Philosophy Final

Wu Wei

• Literally, "non-doing" • Spontaneous action • Action free from premeditation • Effortless action coming naturally from who we are • Action done with absence of ego and sense of self • Action free from striving and done with loss of self • Minimal effort • Like water • Wei wu wei: "do without doing"

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

-All people everywhere have the same human rights which no one can take away. This is the basis of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.

World Report 2016

-Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all.

Selection from The Holy Family

-Private property as private property, as wealth, is compelled to maintain itself, and thereby its opposite, the proletariat, in existence. That is the positive side of the antithesis, self-satisfied private property. -The proletariat, on the contrary, is compelled as proletariat to abolish itself and thereby its opposite, private property, which determines its existence, and which makes it proletariat. It is the negative side of the antithesis, its restlessness within its very self, dissolved and self-dissolving private property.

The Tao of Pooh Benjamin Hoff

-The tao that can be told Is not the eternal Tao... -The unnamable is the eternally real. •Tao Way, path Right path Way of the cosmos/nature •Te Virtue, power • Ching Classic Great book Yin Yang Important Points • Complementary forces depend on each other • Opposites are woven together • Unified harmoniously in the circle • Dynamic: opposites flowing, mutually engaged, increasing and decreasing

"Friends and Foes" Halberstam

1. Everyone has friends they don't like. 1. A major portion of the article was focused on the reality of not liking all of your friends. The article mentions The Schadenfreude Test which is the happy feeling you get when you hear about another's misfortunes. The article mentions that it is highly unlikely that you'll like all of your friends at any given time. I believe this is true, as life gets in the way, and things happen. Although no one would like to admit it, The Schadenfreude Test is a real thing that many don't even know they take part in. 2. A friend is an extension of yourself. 2. The article states "A friend is an extension of yourself". I strongly agree with this statement. A friend is a person whom you share your thoughts and feelings with. A person you hopefully will laugh with, grow with, perhaps even cry with. The article states "We do favors for acquaintances and strangers, not friends- we help our friends because we care about them". I believe this statement is true as we don't do favors for our friends like we owe them, we do it because we genuinely care about their well being. 3.Most friendships are in a state of flux. 3. Most friendships are in state of flux, meaning they are always changing. Some friends are newer, some are older. Some may even be on the edge of being considered a friend anymore. Some are more important than others, while other times it may be the opposite. 4.There are a plethora of different types of friends. 4.The article mentioned numerous types of friends. Along with types, the article mentioned the differences of friendships between children and adult. The biggest difference is the level of importance. Throughout all the different types of friends mentioned, many of them are accurate to friends I have in my life. I think it is a good thing to have different types of friends in your life for variety. If you had 10 friends that were exactly the same person, it wouldn't be as enjoyable. What does the writer want you to believe? What reasons/supporting evidence does the writer provide? Do they seem credible? 1. The writer wants you to believe that friends are great things, but also a lot of trouble. 1. The entire article starts out by "Friends. So dear, so much trouble". The writer then mentions "your worst moral headaches involve the people closest to you". The writer uses this to begin the article to put into the reader's head from the start that friends are not just good but can also be bad. 2. The writer wants the audience to believe that everything being said is automatically true for everyone. 2. The writer will state information pertaining to certain types of friends, then use an example as evidence. Although, these examples may relate to some people, it does not relate to everyone and their personal lives and friendships. The writer is very opinionated in the article, the evidence provided does not seem too credible. 3.The writer wants you to think deeper about friendship 3. The writer states "You can see how undervalued friendship is when you compare the attention it gets with that received by romance". I do agree with the writer here. Friendships seem to be deemed less emphasized than romantic relationships at times. The writer includes solid evidence to back up the statement. Such evidence includes, songwriters rarely write songs about friendship, and few authors write novels about it. Another good point in my opinion, was that we don't even talk about friendships with our friends, but lovers are constantly talking about their relationship, even celebrate occasionally regarding the relationship. It is not all too often that friends talk about their current state of friendship with one another. The writer uses these few examples to think deeper about your friendships. 4. The writer wants the audience to believe that there are set rules for friendship. 4. Throughout the article, the reader states information about a variety of types of friends. The writer enforces each category like it is a rule to friendship that must be followed. The writer states "Old friends, productive friends, happy friends can make for wonderful friendships, but they're not, in themselves, the best of friends". Why not? Why is the writer trying to dictate what your best friend should or should not be characterized as? If my friend is happy, the writer is trying to persuade me that they should not be my best friend? The set of "rules" imposed by the writer is an interesting take, but unrealistic for many friendships. 1. What is the author's main argument? Use your own words to rearticulate the main idea. I believe the author's main argument throughout the article is to be informed on how to analyze and dig below the surface when it comes to friendship. The author used several examples to help better understand the types of friends that many of us have in our lives. 2. List and explain the reasons the author provides for his/her main argument. The author breaks down the analysis of friendship into several categories. The categories are : - Do You Like Your Friends? -Are Your Friendships Mutual? -Are You Friends at a Distance? -Special Friends -When a Friendship Is Over -Enemies -A Final Word on Hatred Each category has subsets that break down the topic even more. The author uses each topic to further emphasize his argument. 3. What kind of evidence is presented to support the author's argument? Is it fact or opinion? What is the source of the information—does it come from an informed authority in the field? (Research the author.) The author uses a lot of opinionated evidence. The author, Joshua Halberstam, Ph.D. is the author of Everyday Ethics. Although the author is an informed authority in the field, it is hard to believe the evidence as facts without giving evidence such as statistics from a survey or something along those lines. 4. What is the purpose and tone of the article? The purpose of this article is to inform the audience all about the realm of friendship. Throughout the article the tone varies by category and but overall, I believe it to be persuasive. 5.Is the author objective or does he/she try to convince the reader to have a certain opinion? If so, what viewpoint does the author try to convince you of? What reasons does the author provide for choosing this viewpoint? The author tries to convince the reader to have the same opinions as himself. The authors viewpoint is that all friendships have something "wrong" with them. The author persuades the readers to look beneath the surface when it comes to analyzing a friendship. 6. Does the author's argument assume that the reader thinks in a particular way or has a particular world-view? What are the major underlying assumptions that the author makes, and do you think they are reasonable and acceptable to most people? I believe the author assumes the reader has had similar friendships/experiences as the author has had. I believe that most people will accept the underlying assumptions just because friendship is such a universal topic. If it were a topic concerning romantic relationships it was not be as accepted, in my opinion. 7. Does the author make "leaps" or solid inferences based on his/her evidence? Is the line of reasoning logical? The author makes leaps based on the evidence, because the evidence the author gives, are just examples, there is no actual proof or statistical evidence behind the evidence. Although the reasoning behind the author's examples, it's hard to say whether what's being said is assumed correct. 8. Does the author try to appeal to the reader's emotions? Does the author use any loaded words in the title or in the body of the text? List these words and explain their effect on the reader. The author uses questions and creative titles for each category to draw the reader's attention. "Do You Like Your Friends?" is a question that will most likely draw a reader to further read what the author has to say. 9. Forgetting what the author thinks for a moment, what are your own thoughts and opinions about the issues raised in the article? Reading this article has really made me think and relate each category to friends I have in my personal life. I do agree with certain points brought up, such as that we do not value our friendships in the way we do with romantic relationships. I think it's an interesting concept to think about. I wonder how different things would be if we treated friendships more carefully like we do romantic relationships. I also found it intriguing to read about all the different "types" of friends and compare the definitions given by the author to my own experiences with these friends. Overall I think the article was openly opinionated but a great read.

