- WGU -thru p. 234 #H1 Brandon Furr, #H3 Braden Clapper
- SSHM ch2 Freedom and Life, #H1 Amelie Oakes, #H2 AIdin Card, #H3 Andrew Griffith
- WJ, The Moral Equivalent of War (1903) - in BNA, on reserve - #H2 Alan Hernandez
- Setiya 2 Loneliness #H1 John Pardue, #H2 Gavin Cooley, #H3 Talan Lynch
WGU
1. What mixed messages keep us in states of immaturity?
2. The older you get, the more you know what?
3. What does the U-bend tell us about aging?
4. Growing up means realizing what?
5. Philosophy is an attempt to wrestle with what three questions, according to Kant?
6. The young have only vague and erroneous notions of what, according to de Beauvoir?
7. Shakespeare's As You Like It is a gloss on what modern message?
8. Philosophers seek answers to children's questions such as what?
SSHM
1. "Anhedonia" is what?
2. What was Renouvier's definition of free will?
3. Renouvier said an individual's will could break what?
4. What must one frequently do, according to James, to establish reciprocity in a relationship?
5. "Looking on the bright side," though often not objectively warranted, is nonetheless what?
6. Why did James think most of his contemporaries would not have preferred to "expunge" the Civil War?
7. Readiness for war is the essence of what, according to General Lea?
8. James says he devoutly believes in what, and in a future that has outlawed what?
9. Non-military conscription of our "gilded youth" would do what for them, according to James?
==
LH
- What sort of childhood did Kieran Setiya have? Can you relate?
- What was KS's response to the pandemic? What was yours?
- What did Aristotle and Hume say about friendship?
- What is the impact of social isolation on health?
- What does KS say about Descartes, Hegel, Sartre, and Wittgenstein?
- KS is unsure about which view of Aristotle's?
- What "dual propensity" did Kant say belongs to human nature?
- What is KS's picture of friendship?
- What is the path to strong relationships?
Discussion Questions
- Is suffering the rule, not the exception, in the human condition? 43
- Can facing death provide an impetus to live? 46
- Why do you think so many who attempt and fail suicide say they experienced immediate regret for the attempt? 47
- What has believing in free will enabled you to do, that you couldn't or wouldn't have done otherwise?
- Are you ever unsettled by a "psychological upturn"? 51
- Do you consider yourself fully "embodied"? 54
- Do you find anything about war "ideal, sacred, spiritual" etc.?
- Can sports function as a moral equivalent of war, at least to the extent of channeling our martial imupulses into benign forms of expression on playing fields, in harmless competition? Or do sports intensify and exacerbate the aggressive side of human nature?
- Are most politicians "pliant" like McKinley, easily "swept away" by war fever?
- Do we glorify war and millitarism excessively, in this culture?
- "Patriotism no one thinks discreditable" (1284). True? Should we sharply distinguish patriotism from nationalism?
- What do you think of James's references to our "feminism" as a mark of weakness or lack of hardihood? 1285-6
- Instead of an army enlisted "against Nature," do you think we can muster an army in defense of nature and against anthropogenic environmental destruction?
==
FL
1. What gives Andersen "the heebie-jeebies"?
2. What does Disneyfication denote?
3. A third of people at theme parks are what?
4. Andersen thinks we've become more like what?
5. Andersen argues that Americans are not just exceptionally religious, but that what?
DQ
- Should we be worried or excited (both, neither?) about the future impact of "augmented reality" technologies? 395
- Does the prevalence of adults infatuated with the world of Disney indicate an increasingly infantilized public (in Susan Neiman's sense of the tern)?
- What do you think of Rhonda Byrne's Secret advice? 408
LISTEN (11.9.21). "The war against war is going to be no holiday excursion or camping party," begins James's "Moral Equivalent of War." This is no idle metaphysical dispute about squirrels and trees, it's ultimately about our collective decision as to what sort of species we intend to become. It's predicated on the very possibility of deciding anything, of choosing and enacting one identity and way of being in the world over another. Can we be more pacifistic and mutually supportive, less belligerent and violent? Can we pull together and work cooperatively in some grand common cause that dwarfs our differences? Go to Mars and beyond with Elon, maybe?
