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Thursday, September 29, 2011
Please vote for the finalists of Who's Your Philosopher?
Please vote in both blog posts, parts one and two.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Blog #49 -Source Code blog has arrived
*******SPOILER ALERT ******* IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM, DON'T READ.
We talked a lot about the film, Source Code, and how it relates to Plato's Allegory of the Cave. I don't know if it's a perfect fit, but what is? I think further research is needed for this topic and if you guys can find it pertaining to the film and Plato, that would be great (don't forget to read the illustrated handout for more details).
The film opens up some questions about fate that I don't think it really answered or that we really touched upon too much. When Capt. Stevens kept being pulled out of the SC and back into his "capsule," he saw these glimpses - call them deja vu, precognition, whatever - of himself and Christina at Chicago's Millenium Park and the big chrome bean. These scenes occurred even before he felt like saving anybody on the train or understood his situation - as if he was headed towards that future "alternate universe" no matter happened. Could it be that every obstacle that Stevens ran into (or literally ran into him - see below!) kept him moving towards that inexorable future?
What about the morality of using Capt. Stevens as a lab rat for the Source Code? It's obvious by the end of the movie that he's in a terrible state of physical trauma, and that only his mind is the most complete and functioning part of him. At points in the film, it appeared that Dr. Rutledge was "torturing" Stevens by sending him back into the memories of Sean Fentress only to be blown up again and again. We did mention that Capt. Stevens, as a member of the U.S. military, most likely, had signed away his rights to do with his remains as his parents wished. However, it is hard to imagine a father wishing this for his son. And by the end of the film, if it has reset and everything starts anew, Capt. Stevens will continue to be used further in the GWOT (global war on terror).
Lastly, how do you explain the ending? Goodwin and Rutledge have no knowledge of the previous day's events (if those events even occurred - but they had to have existed somewhere, b/c Stevens sent her the email - it came from somewhere, sometime, right?). And at the end of the movie, it looked as if the whole day had been reset, Capt. Stevens was alive and in his previous "state of being," in addition to the bomber being caught and the initial train bombing never having occurred.
Questions to choose from:
1. How could the filmmakers have changed the film to make it more or less like Plato's cave? Explain your reasoning.
2. What role did fate play in this movie? Why? Or, did fate play no role at all and why not?
3. Did the military cross the line with the use of Capt. Stevens' body and mind for the Source Code? Why or why not?
4. Is the ending a new "movie reality" (for lack of a better term)? Why or why not? Is it possible that Stevens' determination somehow merged the alternate universe with the movie's original reality?
Pick one of the following questions and answer it as fully as you can. Stay in the nuances of the question as long as you can. Your response should be a minimum of 250 words and is due Wednesday, Sept. 21 before class begins.
Online articles to check out if you have time:
"Here I Am: The Identity Philosophy of SC" - http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/here-i-am-the-identity-philosophy-of-source-code.php
"Who is Sean Fentress?: A (Completely Serious) Exploration of What Happened After the End of Source Code" - http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/what-happened-after-the-ending-of-source-code.php
We talked a lot about the film, Source Code, and how it relates to Plato's Allegory of the Cave. I don't know if it's a perfect fit, but what is? I think further research is needed for this topic and if you guys can find it pertaining to the film and Plato, that would be great (don't forget to read the illustrated handout for more details).
The film opens up some questions about fate that I don't think it really answered or that we really touched upon too much. When Capt. Stevens kept being pulled out of the SC and back into his "capsule," he saw these glimpses - call them deja vu, precognition, whatever - of himself and Christina at Chicago's Millenium Park and the big chrome bean. These scenes occurred even before he felt like saving anybody on the train or understood his situation - as if he was headed towards that future "alternate universe" no matter happened. Could it be that every obstacle that Stevens ran into (or literally ran into him - see below!) kept him moving towards that inexorable future?
What about the morality of using Capt. Stevens as a lab rat for the Source Code? It's obvious by the end of the movie that he's in a terrible state of physical trauma, and that only his mind is the most complete and functioning part of him. At points in the film, it appeared that Dr. Rutledge was "torturing" Stevens by sending him back into the memories of Sean Fentress only to be blown up again and again. We did mention that Capt. Stevens, as a member of the U.S. military, most likely, had signed away his rights to do with his remains as his parents wished. However, it is hard to imagine a father wishing this for his son. And by the end of the film, if it has reset and everything starts anew, Capt. Stevens will continue to be used further in the GWOT (global war on terror).
