Connection #5--Book

In my Science Fiction class, we are reading a book called Ender’s Game. The book is based on a six year old boy who goes to battle school to learn how to fight off these aliens called buggers. It goes through the years Ender spends at the school and shows how the teachers are manipulating him into becoming the best commander ever. When you are at these schools, you can’t speak to any of your family members until a certain age, and no one of the outside world really knows what happens at these schools. This made me think about what the government could make us do in our reality that we might not even know about or be able to change. There could be another world out there with aliens who want to destroy us simply for not understanding this. This sounds a little more science fiction than philosophy, but I think it can be both as it goes into other realities and moralities. Such as, does the government have the right to keep things from its public? I personally think we should be aware of any possible danger. That way we can be ready for anything to come or not be as taken aback if whatever it is someday attacks or communicate or whatever. Secrets are hardly ever good ideas.

Sophie's World #5

Hilde finally talks to her father! I am still unsure of what Hilde’s father is trying to get from his book to his daughter. Hilde stills thinks that Sophie and Albert are actually real. I like how we are seeing the story from both Hilde and Sophie’s point of view. That way you get more knowledge than the two of them separate, and you also see similar events happening such as Hilde’s father coming home and Sophie having a party --both celebrations.

Sophie’s world (I didn’t mean that as the book title) is definitely getting stranger. We’re seeing more “romantic irony” from Albert which shows his control over every aspect in Sophie’s life. Now things like little boys named Aladdin are showing up with lamps that spill out spirits and stuff. Odd. I do think it is an interesting touch though. I want to see what else Albert changes in Sophie’s reality.

Sophie's World #4

I just want to say I typed this whole blog out and then I exed out of the freaking tab after I pasted it on here and exed out of microsoft world. So here it goes AGAIN!

Yes! The point of view finally changed to Hilde. I thought it was interesting how all the things Sophie found like the scarf and wallet were actually Hilde’s lost things, for real. However, I don’t get how Sophie can see the image in the mirror winking with both eyes but Hilde can’t. What does that even mean? How can a person wink with both eyes? Wouldn’t that just be blinking…I really hope they explain that.

I like how we’re finally getting some information on Albert, Sophie’s father. There are still many, many blanks about him though. I don’t understand how he knows all this information on philosophy and Hilde’s life. It just seems like some of the details are impossible to know. Who knows? I hope the book shows when Albert comes home on Midsummer’s Eve because I really want to find out more about Albert’s behaviors, mannerisms, etc. He seems to be an interesting guy…

<----- what came up when I typed in "wink with both eyes"
           ...didn't solve anything for me.

Connection #4--Culture

So I was struggling through what I should do my philosophy connection to culture would be. However, I was in my peer mediation class when we were talking about our four basic needs (belonging, power, freedom, and fun). This made me think of why we do or don’t follow certain trends or behaviors. I think it all ties back to these basic needs. Let’s say we see a group of girls all wearing the same new brand of boots –maybe in different colors or a slightly different style. Over the next couple weeks you may see more and more of these boots popping up around the halls. What drives us to buy these boots or resist?

In my opinion, it all ties into the compulsion to belong. We do not want to be the one girl who doesn’t have the new “it” thing. On the other hand, some people will purposefully rebel against the latest trends. Some people may just be oblivious or maybe they like the power/freedom of being above everyone else. I can’t say for sure what is going through everyone’s heads when they see these so-called boots, obviously, but for me, I might suddenly decide the boots are really cute or good for the winter or something when they could have actually been quite ugly. It’s like there is some force that drives us girls into being and looking the same, when we should really be discovering our unique selves.

Sophie's World #3

I really like how this book is progressing. The information on Hilde and her father is growing, and I can’t stop wondering how Hilde and Sophie are tied together. Well, to be fair, I finally gave in a looked up what happens at the end. I couldn’t help it, I love spoilers. I’m surprised I didn’t do it sooner, actually.

Anyway, I have to say, I like this series of philosophers better than the past natural ones like Parmenides and Empedocles, etc. Those guys were just all very confusing. I feel like the philosophers like Aquinas and the views of the cynics and stoics are just more relatable to our world now because we still have cynical and stoic people.

I’m also glad that Sophie and Alberto are finally having conversations. The pages of philosophical text were very hard to read because they were so dry. I like the way the author went back into story mode and delves deeper into the mystery of Hilde and her father.

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