I'm Dr. Oliver, teacher at this institution for many moons now.
We'll use this site to support our course.
What's philosophy? The pursuit of wisdom. So what's that? That's what we're going to study and discuss.
We'll begin with some more basic questions...
- Who are you?
- Why are you here?
- What does philosophy mean to you?
- Do you have a favorite philosopher, or a personal philosophy you can summarize succinctly?
Go to the comments tab below and share your thoughts. Include your section #: 1 (9:40), 2 (1 PM), or 3 (2:40 PM). Whoever goes first in each section will be rewarded with a bit of swag on Opening Day.
See you on the 26th, in HONR 117.
Dr. Oliver
I’m Jay Triplett from section #2. I’m an animation major, but I decided to take Intro to Philosophy to explore rational inquiry and how people interact with the world. As our political and social landscape becomes increasingly partisan and more people adopt an “us versus them” mentality, I find it crucial to exercise the skills of argument and reflection to question and discover the roots of different ideologies. I’ve never explored philosophy before (mostly because of the stereotype of “pseudo-intellectuals” and a misconception of what philosophy is), so my understanding of the subject comes mostly from the history and works of Socrates and Plato. I hope to expand my definition of philosophy to encompass a range of diverse perspectives. Right now, I haven’t found a favorite philosopher, but my personal philosophy is “question everything”. Nothing is created independently of preexisting ideas, and critical investigation is the only way to engage with any subject thoroughly.
ReplyDeleteThanks for going first, Jay. Remind me on Tuesday to deliver your swag reward.
DeleteI'm glad you mention "diverse perspectives": philosophy is not just one thing. But if pressed for a singular definition beyond the literal etymology of the word (philo + Sophia = love of wisdom), I'll go with William James's: philosophy, he said, is just an unusually stubborn attempt to think clearly (and then to live in ways that are consistent with that clarity).
Hi i'm Kaitlyn Young, I will be in section #2. I am an Exercise Science major and am in this class because philosophy has always interested me. I am a big fantasy reader, and I tend to find that the books I read tie in a lot of philosophical ideas, which create deeper story lines and is what makes books so emotionally consuming. I do not have a favorite philosopher, because honestly I have very little knowledge about philosophy at all. I am interested to learn about female ancient philosophers, I haven't really heard much about them other than the fact that they existed. I do have a favorite philosophical idea that I try to live by, "Memento Mori, Memento Vivere." Its a nice way to remind yourself you only live once.
ReplyDeleteI guess the ancient female philosopher to start with (though there's some question about her reality) is Diotima, who Socrates credited with teaching him the truth about love. And then there's Hypatia of Alexandria... and others you can read about in one of the books I've placed on reserve in the library: "The Philosopher Queens: the lives and legacies of philosophy's unsung women"... I like "Memento Mori, Memento Vivere"-learning to live is the flip side of learning to die, both of which philosophy ought to help with.
DeleteHello! I'm Ashton Vincent. I am in Section #1, taking the class at 9:40. I am a political science major, and I have always been interested in polisci, anthropology, philosophy, and honestly- a lot. I have always been interested in learning more about the world we live in and how people live in it. For me, philosophy doesn't mean one thing. I believe it's very broad and encompassing of many different things, but the critical thinking and analysis of it intrigues me immensely. Honestly, I just think it's so cool to learn about thinking, and I believe it is so important to study philosophy alongside political science. I don't have a favorite philosopher, but if I had to sum up my personal motto, it would probably be similar to the first commenter- to question everything. It is so incredibly important to question everything you see and to think for yourself, especially during present day.
ReplyDelete"Question Everything" is another of the books I've placed on reserve...
DeletePhilosophers do think about thinking, but the best philosophers also recognize that thinking isn't everything. There's also feeling, sensing, all kinds of experiential immediacy that precede cognitive processing and analysis. All of these ways of encountering the world are forms, broadly speaking, of consciousness. But what an impoverished world it would be if everything could be reduced to thoughts and words.
Also, Ashton, you're first in section 1 so you get Opening Day swag.
DeleteHello! I am Bella York, a Finance major. I'll be attending section #3 at 2:40pm. Since childhood my family has engaged in meaningful discussions about politics, religion, philosophy, and social expectations. This has presented in me as interests in Christian apologetics, environmental science, and economic theory. My goal in this class is to strengthen my reasoning and logic skills, as well as explore diverse viewpoints of the world. To me, Philosophy is a continual curiosity and openness to challenging world views. I'm intrigued by Adam Smith the "Father of Economics," and appreciate him paving the way for the field of Economics.
ReplyDeleteAdam Smith's good friend the skeptic David Hume would have liked your characterization of philosophy as curiosity and openness. He wasn't much for "apologetics" though.
DeleteYou too get swag, Bella, probably in the form of a hat or a tee-shirt... I'll have to see if we have anything better when I get to school.
Hi! I'm Emily Litzenberger and I will be in section #2. My current major is theatre, and I decided to take intro to philosophy as a way of understanding how different types of knowledge came to be and how it fits in our current reality. Much like a past commenter, I tend to read a lot of fictional books that dive into different philosophies and become enraptured by them because of it. However, I still have a very little understanding on philosophy in general. With that said, I think philosophy means to be infinitely curious of the world around you, because there is always something new to learn or to experience. I don't have a favorite philosopher, however, I have always lived by the phrase "to learn is to live". In every new experience you learn something new about the life you live.
