Up@dawn 2.0

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Plato's Beard (16-2)

On Monday during discussion we touched base on the several interesting scenarios that Professor Oliver lectured about. We compared abortion to the unwelcome violinist, and went even more in depth with the 'what would I do' situation of sacrificing the one on tracks to save the many who are already doomed.

These were very interesting situations that I wish we had more of throughout the semester.

Did anybody change their views since we co-philosophized in class?

Only one more class! (and a test if you are like me)


12 comments:

  1. I've enjoyed learning about all the different philosophical views throughout the semester. It's brought into question some of my personally held opinions that I didn't' think needed questioning before. I've been most interested in the philosophers that concern themselves predominantly with moral theory. I believe that the root of morality is one of those questions that we'll probably never have a completely correct answer to.

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  2. Chelsea 16-18:54 AM CST

    Yes, I am so glad I took this class. It really opened up my mind to start forming my own opinions about things and questioning things I would've other wised unquestioned. Now I see and understand that it is important to keep asking questions and think about things for myself.

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  3. Chelsea 16-19:13 AM CST

    I think that for the trolley discussion, that in both ways with the lever or with the fat man, you are still using 1 person to save the other people. In the first scenario you switch the lever to go on the track to kill that one person on the other set of tracks to save the 5 on the other side. People want to call it murder for pushing the fat man because your hands actually touch that person and cause them to die. I think it is equal when you switch the train to the track with only one person. People just feel better about that scenario because they feel a disconnect because they are simply touching the lever to kill and not directly the person.

    I don't see my group's post yet...

    DQ: What philosopher was a mathematician and helped invent the modern computer? ( Alan Turing)

    FQ: Do you think, like a few philosophers believe today, that the human mind is just like a computer program?

    Link: Alan Turing short vid

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  4. Austin Duke9:52 AM CST

    (16-1) This class has definitely given me some new perspectives to consider when looking at life's problems and deciding what I believe.
    FQ: What philosopher asserted that it is just as wrong to perform painful experiments on an animal as it is to perform them on a mentally disabled human being? (Peter Singer)
    DQ: DO you think we should even attempt to build computers that can think like humans?

    Peter Singer has a twitter: https://twitter.com/PeterSinger

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  5. Jordan Cornelius (16-1)10:37 AM CST

    My group hasn't posted yet soooo
    This semester in this class has been awesome! Its crazy that this is the last class today.
    FQ: what is Peter Singer known for writing?(Animal Liberation)
    DQ: Is experimenting on animals wrong in your eyes?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer

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  6. (16-2) I really enjoyed philosophy. I've often wondered about some of the subjects we talked about, and it's refreshing to hear others agree and disagree on so many different ideas and concepts. Overall I'd say my philosophy hasn't changed, just developed a bit.
    FQ: What did Alan Turing originally name the Turing Test? (The Imitation Game)
    DQ: Alan Turing believed computers could think. John Searle believed computers could only follow basic programmed rules. Could computers think? Can they give any meaning to what they do?
    Link, John Searle on free will: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rZfSTpjGl8

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  7. Andrew 16-111:10 AM CST

    I still don't agree with the analogy used, and our group thought of the idea that the analogy would have been better if the violinist situation had stayed the same, but the woman pregnant was pregnant from being raped. Therefor both are unwelcome and there were no concious decisions they were making. Some of our group, including me, though the analogy wasn't very good because the woman pregnant made the choice to have sex in the first place knowing there was a chance of pregnancy no matter how careful the couple was.

    Any thoughts on this???

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  8. Taylore (16-2)11:19 AM CST

    Upon registering last spring for this class, I dreaded the thought of having to philosophize or even dig deep into my thoughts and beliefs. However, I am ever so thankful that I had the opportunity to take this class. It taught me not to except things at face value, to think deeper, and to form a better understand of why I believe the things I believe. The most interesting part of this class was that it was partially guided by students and encouraged comprehension, and not just regurgitation of memory.
    FQ: Originally called the Imitation Game, _________ was a test for artificial intelligence
    DQ: Can computers think?
    Link:http://www.chrismadden.co.uk/cartoon-gallery/turing-test-cartoon-turing-test-being-failed-by-a-human/

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  9. I have really enjoyed this class, but I wish we had more discussion time and for discussions to be with the whole class rather than just groups.

    FQ: Who is one of the most influential,modern philosophers? (Peter Singer)
    DQ: Do you think we will have computers that have emotions and can udnerstand rather than calculate things?

    Link: a link to a video that might help you answer the discussion question

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2KKTmYjGHw

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  10. Noted, Nikita. There will be more discussion involving the whole class next sem

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  11. Anonymous12:08 PM CST

    Sadly many people did not open their minds this semester, I have only to assume they did not learn much either. It's a shame when young minds close themselves off to thoughts other then their own.

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  12. Anonymous12:08 PM CST

    Natalie Blackwell

    I agree with Nikita; I would have enjoyed more discussions that involved the entire class. I also enjoyed the discussions that occurred in this class and found everyone's opinions interesting.

    FQ: Who invented the Chinese Room thought experiment? (John Searle)
    DQ: Why is it so hard for people to live up to Singer's philosophy that we should have a genuine influence on other people's lives?

    An excerpt from John Searle: Minds, Brains, and Science --
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XTDLq34M18

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