My brain hurts!!

[big_byrd52]

i gotta take a break for a while... i am taking a summer course on philosophy and its kicking my butt! Its 4 weeks long. We cover 2 books a week and 2 papers on each each week. This week was Descartes Method on Discourse, and Voltaire's Candide. All this during the final contest week and the week after!! My head is spinning so bad!!

anyway, had to take a break and bitch to somebody.

[Heckman]

Thats a short course with a lot of reading bro..Hang in there and finish strong!!

[jipped genes]

uhhhhhhhh............my head hurts now too just from trying to comprehend you actually studying. better you than me bro.

[big_byrd52]

Well, just finished my 5 page paper on Voltaire. Good thing i put it off till the last minute! Once i get on this board, i get stuck for an hour. I get hungry and realize i have to eat and get back to work. Good thing my stomach is on a schedule!!

[IM^]

It could have been worse. Ever tried analyzing "Crime and Punishment"?

[MsteveM]

Originally posted by IM^
It could have been worse. Ever tried analyzing "Crime and Punishment"?

yup.. but i think a 5 page paper on voltaire would be worse.

[IM^]

Originally posted by MsteveM
yup.. but i think a 5 page paper on voltaire would be worse.

Really? Why? I've always found Voltaire's philosophies, characterized by his trademark wit and style to be rather straightforward relative to Dostoevsky's obscure treatises on the human condition. I am interested in a different point of view. Opinions?

[big_byrd52]

I actually did enjoy Candide, but head head was still spinning from Descartes Method of spinning u in circles and never giving u an answer! Its like watching the damn X-Files.

Now we have to watch the Truman Show with Jim Carry and relate the underlying themes of Descartes and Voltaire in it.

[IM^]

I see. Very interesting. How about relating the Descartes method of reducing the Universe to simple mechanics via the mathematical method to the way the Jim Carey character is manipulated by forces bigger than himself, making him a mere puppet in the equation of life? The wit and rebellion of Voltaire come in when the character tries to break out of the mould he was forced into and revolt against the will of authorities, which the original Voltaire was famous for (which was, as you know, why he was exiled to England, which was were he was subsequently exposed to Locke and Newton).

[big_byrd52]

yep, thats about what the prof is trying get across. that and it takes descartes and Candide a step further, in that he actually does something about the situation he is in rather than just questioning and accepting the programed response.

there is a lot of stuff in the movie she points out that i never would have picked up on, like the use of circle, blinds, theophrastic names and other symbols and allusions i would not have even considered.

u sound like ur into this stuff. we read tennessee williams, A Street Car Named Desire, next; and then some Emily dickenson poems.

[IM^]

Yeah, well keep in mind that a lot of the things that people may think are derivations of a certain concept may be purely coincidental and not necessarily intended. It's easy to get mistaken by extrapolation. I remember a famous episode where a critic wrote a whole treatise on the environmental concept that he said ran through Stephen King's "Firestarter", giving several examples at different instances in the book. It read pretty well - until Stephen King got hold of the article. He said he was pretty surprised that the critic saw so many things he never even thought were there, let alone being inserted there for a specific message.

Tennesse Williams and Emily Dickenson should provide you with much lighter reading. I think you will enjoy those.

I am into most stuff, my friend. Voracious mind, pretty hard to satiate. It's like the troll under the bridge who likes to snack on billy goats. Terrible thing indeed. Hehehe.

[big_byrd52]

My proffessor told me i am a perfect example of Stanly. I guess ill see over the next few days.

[IM^]

No why the heck would he say that? Any idea?