ReplyDeleteAnother way to put that, maybe, is: "philosophy begins in wonder." Aristotle said that, among many others. People who lack curiosity about the world, themselves, and others (et al) tend not to philosophize.
DeleteI'm a big fan of fiction, as one avenue to philosophy. I'm teaching a course next semester called "Philosophy in Recent American Fiction"... and so it saddens me to read that Americans generally do not read for pleasure (and to appease their curiosity) any more, at least not in the numbers they used to: "Fewer People Are Reading for Fun, Study Finds/ From 2003 to 2023, the share of Americans who read for pleasure fell 40 percent, a sharp decline that is part of a continuing downward trend." https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/well/reading-pleasure-decline-study.html?searchResultPosition=1
Hi, I'm Antonella Comaschi. I will be attending section #3. I'm a Communications major, and I decided to take Intro to Philosophy because it's always intrigued me how different philosophies have evolved across cultures and time periods, shaping the world we live in today. From my understanding, philosophy is one's personal concept of reality, their purpose for existence, and the reasoning behind their actions. I don't currently have a favorite philosopher; however, I've always followed the philosophy "you reap what you sow," which reflects the belief that whatever you do, say, or believe will have consequences that will eventually come back to you.
ReplyDeleteSounds also a bit like karma, in eastern philosophy. Or more colloquially: what goes around comes around. I'd like to believe that's true, especially for certain people in our public life these days.
DeleteHello my name is Jacob Moncayo and I am in section #2. I am a second year student studying data science here at MTSU. I joined this class because since a young age I've always wrestled with questions of right vs. wrong and lived experience vs. universal truths and I believe that by learning what it means to think more critically will help me well beyond my days in the classroom. While I can't say I know a lot about philosophers I do appreciate a particular quote by Afghan poet/philosopher Rumi that goes "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field. I will meet you there." I first heard this quote when I read the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and something about it's placement in the book spoke volumes to me and I haven't forgotten it since.
ReplyDeleteAn echo of 19th century German F. Nietzsche's "beyond good and evil"... My own view is that no one is entitled to exempt themselves from considerations of good and evil, though I do understand Nietzsche's point that we must look to the origins of those notions and not sign onto them blindly and uncritically.
DeleteHello, my name is Bennie McTier. I am in section #3. I am a first-year student. I am majoring in Cybersecurity Management. I joined this class because I like to be able to think and have discussions about how people view things and whether it differs from my own view. Philosophy means to me, what I think is right or wrong and how I can go about bringing my own philosophy onto my life in the right way. I do not have a favorite philosopher.
ReplyDeleteYet.
DeleteHi! I'm Gracyn Shimek and I'm in section #2. I'm a freshman and my major is Business Administration. I decided to take this class because my high school psychology teacher introduced us a few philosophers, and I found that the study life and how it's perceived to be very interesting. I don't have a favorite philosopher, but I have a favorite philosophical book, "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz, it talks a lot about how you see yourself vs. how others see you and different perspectives on the reality of life.
ReplyDelete“The Four Agreements
ReplyDelete1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Don’t make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.”
Good advice!
Hey! I am Jack Bortz, and I will be in section #1. I am a freshman this year and will be double majoring in Psychology and Criminal Justice. In high school I started using philosophy as a means to make sense of my extremely skeptical view on existence and societal norms that I did not understand and why they did not make sense to me like they seemed to make sense to others. I found myself diving into existential nihilism and finding comfort in some of the core beliefs, despite being told it would do exactly the opposite. The idea of life meaning nothing and having to be okay with that fact was extremely freeing to me and was helpful as a starting point to figure out what I personally believe and where that fits into the world. I am very excited to learn more about different ways of thinking and have my personal beliefs challenged because ultimately, I still don't know!
ReplyDeleteHmm... Existentialism has insights to offer, but nihilism? Life means nothing? Maybe it means nothing intrinsically, independently of our evaluations and judgments... but as soon as we begin to inquire, reflect, act, build, create, etc., it means everything to us. Or can. As the late Christopher Hitchens (a staunch atheist who repudiated nihilism) put it: "A life that partakes even a little of friendship, love, irony, humor, parenthood, literature, and music, and the chance to take part in battles for the liberation of others cannot be called 'meaningless' except if the person living it is also an existentialist and elects to call it so. It could be that all existence is a pointless joke, but it is not in fact possible to live one's everyday life as if this were so." He's conflating existentialism with nihilism here, but I agree with the general point he's making: to live a human life just IS to create meaning. And if you happen to be an atheist, the meaning we create truly is everything meaningful.
DeleteHello, my name is Cooper Palowitch. I am in section #1 and am majoring mechanical engineering. I am a freshman and chose this course because I wanted to experiment with the honors program and I'd like to learn more about philosophy. I find purpose and perception to be very interesting aspects explored by philosophy. I'm going to be honest I am not very knowledgeable on this subject nor have explored in depth any philosopher enough to say I have a favorite.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you are an experimentalist in philosophy, as John Dewey called himself… And others, more recently: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/experimental-philosophy/
ReplyDeleteHello! I’m Addison McCammon and I’m in section #3. As a psychology major, my interests often overlap with the thematic subjects of philosophy, so it’s in my best interest to be more knowledgeable in the subject. I’ve always been interested in the idea of taking a philosophy course but never had the means to do so until now. For me, philosophy infiltrates every aspect of how we choose to live, whether we’re consciously aware of it or not. Although I don’t currently have a favorite philosopher, my personal philosophy focuses on striving for understanding and respect for all things. It is my personal belief that without compassion there can be no progress.
