Frankly Speaking

                   I have never been in a situation where my existence meant so little to the superiors around me nor in one where my hopes and dreams were so utterly decimated that I could hardly go on living.  I can therefore never fully understand the pain that Frankel and his comrades suffered from these horrible experiences in the concentration camps. My favorite part of the novel is where he speaks about the love for his wife and how it is one of the single greatest strengths that gives him the motivation to survive.  I think that one important theme from this book is for each man to find meaning.  He wrote that in order to survive each prisoner had to hold on to the thought of something on the outside so that their spirits would not be completely crushed.  Frankl’s love for his wife must have therefore been an unbreakable bond.

Classmate I Am Thankful For

            I would say that there are many people in seventh period philosophy that make the class enjoyable, but I would say that I am especially thankful for Chris Pieper, because he often times elects to save the class when Mr. McCarthy stumps us with a question.  I admire him, because he does not seem to fear antagonism from other classmates when he expresses his beliefs.  I also really enjoy what he has to say, because he is very articulate and he formulates very strong points.  I fear that if he were not in our class, there would be many times where we might all blankly stare at our teacher if we can’t find an answer to a philosophical question.  Along with his public speaking skills, Chris also evidently knows how to write.  I would say that I comment on his blogs as much as I do on any other person’s blog.  Lastly, I am sure he will continue to be an important part of our class and I look forward to the rest of the year.

Philosophy 1^st Quarter

            I believe that the first quarter of philosophy has gone well in that we have engaged in very deep analytical discussions such as with Candide and especially with Mersault.  It was interesting to read two stories in which the authors satirized the societies that they lived in.  In Candide, we were able to see that Voltaire was criticizing those who were in power who are supposed to uphold justice for their people, especially religious and political figures.  With The Stranger, it is evident that Camus is criticizing how common people conform to certain ways of life and that individualism at times is frowned upon.  Mersault is so different and distant from everyone else, that there was no way that the jury could understand the justifications for his actions.

            I think the blogs are important so that we can review and openly discuss what we read and it gives those who do not speak in class a chance to voice their opinions.  The one problem I see with the course is that the group work can be a bit tedious at times, because some of the questions are merely summary questions.  It would be more beneficial to ask analytical questions like our discussions so we can learn to look past the obvious answers and to delve deeper into the reading.

Camus and Voltaire

            It is evident that Camus and Voltaire are both against customary politicians.  Voltaire opposed many of those who were in power during his time, because many supposed moral figures were actually very corrupt.  This is what he wanted to reveal in Candide with characters such as the Grand Inquisitors, who claim to be morally superior religious figures, but they kill anyone that goes against them, which contradicts their faith and . 

            Camus similarly critiques aristocracy through the eyes of Mersault, because he is a very introverted character withdrawn from others and form the rest of society in general.  When others like to go for a walk on a weekend afternoon, Mersault prefers to sit and watch them, while smoking a pack of cigarettes.  He also shows his indifference when his local soccer team won a big game and I really think this highlights that he is different from everyone else.  I believe that he thinks that his opinion as one human being is very trivial in the grand scheme of things, thus his vote is pointless.  Camus himself was against aristocracy as well, and I do not think he would care to vote either for the same reasons as Mersault, and that he believes the government has too much power, which would limit a common man’s abilities. 

Due to the fact that both philosophers clearly have a problem with the government itself, let alone the candidates running it would be difficult for me to believe that either of them would vote at all.  However, if they did decide to vote I believe they would choose the libertarian, Gary Johnson, because with a weaker government it would protect individual freedom.

John Setnicar

Per. 7

Meaning In Life

It is very easy for us to become wrapped up in our daily routines.  In a sense some of us live like Sisyphus, because we may be slave to our monotonous schedules.  It is true that no one is subject to the fate quite like this mythical character, in that he cannot escape the prison that the Gods put him in, but many people may find that they are doing the same things every day at a dead end job.  In addition, this could be especially true for students, because we go to school every day, in the same classrooms, with the same people, with the same teachers, with no hope of change, or at least for the time being.  I think that when we find ourselves in ruts like these, like Sisyphus, we need to find happiness in the smaller things. 

