Writing Across Cultures

Let's continue our reading of Pirandello's 6 Characters in Search of an Author . The father of modern philosophy, Rene Descartes lived from 1596-1650, and revolutionized the world with his ideas about life and science. The Method of Doubt: Descartes was trying to separate truth from skepticism . How can we believe anything to be true? By using his method of doubt , he proposes or posits that we can use the exaggerated idea that we can doubt everything. By using skeptical arguments, we end with the idea that perhaps the whole world is just a dream or illusion, as it can be doubted that the universe really exists. After all, we can't trust our senses. Perhaps God made us prone to error in our reasoning. Or perhaps there is no God, which suggests that we are imperfect creations on our own. He then uses the idea that perhaps a demon is deceiving us. If we can answer the question "Could a demon be making me believe this even though it was false?" to everything w...

This morning, please take the first 20-30 minutes to write. You should be using one of the philosophers' ideas from your handouts to create a writing piece. Near the end of 1st period, we will switch to Descartes by answering the following question(s) in a reflective prompt: Do I exist? How do I know I exist? Does the world exist? How do I know the world exists? How do I know I (or anything else) is alive? How can I know for certain anything? The Matrix clip The Matrix clip #2 The Matrix bullet scene Inception (explanation) Descartes: 3 minute philosophy During 2nd period, we will pick up the play 6 Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello and return to room 238 to read it together. HOMEWORK: Read the handouts on Descartes. We'll talk more about him next class.

This morning, let's chat about the Symposium . Before we do: take a few minutes with the poem prompt and write. What is love? The Greek philosopher Plato wrote two dialogues about the nature of love. Let's analyze The Symposium . Aristodemus to Apollodorus Phaedrus Pausanias Eryximachus Aristophanes Agathon Socrates through Diotima Alcibiades The Origin of Love In the lab, use homework to pick some aspect of philosophy to write about or use as a prompt. You may choose any genre or length: poem, essay, story, scene, etc. Incorporate your understanding or comment about the philosopher and his ideas in your work. A draft of this is due when you return from break. HOMEWORK: Complete your philosophical writing piece.

This morning during period one, please move ahead and complete a workshoppable draft of your adventure stories. During 2nd period, you will have an opportunity to share these with others. Adventure stories are also found in popular culture. Here's the popular and weird adventure time series. Also today in the lab, please conduct any of the following tasks: Read the packet of philosophers (this was homework for the Greek thinkers, this is homework for the Renaissance philosophers: Machiavelli, Bacon, Hobbes, Locke, and Pascal) Choose one of the Renaissance philosophers and conduct an idea rake (see graphic organizer). Turn this in next class (actually, we will use it in a writing prompt).  I realized I didn't print out the info on Thomas Aquinas. He's important. Here you go. Read him. Complete The Symposium. Be prepared to discuss your chosen character's dialogue or speech. Come Friday willing to think about love. 3 minute philosophies: John Locke Th...

This morning, let's continue our philosophy with one of the greatest philosophers ever known: Plato . We will also take a look at a few other very important and influential philosophers: Pythagoras , Heraclitus , Socrates , and, of course, Aristotle . Epicurus and Zeno are also covered here . Since we've been talking about God, you can revisit St. Thomas Aquinas . Plato was born around 427 BCE in Athens, Greece. He died in 347 BCE. He was a student of Socrates, and a teacher of Aristotle. He founded the Academy, a school in Greece. He is best known for his dialogues: The Apology The Phaedo The Crito The Republic (watch an animated version of The Allegory of the Cave voiced by Orson Welles) The Symposium He helped the human race discuss universals and the ideal, many of his ideas setting the groundwork for philosophers after him. Learn more about Plato here at this link . Please read and consider how you might use some of Plato's ideas in a poem, story, scene...

This morning, please take the first period to work on your adventure stories. During 2nd period: Create a posit (a statement you think is true), premise, statement, etc. about the nature of God (i.e., what is God?) Use the flow chart graphic organizer to place clarifying conditions on your statement. Use "If...then..." conditional statements to ground and support your posit logically. Share one:one; if you find someone with the same idea or answer, make a group and move together to the next individual or group and compare answers. Join them if your statement is similar; keep moving until all statements have been examined and you are in groups or alone.  Then, let's discuss. Many, many philosophers have debated and analyzed and posited statements about the existence, structure, composition, reality, or possibility of the concept of God. Here are a few important major arguments: Teleological or Design Argument: the complexity and "perfect-ness" of al...

Summarize the plot of the chapter you signed up for in The Epic of Gilgamesh . Analyze the adventure genre aspects of the chapter. How might you create a premise or allude to this text in a creative work? Your summary should include an answer to: 1. Who does the chapter involve (which characters)? 2. What is the goal or task given to the protagonist? 3. Who or what stands in Gilgamesh's way? 4. How does Gilgamesh conquer or overcome this obstacle? Then, it's off to the lab for the following research & tasks: Read the handout on philosophy and take notes on the basics of philosophy at this link.  As you read, consider what value the study (and/or pursuit) of knowledge might gain the human race. Before you run off and become a lawyer or scientist or journalist or gas station attendant, you may consider the broader question of "why learn anything?" or "What use is knowing how to think?"   Yes, you might not get a job just because you majore...