ReplyDeletePhilosophy and psychology do indeed overlap. My favorite philosopher, William James, wrote the Principles of Psychology (1890). That was really the origin of psychology as a distinct academic subject-matter In American universities. Maybe that’s why so many people confuse the two.
ReplyDeleteHello, I'm Tommy Miller, and I will be in section #1. I'm a criminal justice major, and plan to keep pursuing an education in law past college. That being the case, I'm interested in philosophy in order to understand the others might think, or what guides them. To understand a diverse group of ideologies, rather than just those that I either live by or am close to. Despite loving history, philosophers were never an area I looked into deeply, though I am familiar with the contributions of the likes of Plato, Socrates, John Locke, and Aristotle. Philosophy to me is characterized by thought, whether it be about knowledge, life, the world, our existence, all of these things are seeded in deep thought, and seeking answers. For me personally, I believe human kindness, isn't necessarily easy, but us being humans and striving for kindness, fairness, and fighting against what is cruel, is what separates our souls from other life.
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure other forms of life on earth are capable of being either kind or unkind, they just behave instinctively… Whereas, as the song in the musical South Pacific says, “You have to be carefully taught to hate.” I like what Kurt Vonnegut had one of his fictional characters say about kindness: “Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.“
DeleteHello! My name is Jeremiah Frizzell, and I will be in section #3. I'm from Young Harris, Georgia. I'm an Aerospace Major in the Professional Pilot Program. Flying has always fascinated me because it is the perfect blend of decision-making, technical skill, and composure. There are two reasons why I chose to enroll in this class. The first is that I wanted to get an idea of what an honors class looked like. The second is that philosophy can shape how we reason and think, a skill that matters when people's lives are at stake. To me, philosophy is the art of stepping back and asking why we do what we do or believe what we believe. While I don't have a favorite philosopher, I have always loved this quote from Marcus Aurelius, "You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." As a pilot, I have no control over the weather, technical issues, etc; however, I can control my reaction. I'm looking forward to seeing how philosophy can challenge the way I think, both on the ground and in the air.
ReplyDeleteI hope your encounter with Philosophy reinforces your stoicism, it seems to me good mindset for a pilot. I consider myself a stoic pragmatist of sorts. And I wish I were a pilot, I enjoy the view from above. I always grab the window seat, and I’m amazed at how many fellow flyers are utterly indifferent to the magnificent view they’re ignoring.
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Daxton McNeely, and I will be in section #1. I am a Professional Pilot major and wanted to take an honors class. I am not very knowledgeable on the subject of philosophy but i am interested in it and would like to learn more as I believe it can be very useful to me in the future. Philosophy to me is about digging deeper into the true meaning or reasoning behind an action and what the true values behind them are. I do not have a favorite philosopher but I heard a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche last year from a teacher and it really stuck with me, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." This quote is very impactful and has helped me follow my passions.
ReplyDeleteThat Nietzsche quote was made famous by Nazi concentration camp survivor Elie Wiesel in his book Man’s Search for Meaning. One of his better aphorisms, for sure.
DeleteHi, my name is Lilly Baum, and I will be in section #2. I’m a freshman and will be majoring in theater. I don’t know much about philosophy, but I have delved into apologetics. For a while I was somewhat interested in religion and nihilism, as I went to a Christian high school and had to confront my faith. I’m still unsure of where I stand, but I think that seeing life through philosophy - in the ways of questioning everything, thinking deeply about life’s unanswerable mysteries, the meaning of life and reasons for what we do - will be helpful in building my own core. Philosophy to me is just that: analyzing the world from every perspective, questioning what you think you know, digging deeper into the meaning of life and the universe’s mysteries, and building one’s own moral compass. I don’t have a favorite philosopher, but something I tend to live by is, “It’s your life.” It reminds me to not care as much about what others think of me or want for me, because if I live in a way that makes me happy, I’ll keep on the right path.
ReplyDelete“It’s your life” is a close cousin, maybe, to “think for yourself.“ But not by yourself. And pursuing one’s happiness is good, so long as it is not to the exclusion of others’ pursuits. That’s part of what it means to be a co-philosopher.
DeleteHello, my name is Lily Agee and I will be in your section #1 class. I am a freshman majoring in Journalism and I would like more exposure to different methods of thinking, seeing as I will have to be exposed to them in my future career. I also enjoy seeing the connection between people's different ways of analysis, bridging across cultures and generations. I think that philosophy is the connection between ideas that help us understand ourselves and each other on an empathetic level. Humanity experiences everything as a collective, so there is logic and cause behind what it believes. I also believe in the connection between people because I am a Christian. Fittingly, I consider my favorite philosopher to be Jesus Christ, who teaches and represents the connection between minds and hearts-- especially through the commandment of love. "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12)
ReplyDeleteGeorge W. Bush’s favorite, too.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about the golden rule, though, is that it preceded Christianity-most notably in Chinese Confucianism. In fact, just about every world tradition has inherited some version of it. It might be better, though, to do undo others as they would have you do unto them (not as you would have them do unto you). Either way, too many these days don’t do either.
