Welcome to Philosophy! Are You Even Really Here at All?

The literal meaning of the word "philosophy" is "love of wisdom." Keep that in mind throughout the course of this class. Many of you might pride yourself in your ability to master every test you take. But philosophy is about wisdom over knowledge, understanding over facts. Yes, you will have to learn specific pieces of information and know the names of certain stuffy old people, but above all else, this is class will be about ideas.

Easy. All you have to do is know what you think, and ace in the hole, right? But do you? Do you know what you truly believe? Do you know why? Can you back up those beliefs with evidence from your own life? Do you know how to explain those beliefs to others and define them according to great thinkers of the past? You will. At least, you will begin to, because more understanding undoubtedly leads to more questions. By the end of your life, when you realize how little you actually know, then you will have become quite wise indeed.

I look forward to a fun and challenging semester of thoughtful discussions, respectful debates, and extensive questioning.

#10 Peer Review

Last Blog! Yippee! For the final post of the semester (it's almost over... sniffle) you should review something-- a movie, tv show, album, book, art exhibit, restaurant, whatever. Write at least 10 sentences, and include the following:

• What you're reviewing


• Your likes and dislikes. Be sure to focus on one or the other (is this a good review or a bad review?). Back up your opinion with examples from whatever you're reviewing.


• A few facts about this thing/place/etc.


• Comparison to other like things/places/etc. (e.g. if you're reviewing McDonald's, compare to Burger King. Also, don't review McDonald's. Yuck!)


• A rating. 4 1/2 cups of coffee out of 5 for the java spot near your house, for example.

While commenting, write at least 5 sentences stating what viewpoint you have made based on the critic's review. Does this make you want to see that movie or avoid that exhibit? Why? As per the last few posts, just pick two people's blogs to comment on. Try to choose people whom you don't know/have not yet commented on.

Savor it, after this, most of these blogs likely go to a lonely cyberspace grave, swirling around an internet purgatory until Google pulls the plug for good.

#9 Take Two!

Since we've been focusing on movies of late, it's time to dissect one of your favorites. Go to YouTube and choose a clip from one of your favorite films. I realize it might not be exactly one scene, but choose something between 1 and 5 minutes long. My example above is from one of my Top 5 movies of all time, Rushmore. Once you've found your clip, embed it into your blog entry. Then, write at least eight sentences on the sorts of details in your clip that would be included in the script (specific to this scene-- think Juno's pipe). Write at least eight more sentences regarding the details added by the director, actors, and other crew members once filming began.

To embed:
1. Choose your clip from YouTube. Please pick a PG-13 or under clip, even if the movie is rated R. Be sure to pick something from a movie or TV show; no video games, music videos, etc.
2. To the top right of the video screen on YouTube, underneath the "Subscribe" box are two text boxes labeled "URL" and "Embed."
3. Copy the entire text inside the "Embed" box including <> on either side of the code language.
4. While posting on your blog, click on the tab labeled "Edit Html" above where you type your entry.
5. Paste the code from the "Embed" box at the very top of your post. Be sure to leave any other code as is.
6. Return to the "Compose" tab to write the rest of your post.
7. If you have too much trouble with this, at least link to your video clip.


For your comments, choose two people from your block on whose blogs you have never commented (or whom you at least do not know). Pretend you are involved in the making of this movie. Write at least 6 sentences on one major change you would make while filming, such as casting, setting, directorial choices, props, etc.

Have fun!

#8 Haiku-Doodle-Doo

Welcome back to the blog, fellow poets. This week, we're just going to get a glimpse at the huge world that is poetry. To get you into it a little, you're going to write some haiku for the blog. A haiku is a very short poem with one simple topic for each. Traditionally, Japanese haiku were about the seasons, but you can do yours on whatever you wish. The following are the rules:

1. You must write 3 haiku, which are all tied together to one theme (i.e. three colors, three seasons, three stooges, etc.) It is not a bad idea to title your blog with your theme. Example: #8 The Seasons.

2. There are three lines to each haiku.

3. The first and third lines are 5 syllables each.

4. The second line is 7 syllables.

Be sure to have one idea per line; it is extremely difficult to write a successful haiku when one sentence bridges more than one line. Here is an example from the movie Fight Club:

Worker bees can leave

Even drones can fly away

The queen is their slave

As for your comments this week, you are to write one haiku which also goes with the original poster's theme of three. So, if someone posts three about summer, winter, and fall, you might write one about spring. Get it? For this week, comment on anyone's blogs; however, you must comment on one person's blog from Block 1 and one person's blog from Block 2. Have fun.

#7 Not Your Average Tuesday

National Talk Like a Pirate Day. William Shatner's Birthday. Haunted Refrigerator Night. Mario Day (It's on March 10, because it looks like M-A-R-I-O spelled out when you write "mar 10").

Since we're discussing holidays this week--and we'll soon be celebrating one as a class--it's time for you to come up with your own. So, for this blog post, make up your own holiday and write about it (at least 15 sentences). What are the traditions? How do people gear up for it? How do they decorate? What is the historical background of this holiday? Write about the true meaning of your day and all the other things we talked about in class.