This Missing Piece Shel Silverstein

1. Is the circle happy before it finds its Missing Piece? Explain. -The circle is unhappy in the sense that it feels it can not be complete unless it finds the perfect piece to fit. The circle goes through many obstacles just to find its missing piece. Along the way, the circle makes several stops to do things it enjoys. This gives the impression that the circle may indeed actually be happy without it even realizing. 2. What does the circle enjoy doing? -The circle enjoyed to stop and talk to a worm, smell a flower, and sometimes pass a beetle. The circle mostly enjoyed singing about looking for its missing piece. The circle enjoys being on its own more than it can realize. Each time it comes to a piece, it eventually lets go of it to continue on its own. 3. Is the circle happy after it finds its Missing Piece? Why or why not? -Initially, the circle is happy after finding its missing piece. The circle has finally found what its been looking for this whole time. However, as time goes on, the circle soon finds that it can no longer enjoy many of the things it once had enjoyed. The circle starts to roll too quickly to stop to talk to a worm, smell a flower, pass a beetle, and most importantly, it can no longer sing. The circle tries to sing and it does not sound the way it once did. The circle lets the piece go, and begins to continue to sing its favorite song. 4. What do you want? Is it similar to what the circle wants? - I, as well as the circle want to be happy. I believe I am a genuinely happy person and I strive to make those around me happy as well. Your own happiness is very important. I believe everyone tries to find their perfect fit throughout their lives, and I am lucky to have someone in my life right now who acts as my missing piece. 5. Why do you think the circle keeps on looking for its Missing Piece even after it left the one that fit perfectly? - I believe the circle kept on looking for its missing piece even after it left the one that fit perfectly because the circle loves the journey. Although the piece seemed to be perfect, it was too good to be true. The circle enjoys singing its song, it enjoys talking to a worm, smelling a flower, passing a beetle, and when it finds the perfect missing piece, it can no longer do those things. I think the circle keeps on looking because it has not been satisfied yet and perhaps the circle believes there will be a piece out there that will allow the circle to still do all the things it enjoys doing. 6. Do you think that you are independent, or do you belong to someone else? - I believe I am independent in the means that I am my own person and can make my own decisions. I have set standards and goals for myself. The missing piece says to the circle, "I can be someone's and still be my own". I have been in a relationship for almost two years and I do technically belong to someone. Being in a relationship does not take away your independence, as many people believe it does. It is very important to keep your independence when in a relationship of any kind. 7. Can you rely on other people and still be independent? - Can you rely on others and still be independent? Yes and no. I believe that it is important to have someone you can trust and rely on. A partner should ultimately be the person you can rely on being there for you, and just because you can rely on them does not mean you cannot still be independent. You should not rely on others for your own self worth. If you rely on others to tell you if you look pretty or have a nice smile, you won't be very happy. 8. Do you need other people to be happy? - Although, you do not necessarily need other people to be happy, I believe it is a great thing for people to make other people happy. If everyone was nice to everyone, the world would be a much happier place. You do not need others to be happy. Doing things for yourself that make you happy is just as effective and important. Going to the gym, or going to a yoga class makes me happy. It is healthy to do things for yourself that make you happier and feel better about yourself. 9. Why does the circle let go of its Missing Piece? -The circle lets go of the missing piece because it realizes how the things it had once enjoyed were taken away because of the piece that now fit. The circle enjoys singing and once the circle found the missing piece, it could no longer sing and stop to do its favorite things. The circle made the decision to let the piece go and continue on its search for the "perfect" piece. 10. Does the circle like searching for the Missing Piece? - I believe the circle does like searching for the missing piece. The circle seems to have a good time on the journey to find the missing piece. The circle enjoys the worms, the flowers, the beetles, and singing. Once the circle finds a piece, it seems the circle can not do any of the things it likes to do, so it keeps going, which is why I believe the circle enjoys the search. 11. What happens to the circle while it looks for the Missing Piece? -The circle remains hopeful that it will find its perfect missing piece. The circle has left each piece it has come across because the pieces either do not fit right, or do not allow the circle to continue doing what it loves to do. The circle keeps rolling, and keeps looking for its perfect fit. The circle continues to sing and stays pretty positive throughout its journey. I believe the circle realizes that it might enjoy its independence more than having a piece to "complete" it. 12. Is the journey more fun than the destination? -In this case, the journey is far more fun for the circle than the destination. The circle is able to do everything it enjoys during its journey. Everytime it comes to its destination it is unable to keep doing the things it enjoys. In many other cases I believe this is true as well. For some, however, the destination is all it was supposed to be. I personally think the destination for me is more fun than the journey was. 13. How does this relate to friendship? - This story can relate to friendship as some friends may unfortunately stop you from doing something you enjoy. Looking for the "perfect" friend can work just like it does in The Missing Piece. A true fit friend should allow you to still do everything you enjoyed before you became friends. Even in friendships, it is still highly important to keep your independence and make yourself happy before anyone else can.

