This is assignment is on the first 55 pages of Sophie's World. It needs to be completed by July 1. You need to
A. Post a thoughtful, effective, and elegant response to each of the questions below and
B. Post at least one response to one of your classmates answers to these questions.
1. What do you think of Sophie? Is she a sympathetic character? Are you compelled by the same questions and conundrums that fascinate her?
2. At one point Sophie tells Joanna that they do not learn enough about the big questions of life (Philosophy) in school...do you agree with her that schools should focus more on such questions?
3. According to Alberto, what is the difference between myth and philosophy?
4. Why does Alberto call the Pre-Socratic Greek thinkers "Natural Philosophers"?
5. Do you believe in fate? What evidence can you site for either side of the argument as to whether there is such a thing as fate?
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18 comments:
1) I think that Sophie is an understandably curious young lady who is fascinated by not only the letters that she recieves, but also their mysterious source. I sympathize with Sophie as I feel that were I in such a situation, I would react in much the same manner that Sophie does. Sophie is absolutely enthralled with the letters and information taht she is recieving, much as I would be. I feel for her because I would be just as contemplative of the letters as she is. It is for this reason, that I "root" for her. I am indeed compelled by the same questions as Sophie as I am fascinated by those that are raised by the philosopher, and they often lead me to ponder the same things as ancient philosophers in what is arguably comparable depth.
............Michael
3) "A myth is a story about the gods which sets out to explain why life is as it is." pg 24 Myths proposed that the balance of nature was maintained by a constant struggle between the forces of good and evil, a explanation flatly rejected by the philosophers. The philoshopher says that "by philosophy we mean the completely new way of thinking that evolved in Greece about six hundred years before the birth of christ." pg 23
1. Up to page 55 of the story, Sophie is an ordinary girl who experiences a helpful stalker. Although I am intrigued by the class she is taking and the questions imposed, I do not think she should trust this man(?) as much as she does. When she asks to meet him, he refuses politely. He knows everything about her, yet she knows nothing of him. I too am curious how the philosophers figured everything out. They did not have giant shoulders to stand upon, but they created possibly valid hypothesis that could not be disproved with their level of technology. Over time as more and more experience is logged and collected, philosophical hypothesis becomes closer and closer to our modern interpretation of physics and the inner clockwork of the universe.
2. Considering our “prestigious” school does not even offer philosophy, other than the small tidbits we receive from our esteemed English teacher, we need to have the opportunity to expand our level of knowledge. The knowledge that we gain, especially in classes such as Calculus, is not always intended to aid us in our future. Philosophy allows us to consider our place in the universe, a reason for our existence. How does the school expect us to succeed in life, without a reason for living?
3. A myth is a supernatural explanation that the people of lore used to keep order and live out their lives. The philosophers attempted to use reason rather than superstition and cultism to explain the world. A major difference between the two is that philosophy did not use inhuman and all-powerful figures to explain change. They attempted to say that change came from the conversion of materials, likely the birth of the failure that is alchemy. They realized that each material has its own distinct properties, but failed to realize that one material can have multiple properties. Myth is a, “this is why and that's it” explanation. Philosophy attempts to explain the universe through reason and science.
4. The natural philosophers were named so because they attempted to explain the natural processes of life and the elements. They concentrated on why nature acts as it does and how it works. Considering humanity had been around for millennia, it is strange that no previous accounts of reason had arisen. People only used myths to keep the villagers from rioting, rather than stop and think. The natural philosophers were thus the first individuals rich enough to sit around, look at the sky, and say, “ever wonder why we're here?” These nature-loving hippies are celebrated as the giants whose shoulders later philosophers would stand on.
5. Although I can sit here and argue that we will never lose our freedom, and that each one of us is a collection of experiences and individuality, that is not the case. In essence each of us leads a fated life. We begin as infants, and then someday die. Each of us learned to drive and to love, and we don't walk willy nilly in the streets or we would get run over. Everyone in this class has at some point watched some form of television, and walked at least a mile. It can be argued that there are many choices in television, however the channels are designed to attract certain viewers and there is no show that only one person watches. If we're not fated to die before then, we will all grow old.
4)The pre-socratic Greek thinkers are sometimes called "natural philosophers" because they were mainly concerned with the natural world and its processes.
.........Michael
(sorry for the brevity, but theres not much more that can be said for this one)
oh right, Eric here!
5) I believe that there is some degree of fatalism present in the world in that I believe that we all have an ending that is predestined, but how we get to that end is not predetermined but decided as life proceeds. I suggest this with a hint of the idea of means and ends, though typically used in a different context to justify injustice. I feel that the ends are fated, but the way (the means) that we reach that end is undecided before hand. The idea that stars have some influence on the patterns of our lives is ridiculous and unfounded as is any form of psychic analysis. I point to the idea that any psychic reading is so ambiguous that it could pertain to many a circumstance in hindsight. What would be the point of life if everything were guided, and no decisions were truly examples of free-will? Life would have little point if it were fated. I am thus not a believer in fate as nothing I ever do feels forced, but completely up to me.
