NO BLOG FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK - See you January 5th

John Steinbeck on Falling in Love

Read the article distributed in class titled "John Steinbeck on Falling in Love: A 1959 Letter."  It is a short article with a letter written by Steinbeck as a response to his son, Thom who has confessed to "have fallen desperately in love."   Evaluate Steinbeck's response to his son.  Then compare this letter to what you would expect if it were you writing to your father or mother while away at college and telling them that you were "desperately in love" - would the response be similar?  Finally, what is your idea, at your young ages, inexperienced yet in mature love, as to what you would expect real love to be and how it differs from what people call "young love".

Positive vs Negative Thinking

Read the entire article at this web site:

http://www.the-benefits-of-positive-thinking.com/negative-thinking-versus-positive-thinking.html

Then provide your response to the article.  Does it provide some interesting insights into the power of positive thinking over negative?  Some people claim it is better to think negative so that they can be prepared for anything bad that happens.  Is this logical?  After reading the article, offer your critique and then provide examples from your own experiences when positive or negative thinking had any type of outcome.

Daunting Start to College Application Process

Read "Daunting Start to College Application Process" and for your blog this week, respond and offer alternatives, if any, to this expensive process.

On Not Being Scrooge: To Build Compassion, Get Out of your Comfort Zone

Go to the web site: 
http://therotarianmagazine.com/culture-on-not-being-scrooge/

"On not being Scrooge" - this article appears in the December issue of Rotarian magazine.  It is written by Frank Bures - read the article and make a response.   Keep in mind that your initial blog is expected to be about two pages in length (write it in a Word document first to help determine length and also save it in the event your blog should delete accidentally on the site).  Your responses to peers should also be at least 3/4 of a page minimum.  I noticed that some are getting short.  You are expected to critically respond to two of your peers.

The FBI is Reading over Your Shoulder

Read the article, "The FBI is Reading over Your Shoulder" by Zara Gelsey.  First, respond to the article itself - How does Gelsey organize her essay and in what point of view is it written?  Does she support her points with evidence and is it effective?  Second, discuss in your own opinion, the thesis of Gelsey's essay.

Some Relationship Thoughts

Some relationships will be blessings, others will serve as lessons - either way, never regret knowing someone.  Everyone you encounter teaches you something important. Some people will test you, some will use you, and some will teach you; but most importantly some will bring out the best in you. Read the handout given in class on this topic from Google's Positive Thoughts and respond.

Read "Why I Love My Job" - by Rick Reilly

On page 658 in your textbook, read "Why I Love My Job"  by Rick Reilly.  After reading, write your personal feelings about the article and relate it to your own ideas on the subject. What would you say about the writer?  Who is his audience? What is the main point to this article?  This can be taken in many different directions.

Emerson's view of an "ideal education"

In your textbook, The Language of Composition, read Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "from Education" on pages 189-195.  Afterwards, select one of the eight questions on page 195 in which to respond with your blog.  Be sure to indicate which question you are responding to and develop your response fully - and of course, since this is an informal writing, you may include your own ideas woven into your discussion.

What is the major drawback to writing good essays?

Your task is to discuss the reasons you believe students in general have difficulty in writing good essays.  Do teachers present prompts that students can understand?   Are writing rubrics beneficial to how students will be graded?  Are teacher expectations higher than students believe is necessary?  Are students so accustomed to using the Internet or other sources that they have difficulty thinking for themselves?  These are just some of the questions that can be considered for your discussion; however, you are not limited by them.  So often, students find that writing is difficult.  Are they writing for the grade or are they seriously engaged in the writing process to achieve the goal of the assignment? Are students simply afraid to write?  Good Luck

Is it really wrong to cheat on exams?

This article is taken from Faith Magazine in the September/October 2014 issue.  The question posed to Fr. Joe is this:  

 A lot of my friends cheat on their exams and don't see anything wrong with it.  They feel they are just helping each other out.  I really believe this is wrong, but do I have an obligation to turn them in?

Read the article and then make your response to Fr. Joe's answer.  After, write your own attitude about cheating and plagiarizing in school work.   What is the main reason why students cheat or plagiarize, especially when so much has been said about it?  

Who Needs College? The Swiss Opt for Vocational School

Read the following link:

http://world.time.com/2012/10/04/who-needs-college-the-swiss-opt-for-vocational-school/

This is a new blog posting on a similar topic as I had to delete the previous post for this week due to a link that was not working.

Please read the article and make your own response to it - whatever comes to mind for your discussion pertaining to this topic.  Should we think seriously about this in the USA?   In this case, do not use secondary sources.  Just refer to this article and your personal response.

Machavellian Leadership

Machiavelli's philosophy and ideas on leadership are sometimes ambiguous.  Although private morality may rest on factors such as divine approval, personal character, or abstract duties, in public life only the praise and blame of fellow human beings really counts.  Thus, Machiavelli supposed, the ruler needs to acquire a good reputation while actually doing whatever wrong seems necessary in the circumstance (Prince 18). Thus, rulers must seem to be generous while spending their money wisely, appear to be compassionate while ruling their armies cruelly, and act with great cunning while cultivating a reputation for integrity. Although it is desirable to be both loved and feared by one's subjects, it is difficult to achieve both, and of the two, Machiavelli declared, it is far safer for the ruler to be feared (Prince 17). Expand on this principle and provide examples in real life that illustrate your approval or disapproval of Machiavelli's principle.

Amy Goodman: A venerable Jewish voice for peace

After reading the handout given in class, write a response to the article by Amy Goodman.  In her article, Rabbi Henry Siegman, president of the US/Middle East Project, offered a more tolerant approach to the Palestinian and Israeli conflict than many other Israeli thinkers and politicians.  Siegman believes that the current assault on Gaza (Palestinians living in Gaza area of Israel) "is disastrous."  You many approach this article in a variety of ways.  Defend it. Criticize it.  Or take a quotation from the article in which to respond. This blog should reflect your own thoughts - not those of any other person. Blogs should be two pages in length.

Idealist vs Realist

Of Plato and Cicero, Cicero stands out as the most "realist" writer. The strictest realist theory of politics would entail adhering to that which is the most practical and practicable, while the most idealist theory would believe there is a highest form of perfection and justice to which all ends must strive toward.  Daniel Guenther claims that "Plato is the most idealist" and "Cicero [is] the most realist."   Based on what you have read in Plato's works and in Cicero's "On Duties," qualify or disagree this statement by your explanation.

 

Plato's Philosophical Assumptions

The "Allegory of the Cave" presents, in brief form, most of Plato's major philosophical assumptions: his belief that the world revealed by our senses is not the real world but only a poor copy of it, and that the real world can only be apprehended intellectually; his idea that knowledge cannot be transferred from teacher to student, but rather that education consists in directing student's minds toward what is real and important and allowing them to apprehend it for themselves; his faith that the universe ultimately is good; and that a good society must be one in which the truly wise are the rulers.

What is your critical response to Plato's philosophical assumptions?

Choose one of Plato's ideas and expand on it by interjecting your own critical response to his idea on knowledge or his idea on faith - provide examples to support your response.

Making Connections Between Themes and Real Life

Choose one of the readings from this first week of classes.  Choose the central theme of one of the articles and compare that theme to something from your own life.  For example, most students can relate to Saskia Verlaan's "Perspectives on Fear" so making a connection between her article and sometime from your own experience would be appropriate for this blog.   If you choose Tim O'Brien's "How to Tell a True War Story" maybe you can relate his theme to a story you were told by someone in your own family.  Making connections is the key.  Good Luck!