Hello! My name is Addison Baird, I am a mathematics major and I am a part of section #2! I would like to say that my relationship with philosophy has been "admire from afar" up to this point. I have only read one book that has anything to do with ethics and moral philosophy, which only mentioned a handful of philosophers and their concepts. Despite my lack of knowledge on the subject, I have admired philosophy. As I interpret it, the way we question, reason, explore, and theorize is philosophy. As someone who aspires to be an academic, philosophy is vital. Through what little I know, I think that my favorite moral philosophy is from Confucius, the idea of self-cultivation. I believe that intentionally trying to better yourself and hold yourself accountable is an honorable way to live.
ReplyDeleteMore Confucian wisdom: “He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.” Questions lead to self-cultivation and accountability.
DeleteHi, my name is Matthew Kulik. I'm a freshman aerospace major and will be in section 3. Philosophy has long been an area that I've been curious to learn more about but have not explored in depth. Throughout my life, my world views and thought processes have changed, sometimes quite drastically. This has led me to look at myself, past and present, with introspection as to what has shaped my personal outlook and reasoning as well as having a greater emphasis on critical thinking. To me, philosophy is the basis for the entirety of how one lives their life and the basis of societal advancement. My favorite philosopher is John Locke. As someone who enjoyed history classes in high school, I think it is important to realize that many of the foundational ideas behind our current societal and government structures were not always in place. Locke's ideas of natural rights and the social contract in particular were extremely important to our country's founding and provide the basis for the nation we know today.
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe not the nation we know TODAY. Locke's commitment to toleration and mutual respect, and indeed to the implicit social contract that respects the human rights and the dignity of all, is in short supply lately. It would be nice to get back to that Lockean vision, to make America Lockean again.
DeleteHello, My Name is Somou Alkhudhairy. I am in your Section 2, I am Studying International Relations, and I am in your philosophy class because I love expanding my mind in order to approach situations in new ways. My father initially exposed me to the basics of philosophy, (Nietzsche, Plato, Socrates) and various Islamic philosophers, and from then I was hooked. I do not recall a time where the schools I previously attended where we spent more than a day or two discussing the beliefs and philosophies of many great figures, contemporary or otherwise, and I hope to really dive deep and learn how these famous (or infamous) people operated. I do not think I have a favorite philosopher because it is too broad of a question. I take influence from many of their ideas, including the basics of nihilism, knowing that I exist because I think, and Confucius' insistence on patience and watching the fruits of your labor grow with time. I guess if i had to summarize my personal philosophy in a few words it would be "Keep on pushing".
ReplyDeleteGood point: one should have many “favorites”-or at least many favorite sources of provocation. Mine: William James, John Dewey, Richard Rorty, John Stuart Mill, David Hume, Michel Montaigne, Aristotle, Socrates… And lots of my peers.
ReplyDelete“Keep on pushing” is good. Keep on keeping on. Keep moving.
Hello, I’m Abby Vinas. I’m in section 2. My major is business administration. I chose to take an intro to philosophy because it’s a study that I believe will engage my critical thinking and broaden my knowledge. As of right now, I have yet to have a deeper understanding of the study and I’m very excited to take this class to learn more about it. I would say the personal philosophies I live by are to be sincere and to be humble. I believe life has way more to offer when you give back and share your successes, rather than to turn your back on others in need.Im sure by the end of this course I will learn of great philosophers and their ideas and be able to have a deeper discussion on my favorites.
ReplyDeleteSincerity, humility, giving back… Not virtues commonly associated with business culture. I wish you success! But not the kind William James excoriated as our national disease, Wwriting to HG Wells in 1906: “the moral flabbiness born of the exclusive worship of the bitch-goddess Success. That—with the squalid cash interpretation put on the word success—is our national disease.”
DeleteHi there, I am Mady Perkins from section 2. My major is aerospace with a concentration in professional pilot. I am here to learn about more philosophies just because my previous experience with the subject has mostly been through a religious lens. I found a previous psychology course very interesting and while I know it's not the same I think i'll have a similar interest in philosophy! I think my personal philosophies are rooted in productivity and perseverance. I take pride in my studies and put a lot of value in academics/education. Not sure which philosophers have stake in those fields but I would be excited to learn about them!
ReplyDeleteMost philosophers have valued education. Some who placed the greatest explicit emphasis on it: Plato, Rousseau, Kant, John Dewey… Sadly, we live in a time when too many of our “leaders” do not value it.
DeleteHello, I am Mallory Brandon from section 3. I am currently majoring in Accounting and minoring in Business Management. I’m here with the hope that I will gain a new (or many new) perspectives on the world itself. I worry that a single minded approach to life will limit me. I haven’t quite developed my own opinion on philosophy or specific philosophers because i prefer to have more knowledge on a subject before formulating opinion.
ReplyDeleteSingle-mindedness does indeed limit people. As William James said: "However sceptical one may be of the attainment of universal truths . . . one can never deny that philosophical study means the habit of always seeing an alternative, of not taking the usual for granted, of making conventionalities fluid again, of imagining foreign states of mind. In a word, it means the possession of mental perspective."
DeleteAlexis Dianda comments: "...the philosopher learns to imagine the alien, to see the unusual, to notice what has passed unnoticed. To see and feel differently than what we have become accustomed to is the ultimate goal of James's philosophy. This is an individual goal as much as it is a social one. It is a goal that I argue is better served by a philosophy of experience."
