Final Examination
3b. I deserve an A because I have done every post in this class. I have also read all of the books, watched all of the short films and expert lectures. I have tried my hardest. Even though I am more of a right brained person, I feel I have tried my absolute hardest to express myself. I also feel that I have walked away from this course with a new found knowledge of philosophy.
4. My real name is Amanda Perrotti
5. My “user” name is amandaperrotti
5a. My midterm grade was a C/C+
5b. http://amandamidterm.blogspot.com/
6. The email address I use for this class is amandaperrotti@yahoo.com
7.
8. Yes I have done all of the reading for this class.
9. Yes I have watched all of the required films.
10. 1. Both Professor Churchland, (U.C. San Diego) and Professor Beckman, (Harvey Mudd) admire the ethical views of Aristotle. Aristotle felt that by being ethical, you where to become wise and become more specifically wise in the affairs of interacting with other people.

In my opinion, I find that Aristotelian ethics are most like mine. I agree that there should be balance and that people should work to become more intelligent continuously until the day they die. Life is all about growing and by just living I am experiencing the world around me. I believe that it is my job as a human being to share my experiences, knowledge and insight with the people all around me. I definitely agree with Professor Churchland when he says: "and it is part of a flourishing community and that is something that you can not write down in a basic set of laws."
2. I do not think that artificial intelligence and human intelligence can even begin to be compared to each other. I was reading this chapter and I came across Professor Beckman's (Harvey Mudd) piece. These two things are incomparable until intelligence is defined. Is intelligence how fast you can retrieve data from a folder? Or how one can interpret the facial expression of another person?

I define intelligence as the ability to interpret information. Therefore, artificial intelligence can do many things but it cannot do everything a human can do. As Professor Beckman stated, artificial intelligence is unable to make decisions based on anything besides technical factors. Another reason that artificial intelligence will not surpass human intelligence is because a human created it. In my opinion it is impossible to use your own knowledge to produce something that's smarter than its creator. Impossible. Artificial intelligence will never surpass human intelligence.
3. I thought that this short story of the life and death of Socrates was very intriguing. Socrates was sentenced to death by drinking the poisonous hemlock. He was accused of not believing in the gods that where recognized by the state, and the corruption of the Athenian youth by his teachings. He did not admit to these, and he did not deny that these allegations where true. Socrates represented himself, a seventy year old man in court.

I understand that Socrates thought that by dying he was passing on to a better life but I keep asking my self if he even wanted to live. Could he have represented himself better in court? Maybe he wanted to die, and he gave up on proving his own innocence and instead of finding himself someone to represent him and clear him of all charges he chose death. Even when his fiend Crito comes to bring him the news that the ship, which was the signal for his death, had arrived and had planned an escape, Socrates did not even try to escape. So I ask myself, did Socrates want to die?
4. I agree with Dumont from Mt. Saint Mary's college. I absolutely love Dumont's response. I definitely agree that there is a force greater than myself but I do not per say believe in God. I also believe that this great force may also be female.

I do think that there is something else out there. I don't understand how people can believe in someone that they have never seen or never touched before. Maybe the religious people out there have spoken to God in a spiritual sense but I personally have not. I believe in a higher power because I don't understand how the earth and everything on it can just come to be. I do believe in science because there is proof to back it up. And I will believe in this almighty God when he shows himself to me.

5. I agree with Dumont from Mt. Saint Mary's college. I absolutely love Dumont's response. I definitely agree that there is a force greater than myself but I do not per say believe in God. I also believe that this great force may also be female.

I do think that there is something else out there. I don't understand how people can believe in someone that they have never seen or never touched before. Maybe the religious people out there have spoken to God in a spiritual sense but I personally have not. I believe in a higher power because I don't understand how the earth and everything on it can just come to be. I do believe in science because there is proof to back it up. And I will believe in this almighty God when he shows himself to me.

6. Davis makes a good point, that there is a difference between science and religion. Religion deals with morals, the way that humans should live, where they came from and where they are going when they die. Science deals with cold hard facts and purely data. They are the same in aspects that they both rely heavily on the faith in the unknown. Both science and religion are human activities that express human spirations and they are also both belief systems.

