Up@dawn 2.0

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Team Why Not, Feb. 5th


After a long class discussion; we we're able to get together in our groups just long enough to go over a few things.  First of all, after the last post including Calvin and Hobbes comic strips, I recommended we look further into the series as it is practically a philosophical satire through the eyes of a child.  The fact that the names Calvin and Hobbes are both derived from actual philosophers seems enough to at least warrant further discussion on the subject in consideration for our next big group project.  If you are not yet familiar with this brilliant series, then this link is for you:
I found a few strips online.
http://www.progressiveboink.com/2012/4/21/2912173/calvinhobbes


 Without much debate, we seemed to all be pretty okay with the group name: Team Why Not; so for now I suppose that shall remain our group name until further notice.  In addition to what's above, we were also able to divide up the workload for the following class.  All around, we didn't seem to get through too much since time was limited anyways, however if i have missed anything, feel free to add what you like to my summary in the comments.

11 comments:

  1. So the subject of today's readings were Pyrrho and Epicurus, two very interesting fellows. Pyrrho was, as far as we know, the greatest of the sceptics, and he used this idea that we as humans can never really know anything for certain to allow himself to live a relatively worry-free life. It seems like it was a very Zen like life, and that seems like a very interesting life to me. Definitely worth exploring, although perhaps not to the extent that Pyrrho took it. Epicurus focused more on death and what comes (or doesn't come) after. He related death, and our lack of individual existence after it, to birth, and our lack of existence before it. Both of these guys made a lot of sense. I think many people today could benefit from some of this kind of thinking.

    FQ: What was strange about Epicurus' Garden commune was that it openly included ______ and _____, which was a rare situation in Ancient Athens. - Women and Slaves pg. 23

    DQ: Of the two philosophies in this week's reading, which one would be the most helpful (in moderation, of course) for most of the people today?

    Link: Since a good portion of our group discussion this past Wednesday was based on the Calvin and Hobbes comics, I decided to find a comic strip about Pyrrho!
    http://existentialcomics.com/comic/4
    enjoy =]

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  2. Stephanie Byars1:12 PM CST

    My summary today is for the last part of the reading for America the Philosophical. Romano again brings up the topic of "What is America?" He provides a couple of different views through various philosophers mainly those of Hall & Lindholm, Countryman, and Walzer.

    FQ: According to Hall & Lindholm, what is the supposed "11th commandment" in American society? ("Thou shalt not judge" AP pg. 51)

    FQ: Which political theorist consider America a "nation of nationalities" and does not quite agree with the preposition used in the motto "E pluribus Unum"? (Michael Walzer AP pg. 55)

    DQ: Is American culture an entity onto itself or is America merely a hodgepodge of multiple cultures?

    Link: Here's a blast from the past with the Schoolhouse Rock song "The Great American Melting Pot".
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZQl6XBo64M

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  3. Anonymous12:01 AM CST

    I dont know if I'm in the wrong group but the assignment we were supposed to read The APA and the idea of American philosophy.

    FQ: What a blog for political philosophy? - APA, Public Reason (pg 44)

    DQ: What do political philosophers talk about?

    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqHUmMBGZlU - something I found while looking at this

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    Replies
    1. "It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly. And it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life." :)
      My favorite

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  4. Hey guys~ I was in charge of reading the first few pages of America the Philosophical. The focus and issues of black philosophers were discussed and how their is a stereotype of what black philosophers are supposed to stand for. The APA conferences were also discussed; informing how important the APA conference is for philosophers who are looking for jobs.

    FQ: What does William James feel you need to do in order to be a real philosopher?

    DQ: If you were to become a philosopher, what would be your main focus to "philosophize" about?

    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylpbVqTS8So Heres a video of a lecture at one of the conferences. (it's pretty long)

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  6. Hello group- I am posting about the first part of the Pyrrho reading. Grant summed it up pretty well. Pyrrho was the first intense skeptic; that is to say he believed that one's senses could not provide valid evidence that things were actually a certain way. He took it so far as to conclude that since nothing can be really known, the only way to live a happy life is to live in a completely uncommitted way. In order to achieve this state of mind, one would have to lose all desire and concern for the material world. So, for example, if one heard and saw a tree falling in their direction, your senses could be misleading you and you might actually not be in danger, therefore moving out of the way would be arbitrary. This is similar to solipsism, which is the idea that one can only be certain of his or her own consciousness; absolutely nothing else is certain.

    FQ: According to Diogenes Laertius, Pyrrho became a high priest of Elis where he lived and that in his honor ______________ didn't have to pay any taxes.

    DQ: If one is a true skeptic, what is the point of attempting to learn anything?

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  7. FQ: Hall and Lindholm named their contribution to the debate "Is America Breaking Apart." What was there final answer?

    DQ: Why do you think all empires, and associations eventually break up and separate? EX. Soviet Union Yugoslavia

    Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g6arFbKZ60

    I found this video on the fall of the soviet union which might help explain the discussion question.

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  8. Erin Herbstova1:17 PM CST

    FQ: Complete this quote : "I was not, I have been; I am not; ___________"pg.27
    FQ: True or False : Epicurus thought death was something to fear. pg. 25

    DQ: What do you think of the modern definition of epicure?
    DQ: Do you think that you cant be happy unless you want the simple things in life?

    Link: I really like quotes they provide a poetic insight to the persons thoughts here is a link to quotes by Epicurus http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/epicurus.html

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  9. I was in charge of reading the middle pages of America the Philosophical.

    FQ: To be a real American philosopher, u have to belong to what? Pg.37
    FQ: Who says teaching philosophy “is one of those things I would do even if nobody paid me, because I really love it.” Pg.45
    DQ: Does America take philosophy seriously?

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  10. FQ: Who met with one of APA's executive directors, David Schrader, that explained the APA: "As much as it's an emotionally draining process"?

    Answer: Georg Theiner

    DQ: Who is the APA, what do they do, and are they a necessary association?

    Link: http://www.apa.org/about/index.aspx

    This link includes information on the APA and what they do.

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