A Philosopher President?

Thought this was an interesting article considering our last dicussion on philosopher kings...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/books/28klopp.html?_r=3&src=me&ref=general

The Good

After having discussed the true nature of the philosopher Socrates now turns to their absolute concern: the study of the Good. To be sure though, upon being questioned Socrates admits that he cannot tell his comrades exactly what the Good is. In light of this inablity though he says that he can at least attempt to discuss an offspring of the good.

So for this blog, tell me what he offers as a likeness of the Good. Be sure to explain how it works and how this offspring helps us understand the Good itself. Futhermore, for those adventurous sorts give me your own analogy of the good. What do you think it is in itself or is like?

Cheers and Happy Halloween,
Dr. Layne

Hate Speech, Pornography, and the Ring of Invisibility

I am posting a blog right now. Because I am registered under a class, my name is displayed; however, many blogs allow total anonymity. Internet users all over the world utilize this anonymity to spew racist, sexist, creedist, or homophobic content onto the web.

Internet pornography viewing is on the rise in recent decades. Previously, an individual would need to enter into a pornographic/ adult store, wearing the only face that they have, and purchase content that depicts their sexual fantasies/fetishes/preferences, all the while surrounded by other individuals who can see you. Increasingly, individuals are gaining home access to computers & internet, thus allowing for anonymity while viewing/selecting sexual content.

My point is this: the internet is the Ring of Invisibility. We elect to turn it inward or outward. And we all have the option to use it to do things we would otherwise not do out of fear of public shame. This is slightly different than actual invisibility, in that you cannot kill someone, steal something (except for copyrighted materials such as music) or perform an elaborate prank. My rhetorical questions are: how far have you taken your invisibility? What moral lines have you crossed? Does invisibility diminish all sense of right and wrong for pleasure and satisfaction, or do we operate within a framework, though with a little more freedom than we would normally act? Or maybe the morals vanish overtime, and we have only had the internet for a short time?

City Soul Analogy

In the second half of Book II Socrates makes a stunning analogy. He argues that to understand justice in the individual soul one can turn to justice on a larger scale in the state. Thus in describing his state, he also describes the soul and churns out a simple construct of individuals who do there own work and function well together before turning to a "luxurious state/soul" where war and strife abound and guardians are needed.

So in the vein of Socrates let us now turn to ourselves and the city within:

Describe the kind of city that may adequately reflect your own soul or character? That is, if there was a city that best resembled yourself what would it look like?

The Ring of Gyges

So if you had a ring of invisibility, would you still behave ethically or would you do as you "pleased"? Be sure to explain/justify your answer.

Cartography as a Worldview?

I just saw this fun gallery and thought of you guys.

http://www.edge.org/documents/Edge-Serpentine-MapsGallery/index.html

Hope studying is going well,
Dr. Layne

Prometheus and Bob

In between reviewing for our Midterm I rediscovered this little piece of gold from our childhood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt9tQVudqVo

Wisdom and Virtue

For the next class I want you to be thinking about virtue in general. Is virtue analogous to wisdom? Can it be divided? Can you only possess a part of virtue? Is virtue a unified concept or must we always divide it into parts like temperance, courage and/or piety. Further, how are these parts related or unified. Finally, as Socrates questions and Protagoras hopes, is the virtue of courage distinct from all the other virtues? Must one be wise to be courageous?

Cheers,
Dr. Layne

Heidegger

Heigegger is someone we briefly talked about in class. But he is scandalous, and he really relates back to questions first posed by Plato.

"For many Heidegger’s reputation is tainted by his association with Nazism in 1930’s Germany; he actively supported Adolf Hitler during the dictator’s first years in power and after World War II he was banned by the Allies from teaching and publishing for five years.

Despite this, his work has been widely influential, especially on the thought of twentieth century philosophical giants such as Sartre, Lacan and Derrida." (Excerpt from bbc.co.uk)

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/heidegger-thinking-the-unthinkable/

Sophistry and the Supreme Court?

Okay here is an excellent example of how the sophistic view of human reason steers away from the project of discovering truth. Rather reason in this depiction drives highspeed toward simply becoming a crafy device for swaying others to one's own opinion. To be sure I am not taking sides with this article but I just thought it was a really interesting essay that may help us understand the role of rhetoric for shaping one's morality. Interestingly enought it also broadens its meaning to include the totality of one's actions in an argument.

http://www.slate.com/id/2269715/pagenum/2

The Problem of Relativism and Pluralism for Democracy

Check out this book review for an interesting discussion that fits within our discussion these last few days....

http://ndpr.nd.edu/review.cfm?id=21609

Pop Quiz #2

Pick from any of the Pre-Socratic philosophers (Thales, Anaximader, Anaximenes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Zeno, the Pluralists, the Atomists or the Sophists)and discuss how their worldview(s), specifically their cosmology, i.e. their understanding of the origin/arche of all things, influences or leads to a particular moral understanding of nature, the divine or humankind itself. Be sure to pick the one you most readily relate to as it may in fact be easier to write about.

Sophistry and the Protagoras

Is virtue something teachable?

Historians Admit to Inventing Ancient Greeks

http://www.theonion.com/articles/historians-admit-to-inventing-ancient-greeks,18209/

The Atomists

First and primarily tell me what the ethical doctrine of Democritus is and how is it connected to his metaphysics? Second, what might be the dangers of such a theory with regards to the relationship between pleasure and reason?

Cheers,
Dr. Layne

P.S. To all who need to discuss your pop quiz grade, please just come by my office tomorrow. I follow the tenet that everyone can do well in my class regardless of one's beginnings. So come by and find out how I can help you do better next time.

Pluralists

First tell me why these philosophers are deemed the pluralists and then describe the different arche of both Empedocles and Anaxagoras? Finally, tell me which of the two is more attractive of a thinker for you and why.

Cheers,
Dr. Layne