Philosophy...how terribly useless.
I had a really great Christmas home with my parents, but eventually I had to go home.
Home.
It sounded funny typing that. I think for the first time, I can consider not living with my parents to be more like home to me. I recently got a lease on an apartment close to my university, so it feels more and more like I'm not supposed to be on little PEI anymore. After two years in dorm housing, I feel like it's definitely time to get my own place though.
Anywho, that was quite the tangent. Main point: I was back to school this week. I'm still having some problems choosing a major and all that good stuff, but right now I'm in biology and it's treating me just fine.
This semester, after the catastrophic accident that was last semester, I've decided to take a more laid-back approach to my education. This time around, I'm in five classes. While this is the same number as the previous semester, the workload is drastically reduced. I'm in three biology courses: Evolution, Diversity of Plants and Microbes, and Cell Biology, as well as two electives, which are online Human Anatomy, offered through distance education, and a Philosophy course.
The Biologies are pretty standard for me at this point.
Evolution seems like it will be pretty straightforward. However, it is in the most horrendous lecture theatre that I have ever sat in. The seats are sunk low until the floor so that my knees hurt after sitting there, and there are no aisles, so you must crawl over people to get to a seat. Positively awful. If I ever become a billionaire, I'm going to pay Dal to demolish that room.
Diversity is going to be a little bit of a challenge, but not really because the content is difficult. The content isn't difficult for me, only very dull. As well, the prof seems very nice, but is from the Indian subcontinent and hasn't really grasped the English language yet. I recorded the lecture, and couldn't make sense of her a second time either. It's really tough, because it seems like she really knows her stuff, but the delivery definitely could use a little work.
Cell Biology is a little tough to say. I think that it may be my challenge for this semester. The learning curve is very steep, so I' hoping that I catch on fairly quickly. The prof is excellent (I've had him before), so I think things will be okay in the end.
Anatomy is going to be a walk in the park. today I did all of the assignments that are due up until Valentine's Day, and therefore am currently rocking a 100% average. Hell yes.
Philosophy isn't really for me. I can tell that right now. I find the class interesting, and the prof fantastic, but it isn't good for anything, and I mean that in the most earnest way possible. In a way, I wish I could just sit in the middle of the park and think all day, but I can't. Personally, I don't think anyone can, or should. I feel like a man of thoughts, but no actions is not really worth much. You need more of a balance between the doer and the thinker, and to be able to do it well. Think of Socrates, all words, no actions. In fact, his only action was to annoy the crap out of everyone to the point that they had him killed. My prof tried to turn this fact around so that it would seem like Socrates's constant berating of passersby was for the greater good. I beg to differ.
In the end, I feel like this was a waste of life. But above all, the thing that I feel is horrible about this class is the people. I do have a couple friends in this class, so it is not everyone. But I'd like to say that the majority of the class are highly pretentious philosophy majors. The sit with their apple computers that they can barely afford, discussing the various metaphors found in the great works, that ultimately don't help anyone. I feel that in the end, education should be entirely about helping out humanity, bettering it, and making the world have a little more sense. Philosophy I suppose, is aiming for just that, but in my opinion completely misses the mark with its "whole truths" and metaphysical nonsense.
However, despite all this, I'm not dropping the class. It's a definite step outside of my comfort zone, but I feel like it's important to see how the other half lives, so to speak. We're always so clear with our definitions of arts and sciences, that I feel like every once in a while the scientist needs to take an arts class to clear their head and realise why they didn't choose that faculty. We need artists and philosophers, but we also need labourers, doctors, and mathematicians. I'm happy that some people can make their living in thinking, but I cannot.
But that's just my opinion, and no offense was meant by it. I hope everyone has a great time back at Uni, no matter what you are taking. :) As well, and I sincerely do mean no offence, I am only curious: if you are a philosophy major, please, let me know what you feel it is good for. I'm interested in hearing other opinions on this.
Home.
It sounded funny typing that. I think for the first time, I can consider not living with my parents to be more like home to me. I recently got a lease on an apartment close to my university, so it feels more and more like I'm not supposed to be on little PEI anymore. After two years in dorm housing, I feel like it's definitely time to get my own place though.
Anywho, that was quite the tangent. Main point: I was back to school this week. I'm still having some problems choosing a major and all that good stuff, but right now I'm in biology and it's treating me just fine.
This semester, after the catastrophic accident that was last semester, I've decided to take a more laid-back approach to my education. This time around, I'm in five classes. While this is the same number as the previous semester, the workload is drastically reduced. I'm in three biology courses: Evolution, Diversity of Plants and Microbes, and Cell Biology, as well as two electives, which are online Human Anatomy, offered through distance education, and a Philosophy course.
The Biologies are pretty standard for me at this point.
Evolution seems like it will be pretty straightforward. However, it is in the most horrendous lecture theatre that I have ever sat in. The seats are sunk low until the floor so that my knees hurt after sitting there, and there are no aisles, so you must crawl over people to get to a seat. Positively awful. If I ever become a billionaire, I'm going to pay Dal to demolish that room.
Diversity is going to be a little bit of a challenge, but not really because the content is difficult. The content isn't difficult for me, only very dull. As well, the prof seems very nice, but is from the Indian subcontinent and hasn't really grasped the English language yet. I recorded the lecture, and couldn't make sense of her a second time either. It's really tough, because it seems like she really knows her stuff, but the delivery definitely could use a little work.
Cell Biology is a little tough to say. I think that it may be my challenge for this semester. The learning curve is very steep, so I' hoping that I catch on fairly quickly. The prof is excellent (I've had him before), so I think things will be okay in the end.
Anatomy is going to be a walk in the park. today I did all of the assignments that are due up until Valentine's Day, and therefore am currently rocking a 100% average. Hell yes.
Philosophy isn't really for me. I can tell that right now. I find the class interesting, and the prof fantastic, but it isn't good for anything, and I mean that in the most earnest way possible. In a way, I wish I could just sit in the middle of the park and think all day, but I can't. Personally, I don't think anyone can, or should. I feel like a man of thoughts, but no actions is not really worth much. You need more of a balance between the doer and the thinker, and to be able to do it well. Think of Socrates, all words, no actions. In fact, his only action was to annoy the crap out of everyone to the point that they had him killed. My prof tried to turn this fact around so that it would seem like Socrates's constant berating of passersby was for the greater good. I beg to differ.
 |
| Socrates: So annoying they forced him to commit suicide. |
 |
| Plato and Aristotle |
But that's just my opinion, and no offense was meant by it. I hope everyone has a great time back at Uni, no matter what you are taking. :) As well, and I sincerely do mean no offence, I am only curious: if you are a philosophy major, please, let me know what you feel it is good for. I'm interested in hearing other opinions on this.