It's Carl Sagan's birthday today, he'd remind us that while Mars is a nice place to visit we wouldn't probably want to live there. Here, on this "mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam," is where we must make our stand. Here, on the PBD. The only home we've ever known.
In light of our long human history of mutual- and self-destruction, the substitution for war of constructive and non-rapacious energies directed to the public good ought to be an easier sell. Those who love the Peace Corps and its cousin public service organizations are legion, and I'm always happy to welcome their representatives to my classroom. Did that just last year... (continues)
==
The Moral Equivalent of War
by William JamesThis essay, based on a speech delivered at Stanford University in 1906, is the origin of the idea of organized national service. The line of descent runs directly from this address to the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps to the Peace Corps, VISTA, and AmeriCorps. Though some phrases grate upon modern ears, particularly the assumption that only males can perform such service, several racially-biased comments, and the notion that the main form of service should be viewed as a "warfare against nature," it still sounds a rallying cry for service in the interests of the individual and the nation.
The war against war is going to be no holiday excursion or camping party. The military feelings are too deeply grounded to abdicate their place among our ideals until better substitutes are offered than the glory and shame that come to nations as well as to individuals from the ups and downs of politics and the vicissitudes of trade. There is something highly paradoxical in the modern man's relation to war. Ask all our millions, north and south, whether they would vote now (were such a thing possible) to have our war for the Union expunged from history, and the record of a peaceful transition to the present time substituted for that of its marches and battles, and probably hardly a handful of eccentrics would say yes. Those ancestors, those efforts, those memories and legends, are the most ideal part of what we now own together, a sacred spiritual possession worth more than all the blood poured out. Yet ask those same people whether they would be willing, in cold blood, to start another civil war now to gain another similar possession, and not one man or woman would vote for the proposition. In modern eyes, precious though wars may be they must not be waged solely for the sake of the ideal harvest. Only when forced upon one, is a war now thought permissible... (continues)
==
War
Some reject the very idea of the “morality of war”.[1] Of those, some deny that morality applies at all once the guns strike up; for others, no plausible moral theory could license the exceptional horrors of war. The first group are sometimes called realists. The second group are pacifists. The task of just war theory is to seek a middle path between them: to justify at least some wars, but also to limit them (Ramsey 1961). Although realism undoubtedly has its adherents, few philosophers find it compelling.[2] The real challenge to just war theory comes from pacifism. And we should remember, from the outset, that this challenge is real. The justified war might well be a chimera.
However, this entry explores the middle path between realism and pacifism. It begins by outlining the central substantive divide in contemporary just war theory, before introducing the methodological schisms underpinning that debate. It then discusses the moral evaluation of wars as a whole, and of individual acts within war (traditionally, though somewhat misleadingly, called jus ad bellum and jus in bello respectively)... (continues)
==
==
...war poetry... Top 10 War Poems... Poems Against War... Teddy Roosevelt on "The Strenuous Life"...
Roman Phillips H#03
ReplyDeleteFL
1. Andersen explained how he spent about thirty minutes using a virtual reality device with positional tracking sensors pasted to himself so that he could physically move around inside the virtual world. He admitted the experience was extraordinary as he pretended to be flying like Superman and suggested that the experience was like taking hallucinogenic drugs for the first time. Although Andersen said he can't wait for the experience of augmented reality, he admitted the idea of such technology and its consequences gave him the heebie-jeebies. He believes the new medium may provide something weirder, deeper and possibly more existentially transformative.
2. Disneyfication denotes how numerous parts of urban America resemble theme parks. For example, SoHo in Manhattan, Pioneer Square in Seattle and the Old Market in Omaha reimagined reproductions of themselves and spiffed up the areas. Disneyfication is different from Barnumized in that it is a noun referring to an ongoing process and permanent condition rather than a one-off creation, the rule and not the exception. Practically every big city now has its own Main Street USA.
3. A third of people at theme parks are adults without children.
4. Andersen thinks that American adults have come to think more fundamentally like children and explains how this is problematic. Waiting to get what you want is a definition of maturity whereas instant gratification - demanding it now - is a defining behavior of many young children. The internet enables us to get stuff now.
5. Andersen argues that Americans are not just exceptionally religious but that our dominant religion has become exceptionally literal and fantastical - childlike- during the last 50 years.