Utopia Book 2

1. What is the role of reason in Utopian society? What can reason do for human society? Does it have any limits? - The role of reason in Utopian society is highly important. The way Utopia uses reason and logic when it comes to making important decisions help to ensure everyone is satisfied and happy. Although there are regulations and limits, they are not so restricting that the people feel aggravated. In today's society it is impossible to satisfy everyone. They define virtue as living in accord with the laws of nature, and believe that the best guide in living thus is their reason. 2. What is the basis of their moral philosophy? What is the role of reason and nature in morality for the Utopians? What do you think of this construction? Is it reasonable? Does it leave anything out, or leave any important questions unasked and unanswered? What are the rules of nature/reason? -The basis of their moral philosophy is all people in the Utopian society work together in order to reach their goals. Each person can be described as selfless as they care more about bettering their own community before themselves. Some might see this as going against the common philosopher. Many philosophers push for individual happiness instead of always putting others before you. 3. How do the Utopians define and understand pleasure as a part of human life? What place does pleasure have in their social structures and in their moral philosophy? Does the elimination of private property relate to the emphasis on pleasure? -Utopians have a much different understanding of pleasure than today's society. Diamonds are considered as toys, whereas our society treats diamonds as a symbol of wealth and beauty. They are most interested in what constitutes happiness, and believe that pleasure is the root. They do not pursue pleasures that result in pain or which hurt others. People are encouraged to put the good of others before their own, since the knowledge that they have done a good action, and the reward that will come to them when the favor is returned, will contribute greatly to their own pleasure. I believe the elimination of private property relates to the emphasis on pleasure because if you have everyone were equal, they would not care as much about being better than someone else or having more than someone else. 4. What do you think of the role of religion in Utopian society? Can you have religious freedom if you maintain the two "fundamental laws" of Utopian society? What is the purpose or function of these laws? -Religion plays a huge role in Utopian society. Just like our society today, there are several religions, the difference with our society is that many create conflict due to their beliefs. If you maintain the two "fundamental laws" of Utopian society your religious freedom is encouraged. Atheism however, is forbidden. 5. What is the precise nature of the toleration of diversity in religion in Utopia? What is allowed and what is forbidden? Is this a true tolerance or a true freedom of speech? -The Utopians are fairly tolerant of diverse religious practices, but they are intolerant of atheists, those who believe that there is no eternal soul or that there is no afterlife. More makes a distinction between the level of toleration necessary for the truth to emerge and the instruction of uniformity required once the truth has been revealed. 6. Over-all what do you think of the role of religion in Utopian society? -Religion in Utopian society is highly different than in our society today. Utopians are given complete religious freedom and are not judged upon their choice of religion. Most Utopians however, worship a god called Milthra, who is a part of persian culture. 7. What is your over-all judgment of Utopia, both as a text and as a vision of a just state? My overall judgement of Utopia as a just state is that it almost seems too good to be true. All people in Utopia are willing to work together for a common goal. The concept that everyone is equal seems to create the idea that Utopia is a perfect society. There isn't much to worry about in the Utopian society which I find intriguing. My judgement of Utopia as a text, is that it is a very challenging but rewarding read. Although it is challenging, the messages and conversations the book bring, are undeniably important.