Although in my opinion there are more differences than similarities. Science is based on trial and error. Scientists make hypothesis and conduct experiments to prove the unknown. A scientist needs proof to conduct a conclusion. On the other hand, a religious person will most likely believe something because a religious figure, like the bible or a member of the church said so. Although, according to Davis, both scientific and religious truth are aspects of the overall universal truth which God is responsible for.
7. In Aldous Huxley's Interview he talks about societies drug use. People are frowned upon today for using drugs as a recreational pleasure. But experimenting with these drugs may be what we need to do in order to cure cancer. Over the counter drugs, like Tylenol and birth control, where discovered by experimentation. I don't think that anyone should be frowned upon for experimenting with drugs because this simply "abuse" of these drugs may lead to the cure for caner one day . . .

8. The end of history indicated to Mr. Fukuyama that we needed to revive the notion of historical progress because he thinks that it has been rejected in the twentieth century due to the horrible circumstances. Fukuyama thinks that our history of the twenty first century has ended and liberal democracy has grown. Capitalism and democracy are also growing and we haven't ended up as socialists like he thought that we would have.

The world has been largely peaceful besides the people of Rowanda. Because all of the major countries have become so advance technologically and economically. He thinks that an end of history can only happen when science is ended and when human nature is abolished.
9. Professor Churchland has a very compelling argument. He states that he believes after we die we do in deed disintegrate. This is a proven fact, people are either placed in coffins and buried in the ground or cremated. It is a scientific fact that our bodies disintegrate after we die. Churchland also states that the structures which make up or minds and our moral consciousness live on in our children and all of our loved ones.

I really appreciate his opinion on the matter because he does not involve religion at all. And even with ought religion, or a heaven or hell to move on to, death doesn't sound so bad. Our consciousness does stay with our loved ones that we where lucky enough to share our lives with. I really like the last sentence, "I am determined to do as much good as I can while I'm still here." This is what I strive to do and I hope that everyone else is trying to reach to.

10. Professor Churchland has a very compelling argument. He states that he believes after we die we do in deed disintegrate. This is a proven fact, people are either placed in coffins and buried in the ground or cremated. It is a scientific fact that our bodies disintegrate after we die. Churchland also states that the structures which make up or minds and our moral consciousness live on in our children and all of our loved ones.

I really appreciate his opinion on the matter because he does not involve religion at all. And even with ought religion, or a heaven or hell to move on to, death doesn't sound so bad. Our consciousness does stay with our loved ones that we where lucky enough to share our lives with. I really like the last sentence, "I am determined to do as much good as I can while I'm still here." This is what I strive to do and I hope that everyone else is trying to reach to.

11. Owen Gingerich is an astronomy professor at Harvard. Gingerich believes that we are just not here, he believes that ultimately there is a purpose for each and every one of us. He explains this using the anthropic principle. The anthropic principle states that each one of the elements on the periodic table is on this planet in whatever abundance it is for a specific reason. This has a lot to do with carbon, because carbon is the building blocks for life. This goes back to the thought that the universe is specifically designed to make life possible. He asks the question, "Does this prelude a design or a designer?"

I agree with Gingerich. He makes a very good point, I don't know if I believe that this abundancy of the elements that makes life possible points to a design or a designer. I think that there is something out there, some higher power but has this higher power created this design? It may be possible that this is a design, but this is the only planet with a design that can support life. Therefore, I fell that because this design has not been repeated then this must point to a designer.
12. Inflation (cosmology) it the theorized expansion of the universe after the Big Bang, this expansion was driven by a negative pressure vacuum energy density. You could compare the inflation of the universe to baking a loaf of cinnamon raison bread. As the dough rises, the raisons spread out. This example is perfect because as the universe is still expanding today, all of the stars, planets, comets, etc. are still expanding within it.

The only problem I have believing this theory is the uncertainty of what is at the end of this expansion. First, what happens when you reach the end of the universe? Is it a wall? Something tangible, or maybe its like the old theory that people could fall off the end of the world. Is it possible to fall off the end of the universe into a big sea of nothingness? And nothingness isn't possible, even the nothingness has to be made up of something. Secondly, how will anyone ever know if the Universe does end? No one is able to travel in space like that, yet. How will we be able to know for sure what else is out there and where this universe ends if it ever does.

13. In `Spooky Physics," Andrea Diem-Lane writes her first chapter about "Quantum Weirdness." This fist chapter is about light. Light is both a wave and a particle. But during various experiments, only one aspect shows up, never both. Then, Andrea goes on to refer to The famous double slit experiment. Thomas Young devised this experiment in the early 19th century. He devised an obstacle with two openings and passed a beam of light through the narrow openings which would then hit a barrier wall. He then observed that when light passed through these two slits it caused the light to act as a wave.