LIH
1. Setiya states that he had a solitary childhood with few friends, but he was not lonely. I can relate to this because I am an only child. My two closest friends - and I call them my brothers- are also the only child in their respective families. I call my beloved dog Apollo my brother because we grew up together. I also miss him terribly. However, I don't recall being lonely. I like myself and I am comfortable doing things by myself. It doesn't bother me to go into a restaurant and eat by myself. Over the summer, I went to Gatlinburg by myself and played mini-golf by myself, but I was not lonely. I was doing stuff that I wanted to do!
2. During the pandemic, Setiya started a podcast and interviewed philosophers about themselves. He admits his wife and child were with him during the lockdowns and he was not alone. During the pandemic, I had to do virtual school and it was horrible because my English class had to read Romeo and Juliet. The best thing about it was that my friend Charlie came over almost every day and we worked on that junk together. We also spent a bunch of time outside. I started a couple of Scout projects that I used to earn a Hornaday award. I also remember watching Tiger King and Ozark.
WGU
4. Growing up means realizing that no time of one's life is the best. It is imperative to savor every moment and second of joy.
#H02
ReplyDeleteWGU-1
She talks about how society sends us mixed signals that keep us from really growing up. On one hand, we’re told to be independent and responsible, but on the other hand, we’re often treated like we can’t make our own decisions and are constantly bombarded with messages that push instant gratification and staying forever young. This can be super confusing and makes it hard to fully embrace adulthood with all its responsibilities and rewards. Neiman believes that true maturity is about finding a balance between being independent, responsible, and critically engaging with the world around us.
WGU-2
The older you get, the more you realize how much you don’t know! It’s funny how gaining more experience and knowledge often makes you more aware of the vastness of what’s still out there to learn. Plus, you start to understand yourself and others better, appreciate the little things in life, and recognize the value of patience and perspective.
WGP-3
The U-bend theory of happiness basically says that our happiness levels follow a U-shape throughout life. We’re generally happier in our younger years and again in our later years, with a bit of a dip in the middle. This midlife dip can be due to all the stress and responsibilities that come with that stage of life. But as we get older, we tend to get better at handling our emotions, appreciating the little things, and finding more contentment, which boosts our happiness again. So, even if midlife feels tough, there’s a lot to look forward to as we age.
Maheswari Ramesh (Maahi)
WGU-1: Neiman discusses how modern society gives conflicting messages about adulthood. On one hand, there is pressure to maintain youthful attitudes, while on the other, there's an expectation of immediate responsibility and success. This creates confusion about what it truly means to grow up. Popular culture often promotes staying young at heart, while traditional markers of adulthood, like career stability, family, and financial independence, suggest a different kind of maturity.
ReplyDeleteWGU-2: According to Neiman, the older you get, the more you know that life doesn’t fit neatly into idealized expectations. With age comes the understanding that life is more complex, uncertain, and imperfect than we might have imagined in our younger years. The wisdom of age often comes with accepting the unpredictability of life.
WGU-3: The "U-bend" refers to a psychological pattern in many people's happiness throughout life. Studies show that happiness tends to dip in middle adulthood, often around age 40-50, but rises again in later years, with many older people reporting greater satisfaction. This pattern suggests that, although aging involves challenges and losses, it can also bring greater peace and acceptance.
WGU-4: Growing up, according to Neiman, means realizing that life is finite and that our dreams and aspirations must be balanced with the realities of the world around us. It involves coming to terms with the limitations of our power and control, accepting responsibility for our choices, and understanding that maturity often involves confronting difficult truths about life.
WGU-5: Immanuel Kant framed philosophy as an attempt to wrestle with three core questions: What can I know? (addressing the limits of human knowledge and perception), What should I do? (concerned with ethics and moral actions), What may I hope? (relating to human aspirations, purpose, and the possibility of meaning in life).
H01
ReplyDeleteWGU 1. The mixed messages we hear throughout our lives keep us from maturing and becoming independent from our parents or caregivers. As early as childhood, we are told to stop daydreaming and to see and experience the world as it truly is. However, we are also told to do and buy things that make us young, whether it be through appearance, habits or behavior.