The Missing Piece Meets the Big O Shel Silverstein

1. What is your interpretation of this book? -I interpreted The Missing Piece Meets the Big O as a story about a wedge shaped piece that takes a journey to find its perfect fit. In the beginning of the story, the piece feels lonely and longs for someone to come along and take it somewhere. Over the course of the story, the piece finds several circles with a missing piece. The piece tries to approach each circle that comes along but each one presents a different conflict. It joins up with one seemingly perfect circle, but soon outgrows it. Finally after many failed experiences, the piece meets a circle that has no missing piece, but is whole. It is called The Big O and has the ability to roll around all on its own. The Big O denies the piece but advises it to try and roll on its own. The piece is pessimistic towards the idea due to its sharp edges. The Big O encourages the piece to try and says that the edges can be worn way and that shapes can change. After a while of stopping and thinking, the piece starts to lift itself up, flop and roll until its edges wear down and it becomes rounded like a circle. Finally, the piece is able to catch up with the Big O and the two wholes can roll alongside each other happily. 2.What is this story's point of view? -The story is told by a narrator, in the third person view. The narrator describes the characters and the events that take place throughout the Missing Piece's journey. 3.What is the main conflict? -The main conflict of the story is that the missing piece is unable to find the right fit. Throughout the piece's journey it comes to many different circles that present conflict. The piece struggles to accept the fact that it does not need to fit perfectly into a gap to be happy or feel complete. 4.At the beginning of the story, in what way are the encounters of the Missing Piece with other characters similar to those between friends or lovers? Relate a real life situation that corresponds with one of the encounters in the story. - The piece encounters with several other characters throughout the course of the story. At the beginning the piece encounters some that fit but could not roll, some that could roll but could not fit, some that did not know a thing about fitting, and some that did not know a thing about anything. The piece also encounter some that were too delicate, some had too many pieces missing, while some had too many pieces, period. The encounters the piece had are similar to those with friends/lovers in the sense that many of those same characteristics are seen in relationships. To relate a real life situation, many times when finding interest in someone new, you wonder about past relationships/experiences. If a girl were to encounter the knowledge that the guy they have newfound interest in, has been known to talk to several girls at once (have too many pieces) then she will most likely rethink her interest in the guy. 5.In the event that follows, how does the writer reveal to us true characteristics of people in search of other people? -Throughout the piece's journey, there are several stereotypical relationship situations. The writer does a great job at ripping apart the ignorant view of "love" as two people coming together and automatically fitting like pieces of a puzzle. First, there is the couple that grows out of each other. Then, the couple that just do not fit. There is also the stereotype of the piece trying to make itself seem more attractive. Then of course, there piece comes across those with too many pieces missing, or those that just have too many pieces. All of these characteristics relate to people first hand. 6.What message does the writer convey about changing ourselves to attract other people? -The writer conveys the message that it is a sad reality that many of us choose to change how we look or what do, or even what we believe in, just to attract someone else, and in the case of this story, it did not even work out. The piece not only tried to make itself more attractive but also tried to make itself more flashy. This just scared away the shy ones that could have possibly been a good fit, if they had seen the piece for its true self. It just goes to show, that being yourself and not trying to change yourself for other people is ultimately the best thing you can do. 7.In what way is the problem that faces the Missing Piece, after finding its perfect companion, similar to that of a relationship (a friendship)? -After the missing piece found its perfect companion it was happy as can be. However, soon after, the piece began to grow and the circle did not. The piece outgrew its once perfect companion. The two then went their separate ways. This completely relates to relationships and friendships. People are growing and changing all the time, and while some may grow together, others grow apart and that is just a part of life. 8.Describe a situation from your own life that is similar to the one that takes place between the Missing Piece and The Big O when they first meet. -When the Missing Piece and The Big O first meet, The Missing piece asks if it can roll with The big O. The Big O replies with "no, but maybe you can roll on your own". The Big O encourages the Missing Piece to try to pick itself up and roll, that its edges will wear off. Eventually, the Missing Piece did just that and became rounded just like The Big O. A similar situation that has happened in my own life was when I joined the basketball team in fourth grade. I have never played before and many of the girls were much more experienced. I remember asking the coach how to become more like the other girls and the coach told me not to focus on anyone else but on myself. I took his advice and started to work harder on improving my own game before comparing myself to any other girl on the team. Just like the Missing Piece, I eventually got the hang of things and rolled right along side all the other experienced players. 9.What implication does The Big O's suggestion to the Missing Piece about rolling on its own have about relationships? -The Big O's suggestion to the Missing Piece to roll on its own implies that relationships and friendships need two independent individuals before it can come together. The Big O stresses this importance through the conversation, "What do you want of me?" asked the missing piece. "Nothing", "what do you need from me?" "nothing." said The Big O. This conversation reinforces the theme that you do not need anyone or anything in order to be happy with yourself or feel complete. 10. In what way does the language used to describe the attempts of the Missing Piece to roll on its own contribute to that action? -The language used to describe the attempts of the Missing Piece to roll on its own starts out slow and then increase with speed and intensity until the wedge shaped piece transforms into a circle. I believe the language was used in this way to emphasize this big moment for the piece. The writer clustered words together such as liftpullflopliftpullflop also for emphasis. 11. What do you suppose the Missing Piece will do after beginning to roll on its own? -I believe the missing piece will continue to roll on its own beside the Big O, as it now realizes the importance of being your own individual before allowing yourself to commit to someone else. 12. What is this story's underlying message about relationships and friendships? -The story's underlying message about relationships and friendships is that it is so important to be happy as your own individual before you can have healthy relationships with lovers and friendships. Otherwise, when we don't do this, and fill our emptiness with each other, it is a common trap to make our happiness dependent on them. The Missing Piece Meets The Big O should remind everybody that in order to truly be happy with another person we must be happy with ourselves first. Overall Message: -Self love and personal happiness should come before finding someone else and should not be taken away. Does it relate to life? -Don't give up on things that make you happy for someone else, be independent

Utopia

A martyr • Executed by King Henry VIII • Henry wanted a divorce or annulment: leave Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn • No male heir • More: Henry not head of Church in England, did not accept remarriage • Accused of treason and beheaded • More remained faithful to the Catholic Church • Canonized (became a saint) 400 years later (1935) • Quite hostile to Luther and Protestant reformers challenging the Catholic Church Utopia • Did not exist before More used it • Based on a play of Greek words • οὐ and τόπος (which means "no place") • εὖ and τόπος (which means "good place") • Makes us think of "dystopia" (which, from the Greek, means "bad place") • An advanced, non-Christian, new-world society, based on practicality • A "communist" or "communal" society based on natural religion (Romans 1) • Raphael Hythloday (fictional character made up by More) • His name: Raphael (Hebrew: God has healed) and Hythloday (Greek: speaker of nonsense) • A just society with no private property with few laws • Based on Acts (and think about James) • But a just society without Christianity • Based on reason and a religion without revelation • More just than England and other European countries • Reason and revelation, but still unjust • Raises questions about organized religion and society Did not see King Henry VIII as head of the church: Church of England against Roman Church • Would not accept Henry's divorce and remarriage • Still accepted the Pope as head of the Church • Convicted of treason • Wrote while incarcerated • Be a person of conscience; don't violate your conscience and ethical stance • "I die the king's good servant, but God's first." • Loved the king and country, but loved God more than king and country • Beheaded after about one year in prison

