Up@dawn 2.0

Friday, November 4, 2016

Quiz Nov 7/8

PG "In the Shadow of the Acropolis"

1. What thoughts and feelings was the Parthenon intended to evoke?

2.  What was the choice of Achilles?

3. What was the Axial Age?

4. What does it mean to say that your arete lacks kleos?

5. What is Plato's argument in the myth of the Ring of Gyges?

6. What "sets the bar" for the ideal of the "Renaissance man"?

7. What does it mean to be "autochthonous"? 

8. What useful distinction does Goldstein borrow from Hans Reichenbach?


Image result for parthenon


DQ
  • Have you visited the Parthenon (either in Athens or in Nashville)? What did you think?
  • Should we have better architecture?
  • Would you prefer to live a long and ordinary life or a short and extraordinary one? Is this a false dilemma? Do celebrities in our time live extraordinary lives, or just notorious ones?
  • Do you agree that Socrates' "radical revision" is "heinous"? 126
  • Do you think about the time after your death as unreal? Why or why not? 128
  • Do you personally "oscillate" between the Greek and Hebrew approaches to "mattering," or do you side strictly with one or the other? Why?
  • Can you live a distinguished, virtuous and an unsung and humble life? 
  • What would or should you do with the power of invisibility?
  • If you knew you could always get away with lying, stealing, cheating etc., would you? Would it bother you to know that you were an inveterate liar, theif, cheater...?
  • What motivates you to do your best, to live up to your potential? Do you pursue a Platonic ideal of excellence? Do you try to achieve constant improvement and a new "personal best"? Do you  try to measure up to your own standards? Or do you only work for external rewards?
  • Is "exceptionalism" - Athenian, American, whatever - ever warranted?
  • Are cultures that pride themselves on being "sprung from the earth" they occupy more likely to be hostile to other cultures and to immigrants? Are they more likely to respect indigenous peoples?
  • What do you think of the "nihilism of the bilious Thrasymachus"? Or of Ayn Rand? 154-5
  • Who can you think of in our society who "by virtue of their personal advantages, wear a kind of Ring of Gyges" and get away with things the rest of us don't? 156
  • What do you think of Americans (or other nationals) who have a Glaucon-like "presumption" and "complacency" about being "great" (or "great again")? 159

Image result for parthenon
==
There has never been a better time to be alive, says the Dalai Lama, and yet in the richest countries, there is a growing sense of unease and helplessness because people no longer feel useful...
==
Plato's dark reading of how democracies end or Dewey's emancipatory faith in education saving democracy
==
FYI, from the provost:
"the facilities use policy is here:http://www.mtsu.edu/policies/general-policies/I-01-06.php. I believe the events coordination office are the first responders on this, with ultimate decision-making policy depending on the venue requested."

112 comments:

  1. H1
    Last Thursday's peripatetic discussion entailed social media. Is it our tool, or are we a tool of it? We talked about this box that is becoming a big thing now. When you go out to eat with friends, you put your phones in the box. It locks itself and doesn't unlock until a certain amount of time has passed. Has the use of cell phones become such a habit that a thing like that is necessary? If you can't stop yourself from taking out your phone to check it, even when it would be rude, then are you really the one in control?

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  2. (H3) Parthenon? Nope, I have gone to some Roman sites in Italy though.

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  3. (H3) Architecture? Well.. Depends on how you define better. Modern architecture is, pound for pound, easier and cheaper and more efficient,though, obviously, not as long lasting. That is mostly because we build things out of steel, wood, etc., which are materials which are much more susceptible to the elements. Though some how the Roman's made concrete that lasted like granite blocks...

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  4. (H3) Lives? I can't say because I have no idea what either would entail. The majority of modern day celebrities I would say are more notorious that extraordinary for reason that do not need explanation.

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  5. (h3) Time? Well, if I'm a windowless monad than I have no way to know that time is real and not just some illusion of my imagined perceptions. Of course if time is just some matrix of perception and not actually a thing I guess the answer is yes and no. Of course according to Hume there's no telling if time will keep going or just happen to stop at the moment of my death, though history suggests otherwise.

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  6. (h3) virtue? I would think so. I can think of a few virtuous people I know who will go down in history as unrecorded.