SSHM 1. In James’ life, many believed that they were living in an age of optimism- that they were going to experience an otherworldly miracle at some point in their lives. James disregarded this thinking, stating that their optimism was a sham. James and other American thinkers were experiencing “anhedonia,” the inability to feel pleasure.
SSHM 3. Though Renouvier was a positivist that relied on absolute truths and scientific evidence, he also believed that free will could alter the continuity of such things. He states in Essais that an individual’s will could be the cause of another series of phenomena.
H02
ReplyDeleteWGU #1: Societal attitudes towards the process of growing up send mixed signals that can keep us from actually growing up. We are told to hold on to our youth and don't let adulthood take that from us. While also being expected to embrace the responsibility of adulthood. We are instructed to be independent and mature, but not to abandon the joyous immaturity we harness from a young age. The complexity of growing up is strongly connected to societal expectations.
WGU #2: According to Neiman, the older you get the more you realize how little you really know. As one ages, they undergo more experiences and challenges that expectedly give them more knowledge. However, with age, the complexity of life becomes more and more apparent. Knowledge comes from ultimately accepting this lack of really knowing anything, which is a trend we have seen from previous philosophers.
WGU #5: According to Kant, we spend our life wrestling with these three questions: "What can I know?", "What should I do?", and "What may I hope?". We struggle with the extent of human knowledge, dilemmas and choices to be made, and our own desires. I really enjoy learning about Kant's work and thought process.
H01
ReplyDeleteSSHM #5:
It is still valuable in practice (Kaag 62). Personally, I don’t see why "'looking on the bright side' is often not objectively warranted" (Kaag 62). Even the worst situations may have some positive side of them that could be appreciated, although of course they may be minuscule in comparison to the negative effects. To look on the bright side is not necessarily to deny the dark side.
WGU #2:
That the “plateaus” in life do not go on forever, and the “plunges” are not as severe as they seemed (Neiman 196). Since I am young, I guess I have not experienced a great degree of finding this out, but it sounds like something I would like to be able to realize. It is too easy for small or temporary problems to seem big and unmovable.
WGU #3:
It shows us that people grow unhappier as they approach midlife, and then grow happier as they exit it (Neiman 199). In other words, aging is not just all downhill for a lot of people, at least in terms of happiness. This is definitely reassuring, and it kind of makes you wonder what is going on in midlife that makes people so unhappy.
Why do you think so many who attempt and fail suicide say they experienced immediate regret for the attempt?:
I think it is because we typically do not know how to appreciate what we have until it is being taken away. We become so accustomed to all that we have been given and take it for granted, but the idea of losing it–even if that is what we thought we wanted–puts into perspective how much it is really worth.
Kaag, John. SICK SOULS, HEALTHY MINDS: HOW WILLIAM JAMES
CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE. Princeton University Press, 17 Mar. 2020.
Neiman, Susan. WHY GROW UP?: SUBVERSIVE THOUGHTS FOR AN
INFANTILE AGE. First American Revised ed., Farrar, Straus and
Giroux, 26 Apr. 2016.
#H01
ReplyDeleteSSHM
1. Anhedonia means the inability to feel pleasure. James said that people who believed in the Enlightenment experienced Anhedonia
2. Renouvier's definition of free will is "the sustaining of a thought because I chose to when I might have other thoughts". To truly understand free will you must actively seek it out, and action was required.
3. Renouvier said an individuals will could break the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial cause of another series of phenomena. You must take action ignorer to experience your free will
H03
ReplyDeleteSSHM
1: Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure. It is a melancholy that results from believing optimism "was a sham" and as a result also not believing in enlightenment.
3, Renouvier believed that free will could break the "the logical continuity of a logical series and be the initial cause for another series of phenomena."
5. James believed that looking on the bright side is practically warranted since it would make the world seem a much better place than it actually is.
