Tyler Durden (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tyler_gone) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2010-01-03 10:59 pm
tyler_gone) wrote in fandomhigh2010-01-03 10:59 pm
Entry tags:
Build Your Own Philosophy, 1/4/10, Period 2
The chalkboard at the front of the classroom today had a sentence written on it for the students to ponder as they took their seats.
All is water -- Thales of Miletus
"That statement," Tyler said as he waltzed in front of the students, "is where philosophy started, way back in the sixth century B.C. Thales is the first person whose writing has come down to us who we consider a philosopher, meaning he thought about the world and how it worked outside an entirely religious context."
He was pacing as he continued to talk. "What we want to do in this class is exactly that. Be philosophers. Make sense of the world. I know, I'm supposed to be the guy who blows stuff up and makes people fight each other -- but that isn't just because I'm a jerk." Not that he was denying that he was a jerk. "It's because the way I understand the world is by looking at the abyss. Looking at destruction. You can think I'm right, or wrong, or crazy -- I'll be happy to talk it through. But by the end of the term, after we've talked about a different philosopher every week, I want all of you to be able to tell me how you see the world, in 50 words or less."
Gesturing to the board, Tyler added, "Now, after Thales said everything was water -- transitory, insubstantial -- other people started talking back. Anaximander said it was all apeiron, which basically means there's an infinite basic mass that never goes away. Scientifically speaking he was right, as it happens, more or less. Anaximenes said everything was air -- that water was just another form of air. And Hericlitus? He was my kind of guy. He said it was all fire."
"Your assignment this week is to take a few minutes to think about it, and then stand up and tell us your name, one interesting thing about you, and how you'd finish the sentence 'All is ________.'" He gave a slight smile to Ino at the last bitassuming she was there. See, he could vary his opening-day spiel.
"Think now. When you're done, we start with you," he said, pointing randomly. "Oh, and I haven't set up TAs yet. If you're up for it, come see me after class."
"That statement," Tyler said as he waltzed in front of the students, "is where philosophy started, way back in the sixth century B.C. Thales is the first person whose writing has come down to us who we consider a philosopher, meaning he thought about the world and how it worked outside an entirely religious context."
He was pacing as he continued to talk. "What we want to do in this class is exactly that. Be philosophers. Make sense of the world. I know, I'm supposed to be the guy who blows stuff up and makes people fight each other -- but that isn't just because I'm a jerk." Not that he was denying that he was a jerk. "It's because the way I understand the world is by looking at the abyss. Looking at destruction. You can think I'm right, or wrong, or crazy -- I'll be happy to talk it through. But by the end of the term, after we've talked about a different philosopher every week, I want all of you to be able to tell me how you see the world, in 50 words or less."
Gesturing to the board, Tyler added, "Now, after Thales said everything was water -- transitory, insubstantial -- other people started talking back. Anaximander said it was all apeiron, which basically means there's an infinite basic mass that never goes away. Scientifically speaking he was right, as it happens, more or less. Anaximenes said everything was air -- that water was just another form of air. And Hericlitus? He was my kind of guy. He said it was all fire."
"Your assignment this week is to take a few minutes to think about it, and then stand up and tell us your name, one interesting thing about you, and how you'd finish the sentence 'All is ________.'" He gave a slight smile to Ino at the last bit
"Think now. When you're done, we start with you," he said, pointing randomly. "Oh, and I haven't set up TAs yet. If you're up for it, come see me after class."
Re: Introductions [1/04]
"An interesting fact about me" completely escaped him, since he truly didn't consider himself 'interesting'. He'd recently allowed for 'competent', 'lovable', and 'not unattractive' but interesting was a long way off.
"is that I almost joined the military before coming here."
It was, after all, a somewhat interesting choice, given his history. And anyone who knew him, or of him, would probably find the idea mildly laughable.
"And 'all is...'" could he say it? would he tell the truth of what he thought?
"Lost."
Re: Introductions [1/04]
Re: Introductions [1/04]
Which was ntop to say he thought it was wrong.
Re: Introductions [1/04]
"And I suppose it's only as pessimistic as you make it. If you lose something, that means you had it, if only for a time. Whether it's better to have or lose depends on the thing. Or the person.
"And if you are lost, then finding anything is something to be glad for, isn't it?"
Re: Introductions [1/04]
"I see what you're getting at. So if you have something, it's because someone else 'lost' it?" He wasn't sure he agreed, but it was an interesting way of looking at things, that was for sure.
Re: Introductions [1/04]
But he shook his head to the teacher's reply.
"More that eventually, you lose everything. Nothing is forever. If you want to be a pessimist, you could focus on the losing. If you don't, knowing it means you appreciate every moment you have it, whatever it is, good or bad."
Re: Introductions [1/04]
Re: Introductions [1/04]
"I wasn't quite sure if we were allowed to use more than one word."
Re: Introductions [1/04]
Re: Introductions [1/04]
Re: Introductions [1/04]
Lost? Really?
Re: Introductions [1/04]
They could talk about it later.
Re: Introductions [1/04]
Well yes, they could.
Besides--she owed him a hug, inasmuch as hugs could be owed.