Home Page
Welcome to my site! Below are links to my novels and philosophy essays and to the side you’ll find links to hear my music, find out more about me, view pictures and contact me. I have recently made quite a few updates/additions to the site. PDF versions are now available for most of the texts. I’ve also added an essay on David Hume, though 99.9992999% of you will have no interest in it whatsoever (this is for the .0007001% of you that are Hume fanatics), and actually finished the biography link that’s been under construction since the inception of the site itself. Anyway, I’d love to hear from anyone who has anything to say regarding anything I’ve ever said or done (or regarding anything I’ve never said or done); I love opinions (& publisher referrals): (bradmusil@kramernet.org).
FICTION
What if… (word format) / What if… (pdf format) :
My most recent novel, finished in June of 2006. Just as "out there" as the first two, maybe even more controversial. Without giving too much away, the book revolves around a guy who spies on his strange neighbors and documents, in his own personal memoirs, what he witnesses. This one has it all: drugs, serial killers, religious fanatics, and the "main event."
Apathy (word format) / Apathy (pdf format) :
My second novel, which was inspired in large part by Friedrich Nietzsche and, as usual, the enigmas that plague this life (why are we here?, who/what is responsible for the thoughts that emerge inside my head?, etc.). The rough draft was completed in December of 2004. Much more polished than my rookie effort, due in large part to incessant revising.
Is There Anybody Out There? (word format) / Is There Anybody Out There? (pdf format) :
My rookie effort. Beginning in the fall of 2002, it took me roughly a year to finish the rough draft. Revolves around questions of reality and toys with our stereotypical conceptions of "insanity."
As of March 07′ I have written the first three and a half chapters (out of thirteen) of my fourth novel, tentatively entitled, Till Death Do Us Part. My approach to this book has been drastically different than those before it. This one has been much more thoroughly mapped out ahead of time (i.e. I’ve written extremely detailed chapter outlines and character sketches), whereas the other works were a lot less structured when I actually sat down to write them.
NON-FICTION
I Don’t See Any Body: Impressions Of David Hume’s Belief In External Existence (word format) / I Don’t See Any Body: Impressions Of David Hume’s Belief In External Existence (pdf format) :
This essay is pretty philosophically sophisticated (very abstract) and is more geared to those with some philosophical background (particularly regarding epistemology–i.e. how we know what we know–and metaphysics–i.e. what exactly it is we know, or what exists). More specifically, it explores David Hume’s skepticism regarding physical objects, and his more general doubts pertaining to the possibility of "certainty," or indisputable knowledge.
Experimenting With Madness And Suicide: Swallowing The Nietzschean Pill (word format) / Experimenting With Madness And Suicide: Swallowing The Nietzschean Pill (pdf format) :
An essay examining Nietzsche’s battle with nihilism and hopelessness, written primarily in the fall of 2004 for Professor Krzysztof Michalski’s course on Nietzsche at Boston University. This essay has also been incorporated into my novel, Apathy.
The Delusion Of An Illusion (word format) / The Delusion Of An Illusion (pdf format) :
Written in the spring of 2004 for Professor William Richardson’s course entitled, "Psychoanalysis and Subject." This class was taught at Boston College and focused on Sigmund Freud’s works. This particular essay dissects Freud’s views of religion and science, ultimately suggesting that there is a problem with Freud’s critiques of religion given his own perspectives of religion and science.
A Game Called Life (word format) / A Game Called Life (pdf format) :
Also written in the spring of 2004, and submitted to Professor Vanessa Rumble for her seminar on Kierkegaard at Boston College. Do not even attempt to read this if you are not familiar with Kierkegaard’s book, The Sickness Unto Death, let alone Kierkegaard himself. This essay is difficult to understand and very confusing at times, yet this is only to be expected considering that it focuses on Kierkegaard. The main themes include self-consciousness, existence, and freedom.
Why Am I Writing This Paper? (word format) / Why Am I Writing This Paper? (pdf format) :
I wrote this essay for a class on metaphysics during my very first semester in graduate school at Boston College. It is much shorter than the other essays and argues that Plato is more of a skeptic than most philosophers presume him to be. I incorporated this essay into my first novel, Is There Anybody Out There?
(Website last updated (updated progress on Till Death Do Us Part): 03/16/2007)
Copyright Brad Musil 2007
No reproduction without author’s consent (but, hell, if you’re interested please let me know…)