I believe that when we are in school bored out of our minds there are definitely still moments of happiness in the day to look forward to.  For me pre-calculus and AP Environmental Science are the least compelling classes of the day and they are my first classes.  I feel that once they end, I have finished rolling Sisyphus’s boulder up the hill and at this point I can watch it roll down as my schedule improves from there.   Granted I am still bor ed, but the anxious await for eighth period lunch is enough to give me strength to get through the day.  I usually eat the same meal every day, but I usually look forward to the social gathering more so than satiating my hunger. 

Thus, in conclusion anyone’s day or life can seem very boring, but it is how we perceive our existence and what we make of it that truly matters.  Mersault’s life does not seem appealing to me, but so far I do not detect any indication that he is unhappy so who am I to judge?  Sisyphus’s is doomed to a world of an eternal routine, but even  he can find happiness in certain moments.  If he of all people can try to make the best of his situation ,than so can we.

Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?

            This is an interesting question when it pertains to the life of Candide, because it is difficult to dub any of his actions as crimes.  When he steals a kiss from Cunegonda he is banished from the “best of a all worlds” in the castle.  In my opinion it does not seem fair that he had to experience a life of misery just for kissing the baron’s daughter.  After all, it was Cunegonda who initiated the romance.  Throughout the novel, it is evident that his punishments come as a result of his ignorance.  He had no idea that he would appear like a deserter in the military for taking a walk and he was certainly not aware of the fundamental ideals of the officers of the Inquisition.  For simply “listening with an air of approval” to Pangloss’ statement that everything is for the best, he is flogged several times.

            It may be more difficult to defend his actions in chapter nine, but I believe that if I were in his position I would have done the same.  The woman he loved had been conscribed to a life as a sex slave for the Grand Inquisitor and Don Issachar.  The Jewish merchant would have killed Candide if he had not stabbed him and the Grand Inquisitor would likely have had him burned alive.  Thus he was acting to protect himself and to save Cunegonda so I do not believe these were crimes at all.  The killing of the Reverend Father on the other hand may not have been justified, because he appeared like a more decent fellow than Don Issachar and the Grand Inquisitor.  It is true that noble lineage may have meant too much to the colonel especially as a Jesuit priest, but as Cunegonda’s brother, he would have protected her and made sure that she never ended up as a sex slave again.  I think that Candide killed the Reverend Father out of his own pride, because he did feel worthy to marry Cunegonda.  It was less about protecting his physical self so therefore I do think his punishment fit the crime in this case.

            In the case with the monkeys Candide obviously thought he was saving the women, but the monkeys turned out to be their lovers.  It is evident that Candide meant to do good, but because he is ignorant to the ways of this society he learns that he is mistaken.  Although this was a mistake, it seems that the tragedy could have been avoided if he had thought before he acted.  He has developed an instinct to kill when ever he feels that he or others are in danger, without really evaluating the situation.  This may not have been a crime, but I do think he is at fault for causing uproar among the natives.  In addition I think this rash style of thinking will continue to backfire against him throughout the rest of the book.

             

John Setnicar

Per. 7

How Do We Know What We Know?

            The above question is very legitimate.  At first glance it may seem like a fairly easy question to answer, because we think that we simply need to cite textbooks, internet sites, or even teachers to validate our beliefs.  But the truth is that we cannot truly know something unless it is philosophically or scientifically proven or in some cases we prove it ourselves.  For example, in the time of Galileo every person “knew” that the earth was the center of the universe.  It was a very important teaching of the church and everyone was taught this as a child.  Everyone accepted this as fact, because it came from the highest authority.  Throughout history, the Catholic Church has been able to manipulate people into accepting their beliefs as superior.  The purchase of indulgences is another example, because the consumers of these documents were sure that they would literally buy their time out of purgatory.  Many did not think to question the reasoning behind it.  In other words, it did not occur to them that this was just a simple ploy to raise revenue, perhaps out of fear, but mostly out of blind ignorance. ‘

            Throughout history scientific evidence has been necessary to explain natural occurrences in our environment.  Philosophical reasoning has been used differently in that it has been used to refute or support moral ideologies.  Slavery had existed in North America for hundreds of years and there were several justifications for the institution.  Religion was used once more by some to support their reasoning as there are some passages in the Bible that support slavery.  Some plantation owners said they had an obligation to keep blacks as slaves, because they were the inferior race and needed to be looked after by their white masters.  An early form of Social Darwinism was used as well to dehumanize blacks to show white superiority.  It is very alarming that this was such a great part of our history, because there certainly were abolitionist supporters at the very beginning that slavery was instituted.  Maybe many southern-Democrats were able to convince themselves that it was a moral virtue, because it was so vital to the southern economy. 