Freud 1-6

Chapter One: • Why do we not know who we are? We do not know who we truly are because according to Freud, we are too concerned about our egos. Because of this selfish focus people are said to measure their lives by power, wealth, success. People see this as what is most important in life, when really it makes it rather hard to understand and know who one really is as a person. • How do we get to be who we are? We get to be how we are through our many experiences and journeys we take in life. According to Freud, all things we have experienced have the potential to stay with us forever. Freud believes that if we cannot remember something right away, it does not mean we don't really remember it, but simply because often times, things come up with the right circumstances. To get to be who we truly are comes from states of mind and experience. • What is the oceanic feeling? The oceanic feeling is a feeling of sensation in an indissoluble bond with being one with the external world in its integral form as a whole. It is the unity of the ego and the outside world. The oceanic feeling is the sense that we're part of existence once and for all, and that nothing, not even our deaths, can erase the fact. • How does the archeology of Rome correspond to the human being? How does it differ? The archaeology of Rome corresponds to the human being in the way that it has differed and developed more and more over time. Although, it has developed greatly, people are still able to remember what it once looked like. As for reasons they differ, Rome has had many buildings and structures taken down, while the human mind is not always subject to cruel, and destructive forces. Chapter Two: • What is suffering? Suffering is the experience of unhappiness. According to Freud, we are threatened with suffering from three directions: our body, the external world, and our relations to other men. The suffering which comes from other men is said to be more painful to us than any other type of suffering. • What is the role of religion in culture? From where does it originate and what needs does it fulfill? The religious role in culture is that a following a certain belief alone can answer the question of the ultimate purpose of life. Freud is against this idea completely. It originates from the common man. Freud talks about how it is humiliating to see such a large number of people living day to day, who can't see that religion is not tenable, but instead try to do everything in their power to defend it. • What is happiness? What forms does happiness assume in culture and what are the sources of various kinds of happiness? Happiness, according to Freud, is a problem of the economics of the individual's libido. There are different form of happiness mentioned by Freud. He mentions that sexual love has given us our most intense experience of an overwhelming sensation of pleasure and has furnished us with a pattern for our search for happiness. A source of happiness mentioned is living based on the value of love as a means to happiness. Freud then goes on to talk about how happiness in life is mostly sought in the enjoyment of beauty. • What is reality, and why is reality too strong for some people? Reality, according to Freud is to avoid illusions. Illusions often provide people with satisfaction and temporary happiness from the sadness of the outside world. Reality can be seen as too strong for some people as many cannot bear the real life misery happening in the outside world. Chapter Three: • What does Freud add to his discussion, previously begun, about the nature of human suffering? Freud adds to his discussion that development is in charge of our affliction. People sorted out themselves into human advancements with a specific end goal to escape their misery, yet it rather has made more. People are under the feeling that development reduces suffering because of the triumph of Christianity over agnostic religions. Rather than taking an interest in society, individuals will accomplish joy when they pull back from these requests. • Do technological advances alleviate suffering? Why or why not? According to Freud, mechanical advances don't lighten suffering. They improve our energy against nature and also upgrading our abilities of tangible recognition, however this doesn't as a matter of course increment our measure of measure of fulfillment or satisfaction. • Why does Freud say that "civilization is largely responsible for our misery... we should be much happier if we gave up and returned to primitive conditions." Freud places fault on human progress for our hopelessness because of the heavy emphasis on the development over the person. This restricts the measure of fulfillment an individual may have, which regularly brings about suffering. People will never have the capacity to be cheerful in a civilization in light of the fact that the law precedes their own personal interests/advantages. • How does civilization "progress"? According to Freud, civilization progresses by securing their men against nature. Despite the fact that it conflicts with human satisfaction, development advances when the requirements of the needs of the public surpass individual needs. Chapter Four: • What does Freud say about families? Freud states that he does not agree with the idea of families. Freud believes the idea of families was adopted over time and that it came from men and women using each other for sex. He believes the family came from the man and woman choosing to stay together. • On what psychological foundations is culture built? Why are women subjugated in this culture? The psychological foundation that culture is built on is community and family. Freud says that the closer an individual is to their family, the harder it will be for the individual to go into the world alone one day. Freud says women are subjugated in this culture due to their interests in love, family, and sex. Men on the other hand, are focused on work. • Why is there a conflict between individuals, and between families and civilization? Freud sees conflict between individuals, families, and civilization because he believes civilization is a relationship among individuals in which individuals give up certain aspects of their own ego interests to join with other people. However, this dependence creating union carries new dangers of its own, since the social structures of civilization demand many limits on the individual which can crash with evolutionary instincts. • What does Freud tell us about the nature of love? The nature of love, according to Freud, is that humans seek happiness, following a profound and irresistible instinct. Freud believes happiness and love are the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure. However, two central instincts are active in humans above all others, which is the desire to be loved and a strong tendency toward aggression in pursuit of these desires. Chapter Five: • How does racism and prejudice arise? Racism and prejudice, sadly come from human nature. Freud rejects the idea of "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" as he believes his love is as more special than others. Freud firmly believes that a man or woman will only receive respect and/ love if they truly deserve it. Chapter Six: • What is the effect of the struggle between Eros and the instinct of destruction? According to Freud, Eros is seen all throughout society. He sees it as an attempt to unify all of mankind. The order is as follows, individual, families, races, people, nations. Humans work together in order to stay together, however their destructive instincts have them working against one another.

Freud 7-8

Chapter Seven: • How does civilization limit human beings' aggression? Civilization limits human being's aggression by weakening it. By taking a portion of the animosity away, the conditions will be less intense and things will work out better for everybody. Freud expresses that aggression originates from one's inner self which will transform into the super-ego and in the long run the conscience. • What is the role and importance of guilt, both for individuals and for culture? An individual feels guilt when they are aware they have done something wrong. The role of guilt is for people to refrain from doing things they shouldn't be doing. Doing dangerous things is not well for a person's overall ego. Guilt is crucial for both individual and culture as it keeps people in line following the rules in order to have a productive society. Chapter Eight: • A heightening of the sense of guilt leads to what, according to Freud? What is his point about the way young people were educated about sex in his era? Freud states "to represent the sense of guilt as the most important problem in the development of civilization and to show that the price we pay for our advance in civilization is a loss of happiness through the heightening of the sense of guilt". Freud believes the discontent in civilization arises not through the heightening of the sense of guilt, but rather through the heightening of the unconscious need for punishment that defends against the sense of guilt. Genuine guilt, understood as depressive anxiety or concern, represents not the problem of civilization but its solution. It is the path toward happiness and peace. Freud applies the same revision to his understanding young people's education about sex by stating "in their essence substitutive satisfactions for unfulfilled sexual wishes". • The idea of guilt is broadened in the opening pages of this chapter—what are other terms Freud uses to describe this sensation? • Although Freud argues that the process of development of civilizations and human beings is similar, he does note an important distinction. What is it? • "We are led to make two reproaches against the super-ego of the individual," Freud says. What are they? Freud recognized the necessity of the super-ego and conscience for the establishment of human society, but argued that man's conscience can be too rigid, so that it must often be tempered with the help of psychological treatment. • One of the most influential passages of this work: "under the influence of cultural urges, some civilizations, or some epochs of civilization—possibly the whole of mankind—have become neurotic." What's the cure for this, according to Freud? Freud wonders whether it would be possible to characterize certain epochs of civilization as "neurotic." The problem is that diagnoses of neurosis are based on a relative definition of individual psychological normality, and would be difficult to apply to a civilization.