H01
ReplyDeleteWGU 1- Neiman writes that citizens of America (and by larger extent, most of the developed world) are "besieged by mixed messages" for the sole reason being "children make more compliant subjects and consumers". She describes the two ends of the maturity spectrum for adults in a capitalist society, namely the resignation of growing up contrasted by the advertising attempting to "keep us young". For the whole beginning of the book, Neiman provides many examples and iterations of the ideal of childhood being wonder and awe of the world around us. We get distracted by anything shiny and new because everything deserves our attention at that age. Everything is interesting. But the current state of adulthood is about shedding that wonder, that awe, that interest in favor of upholding the status quo, all the while large corporations pump an endless stream of shiny things meant to distract us still. None of it makes any sense, and it seems unreconcilable. It's a wonder we're not all constantly and irreparably torn apart by the dichotomy.
4- Neiman writes that "growing up means realizing that no time of one's life in the best one". Young adults are constantly told that they're living the golden years, that life will only get worse as they age so they must make the most of their youth (based on the U-Bend study, every bit of that is a falsehood). But describing a set and unreturnable period of life to be "the best" creates a whole mess of problems both for the people forcing that mantra down young people's throats and for the young people themselves. To remember your early twenties as the best years of your life, you most likely obscure all of the hardship and challenges you faced during it. Your forget the struggles because maybe you think they were small compared to your present. You forget that at the time, maybe they were the largest thing you had ever faced. You idealize the past in a way that prevents you from loving the present, or even truly living in the present. We cannot move backward in time, and it is a sad life to constantly be trying. On the other hand, this maxim is equally disadvantageous to young people. It is a truly devastating thought to imagine that your current present is the best that life will ever offer you. Because for most people, your early twenties is completely unstable. Everything feels new again, you have to deal with life as an adult but you're still figuring out how, and all the while, middle-aged people are screaming at you that it only gets worse from here. That's crushing to believe. So, Neiman's quote really resonates with me. "...no time of one's life is the best one" so I would like to work at making all of them my best one.
5- According to Kant, all of philosophy "is an attempt to wrestle with three questions that concern us all: what can I know? What should I do? And what may I hope? I think that these questions are beautiful and also unachievable. But the fact that they're unachievable doesn't mean that we shouldn't be striving to achieve them, because there is something very important to be said about the process of "striving" itself. The journey is the point of the story here, not the end destination. Also, I think all of those questions are extremely personal and completely interrelated. Kant even later wrote that they "could be reduced to another: what is the human being?" That is the ultimate, unachievable question. But every day that we decide what to do, decide how to act, to think, to believe, we answer a tiny piece of that bigger question. Because "the human being" is the culmination and collection of everything that has been done, or said, or believed by every person that has ever lived or ever will live. We are all the human being. And that's what philosophy is trying to get at: how different are we really?
#H02
ReplyDeleteWGU
1- Neiman argues societies negative portrayal of adult hood causes individuals to stay in a state of immaturity much longer than they should. The glorification of youthfulness causes many to devalue things such as responsibilities and wisdom, with temporary pleasures being valued above fulfillment in ones life.
2- Neiman believes as we get older we develop a better understanding of ourselves, the world, and our places in it. Through this, we grow in our understanding of reality, learn to value integrity and responsibility, and our own possibilities and limitations. These things are valuable aspects of adulthood that are often overlooked.
3- According to Kant, philosophy is the attempt to answer 3 questions: What can I know?, What should I do?, What may I hope?
5-*
DeleteH01
ReplyDeleteSSHM
1) The term “anhedonia” is the inability to feel pleasure.
2) Renouvier's definition of free will is “the sustaining of a thought because I choose to when I might have other thoughts—need be the definition of an illusion.”
3) Renouvier states that an individuals will “could break the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial cause of another series of phenomena.”
4) Communicate one's feelings
5) It is, however, practically warranted, deeply useful as what he called a “live hypothesis.” Acting as if the world is a welcoming and tender place occasionally has the effect of making it more so.
H1
ReplyDeleteDiscussion Questions
I think the reason so many people who have failed suicide attempts reported to immediately regret it is because I think that when we are in a near death situation, our life "flashes before our eyes" meaning that we kind of think back to our life experiences and realize we've had so many good experiences that maybe we had forgotten about.
It may sound dumb but something that I've done after realizing I have free will is go in for a consult about getting lasic eye surgery, which is something I never would have imagined myself doing even though I know I have the ability.
I do think war and militarism is over glorified in this country. I personally don't see the honor in participating in the killing and eradication of other human beings over silly issues that our overly emotional leaders started. War is a horrible thing that leaves people traumatized and disabled and I think we forget about that in America.