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    1. Agreed. There are many virtuous people that get looked over just because they aren't renowned.

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  7. (H3) Invisibility?... ... ... ... ... well kill the president, sleep with the first lady and take over the country is probably not a good idea. So I can honestly not think of one good thing I would do with invisibility.

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    1. As you say, there are many, many bad things to be done when invisible. As for a good thing, the first suggestion that comes to my mind is fight crime.

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    2. H1
      Ben, I'm with you. I've seen too many superhero movies to avoid having that as my first thought as well. Espionage would be cool too.

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  8. (h3) get away? Well, not always. I have to admit there would be times when I take advantage of that, especially in the heat of a mid term. Though my own moral prerogative would, for the mot part, keep me in check.

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  9. (H3) Sprung from the earth? I would say they are likely, in our modern age of nation states at least, to be much more strongly nationalistic and xenophobic.

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  10. (H3) America's Ring of Gyges? ... ... what is: Donald Trump?

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  11. (H3) Nihilism? Has elements of realism about it but ultimately false because as far as I know there are certain more concepts that are, on a surface level basically universal.

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  12. (h3) Exceptionalism? Well I believe that is usually the sign that a state is about to go into a state of decline. So there's that.

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  13. (H3) I have yet to visit the Parthenon but I would love to. It is on my list of things to see in Nashville.

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  14. (H3) In general I believe we should have better architecture. Architecture is one of the beautiful things in life that make buildings into a work of art that we can appreciate.

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  15. (H3) I would prefer to live a short, extraordinary life. If my life is boring but long then there is not much point to it, even if it meant my life was short I would rather it be full of adventure.

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  16. (H3) Just because celebrities are well-known it does not mean that they have extraordinary lives, it just means they are notorious. Many celebrities are very unhappy with their lives, proving that they aren't exactly extraordinary.

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  17. (H3) I believe time after my death is very real. The time of my life is very short but time really begins after I die and start life in heaven where time itself does not even exist.

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  18. (H3) You can definitely have a distinguished, virtuous life and a humble life at the same time. I would say being virtuous and humble go hand in hand, there's nothing wrong in people knowing you are virtuous.

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  19. (H3) I'd probably use the power of invisibility to be able to do things like sneak into concerts or being able to hear information without people knowing.

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  20. (H3) I wouldn't lie or cheat even if I knew I could get away with it because to me it's wrong and goes against my morals. Honesty is always the best way.

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    1. Is honesty always the best way? What about those situations where you have to lie to protect your loved ones? Or save someone's life? Would you leave them unprotected or let them die just to save your morals?

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  21. (H3) My desire to achieve my best and work hard for God is a big motivation. One of my biggest motivators is my girlfriend, I want to do and be the best for her.

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  22. (H3) I push myself everyday in everything. I love competition and I am always trying to do and be better than I was the day before. I'm my own biggest critic.

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  23. (H3) Cultures who pride themselves of being "sprung from the earth" would most likely be less accepting of immigrants. If they want people to be from their culture then they wouldn't want those who aren't "pure bred" per se.

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  24. (H3) Have you visited the Parthenon (either in Athens or in Nashville)? What did you think?
    I have not visited either, and it's a little sad because the Parthenon is the closest thing i'll ever get to a House of worship to my faith.

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  25. (H3) Would you prefer to live a long and ordinary life or a short and extraordinary one? Is this a false dilemma? Do celebrities in our time live extraordinary lives, or just notorious ones?

    It's a false dilemma. People can have periods of time with extraordinary events happening, and other times be ordinary. It's all about enjoying your life to the fullest- on your terms.

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  26. (H3) If you knew you could always get away with lying, stealing, cheating etc., would you? Would it bother you to know that you were an inveterate liar, theif, cheater...?
    No, I wouldn't go as far as it say it's within Human nature to do all of those things, but we, as a species, do all of these things on a regular basis. They are bad, but there's no such thing as thought-crime. We all posses the ability to lie, steal, and cheat, but we make the choice not to.