For your comments, discuss how you would most like to celebrate the person's holiday (at least 8 sentences).

Block 1:

Group 1: Alpha Amber Wolf, Lady Blue, & This Blog Should Be Anonymous

Group 2: arbol44, Peace and Love, & tomorrowiswaiting

Group 3: Blogx, Potter, & wayzatacreative

Group 4: changeinapocket, Princess Sparkle, & Zoolander

Group 5: Checkers, Rock Fan, & zzzxy

Group 6: CoolKCato & Sisu (choose one other to comment on)

Group 7: Graffiti the World, i like turtles :), & Some Dude

Group 8: Hawk Eye 777, iloveanime, & spark 32

Group 9: Highway Star, junior2010, & Squarish Square

Block 2:

Group 1: About21ninjas, Gobl1nmast4r, & smiley

Group 2: Alice, k of the milky way, & stargazer

Group 3: alle, laranail188, & Stinky Toes

Group 4: Anonymous Blogger, Mindfreak, & StrawberryCake

Group 5: Butterfly, Montag, QB1991, & Ursa Major (just do 2)

Group 6: catastrophebyassociation, One Moment Can Change Everything, & Scrappy Coco

Group 7: Darken Rahl, one x, & Sgirl

Group 8: Dually x3, porcupines and potato salad, & Shiny-sama

#6 They Oughta Have a Law

Greetings, creative writers. Even though I was sick today, there's still a blog this week. Even if you don't notice until I tell you on Tuesday, you'll still have until midnight on Wednesday to get this done.

As we continue to explore creative nonfiction, I'm going to give you the chance to pass any law you like. Come up with something that you think should be a new law. Write at least 15 sentences to explain why this is law. Now's your chance to outlaw aviator sunglasses. Or make people take an IQ test before they're allowed to have children. What about having line-cutting punishable by law? Whatever you want, no matter how ridiculous.

For you commenters, write at least 6 sentences stating whether you would vote for this law or against it. Also, if it passed, would you break it? Would you do so on purpose? Don't forget to explain yourself.

Oh, and remember to comment on my post if someone in your group didn't write an entry. Keep in mind that you're responsible for commenting on someone's even if someone in your group didn't do it.

Here are the groups:

Block 1:

Group 1: Alpha Amber Wolf, Peace and Love, & spark 32

Group 2: arbol44, Potter, & Squarish Square

Group 3: Blogx, Princess, & This Blog Should Be Anonymous

Group 4: changeinapocket, Rock Fan, & tomorrowiswaiting

Group 5: Checkers, runcarnyrun, & wayzatacreative

Group 6: CoolKCato, i like turtles :), & Zoolander

Group 7: Graffiti the World, iloveanime, & zzzxy

Group 8: Hawk Eye 777, junior2010, & Sisu

Group 9: Highway Star, Lady Blue, & Some Dude

Block 2:

Group 1: About21ninjas, One Moment Can Change Everything, & smiley

Group 2: Alice, one x, & stargazer

Group 3: alle, porcupines and potato salad, & Stinky Toes

Group 4: Anonymous Blogger, QB1991, & StrawberryCake

Group 5: Butterfly, JB24, & Ursa Major

Group 6: catastrophebyassociation & k of the milky way (choose one other blog to comment on)
Group 7: Darken Rahl, laranail188, & Scrappy Coco

Group 8: Dually x3, Mindfreak, & sgirl

Group 9: Gobl1nmast4r, Montag, & Shiny-sama

#5 Monster Mash

Halloween is coming, and we've been studying speculative fiction, so get those imaginations going! For this blog, you are to create a new creature. Write at least 12 sentences about your beast. Describe what it looks like. Where does this animal live? What does it eat? Give examples of behavior. Tell us all about it, and don't forget to name it!

For your comments, write about how this creature would do as a pet. Write at least 8 sentences. Here are the groups:

Block 1
Group 1: Alpha Amber Wolf, Princess Sparkle, & tomorrowiswaiting
Group 2: arbol44, Rock Fan, & wayzatacreative
Group 3: Blogx, runcarnyrun, & Zoolander
Group 4: changeinapocket, i like turtles :), & zzzxy
Group 5: Checkers, iloveanime, & Sisu
Group 6: CoolKCato, junior2010, & Some Dude
Group 7: Graffiti the World, Lady Blue, & spark 32
Group 8: Hawk Eye 777, Peace and Love, & Squarish Square
Group 9: Highway Star, Potter, & This Blog Should Be Anonymous

Block 2
Group 1: About21ninjas, One Moment Can Change Everything, & stargazer
Group 2: Alice, one x, & Stinky Toes
Group 3: alle, porcupines and potato salad, & StrawberryCake
Group 4: Anonymous Blogger, Gobl1nmast4r, & Ursa Major
Group 5: Bob Smith, JB24, & QB1991
Group 6: Butterfly, k of the milky way, & Scrappy Coco
Group 7: catastrophebyassociation, laranail188, & Sgirl
Group 8: Darken Rahl, Mindfreak, & Shiny-sama
Group 9: Dually x3, Montag, & smiley