#H1 - Zoe Kuhn
ReplyDeleteWGU - #1
The mixed messages that keep us in states of immaturity is the negative view of adulthood people tend to have and it keeps us in that state longer than we should be.
WGU - #2
The older you get, the more you know ourselves and our world.
WGU - #3
The U-bend tells us that when we reach mid-adulthood we tend to get more unhappy but while we get older towards the end of our life, we get happier, hence the U-shape of the happiness scale.
#H01
ReplyDeleteSSHM
1: Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure.
3. Renouvier believed that free will could break the "the logical continuity of a logical series and be the initial cause for another series of phenomena."
5. James believed that looking on the bright side is practically warranted since it would make the world seem a much better place than it actually is.
1. Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure. A feeling that all to many people in my generation feel. It's very common for people to be overwhelmed by their depressive thoughts and find no real grace within optimism or enlightenment. To them, the idea of long-term happiness and success seems unachievable.
ReplyDelete2. To Renouvier, free will is "the sustaining of a thought because I choose to when I might have other thoughts." To him, the act of sustaining a thought process is enough for him to be considered "free". You could argue that even the perception of free thinking is influenced by some greater force, and that Renouvier is, in fact, not free at all. However, I see no real benefit in entertaining an idea that has no evidence and could only bring purposelessness to the human condition. To me, it is better to live as if we are free and not try to prove otherwise.
3. Renouvier said an individual's will "could break the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial cause of another series of phenomena." Essentially, through the insertion of one's will into the world, we can break the monotonous cycle of logic and form our own timeline of events. Through the practice of free will, we can create our own paths.
WGU
ReplyDeleteQ1: The mixed messages that keep us immature are the pressure for us to mature, get serious, and act our age while also being advertised things and behaviors that are meant to keep us young.
Q2: As you get older you realize how little you know
Q3: the U bend theory says that as people age, we become steadily more and more unhappy till we reach about middle age, after that, we begin to get happier with life the longer we go on. It tells us that people don’t want to age or aren’t happy with life until they reach a certain point and just begin to live in the moment. At middle age you’ve lived half of your life, and you understand that your days are numbered so you become less concerned with what you and become more focused on appreciating what you have and finding joy in it.
HO2 Erick Martinez
ReplyDeleteSSHM
1. Anhedonia was the term James used to describe not being able to experience pleasure. He knew many people who he believed were intelligent who thought optimism and enlightenment was fake. This caused them to not be able to experience pleasure which is where the term Anhedonia stems from.
2. Renouvier believed in Positivism. Positivism stood for the facts only. It stated the point of life was achieved by sticking to physical facts. His meant that Renouvier had to let many ideas like the idea of free will be rejected from his philosophy. That doesn’t mean he didn’t believe in free will though. Renouvier later stated in one of his books, we have the power to exert free will. We shouldn’t feel tied down, like our stories are already written, because if we felt like it, we could change it if we wanted to, it was just of matter of exerting that free will and taking control.
3. Renouvier said an individual's will could break “the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial cause of another series of phenomena”. Essentially this meant that we don’t have to be tied down to a certain destiny. We can break free from the path we are walking on right now, and simply create another. Where we are happier and able to strive towards our goals. We have free will to determine our future.
Annlee Head H02
ReplyDeleteSSHM1: William James defined anhedonia as “the inability to feel pleasure.” He believed this stemmed from people who thought enlightenment was a sham, and anhedonia was the feeling that replaced where they would usually feel optimism.
SSHM2: Renouvier’s definition of free will was “the sustaining of a thought because I choose to when I might have other thoughts, need be the definition of an illusion.” Renouvier and his views ended up saving William James’ life, and “was the single greatest individual influence on James’ thought.”
SSHM3: Renouvier states that an individual’s will “could break the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial case of another series of phenomena.” He defined this as a free act, and it led James to try and do “his first act of free will” later on. The proof of this being true is only shown through the activities in one’s life.
H02
ReplyDeleteSSHM
1. Anhedonia was coined by James in order to put a word on the experience of the inability to feel pleasure. These people who couldn't feel pleasure were the ones who thought optimism and enlightenment was a sham. Thus, these people couldn't feel pleasure because they thought progressing oneself was a sham.