The Vinegar Tasters: Sour, Bitter, and Sweet Views of Life

Chinese and Indian Philosophers • Confucius (551-479 BCE): sour, degeneration, rules • Buddha (ca 563-483 BCE): bitter, suffering, transcend the world of grasping • Lao-tse (Lao-tzu) (604 BCE or in the 500s BCE): sweet, Tao (the Way), naturally existing harmony

Utopia Book one

Consider carefully the question that More poses to Raphael: Why don't you work in the service of some king? Why does Raphael refuse to do this? What are his arguments for not doing this? -Raphael refuses to work in the service of a king for several reasons. Raphael did not support any type of conflict, especially not war. Royalty, however does support war and conflict. Raphael also compares himself to being a slave, if he were to be an advisor for the king. Moore suggested that Raphael worked to just enlighten the king. Raphael argued that the royalty would not listen to any of Raphael's ideas or thoughts, he believed that the royalty would just use him to compliment them whenever they wanted. What are some possible responses to Raphael's refusal? How would you respond to Raphael here? -I agree with Raphael's arguments. I think he made many good points. He is right that the royalty only knows their own way of tradition and are not open to new ideas or change. Raphael knows that he will be treated poorly if he works for the royalty, so I believe he is making a wise claim for his decision. Consider: Is it possible to be a virtuous person—as More understands this (think of his description of Peter Giles)—and still serve in politics? -More asks the question, "what is the proper punishment for criminals who steal from others?" Should these criminals be killed immediately upon being caught, in order to teach the rest of society a lesson, as representatives of the English government in the book seem to suggest? The English government in Utopia claimed that the criminals were have been ruined and no matter how much rehabilitation they were given they would repeat their unlawful acts again. Raphael proposes in his debate with the Cardinal from England, that criminals should be recognized and somehow rehabilitated. While criminal acts are not to be condoned, Raphael truly believes that human life should be valued and viewed as the highest good. Trace out and try to re-write the argument (as you understand it) that Raphael gives for his position. Do the same for More. -The argument starts at the dinner table as the policy of killing thieves by hanging them was brought up. Raphael does not agree with this policy and states his idea that people don't steal for fun but that they steal to survive. A lawyer interjects and says that there are other solutions such as farming, so the criminals can gain a better understanding of life without stealing. Raphael argues that there are many war veterans that are unable to work due to disabilities. He also says many workers end up gaining no skills from the noblemen and have no desired traits once they are let go.

"Dear Harvard You Win"

Did not open a case, but received no support or empathy Her assailant never got moved out of the dorm

Civilization and its Discontents Freud

Ego, Super Ego, Id

Important Taoist Themes

For • Simplicity • Plainness • Thinking beyond the self • Natural desires • Contentment • Unlearning • Creativity and spontaneity Against • Pride • Greed • Violence • Excess • Self-centeredness, attachment to ego, identity, and self

Tao of Pooh pt 3

Parallel page 93's description of the Bisy Backson to modern, real life. On page 93, the description of the Bisy Backson says that Backsons prefer to struggle along asphalt and concrete, in imitation of the short lived transportation machines for which those hard surfaces were designed. They inhale exhaust fumes from the vehicles that swerve to avoid hitting them, the Backsons blabber away to one another about how much better they feel because they are now outdoors. The pertains to real life as many people spread themselves too thin and are overly busy. What Great Reward do you think is referenced on page 97? I believe the Great Reward, referenced on page 97, is talking about the concept of heaven/hell with heaven being the Great Reward. I believe this because the page talks about how Backsons religions, sciences, and business ethics have tried their hardest to convince us that there is a Great Reward waiting for us somewhere, and that we must spend our lives working like crazy to catch up with it. How does Pooh's dream personify that idea? This personifies Pooh's dream as he had a dream about a jar of honey that just kept moving. Pooh complains that jars of honey are not supposed to do that, they are supposed to sit still. Pooh says whenever he reached for the honey it would sort of go someplace else. The dream Pooh had relates with the idea that people are living their lives too busily. Explain how Native Americans know the way on page 100. Then what happened with man? The Puritans worked themselves to death in the fields without getting anything in return. The Puritans were actually starving until fortunately the wiser inhabitants came along and showed them about working in harmony with earth's rhythm. A quote from this part in the book is "Now you plant; now you relax. Now you work the soil; now you leave it alone". The Puritans were said to never understand the second half of the quotes. As two or three centuries pass by, man has pushed the once fertile earth with synthetic stimulants. This is the reason soil is supposed to be able to "relax". Because it is not, we end up with fruit and other produce tasting unlike it should. Again, how does Pooh personify Wu-Wei and not Bisy Backson on pg 101-102? Pooh personifies Wu-Wei and not Bisy Backson through his conversation on pages 101-102. Pooh says he's not busy because it's a nice day. He explains that what he is doing is important, he is listening. He says he is listening to the birds and the squirrels and they are saying it is a nice day as well. After being told that he could be spending his time getting educated by the radio Pooh responds by saying he knows what goes in the world by going outside. Pooh is referring to the Inner Nature part of Wu-Wei. Explain the Bigoted Backson and Bulldozer Backson. The Bigoted Backson is the idea that every one but yourself, interferes with things they have no business interfering with. The Bulldozer Backson is the urge to grow and develop in all forms of life, however it becomes a constant struggle to change everything in one's mind. What is the False Front approach? The Front False approach is the unnatural approach of cosmetics and plastic surgery. This approach/concept has unfortunately developed numerous ways to breakdown youthfulness. How do the Teahouse and the Hamburger Stand illustrate Bisy Backson? In china there is the Teahouse. The messages of the Teahouse is "You're important, relax and enjoy yourself". This is the opposite of Bisy Backson. As for illustrating Bisy Backson, the message of the Hamburger Stand is "You don't count, hurry up". Not to mention the Hamburger Stand is horrible for the consumer's health. Because Hamburger Stand's are so fast paced and always in a hurry to move along, it perfectly illustrates Bisy Backson. Can you save time? You cannot save time, however you can spend it. Spending you time can be either wise or foolish. The Bisy Backson has practically no time at all because he is too busy trying to save it which actually is wasting it. How are the process and the goal related on page 111? A goal does not mean as much once it is reached, just as the reward is not as rewarding once it has been given. The process, however is what makes us happy and wise. Some may say the journey is better than the destination. Explain the story of the stonecutter on pages 118 - 119. The story's main message is that no matter how useful we may seem to be, sometimes it takes us a while to recognize our own value. The stonecutter wanted to be everything but himself because he thought all these other things were more powerful, so he wished to be them. The stonecutter went from being a stonecutter, to a high official, to the sun, to a storm cloud, to the wind, to a stone, and finally back to a stonecutter, which he realized was the most powerful of all, and could have been himself all along. Why would the play-it-safe-pessimist never accomplish much? The play-it-safe-pessimists never accomplish much of anything because they do not look clearly or objectively in any situation. They also do not recognize their own abilities nor do they try to stretch their abilities to try and overcome certain amounts of risk, which only hurts them even more. What is Tz'u? Tz'u is one of the most important terms of Taoism. It is translated to mean "caring and compassionate". It is based upon the character for heart. Why is the claim made that those who have no compassion have no wisdom? I read the claim to be: "A clever mind is not a heart. Knowledge doesn't really care, wisdom does." Where are Wisdom, Happiness, and Courage found? Wisdom, happiness, and courage are beyond sight to be found. They are part of a continuous cycle. They are not just the ending but also the beginning. What is the Great Secret on page 143? The Great Secret is nothing. To a taoist nothing is something, and something is a thing many consider to be important, but really is just nothing at all. What is T'ai Hsu? T'ai Hsu is what the Taoists call the "Great Nothing". Explain the Chuang-tse story on pages 143 - 144. On Chuang-tse's way back from the K'un-lun Mountains, the Yellow Emperor lost the dark pearl of Tao. Chuang-tse asked Knowledge to help find it, but Knowledge was unable to understand it. Next he asked Distant Vision to find it but Distant Vision could not see it. Then, he sent Eloquence, but was unable to describe it. Finally, Empty Mind was sent to find the dark pearl, and that's just what Empty Mind did. This story illustrates a great example of T'ai Hsu and the Great Secret. How do Pooh and Eeyore personify that story? Pooh and Eeyore personify the story by referring back to when Eeyore lost his tail. He first asked Clever Rabbit and Scholarly Owl, but neither were useful to help. Know-it-all Eeyore didn't even realize his tail was missing until Pooh told him. Pooh went off in search to find his tail and sure enough he came back with it. Due to Pooh's empty mind, he was able to see what was right in front of him, instead of worrying about other things. The more stuffed up one's mind is, the less it is able to hear through its own ears and see through its own eyes. Explain the story on page 149. The story on page 149 is a conversation between Yen Hui and the Master. Yen Hui tells the Master that he is learning by forgetting the rules of Righteousness and the levels of Benevolence. The Master says this is good but could be better. Days go on and Yen Hui claims he has made progress because now he has forgotten the Rituals and the Music. Again the Master says this is good but still is not perfect. After some time, Yen Hui told the Master that he has forgotten everything. He said "I forget my body and senses, and leave all appearance and information behind, in the middle of Nothing, I join the source of All Things". The Master was finally pleased, and tells Yen Hui that he has found The Way. Explain the last paragraph on page 154. This paragraph talks about The Way. The masters of life listen to the voice within them, the voice of wisdom and simplicity, the voice that reasons beyond Cleverness and knows beyond Knowledge. That voice doesn't just belong to a few, but has been given to everyone. Those who make use of their voice are often treated as exceptions to a rule, rather than an example of the rule in operation. Explain the poem on page 158. The poem say in order to know the Way, you must go the Way, and do the Way. Everything is right in front of you. If you try too hard to see it, life may pass you by and you'll become confused. The poem is giving the message that when you find the things you can do and apply them to your life, the Way will follow you.