Later experiments show that when only one aperture was open, the light did not act like a wave but acted particle like. Andrew Zimmerman Jones explains this double slit experiments and describes why the light behaves so bizarrely. He states that by setting up a light source that emitted one photon of light at a time, that you where then able to determine if there was an interference. When this experiment was conducted, only emitting one photon of light at a time, the light acted in a wave pattern.

14. In `Spooky Physics," Andrea Diem-Lane writes her first chapter about "Quantum Weirdness." This fist chapter is about light. Light is both a wave and a particle. But during various experiments, only one aspect shows up, never both. Then, Andrea goes on to refer to The famous double slit experiment. Thomas Young devised this experiment in the early 19th century. He devised an obstacle with two openings and passed a beam of light through the narrow openings which would then hit a barrier wall. He then observed that when light passed through these two slits it caused the light to act as a wave.

Later experiments show that when only one aperture was open, the light did not act like a wave but acted particle like. Andrew Zimmerman Jones explains this double slit experiments and describes why the light behaves so bizarrely. He states that by setting up a light source that emitted one photon of light at a time, that you where then able to determine if there was an interference. When this experiment was conducted, only emitting one photon of light at a time, the light acted in a wave pattern.

15. I read the mini book, "Great Ideas: The Unknowable," by Nicholas of Cusa. In this mini book, Nicholas of Cusa describes knowing as not knowing. It goes over that by the gift of God, all things have a natural desire to exist in the best manner as possible. We see things strive toward this. The intellect desires to be truthful, and it attains this truth through scrutinizing all things.

These points are found in the principles of mathematics. This comparative relation to the principles of mathematics indicates an agrrement or an otherness because it can not be understood with numbers. Also, numbers are present in all things that agree or disagree substantially or accidently.

16. "Darwin's DNA," discussed Darwin's theory of natural selection. Natural selection can also be thought of as `natural elimination. ' For example, Sean Carroll states: "We now have convincing proof that evolution occurs when accidental mutations create features such as spots or stripes that impart and advantage for attracting mates, hiding from or confusing predators, or gaining access to food. These accidents are then preserved as small changes in the DNA" (Sean Carroll).

This quote really helps me conceive the idea of natural selection. The way that I understand it is that it's the survival of the fittest. For example, if there are two species of birds that dominate a small island and food is scarce, one species must develop a new method of life. This is so they are able to live long lives and produce more offspring so their species will flourish. If one of the birds is born with an unusual beak, but this quirk in the birds beak makes it better at cracking open the shells of the seeds that it eats, then this quirk will be a dominant trait that is inherited in more and more of the birds because it is being adapted for the survival of most of the birds.

17. Scientists have been studying the process of evolution for many years. Many scientists believe that humans have evolved from apes. Through several million years and the process of evolution, human being have been formed from their primitive state as apes. Scientists have many pieces of evidence that prove this theory. For example, many studies have shown the state of being that humans have gone through over the last million years.

If we have evolved from apes, then what will we turn into next? I feel that this question is a very serious question to ask. DNA will always be trying to create a "super race" if you will. Through the process of elimination that stronger/faster/ better creatures survive to reproduce. If these superior beings keep mating, what will the human race look like in say seven hundred and fifty years from now?
18. The quote "Man would have to invent god, even if such a being didn't exist." is very pungent. It makes complete and utter sense in my mind. In my opinion, people live for God. People live their lives so that God will admit them into the afterlife, or "Heaven."

If there where no almighty God I feel that people would be overwhelmed in their lives. People would feel that they had no purpose in life. If people have nothing to believe in, then I honestly feel that there would be chaos. People would not have any morals because they would have no values to live up to. I am not saying that there are not naturally good people in this world; I am just saying that most people are motivated and driven by an external force. In this case they are driven to be good people because they believe that God is watching over them and that he will be the decision maker for their life after death.
19. Memes are replicators that contain ideas of a unit of limitation. Dawkins justifies that the fundamental principle is that life advances by the discrepancy survival of replicating entities. From reading more of his writings, I understand that the life that is found on any planet is grown from reoccurring existence. Dawkins also states that it is unnecessary to look for other examples of these replicators on other planets because these memes are found all around us.