............Michael.
Ps: my #3 is above the post of "Eraxus". There are few posts to comment on as of now, so I will hold off for more posts.
Katherine Neal
1.I get annoyed with Sophie very easily. If a strange person was sending me letters in the mailbox, and seemed to know an awful lot about me (especially after considering the fact that he is a middle aged man), I would not be corresponding with him, and would tell my mother. She does not seem to be aware of the dangers of the world, and that not all people are “good” or have good intentions. To me she is not a sympathetic character. Jostein has not spent enough time developing the character, but has focused more on the philosophy content. If I had to choose a character to sympathize with (only considering the first 55 pages) it would be the mother. I feel sorry for her, and how oblivious she is to the possible threat that her daughter is imposing on herself (leaving out the fact that Sophie will soon sneak off to meet this man in his apartment.) The questions that Alberto asks her do intrigue me as well, but I do not wish to dwell on them. I hate ambiguity, and I like to have proof and facts in order to get down to the bottom line, so if I were to think about these questions in depth I would end up being frustrated to the point of my head exploding.
2. I completely disagree with Sophie. These questions do not yet have facts to back up the claims presented as answers. The answers are all subjective. Yes, schools should challenge children to come up with their own answers and to think for themselves, however I do not find it necessary to have it as a school requirement. Schools should give the students the basic tools necessary to think about these questions logically. Varying viewpoints on the meaning of life may cause controversies in the classroom, and can lead to an ever-ending argument.
3. In Alberto’s The Mythological World Picture section he states “ By philosophy we mean the completely new way of thinking that evolved in Greece about six hundred years before the birth of Christ…Religious explanations were handed down from generation to generation in the form of myths. A myth is a story about the gods which sets out to explain why life is as it is.” (23-24) Philosophers attempted to prove that mythological explanations couldn’t be trusted. Mythological explanations tried to show the maintenance of the balance of nature and the struggle between good and evil, often through stories. Instead of thinking logically about “why” things were the way they were, myths just became an excuse/story attempting to explain “why.”
4. Natural philosophers earned their name “because they were mainly concerned with the natural world and its processes.” (32) They assume something had always existed, because they refused the notion that “nothing can come from nothing.” The observed nature, and its constant state of transformation. The natural philosophers took the first step in the direction of scientific reasoning, being the precursors to science.
5. On some level I believe in fate, as I believe that God has a course laid out for us, and knows ahead of time what end my life will meet. In one sense fate is full proof: all of our lives are proven to be fated, as we are all fated to die. Alberto hints that fatalism is somewhat silly, especially in fortune telling because it “is trying to foresee something that is really quite unforeseeable…because what they “see” is so vague, it is hard to repudiate their claims.” I think seeking the advice of stars, and tealeaves is ridiculous, and that only God truly knows our life plan. I do believe that we must take some portion of our destiny into our own hands. I believe God gives us the tools and opportunities to make a certain plan happen, but that we must utilize it. For example, we might be fated to fall in love with the person in a coffee house. I believe it was fate, and in God’s plan, for that person to be there, but I believe that it is my decision and free will (and the other person’s) to make it happen. A lot of times, I believe a psychological element in people makes their horoscopes come true. If you read, “you will have a bad day”, you might be predisposed to being solemn and perceiving every minute problem as a fated omen. Wouldn’t it be nice to fully believe that my whole life is up to me, and only me? Logically speaking, it is effected by the environment, other people, and unforeseen events that for some reason came into our lives.
1. Sophie is a very intelligent and very logical 14 year old. Her way of thinking, when it comes to answering Alberto’s questions, differs from mine when I was 14. I sympathize with Sophie as I believe I would probably react the same way that she has by intently reading the mysterious letters before carefully and systematically pondering the questions for a while. I am definitely interested in the same questions that enthrall Sophie but I am nowhere near compelled with regards to the questions. If I find a question appealing, it might pique my curiosity for three minutes before I lose all interest.
2. Although I find the courses I have taken to be most thrilling (esp. English and history), I believe a philosophy course should be introduced into more schools. A philosophy course, in my opinion, would only strengthen the minds of students as we learn to think for ourselves and hone our problem-solving/logical thinking skills. For these exact reasons, I insist that Senior Seminar be offered at BA again.
3. According to Alberto, “A myth is a story about the gods which sets out to explain why life is as it is.” (24) It is a religious and supernatural explanation of the natural processes of the world. Philosophy involves thinking “based on experience and reason” rather than thinking based on folklore.