On the citizen

The faculties of human nature may be reduced unto four kinds; bodily strength, experience, reason, passion

Tao of Pooh pt 1

What does the painting "The Vinegar Tasters" depict? -The painting depicts the vinegar tasters as the "Three Teachings" of China, and the vinegar they are tasting represents the Essence of Life. Explain the expressions on each of the men. -K'ung Fu-tse- Has a sour look on his face. Buddha- Wears a bitter expression Lao-tse- Smiling According to Lao-tse, what happened the more man interfered with the natural balance of universal laws? -The more man interfered with the natural balance produced and governed by the universal laws, the further away the harmony retreated into the distance. The more forcing, the more trouble. What is the tao? -According to Lao-tse, the tao, is what he saw operating behind everything in heaven and earth. "The Way". From the Taoist point of the view, what is the message of the Vinegar Tasters? -From the Taoist point of view, sourness and bitterness come from the interfering and unappreciative mind. Like itself, when understood and utilized for what it is, is sweet. What is P'u? And how does Pooh personify P'u? -P'u is defined in a typical Chinese dictionary as "natural, simple, plain, honest". Pooh personifies P'u by referring to it as a person. Explain the conversation in the middle of page 15. -Pooh states that Rabbit is clever, as Piglet agrees. Pooh states that "he has brain" then continues to say "that's why he never understands anything". The conversation is a contradiction. A brain allows understanding. From the state of the uncarved block comes what? -From the state of the uncarved block comes the ability to enjoy the simple and the quiet, the natural and the plain. Why would they think they could go to owl's house for answers? -They think it might help to look at someone who is the opposite of the "uncarved block" which they see as Owl. What does "The wise are not learned; the learned are not wise" mean? -You cannot "learn" to be wise, being wise comes with experience. Wisdom does not come automatically with knowing many things. What is out of reach of scholarly intellect? -Deeper and broader matter are beyond its limited reach. In the west, what do we tend to use to examine everything, including Taoism? -We tend to interpret here in the west by the Scholarly Owl- by the brain, the academician, the dry as dust absent minded Professor. Why does that not work? -This incomplete and unbalanced creature divides all kinds of abstract things into little categories and compartments, while remaining rather helpless and disorganized in daily life. How are academics and Confucians described? Why is that a funny description? -Academics are described as lifeless and humorless, while Confucians are described as the ones who study knowledge. How is Owl described? -Owl is described as "the brain". Why do knowledge and experience not necessarily speak the same language? Sometimes the knowledge of the scholar is a bit hard to understand because it doesn't seem to match up with our own experience of things. How can there be more to knowing than just being correct? -There is always more to knowing. Being correct about something doesn't mean there isn't another answer that is correct or that there is nothing more to know about a matter. Always be open minded. Explain the poem on page 29- -The poem is about two people making fun of each other's poems. A scholar points out specific flaws in the author's poem, as the author compares reading the scholars poem to a blind man describing the sun.

