The Philosophy of Values: Period 3 - Class #8 - [10/26]

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

This morning Wilson was a wee more awake and for some reason he was wearing a turtleneck and if he asked him about the marks above the turtleneck he’d look you straight in the eye and claim to have cut himself shaving. He might change it up and say he fell on the vacuum nozzle.

There was a spread of deviled eggs, hard boiled eggs, poached eggs and fruits for anyone who needed a spot of breakfast. There was also coffee, tea and cider. Wilson himself was finishing off a deviled egg and sipping on coffee as the students came in and settled down.

“Good morning everyone.” He said with a smile.

“Okay, you may all groan now but I won’t be passing the tests back until after class. For those of you who missed the test, last class and who haven’t gotten with me in between, I’m afraid to inform you that your test score is 0. That segues quite nicely into today’s topic, Hope vs Despair and how either of these emotions can color our ability to rationally view a situation.”

Pushing away from the front of the desk, Wilson walked to the chalk board and began to lecture.



“First, I want us to have working definitions of Hope and of Despair. For this class I want to focus on Kierkegaard’s definition of despair ’Kierkegaard argues that humans are made up of three parts: the finite, the infinite, and the "relationship of the two to itself." The finite (sense, body, knowledge) and the infinite (paradox and the capacity to believe) always exist in a state of tension. That tension, as it is aware of itself, is the "self." When the self is lost, either to insensibility or exuberance, the person is in a state of despair. Notably, despair does not have to be agony. It is, instead, the loss of self.’”

As he spoke he scrawled across the blackboard, turning towards the class and then grinning impishly.

“I am forever hopeful, in such I thought you might be able to read my hand writing, however, not to despair, I do have the overheads.”

Picking up the remote, Wilson set up the overhead projector and then continued with the lecture. As before, he didn’t show one choice as being better or worse than the other and in fact highlighted points where having too much hope or –blind faith- could become a marker of tunnel vision, just like being stuck and wallowing in despair.

“It’s hard, to embrace the idea that because of your gift, you need to keep your mind open because both Hope and Despair can give us sources of internal comfort at times in our lives but, is the comfort real? Back long ago, spirits such as brandy, port, wine were shared to people suffering from many maladies but particularly the idea of physically warming a person up through the alcohol, because it does make us feel warm, but it's a false warmth."

Walking back to the chalkboard Wilson wrote a word up across the neat surface.

"Vasodilatation, is the dilation of blood vessels in the skin, occurs under the influence of alcohol. This gives a false sense of warmth, but actually leads to a greater loss of body heat. So, not only was this a false heat, it was also working directly counter to it’s intended application.”

Class Participation:

Setting the chalk down, Wilson walked back around the desk, crossed his arms and leaned against the front.

“Now, for the sake of this conversation, let’s define despair as a loss of self. How do you define self? At the beginning of the semester, we spoke about how we define our reality, now taking that definition, how do you look at situations that seem to strip you of that reality? Have you ever felt as if you’ve lost yourself?”

After everyone had been given a chance to participate, Wilson picked up the graded tests and handed them out amongst the class.

“I was pleased with the tests over all. There is no homework this week, enjoy the break and have a safe Halloween…or as safe as Fandom will allow that holiday to be.”

[ooc: Please wait for The OCDs are up and ready. Class is in session!]

Comments

Sign In

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

Grab some food or drink on your collapsable way by.

Re: Sign In

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow signed in and grabbed a coffee.

Re: Sign In

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

Blair signed in and took lots of food.

Re: Sign In

[threeweapons.livejournal.com]

Alanna signed in and took food for herself and the cat.

Re: Sign In

[smartestone]

Hermione signs in, but only takes a cup of tea.

Class Participation

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

Step up, don't be shy and it counts towards your grade, this is a good thing.

Re: Class Participation

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow raised her hand. "When my old boyfriend broke up with me I was large with the despair. I don't know if I'd say I lost my sense of self 'cause hi, more to me than if I have a man or not. But it sure felt pretty close."