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  27. (H3) What motivates you to do your best, to live up to your potential? Do you pursue a Platonic ideal of excellence? Do you try to achieve constant improvement and a new "personal best"? Do you try to measure up to your own standards? Or do you only work for external rewards?
    As someone who used to have a very hard time being motivated to do anything, I've begun to just momentarily live for myself. My goal is to just make myself and others happy. I've also tried to adopt the mindset that everything is constantly changing, and that if I am not at my goal now, no matter how far from it, I can get there if I just keep working towards it.
    So stubbornness and hedonism are my drivers.

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  28. (H3) Are cultures that pride themselves on being "sprung from the earth" they occupy more likely to be hostile to other cultures and to immigrants? Are they more likely to respect indigenous peoples?
    No, not at all. This ties into exceptionalism, in that if you weren't born here within our standards, you're not welcome here.

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  29. (H3) Who can you think of in our society who "by virtue of their personal advantages, wear a kind of Ring of Gyges" and get away with things the rest of us don't?
    Anyone with money. Celebrities, politicians, religious leaders- they can do whatever they want as long as they have the funds, and people, to back it up.

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  30. (H3) What do you think of Americans (or other nationals) who have a Glaucon-like "presumption" and "complacency" about being "great" (or "great again")?
    There's nothing wrong with being proud of your home country, and even thinking it's the best. But this idea that we should /regress/ back ('Great again') to any time in the past where there were a LOT more problems in our country is just ridiculous.

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  31. We should have architecture that is more aesthetically pleasing, but also economical. Pretty architecture can serve as a point of solidarity for a city, which is a beautiful thing in itself.

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  32. I would prefer to live a short and extaordinary life,if such a choice could possibly be given to me, as long as it was extraordinary in a way that helped others. That's the legacy I want... although if I can live a LONG and extraordinary life, that would be, ya know, ideal.

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  33. Do you think about the time after your death as unreal? Why or why not?

    Of course it's real, just like time continues to be real after the deaths of billions before me. Why would we think reality rests on ourselves? Why not someone else? Why a human? Perhaps reality rests on the life of a chinchilla.

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  34. Can you live a distinguished, virtuous and an unsung and humble life?

    Absolutely, and I've heard many cases where someone's true contributions to their loved ones, and even all of society, are only appreciated long after their death. I think it is safe to say there are many others of whom we will never hear, yet owe a great deal.

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    1. I agree with this one hundred percent. It is easy to differentiate.

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  35. If you knew you could always get away with lying, stealing, cheating etc., would you? Would it bother you to know that you were an inveterate liar, theif, cheater...?

    If I had that ability, I'm afraid the temptation to take advantage of it might overtake me. I can only hope the guilt would steer me away from that path.

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  36. Is "exceptionalism" - Athenian, American, whatever - ever warranted?

    Nope. Never warranted. Such a view is completely separated from any perspective on reality. Historically, nations rise and nations fall, all thinking they are the best. Such beliefs are futile and only do harm.

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    1. I agree, I never thought of it that way, that's a good way to see it.

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  37. In Idk I would rather live a long extraordinary life or a short ordinary one, I would have to choose the short and extraordinary. An ordinary life would most likely bore me. I have to have something going on, something to keep my interest, something to excite me. I do not think I could achieve this with an ordinary life. The only downside of a short life to me is that it gives me less time to learn and to explore new things which I do love to do.

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  38. Looking at celebrities, I would say they do not lead extraordinary lives because they don't make a difference. They are just entertainment and they only lead notorious lives because they are well known because of whatever reason.

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    1. I agree, they're not extraordinary, they just have a camera pointed at them.

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  39. I have not visited either Parthenon, but I would love to. I love Greek culture, myth, and architecture and the Parthenon is one of the most well known structures from the Greeks.

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    1. Same, I can't wait to go to the Parthenon this summer when I visit Europe. It looks so beautiful.

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  40. The time after my death. I honestly don't know what to think about the time after my death because I would rather lead a life presently than continue to think about things that are past my time even though I am trying to better the world for the future in the present.

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    1. I don't think about it either, it's kind of weird to think about.

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  41. There are many things I could do with the power of invisibility, but very few I would do. One thing I might do is to serve the country as a stealth unit, a spy, or an assassin.

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    1. I agree, but I don't think many people would be able to do so.