Tao of Pooh pt 2

What is Cottleston Pie? A song which Pooh sang in Winnie-the-Pooh. The message behind the song is, everything has its own place to function and to realize the simple concept that "things are as they are". Explain the 3rd paragraph of the Hui-tse quote on pg 40. The third paragraph talks about unappreciation. The paragraph compares a tree as being less valuable than lumber. A tree could be used for shade, resting underneath is branches, strolling beneath it, or just admiring its appearance and character. All of this attributes are lost when focusing on making it into something else and not using it in its proper way. Explain the Chuang-tse story on page 41. Chuang-tse was approached by two representatives of the Prince of Ch'u, who offered him a position at court. Chuang-tse told the two representatives that he heard the Prince has a sacred tortoise, over two thousand years old which is kept in a box, wrapped in silk and brocade. The officials acknowledge that was Chuang-tse said is true. He then continues to ask the officials "if they tortoise had been given a choice, which do you think he would have liked better, to have been alive in the mud or dead in the palace?" the officials answered "to be alive in the mud" as they should. Finally, Chuang-tse said "I too, prefer the mud". Chuang-tse did not want the position because he did not want to be treated like the tortoise, kept in a box. Explain the dilemma with fish and birds on page 43. What character exemplifies this dilemma? A fish does not live in a tree, and a bird does not spend too much time underwater. There is nothing wrong with a fish not being able to whistle, but there can be things that go wrong with trying to do what you aren't designed to do. That doesn't necessarily mean we need to stop improving and changing, it means we need to recognize what's there(43). Tiger is a character who exemplifies this dilemma, as he doesn't know his limitations. What is said about scientists and philosophers? It is said the science likes to strut around and "Act Smart" by putting its labels on everything, and that if you look closely, you'll see that don't really say much. As for philosophers, it is said that they ask unnecessary questions and come up with meaningless answers. Why is Inner Nature better than the brain? The brain can be fooled, Inner Nature can not be fooled. Explain the story on pages 59-60. In the state of Ch'u, a housebreaker became a soldier for General Tzu-fa, who is known for utilizing the abilities of others to an impressive degree. A little while later, Ch'u was attacked by the army and Tzu-fa's men went to counter the attack but were unsuccessful three times. At this point, the house breaker asked to help with the defense of Ch'u, and the General granted his request. That same night, the house breaker snuck into the Ch'i camp and entered the general's tent, and removed the curtains from the bed. Tzu-fa sent these back the next morning with a note saying they found by some men gathering firewood. The next evening the house breaker took the general's pillow and returned it with a similar note. The following evening the house breaker took the general's jade hairpin and also returned it in a similar fashion. The Ch'i general called his officers together, and said "one more night, and it will be my head!" The troops were then ordered to go back home. This story just goes to show that there is no such thing as an ability too useless, crooked, or too small. Lao-tse states "The bad can be raw material for the good". How can you unbounce yourself? The book asks the question "How can you unbounce yourself?" it answers that question by referring to the Rabbit's plan to unbounce Tiger. Rabbit, Pooh, and Piglet took Tiger to a place at the top of the Forest where he'd never been, and lose him up there. They hoped this would stop Tigers bouncing. Rabbit, instead got everyone lost, including himself, everyone but Tiger. Tiger kept bouncing. The moral of that whole story is to not unbounce yourself, dont let others try to change something about you that makes you who you are. How does the river on page 67 personify the lesson of mankind? The stream has grown up so it was almost a river, and it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it did when it was younger, but moved more slowly. It personifies the cycle of man kind of growing up. What's Wu-Wei? Wu-Wei is the most characteristic element of Taoism-in-action. Wu-Wei literally means "without doing, causing, or making". Practically, it means without meddlesome, combative, or egotistical effort. How does the story of the old man and K'ung Fu-tse explain Wu-Wei? K'ung Fu-tse was standing at the edge of the waterfall when he saw an old man being tossed around in the turbulent water. K'ung Fu-tse and his disciples went to rescue the old man but by the time they got there they saw that the old man had gotten himself out onto the bank and was walking and singing to himself. Does the natural world make mistakes? Why do humans make mistakes? Because we learn to work with our Inner Nature, we work with the natural order of things and operate on the principle of minimal effort. Because of this principle, the natural world does not make mistakes. Mistakes are made with the overloaded Brain who separates himself from the supporting network of natural laws by interfering and trying to hard. Explain " Do Without Doing." It means that things happen by themselves, spontaneously. Compare/contrast man and animal on page 77. Animals don't think too much, they just are as they are. People, on the other hand, think too much, therefore get confused. Pooh states "If people were Superior to Animals, they'd take better care of the world". This quote makes you think about the world we live in and how we take care of this world. How does Pooh personify Wu-Wei? Pooh personifies Wu-Wei by the way he follows the concept of "effortless doing". Things just happen in the right way, at the right time for Pooh. They do, when you let them, and when you work with circumstances instead of questioning things or adding a negative perspective. If you stay in tune with The Way Things Work then they will work the way they need to work. Explain Wu-Wei with regards to Eeyore's birthday presents. Pooh found out it was Eeyore's birthday after Eeyore had to inform him. So, Pooh and Piglet ran home to get gifts from Eeyore. Pooh got a jar of honey, and Piglet was going to get a balloon. On Pooh's way back to Eeyore's, he became hungry and sat to take a break. He realized he had honey and thought he was very lucky to have brought that with him. He ate all the honey then realized that he had eaten Eeyore's present! He hurried to Owl's house and had him write "Happy Birthday" on the empty jar. Pooh thought this was still a good gift, even though there was nothing inside the jar. This is a clear example of Wu-Wei working in Pooh's favor. A way it worked against piglet's favor is when Piglet fell in a rabbit hole on the way back to Eeyore's. Piglet was in such a rush to get back to the party first and give Eeyore his present that Piglet didn't pay attention to where she was going and was just thinking about how pleased Eeyore would be. What is Sensitivity to Circumstances? It is listening to your own intuition. One of the most important things about Sensitivity to Circumstances is that you don't have to make so many difficult decisions. You let them make themselves. What overcomes force on page 87? On page 87, it states that force is overcome with yielding, never is force opposed with force.