Up@dawn 2.0

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Goals


"A yes, a no, a straight line, a goal," was Nietzsche's "formula" of happiness...

Not that it worked out all that well for him - but you'll do better, you're less misanthropic and more committed to human flourishing for all. And you've learned to include, with your yeses and your noes, a possibly (better than maybe) and an I don't know.  

"Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact." Possibly. 

So, good luck with your goals! Looking forward to seeing some of you in Bioethics, Happiness, Atheism, or (if you want to discuss an Independent Readings course) you name it.

Parting words

I like to close each semester with a parting thought from Albert Einstein: "The important thing is not to stop asking questions."

Another important thing, noted by him and by fictional Alaskan radio star Chris ("Chris in the Morning") Stevens* (and too little appreciated by the Ayn Randians among us):
Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men — above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellowmen, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received. Living Philosophies (1931) 
And finally, a peripatetic message (peripatetics can also ride):

Image result for einstein bicycle

It's absurd to follow Einstein with Allen, I know, but 
There's an old joke. Uh, two elderly women are at a Catskills mountain resort, and one of 'em says: "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know, and such ... small portions." Well, that's essentially how I feel about life. Full of loneliness and misery and suffering and unhappiness, and it's all over much too quickly. Annie Hall [senior version]
Our course has not been full of suffering and unhappiness (I hope!), but it's definitely over much too quickly.

And remember Dr. Flicker's advice: Don't stop doing your homework, and enjoy yourself while you're here!

Of course I must give our paradoxical last words to William James
"There is no conclusion. What has concluded, that we might conclude in regard to it? There are no fortunes to be told, and there is no advice to be given. Farewell!"
Actually that's wrong, Einstein's advice is strong. Curiosity and the questioning life are their own reward, the way to untold fortune. Good luck, all!
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*Northern Exposure “Lost and Found” (S3E17)
Image result for chris in the morning

P.S. Chris also said "Be open to your dreams, people. Embrace that distant shore, because our mortal journey is over all too soon." (3/21, "It Happened in Juneau").

Speaking of dreams: I suggest continuing your study of philosophy with The Dream of Reason and The Dream of Enlightenment by Anthony Gottlieb (the third projected Dream volume is still forthcoming)... and a new book just out, Walking: One A Step at a Time by Erlin Kagge. Keep moving!

P.P.S. Remember what Murfreesboro's own Grantland Rice said (if everyone did, we'd have no scorecard shenanigans):

“For when the One Great Scorer comes
To mark against your name,
He writes - not that you won or lost -
But HOW you played the Game.


Image result for grantland rice historical plaque
At the corner of Spring and College in Murfreesboro

How you play matters most, whether you believe in "the One Great Scorer" or not. Real winners play with integrity, by the rules.

FYI: the failure of a few to play our scorecard game honorably this semester has resulted in significant rules changes that will strengthen the course in the future, as detailed in the revised "Course Requirements" for Fall '19 below. Thanks to all who did play honestly by the old rules. More useful advice: live and learn, and change when appropriate.

Hope to see some of you in Philosophy of Happiness next Fall, and Atheism and Philosophy next Spring. If you know any Masters candidates, please tell them about my summer course Identity and Truth.*

Walk on!

(Don't forget to post those final report drafts ASAP.)
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Coming Summer '19: MALA 6030, Topics in Culture and Ideas: Identity and Truth.Philosophy's perennial questions surrounding issues of personal and communal identity (Who and what am I, who are we, how do we understand continuous identity through change, does the public interest transcend individual rights, what do we owe one another, to whom and to what should we direct our ultimate allegiance...) are joined in our time by pressing questions about our commitment to truth, facts, and reality as something independent of partisan or "tribal" membership in parties, sects, and states. This course explores such questions, in the context of the thesis that a more cosmopolitan ("citizen of the world") identity is crucial to reclaiming civility and honesty in our public discourse. Texts includeIdentity: A Very Short Introduction (Coulmas); The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity (Appiah)The I in Team: Sports Fandom and the Reproduction of Identity (Tarver); On Bullshit (Frankfurt)...
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Include links

F 26 - Final report blog post (final draft) due. Remember to include links to at least two classmates' final reports on which you've commented. And, if your report is a continuation of your midterm topic, include a link to it as well.

