No class today, I'm at a conference out of town... but go ahead and post your thoughts about the assigned reading.
1. After Plato, the next philosopher to turn his attention to the details of child-rearing was who?
2. What's the first step of human reason, according to Kant?
3. If we have hope for moral progress, what do we want for the next generation?
4. What was Orwell's nightmare?
5. What "perfidious reversal leaves us permanently confused"?
6. What are you committed to, if you're committed to Enlightenment?
7. What is freedom, according to Rousseau and Kant?
5. What "perfidious reversal leaves us permanently confused"?
6. What are you committed to, if you're committed to Enlightenment?
7. What is freedom, according to Rousseau and Kant?
8. What's the key to whether or not we grow up?
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Discussion Questions
WGU
WGU
- Should philosophers pay more attention to child-rearing and parenting? 36
- What do you think Cicero meant by saying that philosophy is learning to die?
- Do you feel fully empowered to "choose your life's journey"? If not, what obstacles prevent that? 37
- In what ways do you think your parents' occupations influence the number of choices you'll be able to make in your life?
- If you've read 1984 and Brave New World, which do you find the more "seductive dystopia"? 39
- Are we confused about toys and dreams? 40
- Do others make the most important decisions for you? 41
- Do you "make a regular appointment with your body"? 42
- Do you trust anyone over 30? 45
- Is it "reasonable to expect justice and joy"? 49
- Are you "committed to Enlightenment"? 51
- Do the passions for glory and luxury make us wicked and miserable? 53
- What does it mean to say there are no atheists in foxholes? Is it true? 54
- Was Rousseau right about inequality and private property? 55
- Should philosophy be taught to children, so as to become thinking adults? 57
- Should children "yield to the commands of other people"? 61
- Should parents "let the child wail"?
- Are Rousseau and Kant right about the true definition of freedom? 62
- Is Rousseau right about desire? 65
- Did Rousseau's abandonment of his children discredit his thoughts on child-rearing? 69 Or show him to be a hypocrite for saying no task in the world is more important than raising a child properly? 72
1. After Plato, the next philosopher to turn his attention to the details of child-rearing was who? After Plato, Aristotle was the next philosopher to turn his attention to the details of child-rearing. Plato famously proposed a communal system of child-rearing to foster state loyalty, however Aristotle returned the focus to the family unit as the primary environment for a child’s development.
ReplyDelete2. What's the first step of human reason, according to Kant? According to Kant, the first step of human reason is to begin with principles that are necessary and valid within the field of experience.
4. What was Orwell's nightmare? Orwell’s nightmare, that was famously shown in his novel 1984, was a dystopian, totalitarian future where the state wields total control over individual thought, language, and reality. It was represented by the slogan, “Big Brother is Watching You.”
7. What is freedom, according to Rousseau and Kant? According to both Rousseau and Kant, freedom is essentially self-legislation, which is the ability to act according to laws one puts on oneself, rather than being driven by instinct, appetite, or external factors.
1. After Plato, the next philosopher to turn his attention to the details of child-rearing was who?
ReplyDeleteAfter Plato, the next philosopher to turn his attention to the details of child-rearing was Rousseau. Rousseau treated growing up as a philosophical problem and proposed a comprehensive and radical solution. He suggested raising children apart from society, creating for them one in which everything makes sense. He thought this would lead to an ability to create a world that makes sense as an adult. I don’t think this is a good idea. I think certain challenges in a society that “doesn’t make sense” lead to resilience, which is a crucial skill for an adult, or someone who would be entering a society that “doesn’t make sense,” to have. I think raising a child completely apart from society wouldn’t equip them well for entering the society we live in.
3. If we have hope for moral progress, what do we want for the next generation?
If we have hope for moral progress, we want the next generation to be better than we are. This makes sense to me and feels a little bit self-explanatory. Progress means to get better. If we want progress and a society, we, as a society, need to get better; therefore, it makes sense that we would want the next generation to be better than we are.
6. What are you committed to, if you're committed to Enlightenment?
If you’re committed to enlightenment, you’re committed to understanding the world in order to improve it. I think this sounds like a good outlook to have; it’s important to thoroughly understand a problem in order to best find a solution.
Section #1:
ReplyDeleteAre we confused about toys and dreams?
