The End of the Beginning

We made it. More specifically, you made it. You read and wrote about a number of complex philosophical issues and discussed them every morning before half the world was even awake. Let me express my thanks to you for being such terrific students. You deserve a great deal of credit for taking the philosophical plunge. I have learned a great deal from all of you and you have made this course better than I imagined. Your sense of humor, raw intelligence, impressive diligence and plain-old good manners made me look forward to first period every day. You will be missed second semester--and that's a justified, true belief.

For this final blog posting, you can write whatever you wish. What did you learn? What are your current thoughts about philosophy? Or about anything related to the subject? (Note that I didn't say "final" thoughts--since this course is only the beginning of what takes a lifetime to grasp.) Whatever thoughts on the topic or class you may have, you can post them here. This will remain open until midnight Monday, February 4th.

Philosophy Phavorites

This is good exam prep.

What topic or even individual class this semester did you find to be the most challenging, intriguing or puzzling--and why? What idea or class made you think the most? What does your choice of topic or lesson suggest about you as a philosopher?

One more!

Go ahead: offer 150-200 words on the ending. You can use anything found here in your essay (if you are using the ending in the first place), as long as you credit the blog. However, do not consult any outside sources. Speculate, wonder and think! (ps--That's a photo of Stanley Kubrick holding the Star Child.) This post closes at midnight tonight!

Another Bonus Blog!

Because of the overwhelming response to last night's blog, here is another. You can comment on this one until midnight tonight (January 16).

Respond, as in the previous blog, to day 3's "Consider" question. Can you come up with some possible explanations for HAL's actions? Try to consider the details of the HAL plot very carefully, as they all add to the issue. (Recall his conversation with Dave, the function of the AE-35 unit, etc.)

Bonus Blog!

For today only, you can respond to the "Consider" question on your 2001 Part 1 Study Guide.

This post is only open until midnight tonight (Monday, Jan. 14). Be sure your response is 150-200 words long.

Reactions to Nagel

As you read the two chapters in What Does It All Mean? due Tuesday, note any sentences or passages that strike you as especially meaningful, puzzling or provoking. Copy the sentence or passage here and then offer a 150-200 word commentary. This post closes Monday at midnight. (And yes--that's Thomas Nagel, who teaches, I believe, at NYU.)

Quotation Collection

Find a quotation that we have not discussed in class from a philosopher that we have or have not read. The topic can be any of the topics we have already discussed--or a new one. Type out the quotation and source and then a 150-200 word response. Why is this quotation so meaningful or important to you?