One example of a meme is values. Many people have values that are passed down from generation to generation. The values may have been generated by God and the Bible. God is another example of a meme. Values and God are both examples of memes because they are ideas that are passed down through gene pools. These two memes have the permanence and pen trance to withstand through generations of many families and through the changing culture and that is what makes them good memes.

20. Professor Wilson is a very well know philosopher who is currently teaching at Harvard. He has wrote a book and it is mostly dedicated to animals. His book was voted "most important to animal behavior," by the national society of animal behavior. In his interview, Professor Wilson states that animal behavior should and can be applied to human behavior as well. Wilson also states that there is no soul in the human body. He claims that all human beings are is matter.

I disagree with professor Wilson because I thin that every human being has a soul. If there where no souls then why would we be the way we are? I mean that souls make a person who they are. I also think that memes make people who they are, by giving them some key traits and beliefs. But if we are just a pile of complex matter then why do we have emotions? I believe that the soul produces emotions and the way we react.
21. Steven Pinker is an evolutionary psychologist at Harvard University. Pinker thinks that evolutionary psychology should disappear and become a part of psychology. He thinks that this would be better than having it defined as its own category of psychology because he reasons that psychology is directly related to evolution. Pinker states that many human characteristics are passed down from generation to generation by genes. Also, that these genes that carry these human traits are defined by the process of natural selection. Pinker also states that there are many common misconceptions of evolutionary philosophy, for instance the belief that every aspect of the mind has a clear purpose. This is untrue, Pinker claims. He uses dreams as an example to further explain his idea. He also claims that the dreams have no purpose, sometimes they are just a derivative of the human psyche.

I agree with Pinker. He makes a good argument as to why evolutionary psychology should be clumped together with psychology. He claims that they are directly related. This makes sense but I think that they are distinguished from each other for a different reason. I believe that this subject is easier to learn and more understandable when it is divided into categories. On Pinker's thoughts of dreams being a "screensaver" and having no clear purpose, I disagree. I believe that yes dreams are a derivative of the human psyche but that they do have a meaning or a purpose. I believe that dreams are a way for our subconscious to tell us things.

22. I enjoyed the "why I don't eat faces" audio clip. A few of my friends are vegetarian, so this was a great learning tool for me. I have a little more insight on why they choose not to eat "faces." In my opinion, I am a carnivore and I will never stop eating meat. But then, I started thinking . . . I value life and I value every life the same. Such that every person is equal to one another, animals are just as important as humans and so on and so forth. Just last week I almost ran my car off the road because I served for a butterfly. Am I insane? I'm sure the drivers behind me though I must have been psychotic and hallucinating when they saw that I was swerving for no apparent reason. As I said, I value every life as the same. I know that even little animals have a family and friends. Then I must be a hypocrite because I eat meat on a daily basis.

To answer a few of the questions from this video . . I do like the taste of cooked meat. I eat bacon every morning for breakfast and I have never thought twice about the little piggy it came from. Sadly, I could not survive on a vegetarian diet alone. Also, I could not possibly imagine being raised for slaughter. But I am sure that if animals had opposable thumbs and where smart enough, they would cook us for dinner and eat us to. It is just a survival of the fittest out there.
23. Sam Harris is very critical of religion. During this video he touches on topics such as the difference of believing in something, and hoping that something is real. Harris gives an example of the differences between beliefs and hopes. He chose to use winning the lottery as his example. Harris says, that if you where to win the lottery you would be going on a frivolous shopping spree because you would know that you where receiving money. But if you where just hoping that you where going to win the lottery, you wouldn't go on a ridiculous shopping spree.

To me, the difference between believing and hoping is that believing is the definition of knowing. So, do you believe in God? Is it even possible to believe in God because you surely don't know him. I have derived my definition of belief from a philosophy class I took in high school. We watched the movie "The Matrix." In this move, Neyo doesn't know if the is the "one." But, in order to be the "One," Neyo must first believe that he is the "one," and then he must know it. He can only know he is the "one," by acting like him and trusting his belief. So, Neyo finally acts like the "one." To clarify, when I say act I do not mean act as if this is a play, I mean to act as in he has to be the "one" and if he is the "one" then everything will just come to Neyo.

24. Nietzsche's "Genealogy of Morals" is composed of three essays. The first of the three essays is about the contrast of master morality and slave morality. Master morality is derived from the conquerors whom judged their power, wealth and success to be good. They thought that the poverty of their constituents, or their slaves, to be bad. Slave morality is derived from the Jews. The Jews have been persecuted for thousands of years.