Neiman discusses how direct control is too noticeable, and therefore stirs up rebellion against itself, while indirect control is subtle enough that the people gradually grow dependent on it. For example, the toys of modern first world life, like cars and phones, distract us from the real issues and the real goals in our world. These toys are portrayed as the necessities that we should devote our lives to, structuring every part of ourselves and our routines around striving to have the most of the newest and best thing; that is success and maturity. However, real success and maturity lie in realizing that these things are not necessities, but luxuries, and seeing that the most important things in life are really building a world with better conditions for everyone, an idea that is often dismissed as fantastical and childish.
Do you "make a regular appointment with your body"?
Kant walked the same route at the same time every single day (except for two), a fact which may seem silly or odd to some. However, Neiman points out that many people schedule time for physical activity into their daily routines. We are so dependent on following our schedules that if time is not set aside for something, we are likely to forget about it. I don’t exercise nearly as much as I should, but a New Year’s Resolution of mine was to run twice a week…I haven’t stuck to this goal, but I’m trying to get better at it.
Do the passions for glory and luxury make us wicked and miserable?
Neiman argues that culture is more effective than government at enslaving us, as it convinces us that the way things are are the way they should be. Constant consumption of every possible commodity is normalized, and we are encouraged to always want more. While we are so focused on obtaining our own wealth and success, we often forget the needs of others, and that those needs are much, much greater than our own. Passion for glory and luxury makes us blind to what is actually necessary, leaving us feeling discontent no matter our circumstances.
section #1
ReplyDeleteOrwell's nightmare was a dystopian society oppressive, totalitarian control. Orwell's nightmare was coined specifically after George Orwell released his novel "1984" where the omnipresent "big brother" controls every single aspect of life.
According to Rousseau and Kant, freedom was "self legislation". Self legislation is a term to describe the ability to make your own decisions and follow your own rules and morals instead of following society's standards or simple instinct.
Nieman states that the "perfidious reversal leaves us permanently confused" is the exit from self-incurred immaturity or the challenge from growing from immaturity and childhood to adulthood.
ReplyDeleteSection #1
In what ways do you think your parents’ occupations influence the number of choices you’ll be able to make in your life?
- I feel like it depends on how parents teach their kids. Some children may be brought up poor, but they do not realize because everything they ask for is still handed to them. On the other hand,c some children may be brought up rich, but their parents still teach them to work hard and help them realize hard work pays off. Of course, there are situations where these scenarios are reversed, but again, it just depends on the parents and how they bring up their kids.
What does it mean to say there are no atheist in foxholes? Is it true?
- In short, this saying means that whenever one is in a sticky situation, they tend to start believing in a higher power for the sake of the situation. I agree. I’ve seen this happen a time or two, and I believe it happens more often than I think.
Should philosophy be taught to children, so as to become thinking adults?
- I think not. Philosophy could enhance children’s critical thinking skills, however, philosophy also could confuse children. It would honestly depend on which level of development their end. Some children could be confused by philosophy, and begin to answer questions that have one right answer as if they’re open-ended questions instead. I feel like the earlier a person should take philosophy would be ideally once they enter high school.
2. What's the first step of human reason, according to Kant?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Immanuel Kant, the first step to reason is to start thinking for yourself. Kant is cited by Susan Neiman as someone who believed that the state counts on its citizens being infantilized and lazy. He says that part of growing up is breaking the cycle of acting without thinking. Neiman describes Kant and Jean-Jacques Rousseau as having grown up in the artisan class, a social position that would make it unlikely for either of them to become the men they became. However, she also says that this unique position encouraged them to think for themselves, without the strict impositions they might have experienced in an aristocratic upbringing. I agree with Neiman’s assertion that thinking for yourself is necessary to grow up and escape conformity. It is so easy to go with the raging tide of decisions made by your government and society and never question them. In fact, your government does not want you to question it. On the other hand, if you are committed to being an adult and making the world a better place, it is your duty to educate yourself and think independently.
3. If we have hope for moral progress, what do we want for the next generation?
Through education, we want the next generation to be better than we are. Now more than ever, I think this is essential for humankind, if we plan on continuing to exist. We are at a key point in whether we choose to use new technology like AI to become better versions of ourselves or mindless zombies who can't fix anything. The more we learn about our world, environment, and the circumstances that led us to where we are, the better we can make informed decisions about where to go next. This is a moral imperative. I think that people have lost their belief that they matter and that they have influence over where the world goes. The next generation is incentivized to scroll TikTok and use ChatGPT for everything. Through this lens, we are unable to think for ourselves, and the next generation will need to adapt their lifestyles to be better than the algorithm-addicted, low-voter-turnout, hopeless populace that currently occupies society. The pessimistic side of my personality won today.
