. Philosopher evokes conversations with blog

John Torrey wants people to think philosophically - even if they find his writing unorthodox and, sometimes, borderline offensive.

The University of Memphis graduate student began writing entries in his blog, titled "Mr. Philosophy," to start conversations about a wide range of topics, from interracial dating to the death of Michael Jackson.

"The whole time, I just wanted people to resonate on some issues and push people's thinking," Torrey said. "I wanted them to think outside the box and expand their horizons, but not necessarily in an offensive way."

Although Mr. Philosopher has yet to receive any downbeat feedback, Torrey said he expects critical comments eventually to pour in.

"I keep waiting on the pin to drop," he said. "People are welcome to have whatever opinion they want. I openly welcome that type of disagreement. It will make me a better philosopher and thinker."

Readers who post unconstructive comments that discourage philosophical conversation should not expect a fight, Torrey said.

"I'm not going to dignify it," he said. "If I say something overly offensive, that can be someone's visceral reaction. But if they say, 'You're a poo-poo head because of this, this and this,' then we've got the basis for a good discussion."

Readers of Mr. Philosopher should expect conversation topics to get more edgy in upcoming posts, Torrey said.

"I'm going to push the envelope a little bit more," he said. "Mr. Philosopher is going to do some big things."

Courtney Shelton, a regular reader of the blog, said the author keeps posts stimulating and conversational.

"The way he writes about real-life events with a philosophical twist is not only hilarious but also informative," she said. "His articles keep me on my toes, making me think about simple topics in a more academic way."

Another reader, Heidi Samuelson, philosophy graduate student at The U of M, said she appreciates Torrey's views in his blog entries.

"I think philosophy often gets hidden away in the ivory tower," she said. "It's refreshing, not to mention important, to see Mr. Philosopher applying philosophy to real life."

Since its launch in April 2004, Torrey's blog has attracted more than 1,000 readers.

"It started on Facebook with ramblings," he said. "Then I ended up with something philosophical."

Torrey said his inspiration for topic ideas come from everyday encounters, such as interactions with classmates or reader feedback.

"They can come from conversations with friends - they'll say something that will resonate an idea," he said. "Sometimes I'll be mulling things over by myself or get reader-inspired topics, giving me more fodder."

Barbara Ching, associate professor of English at The U of M, said posting an academic blog could be an effective learning tool for students.

"It allows people who are scared or reluctant to speak out to participate," she said.

Having students use blogs in her classes in the past was a positive experience because they could spend more time developing their answers in discussions, Ching said.

"If we had met in a seminar room and talked, some thoughts would have just drifted into the air," she said.