Philosophy
Let's end the week of questions with a Halloween special from Aurora Geoes to Washington:
That's mine. Others?
- Why Did We Ignore The Miliraty-industrial Canaries?
We took the kids to see the revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying last weekend. A light, funny comedy, I could not help but think about the connection between our current economic crisis and Eisenhower's farewell address that...
- Were The 80s A Cultural Wasteland?
Had my 8 a.m. Logic class translating dialogue from Casablanca into first order predicate logic the other day and then Confused, Maybe Not pops into the office and we started talking about the cultural legacy of decades. When we turned to our decade,...
- Debunking The "naturalistic" Argument Against Gay Marriage, Part Ii
Yesterday we began considering the argument that one hears from gay marriage opponents that the state should not grant equal rights to gay and lesbian couples because being gay is immoral due to its unnaturalness. The argument has two steps: 1) Homosexuality...
- The Blue (but Not The Brown) Books
The unexamined life is not living, but is the unexamined course worth giving? Is there any value in giving in-class blue book exams in philosophy? Let's exclude logic and critical thinking, what is the advantage to timed exams? I give exams, but...
- Is Being Really Good At Math A Power Or A Skill?
There's a scene in the film "Stranger Than Fiction" in which the main character is having dinner with a friend and asks what the friend would do if he he knew he would die soon. In negotiating the terms of this hypothetical, the friend asks if he...
Philosophy
Boo Who?
Let's end the week of questions with a Halloween special from Aurora Geoes to Washington:
What is it that we should be scared of the most? And of course, why should this be our biggest fear?The answer, of course, is contextual. If you are one of my logic students, then exam 3 on first-order predicate logic up through relations would likely top the list. For the rest of us, it's the twin meltdowns of the economy and the polar ice caps. Bad economic times means the large scale chipping away of (a) the sense of security that is more conducive to a life lived beyond present and basic pressing needs and allows us to occupy a space where we can more easily live deeper and meaningful lives for ourselves and others, and (b) actual security in terms of increased crime and desparation which brings out the worst in us. Global warming will only exacerbate this by (a) creating more natural catastrophes whose aftermaths we will be in a less favorable situaiton to deal with, not to mention in an emotional bunker where we will be less likely to be moved to help, and (b) causing problems with water which will give rise to additional geopolitical stressors.
That's mine. Others?
- Why Did We Ignore The Miliraty-industrial Canaries?
We took the kids to see the revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying last weekend. A light, funny comedy, I could not help but think about the connection between our current economic crisis and Eisenhower's farewell address that...
- Were The 80s A Cultural Wasteland?
Had my 8 a.m. Logic class translating dialogue from Casablanca into first order predicate logic the other day and then Confused, Maybe Not pops into the office and we started talking about the cultural legacy of decades. When we turned to our decade,...
- Debunking The "naturalistic" Argument Against Gay Marriage, Part Ii
Yesterday we began considering the argument that one hears from gay marriage opponents that the state should not grant equal rights to gay and lesbian couples because being gay is immoral due to its unnaturalness. The argument has two steps: 1) Homosexuality...
- The Blue (but Not The Brown) Books
The unexamined life is not living, but is the unexamined course worth giving? Is there any value in giving in-class blue book exams in philosophy? Let's exclude logic and critical thinking, what is the advantage to timed exams? I give exams, but...
- Is Being Really Good At Math A Power Or A Skill?
There's a scene in the film "Stranger Than Fiction" in which the main character is having dinner with a friend and asks what the friend would do if he he knew he would die soon. In negotiating the terms of this hypothetical, the friend asks if he...