4. The Pre-Socratic Greek thinkers are called natural philosophers because “they were mainly concerned with the natural world and its processes.” (32)
5. I believe in fatalism to some degree. We are all destined for something but how we get there is up to us. We are have the ability to choose who we friend and what we do. What the stars supposedly say has absolutely no influence over my actions whatsoever. That is why horoscopes and astrology are garbage. Catchall paragraphs are a great way to make people think that you know something they don’t and this is the tactic that horoscopes use. On the rare occasion that I read my horoscope in the newspaper or even rarer instance that I read it online, my horoscope is horribly wrong. Few times, if any, do the horoscopes remotely describe what has happened that day.
Madeline Griffith
1)Sophie is a sympathetic character. She is going through the same conflicts and conundrums that each person faces as they make the transition from a child to an adult. Everyone has to discover themselves and make a conscious decision at some point about who they are. This itself is a characteristic that is easy to sympathize with. Sophie is also in the midst of finding herself, something that is a constant journey in life. As Sophie herself said "she had not really figured that out-yet."(5) These two facets of Sophie's character are both easy to sympathize with and the most prominent characteristics as well. Because both of these are universal conflicts, it seems true that Sophie is a sympathetic character.
It would be untrue of me to say that I ponder these questions as I go about my life from day to day. In fact it would be more true to say that I avoid thinking about these questions because I am a person who likes answers. The fact is there is not going to be an answer to the question "where did the universe come from?". If the time presents itself and I am in a pensive mood I do enjoy thinking of the infinite possible answers. However, Sophie and I each seem to end each "thinking session" with more questions than answers.
2)I do agree with Sophie. Until reading this book I have never really thought about philosophy or it's implications. Of course the questions like "who am I" and "where did we come from" have crossed my mind, but I never really thought as in depth as I did after reading the first few chapters of this book. Philosophy and other questions about life are just as important to living our life as Math or English. I was told that I have to learn Pre-Calculus even though we won't use it in our day to day life because it makes us "well rounded". A course in Philosophy would make me as refined as Calculus.
3) Alberto says that myths are religious explanations for unexplained happenings. They are "explanations for philosophical questions"(24) Alberto explains that religious myths can't be questioned, just accepted. philosophy is all about questions and asking questions without having to get an explanation from myths.
4)"The earliest Greek philosophers are sometimes called natural philosophers because they were mainly concerned with the natural world and its processes." (32) These philosophers were concerned with where we came from and the very beginning of the beginning.
5)I don't believe in fate. I do wonder why I am fortunate enough to have all the opportunities that I have, but I do know that it isn't fate or luck that gets me into a good college. Hardwork and effort is imperative to having "good luck". The resulting good luck is just the product of the aforementioned work and effort. Despite my actions, I know that tying my shoes the same way, wearing the same nail polish and wearing the same scrunchie won't win a soccer game. These actions help console me before the game, but the effort I put into the actual game makes the difference. My evidence is the lack of a state championship medal this year and I can call Katie as my witness.
1. I believe that Sophie has a mind interested and her curiosities drive her behavior. Although I don't agree with her private contact with the stranger sending her letters, especially sense that person knows so much about her. I would at least explain the situation to my mother, rather than keeping it to myself. She is a sympathetic character because she decides to respond to each letter promptly and allow her mind to ponder the questions she is asked. I also find myself lost the same questions that fascinate her. Although I often decide that the human mind can only comprehend so much of the creation of the universe. If the true making of the universe was discovered the human mind would be unable to make sense of it. These questions arouse randomly in my life, but I usually push them aside to focus on what I really know.
2. I agree with Sophie that schools should the studies of different philosophy in school. I believe it provides young minds with the motivation to think freely and form their on opinions. It also may stop some of the brainwashing many religions force on children at a younger age by giving students different points of view on the subject of the universe (sorry if this is offensive). Although I believe philosophical studies should be in school it shouldn't be a required class, students should be able to choose wither or not to study philosophy.
3. Philosophy and myth are two different way explaining why things are the way they are. Myth is based on a story involving inhuman figures resulting in the explanation for why something is the way it is. Myth is more of a “that's the way it is” explanation. Philosophy is mainly based off the study of the world rather than the unreal or “immortal”. It uses the studies of science and even mathematics, real things in the world. The study of the materials of earth rather than the stories of inhuman “gods” is the main difference between philosophy and myth.
4. The name “Natural philosophers” was given “...because they were mainly concerned with the natural world and its processes.” (pg 32) Meaning that such philosophers based their studies on the natural world, focusing on the occurrences and materials that make up the earth.