            Another utilization of philosophical reasoning is the Holocaust.  In a time of horrible economic crisis, Hitler promised to heal all the woes of the German people and for this reason, many refused to question his anti-Semitic views.  They saw that he was bringing their country out of a depression and once again making it a dominant power.  Once again there were definitely some people who questioned his elitist speech, but like in Galileo’s time, they were either too afraid to speak or they adored Hitler so much that they were willing to go along with almost anything he said.

            In today’s world many of us still accept many beliefs and theories as facts, which history has shown can be quite dangerous.  If we accept everything in our textbooks, it limits creativity and ingenuity that may slow down scientific inventions or progress.  On the other hand there are still people that believe that their religion or their political candidate can do no wrong.  As a result, today gays and lesbians are among some of the people that are oppressed by the Catholic Church and there are still many corrupt dictators in the world today.  Philosophers like Socrates developed his teaching method so that we could find the truth ourselves rather than to follow others blindly.

Socrates Blog

John Setnicar

Socrates Blog

            In response to Socrates’ belief that the unexamined life is not worth living, I feel that this is very applicable for everyone even today.  It can be very easy to be slaves to our daily routines at work or in our studies that we never even stop to question what we are really trying to accomplish there.  I think this principle is especially critical for young people, because many of us do not take the proper measures to discover what we really want in the rest of our lives.  Even the most ambitious of students that go the extra mile to study for a test or to finish a project are in danger of leading to unfulfilling lives when they reach adulthood.  They could spend their entire youth pursuing their so called dream careers and later find out it wasn’t for them, only at this point in their life it could be too late.  I think Socrates means to teach us that for us to truly live happy and fulfilling lives we need to examine ourselves to discover our true interests.  We cannot choose paths blindly or wait for someone else to dictate how our lives will turn out. 

            Socrates was certainly a gadfly in his own right.  Today there are several individuals that could be identified as such.  Texas Congressman, Ron Paul certainly speaks out against the status quo in the government.  In foreign policy he has stated that Congress has ceded too much power to the president.  In addition he also proposed the idea that all foreign military bases, regardless of their importance, should be closed, because in his mind the United States has always been the aggressor in the war on terrorism.  His domestic proposals may seem radical to even the most conservative of candidates.  In December he said that if he were elected president he would cut $1 trillion in spending in his first year in office in part by abolishing five cabinet departments.  He is clearly a gadfly, because very few other candidates would promise that they could cut spending $1 trillion dollars in their first year.

Eulogy

Many would say that John Setnicar would not strike them as a very interesting man.  He comes from a humble middle class background with a father who would have prefered to live in the eighteenth century without a dishwasher or an air conditioning unit.  Yes it is true his family may not have a lot of money, but that does not mean he is without ambitions.  He wishes to go to business school to study to be an accountant.  It is not what many would consider a dream occupation, but it is a secure occupation usually in high demand and he would be able build a nice life for himself and his family, which is what matters to him most. 

In his spare time he used to watch and play baseball religiously; it was his passion.  But after a while he came to realize that he really was not very talented and that nobody really watched baseball anymore so he decided to quit.  He continues to watch it from time to time, but now just like the rest of the American youth he has become more interested in soccer.  He couldn’t play to save his life, but he lovers to watch the English premier league.  Unfortunately, his favorite team: arsenal, has not won anything for quite some time. 

Although in general John is a good student, his parents and his friends especially would say that he needs to improve his critical thinking skills and acquire some common sense.  He chose this class to gain a different perspective on life and hopefully to learn to better generate his own individual thoughts rather than to depend on the findings of others.