8. What's the key to whether or not we grow up?
The key to growing up is to never stop questioning the world, to come to conclusions organically, and through critical thinking. Once you arrive at certain conclusions about the way things are, it is your responsibility to respond in a moral way. I have been grappling with this concept of moral responsibility in the decisions I make for my own life. I have been looking at my goals and asking myself whether they align with my morals. If I choose to continue on this desired path, will I be asked to do something that goes against my moral code? And if I respond accordingly, will the consequences be worth the pursuit in the first place, and will I ultimately be helping or hurting the world? I imagine that these are questions most people are forced to ask themselves at certain points in their lives. Growing up, in this context, means taking full responsibility for the choices I make, knowing that a moral choice may be necessary down the line.
WGU thoughts on Emile.
ReplyDeleteSection 1
To be raised in true freedom, Emile must suffer the consequences of his own actions and none other, yes? But what happens when Emile is trying to make friends? When they explain the idea of an adult telling them 'no' 'because I said so' 'because it's wrong' (without further explanation). How does a child raised in complete freedom interact with society. Won't they be lonely? Won't they misunderstand? Will they be doomed to unhappiness and suffering and a quick and violent execution because they didn't learn the laws of men and only the laws of nature and learned through trial and error? Actions and natural consequences?
What if Emile has no empathy? What if he was a bully, and larger than the others so took what he could get. His parents never scolded him, they let 'natural consequences' take root instead. Even if (a large if) the victims go to the adults and the adults try to talk to the parents of Emile, nothing will happen as the parents aren't into non-natural punishments. Unless they invite the other victims' parents to take it out on Emile (which is the best and most honest way I could see Emiles parents playing this off as a natural repercussion) it might not work as those parents probably (in a modern setting at least) would have some reserves about hitting another parent's kid. Even then, this would still only lead to Emile's victims being orphans without friends or family who might defend them. All natural consequences taught him was that if he could and wanted to he should. He would never be taught to care about anyone other than himself. Emile is a menace when born without caring-- which some people are. I have had the unfortunate delight of knowing one of these, and it took years of significant human consequences to help him learn to care about others. Left to natural consequences, he likely never would have deigned to try.
"For, by turning the natural drive into a search for the ideal erotic object-- a woman who is as good as she is beautiful -- the educator can create a love for the ideal itself that produces forms of striving that will be of real value. If properly managed, sexual desire can be the natural connection between self-interest and morality."
There are so many things wrong with this hogwash I am flabberghasted that it got into the final book.
First-- I will always Object to calling a woman an "Erotic Object".
Second-- not everyone's Ideal is good, beautiful woman. Sometimes Emile may be gay. Sometimes asexual. Sometimes into 'bad' instead of good. Emile might flat out not care about morality of their partner, just wants. (Are the poetry and history lessons supposed to fix this? They won't unless Emile is told to specifically focus on finding a singular life partner when there are many options besides this that Emile may be interested in. Why should Emile listen to whoever is telling him to ignore his desires btw?)
Third- WTH does "properly managed" mean?! WHAT DOES IT MEAN?! Nothing. It's worse than 'only works in laboratory settings with assumptions about Emile's preferences' because it doesn't even provide any instructions! At least in a lab you have a written procedure you can follow.
Fourth-- I still don't see any connections twixt an adolescents self interest and their morality here. Best is "They'll learn generosity and kindness to get a partner." but they have no reason to use it on anyone else other than that partner unless they're a kind caring person in which case they probably would have figured this out before adolescence. Also, divorce wasn't really a thing when this idea was first proposed. I shudder to think at what Emile might do after the wedding if he only learned kindness as a mask to get what he wanted.
Section #1
ReplyDelete1. After Plato, the next philosopher to focus on child-rearing was John Locke. He looked at how experience and education shape a child’s mind and character, emphasizing habits, early learning, and the environment as key to forming reason and morality.
4. Orwell’s nightmare was a world with total surveillance and loss of freedom, where truth is manipulated, independent thought is punished, and people are controlled by fear and propaganda.
7. Freedom, according to Rousseau and Kant, is following the laws you give yourself through reason, not just doing whatever you want. It means acting morally and rationally, so your choices are truly your own rather than imposed by others.