To further illustrate the master morality and slave morality Nietzsche gives an example. He uses the example of a bird of prey and lambs. The bird of prey represents the master morality. The lambs represent the slave morality. The lambs judge the bird of prey to be evil because he kills and eats the lambs. The lambs consider themselves to be good because they do not kill. But, they are unable to kill. Nevertheless, the bird of prey kills because it has to eat. Would the lambs kill if they where able to?

25. Flame on is a movie about homosexuality. This movie brings up the point that homosexuality is only deemed wrong by some people now because of the time period we are in. As we have seen over and over again over time, that things change. For example, slavery. A hundred years ago it used to be ok to "own" another human being, because of their skin color. Human beings have came along way since that era. Humans will most definitely accept homosexuality in the future to. Just like slavery, what was once the norm is now considered wrong. It has always been wrong to persecute someone because of the color of their skin but only now, after the fact, can people accept that.

I don't think that there is anything wrong with homosexuality. I think that it is unfair for one human being to try and tell another human being what is right and what is wrong. On gay marriage, I think it is disgusting that it is not legal yet. I see no difference between this and slavery. Who says what is right and what is wrong? I do not care what the bible says about homosexuality. Not everyone on this planet believes in God, so how is that an argument in the defense of keeping marriage between a woman and a man.

In the past years, divorce rates have begun to sky rocket. In my opinion, if a man and a woman can't make it work, then maybe the homosexuals can do it even better.
26. The Peta movie about the reasons why people should be vegetarian is disgusting. It almost convinces me to become a vegetarian. I feel so terrible watching these animals be slaughtered and tortured. Especially the piglets and the little bird who was being de-beaked. A few of the main reasons to become a vegetarian are . . .

1. In every pack of chicken there is a little bit of poop
2. No one should have a job to kill things
3. Animals have feelings to and none of those animal parents want to watch their family slaughtered

I showed this video to my friend. He's Mormon. I am not trying to classify him as anything or judge a religious group but I found his reaction quiet odd. He wanted a double double after watching this film. Really? You just watched innocent creatures being tazered and now you want to eat meat? what a disappointment. I was expecting him to be as disgusted as I was.

27. Mohandas Gandhi believes in Ahimsa. Ahimsa means to do no harm. It is literally translated as the avoidance of violence. Ahimsa is a rule of conduct that many people live their lives by. Ahimsa originated in ancient India, and is the basis of many religions that originated there as well. Such as, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.
Mohandas Gandhi applied Ahimsa in all aspect of his life. He also applied this to politics in particular. Gandhi believed that any type of violence entailed negative karma. Thus he was a devoted Hindu. Gandhi lead a non-violent resistance movement. This was also known as Satyagraha. It had a tremendous impact on India and more importantly the people of India. This Satyagraha influenced civil rights leaders and impressed public opinion in Western countries.

28. In "Inner Visions and Running Trains," Baba Faqir Chand has a vision of a religious figure. Baba Faqir Chand was a famous Master of surat shabd yoga. He revealed that "all gurus of whatever stripe where ignorant about the real cause of the miracles and visions attributed to them." This religious figure comes to Baba Faqir Chand in his most desperate time of need. He is at war in Iraq. During a battle, his people run out of ammo. After Baba Faqir Chand sends a telegraph back to home base, in need for more ammo, the religious figure appears to Baba Faqir Chand.
This religious figure appeared to Baba Faqir Chand and told him to not worry. The religious figure told Baba that the enemy they where at war against, meant no harm to him or his people. He also said, to not attack. Sure enough, the enemy came back and instead of attacking, they relieved their debt.

29. "A Glorious Piece of Meat," is about how glorious a human is. Basically, this movie is saying that we glorify ourselves. We glorify human beings because in reality we are just pieces of meat. Just like a cow that we would kill to turn into steaks. The human body is complex but so is the cow that is turned into steaks. Could humans just as easily be farmed and turned into food?

A counter argument to this, would be that human beings are not just pieces of meat because human beings have souls. But, to believe in this argument, and in turn, be able to defend it one must be religious. What if, like Steven Pinker, who does not believe that humans have souls. Instead, he believes that human are controlled by electrically charged neurons in our brain. Thus, our "soul" is just a complex arrangement of neurons.

30. I would like to expand on a quote I read in "The Voyage Within." The quote that immediately stood out to me was "There are no hallucinations. There are only Truths."