Hello, my name is Matthew Lowe. I am from section #2. I am currently majoring in Digital Marketing. I am here, mainly, to challenge myself and to potentially feed my interest in philosophy. I have never been formally educated on the subject, and I would like to know more. I believe it means understanding wisdom and how we attain it. I do not yet have a favorite philosopher however I’m sure I will gain one while learning in this class. My personal philosophy is living life to achieve one’s goals.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good philosophy, but even better is to seek to achieve one's goals AND help others achieve theirs... to do everything we can as individuals and as a society to remove impediments to good lives for all.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article on hyper-individualism in American culture:
DeleteIs Today’s Self-Help Teaching Everyone to Be a Jerk?
Draw boundaries. Protect your peace. Worry less about pleasing others. The prevailing (and best-selling) wisdom of the day encourages an inward turn. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/style/self-help-books-columns-readers.html?searchResultPosition=1
Hello all, my name is Corey and I am in section #2. I am seeking a degree in business administration, after a long 15 years of working in food (mostly bakery). I'm here because Philosophy seemed like a really interesting class, and a subject I am enthusiastic to learn about- I don't have a solid academic basis for the subject. To me, philosophy is about how we view the world and how we should interact with it, and my feelings about those things have shifted a lot over the years.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a favorite philosopher, unless you can count Bruce Lee, because my favorite mantra in life is to be "like water." I think life is always life, but it helps to remember to be malleable!
Bruce counts, sure. Wonder if he studied Thales, another (older) H2O philosopher. https://iep.utm.edu/thales/
DeleteHello, my name is Anderson Ritzhaupt and I am in section #1. I am majoring in psychology to hopefully become a criminal psychologist of some sort. I not only believe this course will assist me in my future career but I also am very intrigued to learn more about why I think the way I think and what makes me human. Philosophy, to me, is about why humans make certain decisions and what those decisions are rooted in. In other words, why do we think certain things or why do we react to reality in a specific way? My knowledge in philosophy is very limited so I do not have a favorite philosopher, however a personal philosophy of mine comes from my determination to complete whatever task is ahead of me.
ReplyDeleteWhy we think and act as we do is of course also a province of psychology. Philosophy additionally is concerned with evaluating the rationality and merit of thinking as we do, in service of thinking and acting better.
DeleteHi! My name is Sarah Bolus, and I'm in section #3. I'm a sophomore majoring in Biology with a concentration in Genetics and Biotechnology. I was browsing through the available honors classes and noticed a philosophy class was offered for this semester. I'm not too familiar with philosophy, nor have I taken a class in the subject. Helping people has always been my passion, which inspired my pursuit of a career in the sciences. I might have a philosophy similar to altruism. I don't have a favorite philosopher yet, but I hope to have one by the end of the semester :)
ReplyDeleteI wish certain people in Washington understood that scientists are generally motivated to help people. And if more people generally understood that, they wouldn't stand for the assault on science and learning that's been going on lately.
DeleteHi! My name is Allie Stanfield and I am in section #2 of this class. I am a freshman majoring in psychology. I am here to learn more about philosophy as I have not been exposed to it much before now, although the process and product of our thoughts is very fascinating to me. I don't have a favorite philosopher yet, but I hope to learn about many and to have one by the end of this semester.
ReplyDeleteOr many.
DeleteHi! My name is Gracyn Schmidt and i am in section #1 of this class. I am a senior majoring in Aerospace: Pro Pilot. I am currently working toward becoming a flight instructor. I am taking this class because I consider myself to be a lifelong learner and want to be exposed to all sorts of topics. I do not know much about philosophy yet but find Aristotle very interesting. I look forward to learning more!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, already to be identifying as a lifelong learner (the term is usually deployed by people of a certain age).
DeleteMy name is Grayson Ethridge and I'm in section 1. I am a freshman majoring in mechatronics and I'm here because I thought this class looked interesting, and i wanted to get a deeper understanding of philosophy as a general topic. I'm not too knowledgeable about it, and i think i get my curiosity from my dad, so I'm excited to be in this class. My personal philosophy is to act upon other how i wish to be acted upon, and i strive to live by it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting confluence of Gra-cyn/ysons. I didn't overlook you, Grayson, I just hadn't made it that far down the list yet. I generally won't see comments posted on the day of class until later.
DeleteIt's a good personal philosophy, but I do think the other formulation of the golden rule is a bit better: do unto others as THEY would be done to...
Hello, my name is Makenzie Collins. I am 19 years old and outside of being a student, I am a part-time hair stylist and a disciple of Christ! I am here because I am a history enthusiast and am interested in learning about the history of great philosophers. Philosophy to me is a way of understanding or interpreting life. I do not have a favorite philosopher, however, my philosophy in life is to Love others and have Faith in God. Section 1
ReplyDeleteYou'll like the Little History of Philosophy... and then you might want to move on to The Dream of Reason and The Dream of Enlightenment by Anthony Gottlieb. And Bertrand Russell's classic History of Philosophy.
DeleteHi, Im Austin Clark and Im in Section 1. Im 18 years old and Im a freshman from Brentwood TN. Im at MTSU to pursue a Pro-Pilot major, but looked into philosophy when registering for classes and decided to take the course. Philosophy to me is the learning and communicating about life and its questions. I don't currently have a favorite philosopher.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what all you aspiring pilots think of the View from Above (see sidebar)? I'll bet you agree with Edgar Mitchell.