And: by link I don't just mean a list. Please link your text directly to the post(s) you commented on, so we can go to them in a click.

Metaphysics: FINAL BLOGPOST




Metaphysics is a study of existence and understanding the “real” nature of things. The word means “what comes after physics”. It is a wonder of why and what is anything and everything. It consists of many questions for example; what is causality, what is time, is there such a thing as free will, what is a substance. Native Americans believed that everything had a meaning and everything happened for a reason. This ancient belief suggests that when a creature from the animal, bird, or insect world shows itself to you, either in reality or from the dream realm, they are there to offer you guidance. They also used objects to help them connect to a spiritual or higher being. This could either help them through a hard time or protect them from evil. They strongly believed that everything has a meaning and a message and nothing is ever as it seems.

            People who wonder and contemplate on a reason of human existence. Metaphysics is closely related to ontology. There are many more concepts of ontology because this is one of the most active areas of metaphysics. Metaphysics studies the general nature of things, ontology studies and concentrates on the idea of being or existing. Ontology asks the question of “what”, while metaphysics asks the question of “how”. Metaphysics is such a broad spectrum, it makes it more difficult to define a certain beginning. The term metaphysics comes from a man by the name of Aristotle. Even though he coined the term, he was certainly not the first person to raise metaphysical questions. Greek philosophers developed all sorts metaphysical theories. The Greeks theorized on the four elements, earth, water, air, and fire.

            The Scientific Revolution had a fairly large impact on the way we think about metaphysics. Many early scientists learned that they could understand the world much more clearly and effectively by only believing in ideas which could be tested and then be proven. People in this day and age unfortunately misunderstand and believe science is a type of faith in the material existence in denial of an immaterial existence. Many scientists do believe only in material existence, but this is only because scientists like to test and prove things. As an immaterial existence is difficult to prove, most scientists do not believe in it. Once the scientific method was introduced, scientists believed it was obvious that you cannot be sure of anything beyond the degree of which it can be tested and proven. This is why many people have rejected the idea of religious belief.

            Even though metaphysics is very difficult to define, many people create their own philosophy of what they believe is “real”. People act and participate in metaphysics without acknowledgement of metaphysics. It is a commonly ignored philosophy but is heavily philosophized by many people. People philosophize about themselves, their lives, their planet, their pets, and many other things that make up our existence. Most people ask the question of “why” or “how” which metaphysics consists.

WILLIAM PIERCE- FINAL REPORT BLOG-SIR FRANCIS BACON

Philosophy Final Blog Report:

Sir Francis Bacon




Sir Francis Bacon was a 17th-century philosopher who is remembered as an English lawyer, statesman, philosopher, and scholar. Born January 22, 1561, in London, he was the son of the lord keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon, and responsible for the Great Seal of England.  He attended Trinity College in Cambridge yet poor health hindered his education. It was here where his learned and disputed Aristotelian philosophy.
In 1576 Bacon was invited to study at London’s Gray’s Inn, which was one of the four Inns of Court that served as institutions for legal education. He eventually worked his way up the “corporate ladder” so to speak, to become a member of the queen’s counsel and eventually the attorney general. He was very successful as a lawyer but the career path did not fulfill his philosophical and political aspirations. (Mid-term Blog post)
After Bacon’s fall from political power, he became fascinated with literacy and scientific discovery. Within the final five years of his life, he composed most of his work: The New Atlantis- regarding a vision for the future and The Great Instauration- a renewal of the scientific world.  Bacon was an empiricist philosopher who was fixated on the natural world. In contrast to the doctrines of Aristotle and Plato, Bacon's viewpoint emphasized experimentation and interaction, creating "the commerce of the mind with things.". Because of these experimentations, Bacon is partially notarized as one of the fathers of the Scientific Method. He also differentiated between duty to the community (an ethical matter) and duty to God (a religious matter).  Bacon states, “Humans tend to notice instances that confirm their prior superstitions and opinions and ignore ones that do not confirm.”