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  42. I'm I could get away with lying, cheating, and stealing, I would probably use it to some degree. Sometimes i believe these things are necessary in which cases I would most definitely use that ability. However, it would bother me to some degree that I had done it even though it was for a good, justifiable reason.

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    1. I agree, it would bother me too, if I did wrong.

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  43. What motivates me to do my best? I really don't know. I have no ultimate goal. I would like to become a neurosurgeon and help others, but I don't need that to be happy. If I would have to pinpoint some kind of motivator, it would have to be my loved ones because I really have no others besides the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.

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  44. Who can you think of in our society who "by virtue of their personal advantages, wear a kind of Ring of Gyges" and get away with things the rest of us don't?
    Well, I would have to say anyone with the right connections and enough money. Mainly rich people or government officials.

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  45. H1
    DQ: •Have you visited the Parthenon (either in Athens or in Nashville)? What did you think?
    I've been there twice, and I thought it was very interesting. My only disappointment with it was that it isn't constructed of marble, and it's porous surface doesn't have the gleam and wealth of that more beautiful stone. I enjoyed the statues on the inside, and I think it's a great construction. It's random and marvelous.

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  46. H1
    DQ:•Should we have better architecture?
    Yes we should. Buildings should be designed with more in mind than a concrete square with a few holes for windows. Architecture the landscape of urban nature, and cities should be made beautiful. Living in loveliness raises the quality of life, leaves marks from previous generations, and builds a record of the tastes and abilities of the day.

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    1. I agree, living in loveliness raises the quality of life.

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  47. H1
    DQ: •Do you think about the time after your death as unreal? Why or why not?
    I think the world will continue on without me quite well, and have never had difficulties understanding of emotionally dealing with that. I believe that if death were a thing that frightened me, then the idea of it would lead me to seek solace in narcissistic ideas.

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  48. H1
    DQ: Does you personally "oscillate" between the Greek and Hebrew approaches to "mattering," or do you side strictly with one or the other? Why?
    I side with the Hebrew approach; I believe in the God of the Hebrews, and I believe that he has created meaning and mattering. I believe that I should accomplish good, and strive for the best, but I don't believe that is what make me worth anything. I don't think renown or stories about me after my death make any change on my self.

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  49. H1
    DQ:•Can you live a distinguished, virtuous and an unsung and humble life?
    Yes. In fact, I think that most virtue of the world is unsung, and all of it ought to be humble. If a billionaire gives $30 million to a charity, and a poor man gives $300 dollars, these donations could be equal as a percent of the person's income. One donation might be larger, but they would be equally virtuous, as showing an equal dedication to the greater good over their personal gain.

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  50. Christian Brooks (H3)12:30 PM CST

    “Have you ever visited the Parthenon in Athens or in Nashville? If so, what did you think of it?”
    I have been on the outside of the one in Nashville, but I have not yet been inside it. Its scale and presence was impressive, though it would not look nearly as professional with the ancient Greek practice of painting it all in vibrant colors.

    “Should we have better architecture?”
    If the architecture resulted in a more structurally sound building, then I believe we should put in the extra money for it. Other official buildings should also have a more impressive architectural presence, but that is more for prestige and distinction that anything else.

    “Can you live a distinguished, virtuous and an unsung and humble life?”
    Unless an onlooker is there to spread the word of one’s accomplishments everyone will have an unsung life. There are everyday heroes that we will never hear about because there isn’t a bard to let us know of their story.

    “What would or should you do with the power of invisibility?”
    I believe that such an extraordinary ability should be used for good or for personal recreation. If the ability comes from a scientific source then it should be used to skip the amount of time it would take technology to achieve its function; however, if the effect is purely magical then it would be best to make recreational use of it, like avoiding ex-girlfriends or startling your boyfriend.

    “If you knew you could always get away with lying, stealing, cheating etc., would you?”
    I believe most people would make use of it until their conscience catches up to them. Such an ability would be too irresistible for most humans, though its power would begin to take its toll on many individuals.

    “What motivates you to do your best, to live up to your potential?”
    What drives me to live up to my potential is to avoid disappointment, in myself and from my peers, and the sense of satisfaction gained from accomplishment. Unfortunately, I do not think I will ever live up to my full potential due to my lack of self-discipline; pleasing myself with laziness now is more appealing than the payoff later from not being lazy.

