Week 2

1. Lisa Randall on the universe – I was very impressed with Lisa Randall’s credentials. Her credentials tell me that she is a genius. Her interview gave me the impression that she is on the verge of something huge. She gives me that impression by her approach. She seems to always be asking “Why?” I don’t know a lot about physics but the fact that she’s asking “why” about gravity and other dimensions in space.

I didn’t know about the different dimensions and that there were 4 dimensions. And they mention that there is a possibility that there may be more than 10 dimensions. The 4^th dimension is said to be time, and Randall makes reference to a 5^th dimension of space time. Is time different in space? How does imagination play into this?

2. Reading about cosmic inflation was like reading a foreign language. I had to read it slowly and read it several times. It was very confusing and I still don’t know about a lot of what I read. I am guessing that it has something to do with Lisa Randall’s appearance on Charlie Rose and her discussion about other dimensions.

I think that cosmic inflation relates to what Lisa Randall was talking about because she mentioned something about other dimensions and that maybe one day we will be able to see something in other dimensions. I think that relates to cosmic inflation due to the belief of the big bang theory and how things appear “flat.” I can’t connect the dots though.

3. Randall talks about the growing interest and study and belief that there are more dimensions. She states that the study of dimensions has been growing since the late 19^th century, even before Einstein. She mentions that “String Theory” has been the key to studying dimensions.

Randall mentions that it is believed that the laws of physics are the same here on earth as it is in space. What I don’t understand is if that is what is believed, then what is the difference between “time” and “space time?”

4. Edward O. Wilson on the Creation – I found it ambitious of Wilson trying to “bridge” religion and science. I understand them to be polar opposite ideologies.

It didn’t take long for me to get confused. I started getting confused as early as he started talking about climate control. Is he saying that he wants people of religion to start looking at science to help save our environment?

5. I liked that in reading about Descartes, that there was mention of the allegory of the cave. It was something that I had heard about years ago, but was reconnected with again in this week’s reading. I had forgotten what the lesson was about the allegory.

The one true philosopher was the one that escaped the cave and was able to witness things for himself. He was the one that saw the sun, saw the plants, and the trees, and knew there was something other than shadows.

Week 1

Week 1

1. “Fischer (U.C. Riverside): I most disagree with what I would call a literary approach to the answers of the "big questions" because nothing is very clear. I like clarity and precision.”

In “The Socratic Universe,” one answer that stood out was that from philosopher Fisher from U.C Riverside. In response to what philosophical tradition was most disagreeable, Fisher’s answer sounds a bit contrary to my idea and novice understanding of philosophy. I was always under the impression that because philosophy addresses many abstract topics, that “clarity and precision” are rarities.

Since philosophy addresses things like creation, death, and ways of life, how clear and precise can answers be to the big questions? Wouldn’t it be impossible for there to be a general consensus as to a “right” answer is to the general questions of philosophy?

2. It seemed a bit overwhelming reading about the philosophers that are admired. Due to my unfamiliarity with most of the names mentioned, it was hard to understand the reasoning as to why they were admired. I would think that most would at least be familiar with the “Big 3” of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

One thing I found interesting was the term “admired” and how Cohon from Stanford answered the question. In answering the question, Cohon stated the difference between admiring and agreeing with philosophers and their philosophies. It just stood out because I’m not sure how many stated certain philosophers because they “agreed” with them as opposed to admiring them.

3. In reading about ethical systems, it appears that Aristotle, Spinoza, and Kant were mentioned the most. I would be interested in reading more about their philopohies and what sets their philosophies apart from others’.

I thing I noticed is that some people referenced ethical systems by using abstract concepts like wisdom, and right, and wrong. That varies from person to person, so in that sense I wonder why the blank slate theory wasn’t mentioned.

4. I was intrigued by the video on Aldous Huxley. I am aware that he is a writer and that he is the author of “Brave New World.” I have always wanted to read it because I have heard that it is similar to Orwell’s “1984,” which I really enjoyed when I read it in high school.

It was interesting to hear his take on the population growth and the lack of freedom that it can lead to. It makes sense that population growth can lead to a lack of freedom, especially since the death rate is not equal to the birth rate. I would have liked to hear more about it though.

5. Huxley also brings up a good point on the subject of technology. This has been brought up over and over for a long time and it reminds me of the movie “Wall-E.” Towards the second half of the film, this very subject is addressed. The humans are so dependent on technology that when the time comes for the humans to get up out of their seat and save Wall-E, they struggle with just getting out of their seat. Sure, life appears easier, but, are they really free when they can’t do things without technology?

Huxley’s points are relevant to the way many of us live our lives. People act like it’s the end of the world if they forget their cell phones at home, or can’t even exercise without an ipod or mp3 player. It’s as if it has become a necessity. People never needed an ipod or a cell phone to go on with their day before.

6. Huxley states that dictatorships like Hitler’s and others of the past are just a glimpse of how life appears to be “just around the corner” as we will live in our very own “brave new world.” He mentions things like propaganda and fear. He states that the new regime will lead and manipulate the people by changing their beliefs.

He also warns that we shouldn’t be taken by surprise. All that is needed is money and a political candidate to ensure that things will be okay. The more and more we look at past political campaigns, with Huxley’s beliefs in mind, we can see that he seems pretty prophetic.

7. In reading about the death of Socrates, I thought Socrates kind of made himself a martyr and was not afraid of death. It was as if he welcomed death and knew it was coming. He had several opportunities to escape or prolong his death, yet chose to insult the court by stating that the government should punish him by paying him and give him free meals for the rest of his life.

He was sentenced to die and he would have to drink a poison hemlock. He had another chance to escape as some of the prison guards had been bribed and he could have escaped but Socrates believed it was his time to die and that a true philosopher was not afraid of death. And even if he did choose to escape, and decided to teach in another country, it would lead to the same thing because he would always question what was established.

8. “Everything has been figured out, except how to live.” – Jean Paul Sartre

This quote really stood out because I think that it captures my idea of what philosophy is all about. We all know about science, different facets of religion, and we are able to explain different things about the mind, about nature, math, history, etc. but when it comes down to living life and taking into account all of the people on earth, we find that everyone is different and people are always looking for that “ideal.” The fact that we haven’t found it and are still looking is what makes me like Sartre’s quote.

9. “The more he knows that he is unknowing, the more learned he will be.”

This is a quote from the second philosophy film. It was toward the end of the film and it reminded me of the death of Socrates. Socrates was the wisest because he understood that he wasn’t and that ultimately made him wise.

I think that once someone realizes that we are all different and have different values, that will help people being more understanding of who we are as a community.

10. One of the things that stood out in my viewing of Huxley’s video is the reference to Orwell’s novel “1984” and although Orwell was a little off on the year of 1984, there are some similarities to some of the things that he addressed. Things like privacy, or a lack of privacy, the rations, and accountability.