As soon as I opened this magazine this quote stood out to me. I find it quite interesting, the story and study of these psychonauts. These pioneers where experienced drug users. A study was began, each of these psychonauts smoked a heavy does of marijuana. Then they described the hallucinations that they where experiencing. The shapes they saw, for example, dancing dots where caused by bodily fluids. For example the dancing dots where caused by red blood cells, these blood cells would float through retinal capillaries and they would cast a shadow.
31. I would like to expand on a quote I read in "The Voyage Within." The quote that immediately stood out to me was "There are no hallucinations. There are only Truths."

As soon as I opened this magazine this quote stood out to me. I find it quite interesting, the story and study of these psychonauts. These pioneers where experienced drug users. A study was began, each of these psychonauts smoked a heavy does of marijuana. Then they described the hallucinations that they where experiencing. The shapes they saw, for example, dancing dots where caused by bodily fluids. For example the dancing dots where caused by red blood cells, these blood cells would float through retinal capillaries and they would cast a shadow.
32. Daniel Dennet prefers to be called a "Bright." Not bright as in an intelligent person. He considers Brights to be a person rejecting supernatural beings. For example, God. He believes that these Brights need to come "out of the closet." Brights are people whom are Agnostic or Atheist. Along with coming out of the closet, Dennet thinks that Brights (Agnostics and Atheists) need to demand "Bright Rights."

I think that Daniel Dennet believes that he and his followers are smarter than the general population. I believe this because the general definition of someone is bright, means that the person is very intellectual and intelligent. He links these two definitions together. I think that Dennet thinks people who believe in supernatural beings are stupid for doing so. He probably thinks that it is a waste of time. He is very entitled to this belief because what proof do believers have that a supernatural being does exist?
33. “The Zahir," stands for beings who have the power to be unforgettable. Their image eventually drives people mad. This movie takes place in 1929. This story is about an Argentinean writer named Jorge Borges. In the story, Jorge is given a coin and slowly he becomes obsessed with it.

The coin is an example of a Zahir. For Jorge, the coin is all that he can think about. He had become so obsessed with money that his view of reality began to deteriorate. He began to go insane. The story line goes, that a Zahir can be any object that can create and obsession for a person. Any one who looks at it. For Jorge, the coin catches his eye because of the value it holds.
34. Bertrand Russel presents some interesting views in his essay. In his essay, he talks about religion and how it was developed by humans. Bertrand states that humans love prayer, though they also fear it. First, he gives a brief history of creation. It covers the big bang theory, which is the process that our galaxy expanded from a hot core like a rubber band stretching. This heating and cooling started life on planet earth.

This theory can also be expanded to include religion. Men evolved from beasts., or animals into men. Thus, men had a new found purpose to life. Men where able to have the power of knowledge, of thought, and to realize the difference between good and evil. To achieve goodness, men had to be peacefull and follow the virtue of good. These things would make God happy.
35. Ramana Marharshi began his life as a young boy who loved playing in the river outside of his village. He was fascinated with nature. He did not like school, he would rather play outside with his friends. One day, when he was sixteen years old, he had a violent fear of death that overtook him. This happened while he was upstairs in his uncles house. In spite of his good health, he was afraid he was going to die.

This shock drove him inwards and Ramana began to be obsessed with the question of what death meant. He imitated the state of "rigor mortis." Which is the state of death, not moving. Ramana still felt his personality alive within himself. He tried to experience his soul leaving his body. This experience was an awakening for Ramana. It was his union with God.

36. The Ipad is the newest and most definitely coolest gadget that Microsoft has came up with. The Ipad is basically a giant Iphone or Itouch. It is the size of a textbook. It went on sale on February 12. This gadget surfs the web, is ideal for playing games, watching movies, emailing, and reading books. It is Apple's version of the Amazon's Kindle.

I want one. I think that it would be ideal for college life. It would be convenient because I would be able to use it to download all of my txt books. It is also good because I could read books on it. It is much better than an actual book, to me, because I can put all of the necessary texts on it instead of carrying them around separately.

37. I really liked the magazine "Cerebral Wave." The story is based upon the different culture and religious beliefs of men. Each man feels like they are somehow more right when It comes to the religion that they believe in. They feel like their religion is superior and therefore the only one that is right. They feel as if their religion is and should be the most important religion to everyone. These men have huge egos. They are very protective of their religion but it is because it is something that they care about very deeply and base their lives on.