    “Are cultures that pride themselves on being "sprung from the earth" they occupy more likely to be hostile to other cultures and to immigrants? Are they more likely to respect indigenous peoples?”
    In theory I believe that is the case, though from anecdotes I have listened to the respect is only inwards rather than towards the original inhabitants. Pride comes from within and is directed inward, so such a culture, as far as I can theorize, is fated to only build itself up for its own sake.

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  51. (H3) I think we have gotten to the point where constructing one building is no longer a lifetime project. In fact, I have seen houses erected in one week, from an empty lot to a furnished house. Since time and inadequate tools are no longer an issue, we should have better architecture. Break the mold. Create something that draws the eye, that evokes emotion. Don't build a four-wall structure, create a place to think, to further knowledge and human development.

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  52. (H3) I haven't had the chance to visit the Parthenon in either location. I would love to visit both in the near future. I have studied it in multiple classes and would rank it high on my list of must sees. Its beauty and power are profound. So many people have walked through the grand structure and it would be an honor to walk in their footsteps.

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  53. (H3) I think I would choose a short but extraordinary life. In my opinion, it is better to take advantage of every second and take risks than to be cautious and not really live. Life is fleeting already; I'd rather enjoy and make the most of every second. I believe most celebrities live notorious, highly publicized lives rather than extraordinary lives. Just because someone is in the news doesn't make that person news-worthy.

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  54. I've been to the Parthenon in Nashville. My middle school had field trips there through our history class. Even as a replica, the architecture was amazing, and it definitely brought the feelings of awe like the original. I don't think I appreciated it as much back then. A lot of people mainly focused on the fact that the first percy jackson movie was filmed there.

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  55. I think we should have better architecture. It's much easier to have uniform, functional buildings, but we need more inspiration from the buildings we spend so much time in.

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    1. Agreed, staring at blank, plain walls all day is very unproductive, even the game the Sims understands this.

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  56. (H3) I think it is very possible to live a distinguished, virtuous and an unsung and humble life. Every year we have new stories in the news about unsung heroes from the past. During there lives, they did what they did because it was right not to get their name in the paper. Seeking attention was not their motive, it was being a decent human being. There was a story I read about a woman who snuck hundreds of children out of concentration camps over several years, risking her life each time. She did this to help, not for fame.

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  57. Living a short and extraordinary life sounds more virtuous, but it does sound like a false dilemma. Does it say less about people who are just living day to day? You can live a long ordinary life but have taken extraordinary actions. Celebrities don't necessarily live extraordinary lives. They are just well-known.

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  58. (H3) I think, if you had the power of invisibility, you would be inclined to use this power selflessly and without harming others. There is such a range of tasks that could benefit from this skill, it would be hard to find the ethical do-not-cross line, but it must be respected.

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    1. Agreed, I would probably just not use it because I would play jokes on all those who bullied me... So it's best not to have that temptation.

      Delete
  59. Can you live a distinguished, virtuous and an unsung and humble life?
    Those who do are definitely well-respected to me. If you live virtuously without seeking acknowledgment, you are being virtuous to be virtuous, not for approval.

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    1. I agree with you completely, if you live virtuously without seeking acknowledgement, you are being virtuous to be virtuous, not for approval.

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  60. If you knew you could always get away with lying, stealing, cheating etc., would you? Would it bother you to know that you were an inveterate liar, theif, cheater...?Even if I could always get away with it, I wouldn't. Having the power of invisibility shouldn't change a person's moral standing.

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  61. (H3) Even if I could get away with it, I don't see the purpose in lying, stealing, and cheating. They are short-term fixes to long-term problems. Why would I lie? If I don't want to tell the truth, I would just walk away. I have nothing I need to hide behind a veil of lies. Why would I steal? I have everything I want/need and the means and skills to get whatever I would want later. Why would I cheat? It only hurts me because I don't have the skills/information I will need later on.

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  62. What motivates you to do your best, to live up to your potential? Do you pursue a Platonic ideal of excellence? Do you try to achieve constant improvement and a new "personal best"? Do you try to measure up to your own standards? Or do you only work for external rewards?
    What motivates me to do better is the fear of not getting better. I want to grow and learn. I try to measure up to my own standards and aim for constant improvement. I think we all set goals to become better versions of ourselves.