Lastly, how do you explain the ending? Goodwin and Rutledge have no knowledge of the previous day's events (if those events even occurred - but they had to have existed somewhere, b/c Stevens sent her the email - it came from somewhere, sometime, right?). And at the end of the movie, it looked as if the whole day had been reset, Capt. Stevens was alive and in his previous "state of being," in addition to the bomber being caught and the initial train bombing never having occurred.
Questions to choose from:
1. How could the filmmakers have changed the film to make it more or less like Plato's cave? Explain your reasoning.
2. What role did fate play in this movie? Why? Or, did fate play no role at all and why not?
3. Did the military cross the line with the use of Capt. Stevens' body and mind for the Source Code? Why or why not?
4. Is the ending a new "movie reality" (for lack of a better term)? Why or why not? Is it possible that Stevens' determination somehow merged the alternate universe with the movie's original reality?
Pick one of the following questions and answer it as fully as you can. Stay in the nuances of the question as long as you can. Your response should be a minimum of 250 words and is due Wednesday, Sept. 21 before class begins.
Online articles to check out if you have time:
"Here I Am: The Identity Philosophy of SC" - http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/here-i-am-the-identity-philosophy-of-source-code.php
"Who is Sean Fentress?: A (Completely Serious) Exploration of What Happened After the End of Source Code" - http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/what-happened-after-the-ending-of-source-code.php
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Examples of Reflection Posts
How to reflect on Sophie’s World - according to 5th Hr.
• Start with what you think an idea is, then read then reflect on which was best.
• Reflect on the questions the philosopher asks in the book.
Who am I?
Why am I here?
• Take one idea and discuss it/reflect on it.
• Talk about your reaction to the actions of Sophie.
• React to a single chapter.
• React on the book in general.
• Think of the metaphorical significance of what’s going on in the book.
Hermes the dog
• Your thoughts on what the philosophers thought/said.
• Reflect on why Sophie is targeted by the philosopher.
• How the natural philosophers focused on one element.
Earth, Wind, Fire, Water
• If you could ask Sophie/the philosopher/the author a question, what would you ask?
• Put yourself in Sophie’s shoes.
If you have any other suggestions, post them in the comment section. Thanks.
• Reflect on the questions the philosopher asks in the book.
Who am I?
Why am I here?
• Take one idea and discuss it/reflect on it.
• Talk about your reaction to the actions of Sophie.
• React to a single chapter.
• React on the book in general.
• Think of the metaphorical significance of what’s going on in the book.
Hermes the dog
• Your thoughts on what the philosophers thought/said.
• Reflect on why Sophie is targeted by the philosopher.
• How the natural philosophers focused on one element.
Earth, Wind, Fire, Water
• If you could ask Sophie/the philosopher/the author a question, what would you ask?
• Put yourself in Sophie’s shoes.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Example of Connection Posts
So, I was driving to school this morning, Wed. 9/14, and I popped in a mix CD I had labeled "Love and Jams" and the first song was by Owl City called, "The Real World." There is a line in the song that goes:
"Reality is a lovely place, but I wouldn't want to live there." Video link to the lyrics and song.
I thought that this was an interesting concept: why would the singer like reality and perceive it to be lovely but not love it enough to live there? Where did he live when he wasn't visiting reality? Where did he call home? There are a couple of lines that say, "from the green belt balcony, the wildfires look so pretty/ the ponderosa canopy, I'd never leave if it were up to me...", this leads me to believe that maybe the narrator is an animal or an alien with a removed view from above. Maybe an angel?
Then I started thinking about how other people perceive reality: they see life as a mess of tangled decisions, fatal mistakes, and lost opportunities. I personally choose not to see life like that because when I did, I wasn't very happy with myself or my choices or my outlook on life. So, I gradually changed my perception so I didn't dwell on the negative so much. It helped that I was working regularly and loved what I did, and got married. But did the change in attitude occur first or the other things? Or simultaneously? I don't know.
Owl City's official website: http://www.owlcitymusic.com/
Ideas for connections brainstormed in 5th hour:
How to connect to Sophie’s World/philosophy/the real world:
-comics
Ex: Google "philosophical comics" -- I got over 3 million hits on Google and thought this one was pretty cool. -movies
Ex: Men in Black marble connection
Ex: The Lion King-Fate or Free will?
Ex: Pocahontas Song about stepping into the river twice
Ex: "Never Say Never" Justin Beiber
Ex: Horton hears a Who
Ex: Matrix (is it worth it to know what you will see at the top of the rabbit’s fur?)
-music
Ex: Panic at the Disco dream lyrics
Note: If you use a song, try to quote the lyrics or maybe find a video to put in your blog
-Books - compare SW to other books you've read (shudder Twilight?)
-Connect something to Socrates’ six virtues
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