A scholarly publication on writer’s block

Still learning from my students about the history of philosophy

Here are many … errr … insights from my students, collected from exams and essays over the years. Updated this semester. I offer you:

A Student History of Philosophy

(Being a compilation of student research, gently edited by Stephen Hicks, Rockford College)

Is philosophy a waist of time?

Ethical debates have been around for a long time, but nobody seems to have any answers. Ethnics are very important. Basically, what you do with your life comes down to your personal ethnics. For the world to be good means having strong Altruistic people to help the society survive in this doggy dog world.

Socrates started democracy in Greece so he is a democrat. When Socrates was in court he was blamed for piety and disturbing the youth. Melekus is the accuser in the case of Socrates. Another of the charges brought up against him was pity. Socrates argues that the son is not a god but simply a burning rock in the sky. So Socrates was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

To Socrates, having a good life meant dying. Socrates was completely opposed to the Sophists. Not only did the Sophists not have reasons, they also did not have reasons. Sophists felt that there were no real reasons.

For Aristotle, the virtuous person can be known as temperature, someone who is under complete control. Aristotle thinks the Principle of Noncontradiction is an axiom is because it is one.

In the Bible, God created the heavens and the universe in seven days, so there are seven planets. (Seven is a big thing in the Bible.)

The existence of God is questionable since evil does have some good points to make. The greatest gift is to be in God’s presents, but when we are in God’s presents we should not think about ourselves. John Hick rebukes the concept that God would not allow suffering if he existed in the third paragraph of his essay. Because of evil there is said to be another force in the universe—a dark force. His name is Satin.

Mysticism is the direct and immediate experience of the scared.

In feudal times, jobs were passed on from fathers to sons. For example, if your father was a priest, you would probably become a priest too.

Priests vow poverty and while money isn’t everything a priest should be able to have a little of life’s enjoyments just like every other human bean. Priests also take the vow of celibacy. On the conventional view, sex without the possibility of recreation is immoral. Priests want to sustain themselves from sex so they can have eternal childhood in the Lord’s eyes. One thing religions teach is that you should prey regularly.

Some people base their life solely on religion, which may be perceived as silly, but imagine how lost they would be if they didn’t have something so vital. That would be like me going without coffee.

In modern times Decarrt explains why reason is wrong. He shows that I am a real thing but what kinda of thing? Descartes proved that God exists in Medication III. The argument is sound, me being from the South and a firm believer in the Lord.

Galileo was on trial for his blasphemic saying the Earth is the center of the universe. Galileo had people follow his exact word, and those people were called the people of Galilee.

Justice is really a double bladed sword: at times it is a warm blanket keeping you safe and at other times an uncontrollable juggernaut ready to mow you over.

Basically, we need to decide what’s best for society as a hole. That is the purpose of laws. Some states have laws that if broken cause one to be a criminal. Power definitely corrupts; both power and corruption are all too often abused.

In our country, the Deceleration of Independence sets the basic rights and laws. Some people have the right to liberty, but are unable to exorcize it. Shall I go against the laws put forth by my four fathers, who wrote, “All men are entitled to certain unalienable rights”?

Capital punishment is the death penalty for a crime that dates back to the beginning of civilization. Some people believe in capital punishment because of the “eye for an eye” theory: for instance, if you kill me, I should be able to kill you. Capital punishment is mostly about whether persons who have been executed will commit further offenses if and when released. Cruel and unusual punishment is included in the Constitution. Though capital punishment violates the Eighth Amendment because it makes people feel like they are less of a person. But really, the death penalty is not necessary because it is not needed.

In modern times, Utilitarianism is the doctrine that we should all strive to pleasure our neighbors. John Stuart Mill said that even if what is being said is true, it is still wrong to censor it. Of course, we cannot take it for granite that all of Mill’s assumptions are true.

According to Freud, the USA became a frightened country after the terrible events of 9/11. Freud opposes the tabula razor theory of human nature. According to Freud, the child has lust during the breast-feeding stage. Eventually his mother stops, and his lust is suppressed until his adultery stage.