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    1. (H3) Fear is an excellent motivator. Instead of letting it stop you cold, let it inspire you to overcome that fear and become a better version of yourself. Everyone is afraid of something, but it is what we do with that fear that distinguishes the greats from the average.

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  63. (H3) I motivate myself to be the best I can be. I know who I want to be and what I want to do. I give a 110% because what's the point of doing anything if you don't give it your all. I am constantly changing and holding myself to higher standards. Like Matthew McConaughey said in his acceptance speech, my hero is always me 10 years from now. I will never reach/exceed my hero, but I will always have someone to chase, to strive to be.

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  64. (H3) I think that those who are autochthonous are a bit more protective, territorial, of their land and their ancestral connection to it. It is not just soil to them; it is their history, their lives. They may possess a superiority complex to immigrants and visitors. However, I think they may find common ground, pun intended, when it comes to understanding and respecting indigenous peoples. They both share a strong connection to their respective lands.

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  65. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  66. Are cultures that pride themselves on being "sprung from the earth" they occupy more likely to be hostile to other cultures and to immigrants? Are they more likely to respect indigenous peoples?
    If pride motivates them, then I think they will likely be more hostile to other cultures and indigenous people. In the past, indigenous cultures were assimilated. Some missions to other countries try to make indigenous cultures adopt a different religion. Today, there are instances of cultural appropriation, where there is ignorance in inappropriately using meaningful objects of other cultures.

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  67. DQ: Have you visited the Parthenon (either in Athens or in Nashville)? What did you think?
    Answer: No, but my grandparents visited the one in Athens a few months ago. I saw the pictures nd it was absolutely beautiful.

    DQ: Should we have better architecture?
    Answer: Definitely- or at the very least smarter architecture that is more likely to withstand natural phenomena, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. My sister lives in North Carolina, and her house was demolished in the hurricane a few weeks ago. If her house had been better built, then she may still have a home.

    DQ: Would you prefer to live a long and ordinary life or a short and extraordinary one? Is this a false dilemma? Do celebrities in our time live extraordinary lives, or just notorious ones?
    Answer: I would prefer to live a ‘long and ordinary’ life, when what’s considered ordinary for most feels extraordinary to me. I’ve spoken on this before, that what I think is a perfect life does not match most people’s opinions. But, if I was to answer the question as it was intended, then I chose short and extraordinary, because to me that’s the only life worth living.


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  68. DQ: Do you think about the time after your death as unreal? Why or why not?
    Answer: I try not to think about the afterlife, because all we can do is guess and assume. There’s no way for anyone to truly know, and rove, what the afterlife entails, if it even exists. So for me, I chose to live in the now and take life, death, and the possibility of afterlife, as it comes.

    DQ: Can you live a distinguished, virtuous and an unsung and humble life?
    Answer: To me, that’s just a huge oxymoron, meaning that no, I don’t believe you can. While you have to have something to be humble about, it can’t be unsung and distinguished at the same time.

    DQ: What would or should you do with the power of invisibility?
    Answer: Use it only at times when it could benefit others, and not yourself. If your goal is to use the power wisely, it’s best use is to help others not to gain, but be better for the lack of a better term.

    DQ: If you knew you could always get away with lying, stealing, cheating etc., would you? Would it bother you to know that you were an inveterate liar, theif, cheater...?
    Answer: I want to say no because I’d like to think myself better than that, but I believe everyone has done something immoral. However, the draw to such actions is often the fear and adrenaline provided by the possibility of getting caught. So, while getting away with everything sounds enticing, it is most likely to get old fairly quickly.

    DQ: What motivates you to do your best, to live up to your potential? Do you pursue a Platonic ideal of excellence? Do you try to achieve constant improvement and a new "personal best"? Do you try to measure up to your own standards? Or do you only work for external rewards?
    Answer: There are a lot of thoughts that immediately came to the forefront of my mind after reading this question, including: parents, career, future, possible family, etc. But I’m not sure any of those quite fit, so I have no answer to this question, because I’m still trying to figure it out for myself


    DQ: Is "exceptionalism" - Athenian, American, whatever - ever warranted?
    Answer: Of course. Part of being a human is being unique. There is never a person who has the exact same history, ideas, or beliefs. These differences are part of what make us who we are, on an individual level as well as in groups.