DeleteMy name is Kate Pennel and I am in section #1. I am a freshman and a commercial songwriting major. I am here because this course seemed interesting, and I heard it used to be required and isn't anymore so I was curious. Philosophy to me is trying to figure out how the world works and what you want to do with that. I don't have a favorite philosopher as I don't know much about philosophy, but I am a follower of Jesus so a personal philosophy I try to live by is "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”" (Mark 12:30-31).
ReplyDeletePhilosophy used to be considered requisite for anyone claiming to be roundly educated. I'm not sure if/when it was ever required at MTSU, but if I were philosopher-king it definitely would be.
DeleteClearly, Mark never met my neighbor.
My name is Mackenzie McDonald and I am in section 3. I am in this class because I want to learn more about philosophy and this course seemed very interesting in the description. Philosophy means to me the understanding of deep thought and asking questions. I don’t necessarily have a favourite philosopher but I’ve heard a lot about the teachings of Aristotle, primarily his concepts of intelligence.
ReplyDeleteAristotle's coming right up, on Tuesday.
Delete"Favourite," eh? Are you from the English Commonwealth? Or just like the spelling?
Hi, I'm Addison Mckinney and I'm in section 2. I'm 18 years old and I'm a freshman majoring in English, specifically Public Writing and Rhetoric. I'm here because philosophy has always been interesting to me, and I'd love to learn more about it. My favorite show is also The Good Place, which I know doesn't make me a philosopher by any means, but it did make me more interested in the topic.
ReplyDeleteTo me, philosophy is about thinking about life, our actions, and our place in the world. I don't have a favorite philosopher yet, but a personal philosophy I live by is to hope, or keep going, despite anything. I like to be an optimistic person, because if I have to be here I want to believe what I do matters. One of my favorite quotes isn't from a philosopher, but from The Good Place: "I mean, why not try? It's better than not trying, right?"
Right. That speaker on The Good Place must've been a pragmatist.
DeleteHowdy, I'm Corbin Medley. I'm in section #3. I'm an undergrad transferring from Motlow State Community College to complete my Bachelor's and possibly a Master's and so on afterwards for Psychology. I'm here because I enjoy intellectual discussion and I appreciate the deeper more complex parts of the mind as it also relates to the field of psychology. Philosophy to me is the study of the mind much the same way psychology is. I do not believe I have a favorite philosopher I could name off the top of my head, but I enjoy the thoughts shared by the many perspectives of philosophers. My personal philosophy is to have faith in humanity above all else and that life's purpose is to better the lives of as many people as possible.
ReplyDeleteSome philosophers study the mind/brain, and consciousness, as their primary focus. Others are more concerned to study the person and his/her relation to others, to society, to History, or to the future. Many students tell me they understand philosophy to be "thinking about thinking," but for me it's a broader pursuit. It's thinking about living, breathing, acting, doing... and then DOING something as a result.
DeleteMy name is Ben Leichty, I'm in section 3. I'm 18 years old and I'm a freshman with an undecided major. I'm here because philosophy actually makes up a pretty decent part of me. I like philosophy because it gives me different ways to look at life to help me throughout the course of my life. My favorite philosopher is Marcus Aurelius, and my favorite philosophy is stoicism. Stoicism has been something I've invested myself in for some time now and it's helped me handle adversity and difficulty in my life in a healthy way.
ReplyDeleteAgain: stoicism is good. Stoic Pragmatism is better still.
DeleteMy name is Skylar Bishop, and I am in section #3. I am here because I actually don’t know a lot about philosophy. I am here to be introduced. To me, philosophy is a collection and study of knowledge, values, religion, and ideas. It is something exclusively known by humankind. My personal philosophy is to stay as open minded, ask other people as many questions as possible, and retain status as a lifelong learner. I believe that if you go your whole life without ever changing your beliefs, you are doing something wrong.
ReplyDeleteIs philosophy exclusive to humanity? On this planet, maybe. Who knows exactly what goes on in the minds of dolphins and elephants et al? But I like to imagine there must be other species of philosopher out there somewhere in the cosmos.
DeleteI agree with your last sentence, though it does suggest a paradox: What if you changed THAT belief?
I do think it's exclusive to us as humans. The minds of fish are unknowable. I believe we have many things that make us distinctly human, and separate us from the animals. The fact that we care about, and are able to ask questions about our existence proves it. I too hope there are aliens out there that ponder the same funny little things we do.
DeleteI think if I change that belief, I will have, in some sense, proven my current self right :).
My name is Morgan Conner, and I'm in section #3. I'm an 18 year old theatre major who is here because I was interested in philosophy in high school and was always fascinated by the way other people thought and approached life. Philosophy to me is the observation, cumulation, and discussion of different ways of thinking. I don't have a specific philosopher in mind, but I often think of something my friend once told me: "It is what it is."
ReplyDeleteWhat does that mean, "It is what it is"? Seems like a mere tautology (like "X=X"). Or does it mean: there's nothing I can do about it? Then maybe it's a stoic statement? Or a deterministic/fatalistic one?
DeleteMy name is Katelyn Butler and I'm in section 3. I chose to attend MTSU this fall to partake in the Jones Business College to work towards my marketing degree. Philosophy to me is similar to different perspectives. The more perspectives you receive by the sharing of thoughts and ideas, the "wiser" you become and you have a more optimistic and greater perspective on life. I do not yet have a favorite philosopher but I look forward to finding one.
ReplyDeleteGood philosophers are definitely curious about different perspectives, and hope to learn from the encounter with them. There are billions of perspectives in the world. Why would anyone want not to be exposed to as many of them as possible? Fear, I suppose.