Marx says the broughers who employ the workers can and do enslave the proliterate workers. So Marx promoted socialism which operates the production of products produced by the society. Marx believed socialism was the best form of government for the world after World War II. Communist Russia failed because of Mises and Hayek’s lack of knowledge. Socialism is an ideal, but come on now! Let’s be realistic!

Against Marx, Rand advocates free enterprise and selfishness. The rich are able to create new jobs and hand them out to the poor, which takes many poor people out of poverty and also gives the rich something to do. She said that minimum wages increases raise the cost of labor, so workers may lose their fridge benefits. But her philosophy is sort of controversial, in a sense. She commits the fallacy of hoc poc der doc.

[Version 4. Updated December 2010.]

Computing’s environmental impact

We really should think more about how advancing technology impacts wildlife.

Press release version: From the Office of the Reproducer-General

Bulletin: Sex and Economics — A Modest Proposal [pdf]

Text by Stephen Hicks.
Graphics by Christopher Vaughan.
Original web version here.
Permanent URL.

From the Office of the Reproducer-General

Bulletin: Sex and Economics — A Modest Proposal

Fellow citizens: Our nation’s sex life is in peril.

Surveys show widespread sexual discontent. Market failure is everywhere. Many males complain of not getting enough sex and many females object to constant male looks and advances. Other males are dissatisfied with the options available in their local area and other females are upset at not having attracted male attention. Yet while supply and demand are out of equilibrium and the current system of laissez-faire is not producing acceptable measures of sexual happiness and prosperity — we continue to hear that the invisible hand will solve all of our problems.

Consider also the wastefulness of our system of sexual anarchy. How much economically valuable time is spent on the prowl? How many meals eaten by dating couples at pretentious restaurants — only to lead nowhere? All of those flowers and chocolates and cards — are they truly necessary? Much of the system seems designed to enrich the Restaurant Industry and the Hallmark Corporation at the expense of the Rest of Us. And consider the constant advertising of enticing but mostly useless or distasteful products and services.

Further: Many individuals do not know where to go to find partners or lack the initiative and resources to partake. Would a nudge in the right direction from expert leadership not be helpful to many?

And sex is so unfair. Some get much more than others. They monopolize the dating scene or have guaranteed spousal access while others get fewer and less appetizing partners or nothing at all. Some redistribution seems morally imperative.

And so messy. So many fights. Such jealousy and envy and destructive competition. So much hostility, seething anger, passive-aggressiveness, and hurt feelings. Externalities impose large costs on the rest of society — we hear a constant chorus of pain from our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends and family members. And that is not even to mention the variety of sexually-transmitted diseases that plague our social health. We need a system of controls to internalize and ameliorate these social costs or a system of compensation. Common sense and justice demand it.

Further: Consider all of the dishonesty and cheating. “He said he would call.” “Her internet ad said she was tall.” “He said he was bowling with the guys at the mall.” We need stricter regulation of negotiations, commitments, and contracts.

Birth control is improperly applied. Reproductive rates are erratic. Sometimes our population is too large, and sometimes it is too small. How can we plan for the future when Junior’s coming into existence is often the result of Billy and Maggie’s being drunk and closing down the bar on Saturday night? And how likely is Junior to receive the proper care he needs to develop into a useful citizen?

We must also consider foreign policy. Sexual tourism is booming. Meanwhile, many individuals import their sexual partners. Yet while commerce with foreigners is flourishing, many potential domestic partners are forced into abstinence. The outsourcing of sexual satisfaction is a net social drain, and the importing of enticing sex agents causes unfair competition with local service providers. At a minimum, we should consider a system of import-export restrictions, tariffs, and perhaps subsidies in the public interest.

We call ours a system of “freedom,” but how can people be free when they are in the grip of sexual drives they cannot control or have not the wherewithal to satisfy in a healthy and socially harmonious manner?