Re: Class Participation

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"I don't think I have." Blair said, thinking on it a moment. "But what if you've lost your sense of self and never regained it, would you know you lost it or would you just walk around all the time thinking you were okay but all not yourself-y?"

Re: Class Participation

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

"Well, that's a good question really." Wilson said thoughtfully. "Say you had lived your whole life as a good person but then some even occured and it changed your entire personality and you took to wearing black and a large dommed helmet would you think that you'd killed a part of yourself and thus, lost that part of yourself or forget about who you'd been completely?"

Re: Class Participation

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"That's sort of my question. If you lose your sense of self would you know that you were different?" Blair shook his head. "I don't know exactly how the brain works, but I don't think you could forget about who you were completely. All those memories and emotions just gone? Seems like that wouldn't happen unless there was major brain damage."

Re: Class Participation

[sensethevisions]

"I think losing yourself is a lot easier than anyone thinks it is," Phoebe said softly. "Something happens that hurts you so much, that you're almost positive will break you, and that's when it all changes. You push yourself forward -- at least you think you do, but in reality, you've shut down and are doing things that no one would have expected from you. You get so lost in your despair that you forget how to be living. So, in an attempt to feel anything, you sometimes can make a very foolish decision that spirals out of control."

Re: Class Participation

[daemonridden.livejournal.com]

Lyra and Pan looked at each other. The discussion topic might have been made just for them. She raised a borw, inquiringly, and he nodded at her.

Lyra raised her hand. "Pan and I had something like that once. First, you have to understand that Pan isn't a pet. He's me, really. The infinite bit, like that Kirka, uh, that guy you said.

"Most people in my world can't get seperated from their daemons, but one time, we had to. I had to go... someplace that Pan couldn't. So, literally, I lost a piece of myself for a while.

"It was the most, the most horrible thing you can imagine. Like being hollow inside, and everything's lost all its colour, and you know why it is, but there's nothing you can do to make it better."

Lyra smiles a little, sadly. "It was terrible."

Test has been returned - Talk amongst yourselves

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

Discuss your grades assume good grade if you've actually taken the test or discuss what you're doing next week, hopefully coming to party on Sunday!

Re: Test has been returned - Talk amongst yourselves

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

Blair unfolded his copy of the petition and looked around to see if anyone wanted to sign.

Re: Test has been returned - Talk amongst yourselves

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Hey, Blair. What's that?" Willow asked.

Re: Test has been returned - Talk amongst yourselves

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"It's a petition for keeping the cafeteria open on the weekends. Because not everyone can afford to go out to eat." Blair passed it over. "Do you wanna sign (http://lovechildblair.livejournal.com/29215.html)?"

Talk to Wilson

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

Come and catch the doctor if you need him.

Re: Talk to Wilson

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Here's the assignment from last week," Willow said, handing him a nice, thick report. She looked much better than she had 7 days ago.

Re: Talk to Wilson

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

Wilson eyed the report and felt at least part of his week off slip away as he imagined grading it but at least Willow's reports were always interesting reading. Even if he did have to reread some sentances twothreetwo times.

Taking it and setting it aside, he peered at her then smiled.

"You look a lot better than the last time I saw you, Willow. How are you feeling?"

Re: Talk to Wilson

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Better," Willow said. "Thank you. It's nice not to be missing any classes. Missing classes creates wrongness in the universe."

Re: Talk to Wilson

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe approached Wilson after class. "Got a minute?"

Re: Talk to Wilson

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

Wilson looked up from where he was packing up Willow's paper and smiled warmly at Phoebe.

"Hey there. Sure, what's up?"

Re: Talk to Wilson

[sensethevisions]

"So... ever have any family members suddenly show up after eightteen years of no word?"

OOC-

[dr-jwilsonmd.livejournal.com]

Nekkid icons?

Re: OOC-

[a-phale.livejournal.com]

Ask and ye shall receive.