DeleteMy name is Malcolm Ashley, and I am in section 3#. I'm majoring in exercise science and I am here because I was invited to the honors college by my advisor. Philosophy to me has now been changed after hearing you say It's learning to live and not learning to die. I don't have a favorite philosopher as I am fairly new to the subject.
ReplyDeleteActually those are flip-sides of the same phenomenon. Learning to live IS learning to die, and vice versa.
DeleteMy name is Brooke Evans and I am here because I was interested in the topic and thought it fit well with my psychology major. Philosophy means to me that we are trying to understand our purpose here. I do not have a favorite philosopher, but my life philosophy stems from a biblical point of view. I think this means that everyone has a unique purpose and we are meant to treat everyone equally and with love.
ReplyDeleteUnderstand our purpose, or fashion it. It may be that our purpose just is to do that.
DeleteHi, my name is Leo Varanda and I am in section 2. I am 20 years old and I am a junior from Milton Georgia. I am here because philosiphy sounded much more interesting than the other humanities courses. Philosophy to me is the understanding of the way the world works around us and how us as humans react or think about those natural occurences. I do not have a favorite philosipher.
ReplyDeleteAgain, philosophy is about what we think and do, but beyond that it's about what we ought to, in order to achieve wisdom and to live good lives.
DeleteHi everyone, my name is Stone Sakson, and I am in section 1. I am a Pro-Pilot major and have an interest in philosophy, so I thought I would try this class for my credits. I always thought philosophy was an important aspect of life since it is a perspective that holds lots of power on how you view and internalize what happens in your life. I have never had a cemented philosophy since my views on certain things tend to change as I grow older. I enjoy this though, since I have the ability to sort of craft my own philosophy that works for me. I do not have a favorite philosopher, but I do enjoy the idea of stoicism.
ReplyDeleteIt's good for your philosophy not to be "cemented," unless I guess you're in the concrete management program.
DeleteHello! My name is Mercy Adedokun, and I am in section #2. I am here because this class is a part of my True Blue Core, and because I enjoy the subject of philosophy. Philosophy to me means understanding the “why” behind human behaviors or concepts. To me, the study of philosophy is very similar to psychology and anthropology. As we delve into philosophical ideas, the way the human mind works and our cultures are often brought up. My favorite philosopher is Sri Ramakrishna, and my favorite work of his is “Many Paths to the Same Summit.”
ReplyDeleteHe said “Only two kinds of people can attain self-knowledge: those who are not encumbered at all with learning, that is to say, whose minds are not over-crowded with thoughts borrowed from others; and those who, after studying all the scriptures and sciences, have come to realise that they know nothing.” Very Socratic.
DeleteI am Elijah Cummings from section #2. I’ve always been a very curious person and learning has always been such a driving force in my life, and the older I grow the more philosophical my questions have become as I have been increasingly interested in topics such as perception (emotion, sensation, the experience of awareness in general, and the strange inability for people to come to a distinct conclusion on its nature or features), morality (what it is, why it exists in the ways it does societally, how different views can contradict each other on this topic, whether it is objective or subjective, ways in which it could be extended, etc.), the universe (its properties, its origin, the possibility of things beyond human perception, the question of whether the supposed laws of the universe are truly constant, and so on), and many more things under those umbrellas and beyond. I hope that I can utilize this class to both further my own philosophical development and introduce active philosophical challenges to my own beliefs that cause me to grow and better understand myself and others. Philosophy, to me, is my lifeblood; it is a wonderful pastime, it brings me a myriad of stress and excitement (on both extremes of either emotion), it has helped me find calm, peace, and a sense of clarity in moments of distress, it has grown with me and is ever changing (a fact which I hope never to stifle, I would despise becoming too set in my ways), and it has brought me an immense gratitude and wonder for the world and its smallest facets. In these aspects, philosophy is an emotional cornerstone of my very existence, and I value both its highs and lows deeply. I do not have a favorite philosopher, in fact I have rarely looked into the works of any specific philosopher (though I am of course aware of many notable ones such as Socrates and a few famous thought experiments). The majority of my intrigue in philosophy has come from myself, my peers, my parents, and my experience with the world.
ReplyDeleteYou're the first undergrad I've ever encountered at MTSU who called philosophy an "emotional cornerstone"... have you considered majoring or minoring in it?
DeleteHello! I am Eric Youngkins and I am in section 3. I am a freshman film major and I wanted to take a philosophy class because I have recently become interested in learning about the great philosophers of history around the world. I believe that studying what has already been suggested by the great minds before my time is vital to understanding the world we live in today. I believe there is a strong connection between philosophy and morality. I find that the more that I learn about the way people think, the better I understand the importance of kindness and moral goodness. While I have not read any of his works yet, I have listened to and enjoyed multiple speeches of Alan Watts. Specifically, I really love his speech in which he claims that life is not a journey in the sense that there is no destination. He compares life to an orchestral concert and states that the end of a concert is not the point of the concert. The musical performance in its entirety is where the true value resides. He states that many people approach their lives like a roadtrip as if there is some final destination to reach in life. He protests this idea and says that in order for a person to live a happy life, one must not focus on a "destination" but should instead enjoy the everyday moments of life. I really love this idea and every time I think about it makes me feel more grateful for the things that I currently have in my life.
ReplyDeleteAs the late John J. McDermott liked to say: "the nectar is in the journey." But life IS kind of a highway, isn't it?