    DQ: Are cultures that pride themselves on being "sprung from the earth" they occupy more likely to be hostile to other cultures and to immigrants? Are they more likely to respect indigenous peoples?
    Answer: I think they’re more likely to be one extreme or the other. They are definitely more territorial and defensive about their culture/beliefs. However, this doesn’t automatically mean that they’re accepting or unaccepting of others.

    DQ: Who can you think of in our society who "by virtue of their personal advantages, wear a kind of Ring of Gyges" and get away with things the rest of us don't?
    Answer: Politics and celebrities, no question. Both groups are constantly in the spotlight for various reasons. This often means they can get away with smaller things that others can’t. I think this is wrong and corrupt, but there has yet to be a solution.

    DQ: What do you think of Americans (or other nationals) who have a Glaucon-like "presumption" and "complacency" about being "great" (or "great again")?
    Answer: I’m not sure how to answer this question, but I will shortly address the Trump reference. Being born in America, and therefore all of the perks that go along with it, is a gift, not a given right. People who see themselves as superior based only on where they live and the benefits of such area are just the opposite. I would write more on this, but this issue truly bothers me and I’d rather not start a debate.

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  69. I have not gone to the Parthenon, but I believe I will be when I go to Europe this up coming summer.

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  70. We should have better architecture, it helps increase peoples creativity and it makes you appreciate the buildings more so there would be less graffiti on buildings.

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  71. I don’t think about the time after my life as unreal, I know that whether I’m here on Earth breathing or not time will go on. While that may be hard to comprehend, I still think of it as real.

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  72. I think you can. All those people who give up their lives to help others, without trying to get credit and praise for doing so.

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  73. With the power of invisibility you should do something to make the world a better place, maybe watch criminals and tip off police or something like that.

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  74. Do you think about the time after your death as unreal? Why or why not? 128

    I don't think about the time after my death as unreal, because I'm logical enough to know that time will indeed go on after my death. I don't view my death as some kind of transition into some transcendent realm, it's literally death. The end of life. It's the halting of biological processes and nothing more. The energy contained in my body at the time of my death will be expended into the world through various methods of diffusion and I will be no longer. This process, however, will not deplete the reality of the world. It will change nothing other than the functioning of my body, which has no impact on the realism of the world or time. (H2)

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  75. I agree with Achilles decision to live a short, extraordinary life over a long, ordinary one. I don't necessarily think that being extraordinary involves the material luxuries or popularity of being a celebrity, but rather anything that deepens your experience of life. Anything that can help you better understand the world outside of its ordinary context of everyday life is something extraordinary. I think that kind of life is worth living, even if only for a short time.

    (H2)

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  76. I visited the Parthenon in Nashville a few years ago and remember being amazed by its proportions. I couldn't begin to fathom how they stood those heavy columns so upright or how long it took to do the intricate carvings it's embellished with. I also remember wondering if the people who built it were giants because all the door ways and ceilings were so tall and grand.

    (H2)

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  77. I have been to the Parthenon in Nashville. It was several years ago but I loved the experience. There was art work like none I had ever seen and the size amazed me. I plan on going back now that I am old enough to appreciate the experience past the eye pleasing aspects.

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  78. I do not want either a long and ordinary or short and extraordinary life. I want a long life that eventually achieves an extraordinary status before I peril. To me an extraordinary life is one that has yielded betterment in the world at large.

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  79. I think invisibility is deadly in most hands. It gives people the notion that no one knows the wrong doings that you commit and that you will not be judged for them. Very few individuals would be as "good" as they are if there was no fer of judgement and punishment from their peers. I do not know what I would even need an invisibility cloak for. There are several good things I think it could be used for, but those good actions are not within my reach to do.

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  80. I have saw the Parthenon in Nashville and it was incredible in the eighth grade we went while we where studying Greek mythology it was incredible to see the majestic building techniques employed by the Greeks likewise it was amazing to find out how mathematically correct the original Parthenon was so advanced in fact that the new Parthenon could hardly match it.