To summarize. Our current system of individual so-called freedom is plagued by:

* Inequalities and monopolies.
* A mis-allocation of resources and wastefulness.
* Import-export imbalances.
* The inability of our less-endowed citizens to meet their needs.
* The improper use of our resources by the irresponsible.
* Many externalities.
* General dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

We all know the importance of sexuality to our great society. Sex is both a need and a right. The future of our entire way of life literally depends on the sexual health of our nation.

Consequently, I propose upgrading the Office of the Reproducer-General to cabinet-level status. We need a system of expert guidance for our citizens in their sexual lives. Help for those who cannot help themselves. An end to monopolies and sexual dog-eat-dog competition. A reallocation of reproductive resources in a socially just manner. A benevolent nudge for those who sexual appetites are not aligned with the science of true sexual health and happiness.

And do not neglect to vote for me again in the referendum next election.

This announcement is sponsored by the O.R.G. Please direct all inquiries to the Office of the Reproducer-General, Assistant for Sexual Matters.

Respectfully transcribed and submitted by Stephen Hicks, Recorder of the Office of the Reproducer-General.
Permanent URL: http://www.stephenhicks.org/FORG/

Artistic slogan generator

[Warning in this litigious age: Humor ahead.]

Those of us with artistic sensibilities often find it a challenge to communicate (and commune with) our revolutionary artistic credos using totally inadequate bourgeois concepts. So my comrade in arms, George Plumley, sent me a very helpful link: The Market-O-Matic (1.0) [fine arts version].

The results are in. Even my name has been transformed to trans-communicate my meta-manifesto:

Work of Meta-Art in the Age of Generative Reproduction

The flux creates, the empire permeates. In the synoptic space, art objects are deprecations of the iterations of the flux — a flux that uses the empire as a parallax to deconstruct ideas, patterns, and emotions. With the devolution of the electronic environment, the flux is conceiving a point where it will be free from the empire to transcend immersions into the parameters of the delphic space. Work of Meta-Art in the Age of Generative Reproduction contains 10 minimal dhtml engines (also refered to as “memes”) that enable the user to make ontological audio/visual compositions.

measuring chains, constructing realities
putting into place forms
a matrix of illusion and disillusion
a strange attracting force
so that a seduced reality will be able to spontaneously feed on it

Stefan Stefano’s work investigates the nuances of modulations through the use of stopframe motion and close-ups which emphasize the Generative nature of digital media. Stefano explores abstract and edgy scenery as motifs to describe the idea of hyper-real space. Using cognized loops, non-linear narratives, and neo-fascist images as patterns, Stefano creates meditative environments which suggest the expansion of culture…

<-- Obligatory ascii sig. Repeat until desired cyborg effect is achieved. -->

/u[0]{)]|]]-] ————-/u/u!@#$%^~!@#$%^&*()) __++_)(*&^%$——–/u/u!@#$%^~!@#$ %^&*())__++_)(*&^%$——–/u/u!@#$ %^~!@#$%^&*())__+, etc., etc.

<-- End obligatory ascii sig. -->

I feel affirmed. You too may try.

[Sideways link: Artists, Capitalists, and the Fate of Art under Capitalism]

Hallowe’en joke

My son and I made up a word-play joke for the season:

Question: What do you call a ghost with bad manners?

Answer: Eerie-tating.

(Hilarious, especially if you’re a five-year-old.)

Could Tchaikovsky play Tchaikovsky?

An amusing anecdote from Tchaikovsky, by Anthony Holden.

Tchaikovsky was traveling from St. Petersburg to Tiflis “via the scenic route, aboard a steamship down the Volga. Concealing his identity from the other passengers, he agreed one evening to accompany an amateur soprano in a romance by Tchaikovsky, only to be told by the singer that he had no feeling for a piece. ‘Allow me to know how this song should be sung,’ she publicly chided her unknown pianist. ‘I went through it with my teacher, who was taught how to perform it by Tchaikovsky himself.’ He bowed respectfully” (p. 264).