DeleteHi my name is Donyae Keeler, I'm a freshman studying psychology with the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. I decided to take this course because of my personal interest in philosophy, specifically Greek philosophy. I think it's cool to see people from older civilizations think about how humans think, and how those ideas age with time. My favorite philosopher is Albert Camus; I think his ideas are interesting and I love his style of writing. To me philosophy is how we live.
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DeleteCamus said we must imagine Sisyphus happy. I'll be interested to hear your take on what he meant.
DeleteHi my name is Mackenzie Harris and I am in section 2. I am a early childhood education major. i took philosophy because when I was making my schedule at orientation this class had the most interesting course description and philosophy has always sparked my attention as someone who asks people too many questions. Philosophy to me means being curious and wanting to hear other people's ideas on topics. I do not have a favorite philosopher but I did like learning about Aristotle in HS.
ReplyDelete"Too many questions"? No such thing.
DeleteMy name is Jake Keisman im in section #2. My major is business admin. and I decided to take philosophy because I have always had an interest in challenging popular belief and question culture and religion and whatever else we are taught. I like to analyze and ask "why" things are the way they are and how they came to be. I like to go down rabbit holes of sorts, whether it be science related or history or culture. I enjoy dissecting literature and delving into random wikipedias for hours. I have a few philosophy books I have yet to read, one by Nietzsche. I like to compare different philosophies such as Nihilism and others and how they apply to my own beliefs in life. I don't have one philospher that I favor but I do enjoy the works of many, classical and modern. I am still figuring out my personal philosophy and I hope that this class can open my eyes and help me develop that personal philosophy.
ReplyDeleteNihilism, to me, is not so much a philosophy as a repudiation of philosophy and an abrogation of the search for wisdom. Sally Brown's "No!" is cute but it's not the recipe for a happy life.
DeleteI'm Connor Smith in section #1 and I'm majoring in psychology with an interest in criminal psychology specifically. I chose this class because I like that the ideas in philosophy are very subjective and I also like hearing others' opinions and why they think a certain way. To me, philosophy is the study (in a loose terminology) of human thought, as well as a tool to better comprehend our place in the universe. He's my favorite only because I'm not very familiar with many philosophers, but my philosopher would probably be Carl Jung. I find his work on the "shadow self" very compelling and I can appreciate his outlook on life. A quote I found recently from Jung that I liked was, “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”
ReplyDeleteI was introduced to Jung by the old TV show "Northern Exposure"... you'd like it.
DeleteI'm Keira Tritto in section #2 and I am majoring in Nursing. I'm a freshman this year. I chose to take philosophy because I have always been interested in the "why" of everything: why we act the way we act, do the things we do, etc. I love hearing others' perspectives on life and learning about how they think. To me, philosophy is the study of the "why." I don't know very much about philosophy and have never studied it before, so I don't have a favorite philosopher (yet). A philosophy that I love and currently live by is, "You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing onto you" (Heraclitus). To me, this philosophy means that new beginnings are waiting for you and because of that, you can never go back to the past.
ReplyDeleteThe waters change, atomically speaking, but more importantly the people who step into the waters change over time. (Although some seem extremely resistant to that.)
DeleteMy name is Abby Jessen, I'm in section #1 and I am majoring in English with a teacher licensure. I am taking this class because, to be honest, when my advisor gave me a list of avaliable courses, it sounded the most interesting. Right now when I think of philosiphy I just imagine an old man, who probably has a long beard, sitting and pondering about life. I obviously know about the big names like Aristotle and Plato, but other than that I'm a bit of a beginner. But who knows? Maybe I'll take this class, fall in love with the art of thinking, and want to change my entire major. Life can be unpredictable. Which leads me to my personal philosiphy, don't stress over the things you cannot change. I don't always succeed in doing this, but I try my best.
ReplyDeleteThat "old man with a white beard" image is restrictive. Remember, we're all co-Philosophers in this class. No beards required.
DeleteMy name is Jayden Flores, Im in section #1, I am a freshmen and my major is Construction Industry Management. I chose to take this class because i feel like i've always had philosophical thoughts but have never really been able to express them. I am very intrigued by philosophy and am excited to learn more. I think philosophy is peoples way of viewing the world, so basically peoples way of life or beliefs. I dont have a favorite philopher yet, but i like to live by the philosophy of always trying to be "your best self", by basically keep improving bit by bit everyday.
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ReplyDeleteHello, I am Sabin Bharati. I am in section #1. I am an international student at MTSU from Nepal. I am here to study data science major. I, initially, wasn't thinking of taking philosophy class. However, MTSU has true blue core courses requirements. As it was necessity, I decided to take philosophy because the subject philosophy has always been very interesting to me. I want to get wisdom and learn better way to see life. Hence, I am new to philosophy, I don't have any favorite philosopher but I am always open to new ideas.
ReplyDeleteI love to know different philosophies and am excited to learn from our professor.
My name is Harley Gallers, I am from Franklin, Tennessee and I have 2 cats and 2 siblings, one of which goes to MTSU and is a Junior. I am here because I want to earn a degree in Journalism, specifically with a concentration in Sports Media. To me, Philosophy is the way we look at the world, whether its in a positive or negative light, and how that impacts the decisions we make. My favorite philosopher is probably Mary Wollstonecraft, ads she also was an avid female rights advocate. A philosophy that I try to live by is stoicism, because I believe you can change your internal forces but not external.
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