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  81. I have never been able to just lie, cheat, steal, or break any rules. I have on occasion broken small "policies" but even when that happens I feel great guilt and dread. As a child I was never able to lie to my father, or to even keep to myself what I had done wrong because it maade me feel miserable.

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  82. we should most definantly have better architecture the Greeks and romans where building things that we struggle to or cant build today many thousands of years ago you would think with all of the technology that we have today we could do even more things then what they could.

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  83. this is a false dilemma and might even be considered to be directly wrong some people that I have felt have lived the most incredible lives live for many years and get to experience so much more however logically speaking it would make sense that people who are dare devils and have a love for adrenalin would not live as long because they put themselves in deadly situations.

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  84. Well from a platonic point of view our existence after death would actually be more real then what we see and feel today. I although think Plato was a idiot that he might have been on to something here that once we leave the limitations of the human body we will truly see what is real and what is not.

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  85. I fully believe that you can live the best kind of life in a nearly solitary way. I believe this because I see very few people of fame that have very low morals and is see many solitary people that are of the most morally correct that I could imagine. I believe that people in a way want to see bad things (actually that's been proven that's why people slow down next to a wreck) so people who are of good will generally are not seen.

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  86. With the power of invisibility I can not lie and say I would not take advantage of it I would see things that I probably not see and I would do things that I should not do. The right thing to do with the power of invisibility is to do as Plato would say and not use it if you do something just because you can not seen most likely means that you are ashamed of whatever it is that you are doing. If you are ashamed of what you are doing then it is most likely against your or society's morals.

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  87. exceptionalism is never warranted however it can not be helped it comes down to the individual and do to the humans desire to reproduce (which is necessary) males and females alike try to make themselves more appealing to the opposite sex your are trying to make your self exceptional compared to others. I believe that it can be less and more common in animals and that homosapians do not do it more or less then any other creatures

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  88. There is know one that I believe should have the power of invisibility there is no person that is perfect and is not tempted by wrong doing there for the only people that I think I could entrust the ring of gigs to are the ones who would immediately through it away.

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  89. I think if we began to focus on having better architecture everywhere it would lose it's meaning. Thought provoking architecture would become normal and ever present and humanity would habituate to it.

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  90. H2

    I think that many people here are not being true to their inheritance. Meaning, not being honest about the things they would truly do (acts they yearn for) if they had the Ring of Gyles. We are born out of anarchy and with anarchy in our cells but into a world that tries to control and derail such anarchy, such inheritance. These people want to appeal to the populous and be liked by all. Thus, they say what they know their peers would see as "good."
    Me? I would use the ring not only for "good" things but also for "bad" things. I wont lie about the nature of our soul.

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    1. Just like the people that say the wouldn't steal, lie or cheat. Really? If you take several minutes to think this through you will realize that that statement isn't true. What I think (and I'm certain of) is that you mean to say, "I don't *like* to steal, lie or cheat." That rephrasing opens way to the truth that you have done so in the past AND might do so again in the future. You cant say you wont steal, lie or cheat because, by nature, you most likely will, or at the least, there is the possibility for said actions... always.
      Just think of your family or loved ones. You would steal, lie and/or cheat for their sake.

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  91. (H2)Have you visited the Parthenon (either in Athens or in Nashville)? What did you think?
    I have been to the Parthenon in Nashville. It was a part of a school trip in middle school. I'll admit that it didn't fill me with any sort of appreciation for human greatness. It might have been because it wasn't the real Parthenon.

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  92. if I knew I could get away with lying and cheating I still would not. I tried lying when I was little, but as I'm sure a lot you know mom always finds out. Ever since then it has been something that has been morally ingrained to me that it is wrong. if I did not have this moral leader in my life there is no telling what I would have ended up choosing

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  93. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  94. Christian Brooks (H3)11:46 AM CST

    Our peripatetic group discussed whether we would prefer to live short and gloriously or vice versa. We also debated on what constitutes a glorious life and what that means in the modern day compared to ancient Greece.

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  95. H1
    In our peripatetic discussion we discussed the Ring of Gyges. All of us decided that one delightful use of it would be to use it while driving; all the speed with none of the tickets.

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