2. Renouvier's definition of free-will was, "could break the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial cause of another series of phenomena." This was Renouvier's definition, meaning, that free will and the act of it could change a series of set series into another.
5. Phrases like "look on the bright side" and "buck up" are truly just phrases to help sick souls through tough times. This was warranted because it helps the human mind see that we are actually are doing okay and there is much worse out there no matter how big or small.
H#2
ReplyDeleteSSHM#1 - Anhedonia is the inability to be able to experience pleasure
WGU#2 - The older you get, the more you realize how little you truly know
WGU#3 - The U-bend is a graph that basically says that when we're very young we are at our peak happiness, during our mid life we hit the lowest happiness, and as we get older our happiness goes back up which makes that U shape.
H03
ReplyDeleteWGU, Question 5
Kant thought that all philosophy wrestled with the three questions: "What can I know? What should I do? What may I hope?" This was a radical reduction (or expansion, depending on how you look at it) of philosophy at the time, couching it as something practiced by the masses as opposed to being the exclusive domain of the privileged thinking few.
SSHM, Question 1
Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure. Today it is used in a more psychiatric way, referring to the general reduced motivation or pleasure experienced by those with a vast array of afflictions. William James felt a kind of existential anhedonia, as he felt disillusioned with the supposed age of optimism and enlightenment he lived in. For the 'sick-souled', it can be all too easy to focus intensely on all of the unavoidable terrible suffering that exists in reality while casting aside opposing examples of joy.
SSHM, Question 3
Renouvier said that an individual's will "could break the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial cause of another series of phenomena." I believe this is a grandiose way of describing the power of free action. By utilizing our agency as beings with consciousness, we can in unpredictable ways that other beings or machines (as of right now) cannot. We can choose to exercise our free will to affect events in ways that they never would have been affected in otherwise. That's maybe part of what it means to be human.
Andrew
ReplyDeleteSSHM1- Anhedonia is the state of being in constant despair. It is one's inability to feel pleasure.
SSHM2- His definition of free will was -“ the sustaining of thought because I choose to when I might have other thoughts”- this shows how you can change an adapt your free will based on what you think. You have control over your thoughts even though some would argue that those thoughts were predestined.
SSHM 3- Renouviers says an individual can break logic. The human spirit goes beyond logic and can achieve the impossible
H03
ReplyDeleteSSHMs 1 + Discussion-
“Anhedonia” is the inability to feel pleasure. It was described by James when he was later on in his depression and at sea. He claimed that after a prolonged period of seasickness, most people will experience temporary “Anhedonia.” + In my opinion, suffering has become the rule in the human condition; while it is not always something one will experience, most will at one point. Due to that, it has steadily become a rule, not an exception. Suffering can comein many forms and in a variation of levels. It can be occasionally, constantly, or rarely, intense or mild. Suffering is still there, though, in the human condition.
SSHMs 3 + Discussion-
Renouvier said that an individual’s will could break “the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial cause of another series of phenomena.” With this, he defined a free act as something that can break a routine of actions and cause a whole new series of events with just one action. + Believing in free will just let me live as I want; it does not actively matter to me outside of my opinion on free will if it is true or not. Believing I have free will lets me let go of strict rules that might be present without it. Overall it allowed me to choose where I go in life, picking a career field I may not have chosen without it. It does not have much impact because I do not know what would have been done if I did not have free will.
SSHMs 5-
According to James, “looking on the bright side,” while often not objectively warranted, is nonetheless practically warranted. Acting as if the world is better than it is, acting as if everything is okay, can have an effect of making it seem like it truly is. It is like tricking the mind into believing everything is right because you pretended it was. So, while it isn’t objectively something one wants, applying the saying does turn out some good.
#H02
ReplyDeleteSSHM 1. “Anhedonia” is the inability to feel pleasure. It is a feeling that comes from believing optimism isn’t real and as a result, not believing in enlightenment.
SSHM 3. Renouvier believed that free will could break logical continuity and be the initial cause for another series of phenomena.
SSHM 5. William James believed that looking on the bright side is a given because naturally it makes the world seem better than it actually is.