5. I believe that there is some presence of fatalism in the world, but our ending is only predestined by the actions taken in one's lifetime. The “ending” to one's life may be different throughout a lifetime depending on the choices one makes. It also may change throughout one's lifetime if that individual changes their actions and choices. Nothing can truly be predetermined. Fate is hard to keep believable and things like horoscopes or zodiac may only match up out of coincidence. I do not believe in fate, the things I do are truly my choice.
~SARAH CHAHIN~
B: Response to Kat's answers (wasn't sure how to reply directly)
I found many of the answers to these questions to have many similarities and differences between my own. Although we both disagree with some of Sophie's actions I don't find myself annoyed or frustrated with her. Your point of view interests me because is varies form my own in so many ways. It shows the difference between our beliefs (us both knowing that the questions of philosophy and religion cause a lot of controversy). You know my general views on these subjects so it will be interesting to see how our opinions vary as we get further into these questions. I can see where some of your answers come from.
~Sarah Chahin~
Response to Madeline: The last part of #1 was very similar to my response, and the way I feel. We both like definite answers, which causes us to avoid complex, bottomless questions like the ones Sophie is contemplating. Your explanation of fate (#5) was also very similar to mine. I do the exact same "lucky rituals" to console myself, but I do not actually believe they have lucky powers. We did however have very different views on how sympathetic a character Sophie is. I liked how you incorporated the discovering yourself part into the readers ability to relate to her. That is a way I can relate to her that I did not think of, but to me she still felt distant and a lot more interested in discovering herself than I am. I definitely liked your view on #2, and laughed as you brought in the dreaded Pre-Calculus into your answer. People can use the same argument for having that course in school as for having Philosophy in school, in order to become "well rounded." Even though we had different views on a lot of things, your answers made me re-think about the questions and my answers, and I appreciated your opinions.
-Katherine
Response to Katherine:
I agree with most of your statements especially the exploding head remark because the lack of answers would be too much to bear. While some schools might have a never-ending argument due to a philosophy course, I believe that Beaufort Academy students are progressive enough to accept the viewpoints of others although they may not necessarily agree with those opinions. I too think that free will rules over our lives but that fate also plays a part.
I wanted to respond to Katherine's answers because I realize that we both feel similarly on the lack of concrete answers in Philosophy. I was driving home tonight and a song came on that made me think about the idea that some things don't need an explanation or answer.
Green Day's "Good Riddance" has a line that sums up my thoughts in a way I couldn't express:
"So make the best of this test and don't ask why; it's not a question but a lesson learned in time"
I enjoy the ideas and questions that philosophy brings up and I do like to think about the consequences my life may or may not have. It seems that life is too short to ask questions and the short time we are given would be better used figuring out a personal purpose or philosophy. This philosophy isn’t a concrete answer that Katherine and I both like, it’s an evolving living idea that changes. Are we here to make other people enlightened by our ideas like the Greek philosophers? Or are we here to help humanity like philanthropists Jane Addams or Bono? All of these people left a mark on humanity that was more applicable to their time.
It seems like I have digressed from the subject of Philosophy being taught in schools but when I heard these lyrics I couldn’t help but think of Sophie’s World.
Eric Here
To Madeline #5
I'll agree that people who believe wearing the same number or tying their shoes the same way for a game will help them win are amusing. However, I still wonder why so many people still do so? Mr. Dalton must have his Tootsie Pops during the game or "it's bad" (according to him). He is educated and enlightened, so I wonder if there is a degree of truth to superstition. I would also like to raise the question of whether or not your choices and effort are fated and you cannot decide differently. What if every letter, every word I am typing is predestined to get me a B- for the grade Mr. Dalton is giving me? I am not able to rule out fate, it just lacks concrete evidence.
I just realized that my answer to #2 did not post, so here it is:
2) I disagree with Sophie. I do not think that there should be any great emphasis on philosophy as a topic of study in school. Learning philosophy in school would be a course that relies heavily on pure memorization of facts though at some pooints it would inspire new philosophy. A philosophy course does not teach students solid facts like a math course would, but instead teaches ancient human ideology which doesn't seem to provide any new information with real-world applicablity. I hate to bash on your college major Mr. D, but I personally enjoy it but do not feel it is important enough (in the sense that it doesn't impart applicable knowledge) to require at any level of education.
Response to Nathan #1
I certainly agree with you; the way in which Sophie addresses the questions presented to her by the philosopher is very mature for her age. I also agree that the conclusions that Sophie reaches from pondering a single question are remarkable signs of her maturity.
Do we lose interest in a question because we are too lazy to ponder it for long enough to reach a sufficient answer or does it bog us down with the depth of thought and mind that it requires?
Understandably, questions that lack concrete answers and can only be answered by every man's different opinion are frowned upon mainly because of the effort that they take to postulate solutions for them. It is for this reason that Sophie is such a remarkable young lady and sticks with an (scientifically) unanswerable question for as long as she does.
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