Suddenly my schooling is somewhat normal

[garran]

Today[1] I went with David and Jeremy to see a production of Bye Bye Birdie whose flaws were not so endearing as ours were, and (for the first time in several years) a complete stranger complimented me on my hair.

I didn't end up taking the LET again, since the vast majority of classes available to me didn't require it. Rachel has politely explained to me that my initial plan to attempt six or seven classes was insane ("I said 'quirky'"), so I'm currently aiming for four:

Beginner's Japanese
Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy or Logic (I haven't decided yet)
Studying the Religions of the World
Introduction to Government Politics (So I'll be in at least one class that Marilee's in.)

On December 6th, I will be able to register.

[1] Though this is stretching the term.

Comments

[haibane-rachan.livejournal.com]

Intro to Philosophy and Logic are both great classes, but I found myself having much more fun in Philosophy. Philosophy is far more abstract and has a great deal more to do with your own opinions and those of others. Logic is very textbook. There are right and wrong answers. The cool thing about Logic, though, is that it teaches you all the fallacies people use in their arguments, so that you can 1) learn not to make those mistakes yourself and formulate a stronger argument and 2) pick up on the fallacies in other people's arguments and blast holes in them.

So what I'm saying is, if you're looking for a class that will offer you thought and the chance to debate and discuss with your peers, take Intro to Philosophy. If you're looking for a class that will provide you with some extremely useful and valuable information, take Logic. They're both fantastic classes and your time will be well spent in either one of them.

[garran.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I've suspected they'd be like, so I'm no closer to making a decision. Thanks, though. ^^;

How's your visit going?


-Garran

(Livejournal is so angry at me right now.)

[masamage.livejournal.com]

I still need to snag my fourth class for next term...should probably hurry with that...

[meta4mix.livejournal.com]

Six or seven classes? Ouch! I tried that one semester and ended up dropping half of them. o_o Not following suit is a good move.

And I agree with what Ra-chan said about Logic vs. Philosophy (though I don't remember much from either of those classes. I barely remember that I had one or both of them very early in the day during high school. o_o The teacher, Mr. Forslund, was a lot of fun, though.)

[garran.livejournal.com]

Six or seven classes? Ouch!

Amusingly (at least to those of us who know him), the one person to deviate from this response has been David, who opined that it could probably be done and that maybe I should try. I think perhaps he's never quite understood why no one else is as busy as he is.


-Garran

[bubbleteagirl.livejournal.com]

x.x You're not even allowed to take 7.

but David's insane; how could you take advice from a crazy person?

[(Anonymous)]

At the risk of sounding like some kind of academic overachiever, I suggest taking four classes. Five is the normal course load and is totally manageable; six is acceptable, but you need special permission and a good reason. And everything feels alright while you're attending class -- it's during the trainwreck of midterm and term assignments that your course load becomes, you know, a load. Heavy. Astonishingly heavy.

Four classes are great -- it's a full time course load, with just a little extra time to devote to each class. Less stress, better grades. I've had nothing but straight A's for the past three semesters, and I'm pretty sure it's that little bit of extra time.

"Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy" -- sounds like you'll read Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Ethics.

keri

[garran.livejournal.com]

Hello! You're in Victoria, right? If you aren't, I shall feel bad that I haven't invited you to my party (though there may still be time).

...sounds like you'll read Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Ethics.

Is that so? That sounds, to me, a little less appealing (though A) my minor prejudice against those men may well be unfounded, and B) neither text is mentioned).


-Andy H.

well,

[(Anonymous)]

Aristotle is quite dry (his texts are all lecture notes, after all), but he also manages to be quite lucid about pretty much everything. I prefer him to Plato, who, for such an idealist, manages to be awfully conservative. My only prejudice against them is that they are BORING.

Still, a discussion of moral philosophy cannot help but include them at least implicitly, because they started the whole dialogue. I'd be surpised if that text of short essays hasn't got something from Aristotle. I find the course description somewhat suspicious, as I don't think Kant is particularly plausible. I haven't read enough John Stuart Mill, but utilitarianism certainly has its roots in Plato's interrogation of the form of absolute good.

I suppose that all philosophy is indebted to the Greeks, so what should it really matter if you skip them? To begin at the beginning is a luxury these days, what with tuition going up and up and up. Also, the syntax in that course blurb you linked to is, how do you say, awkward? Errorful? This is why non-English classes frighten me.

But indeed, I'm in Victoria! And I'm here until the 17th of December, I think. I've missed an awful lot of parties lately, though, so neither of us should feel too bad.

Keri