The man from China said that the more respect we have for our God, the more he will listen and be nearer to us. The more that we know about him and his God, the more goodness love and mercy he will show towards us. All of the other men where in awe of the China mans revelation.

I enjoyed this story because it deeply touched my hart. The china man was completely right and I respect him very much. I wish that all men behaved like this man. He was very polite, and very thoughtful of everyone. He was unlike all of the other men whom just cared for their religions and themselves.

11. Steven Pinker believes that evolution is important in understanding evolution. He believes this because, he has concluded that we act the way we do now because of how we developed and evolved. Pinker says: “The key to understating is understanding evolution.” Evolutionary psychology is the study of basic behavior and human nature. These studies allow us to understand what basic traits and behaviors we all share as human beings.
Pinker also notes that people “respond and act” according to the environment they live in. The language you speak, and sometimes even the religion you practice, depend on where you live or where you grew up. These are aspects of natural selection, or evolution. In conclusion, Pinker claims that human behaviors are distinguished by genes and what is taken from the environment.
12. The theory of evolution is helpful in doing psychology. It is helpful for the same reasons as understanding basic human behaviors. If you are able to understand why humans act the way they do, then this will give you a better understanding of why humans make the decisions that they do.
If you understand the theory of evolution, this will give you a clue of why human behavior changes over time. The theory of evolution is the process of change in inherited genes from one generation to the next. Human behavior changes over time, due to certain aspects of life such as, culture, religion, and environment.
13. Francis Crick does not believe that human’s have souls. Crick believes that everything can be explained by neurons. Therefore, a soul does not exist. Instead, neurons program a person. They determine behavior, emotion, etc. He believes that what humans consider to be a soul, is a complex system of neurons. These neurons are basically just cells which are electrically charged.
Crick argues that “all memories, ambitions, sorrow, joys etc. are nothing more than the behavior of nerve cells and associated molecules.” He also says that many people believe that there is a tiny being inside them whom guides us through life. In his point of view, this is not the case. This is only done by neurons.
14. Some major issues behind a neural-ethical argument for vegetarianism are that the vegetarians have the peace of mind knowing that they do not eat anything that has had a face. Vegetarianism is strongest when the vegetarian is living that lifestyle for a cause. The strongest argument is empathizing with the beings that some people see as food.
The weakness of vegetarianism is that you are still eating things that where once a live. By being alive, I mean plants. I am not completely sure if plants can feel but I know that they are definitely alive. And by being alive, I am almost positive that they have emotions and that they can feel. Vegetarians may not eat faces but they are still eating living things.
15. John Searle’s views differ from Ken Wilber’s. John Searle believes that “conscious states are caused by lower level neurobiological processes in the brain.” This is the basic relationship between consciousness and the brain.
16. The theme behind “A Glorious Piece of Meat” is that human beings are nothing but pieces of meat. One of the main points that supports this is that we go to sleep and wake up due to chemical in our brain. Other points of supports are that we don’t digest our food. Our stomach digests are food. We don’t produce anti bodies to fight of sickness and disease. Our bodies do this. So, in fact, the person does not do very much. We are only aware because of our brains. The neural basis of consciousness is the process of neurons firing.
The way a religious person could argue against this would be by concurring that this was completely bogus. This movie also claims that we have no souls. That our “soul” is just a bunch of neurons also. A religious person may claim that we cannot prove that we have no souls. They may interject that we are conscious because of god. And also that god is whom developed the neurons that make us the beings that we are.
17. Sam Harris is very critical of religion. He claims that these religious people are “nut bars” whom preach love but practice exclusions. He claims that religious people who are also ignorant, defend themselves by wearing a cloak of “faith”. Mr. Harris gives some statistics about god. To sum up, he says that forty-four percent of Americans believe that God is physically going to come to earth in the next fifty years. He says that we should be scared because the people who believe this, are being elected into our governments.
Sam Harris says that the beliefs are representations of the world. Believing in something is completely different from hoping for something. He uses the example of winning the lottery. Believing that you have won the lottery is completely different than hoping you have. If you believe you have won the lottery, he says, then you go on a horrendous shopping spree. Believing in something means that you emotionally feel it.
Harris’ best argument has to be the one about stem cell research and the health of the human population. Sam speaks about how people are dying because of aids and hiv because it is taboo to talk about things relating to religion. For example, the stem cell research that could help those sick people.
18. Nietzshe’s genealogy of morals is the essence of good versus evil. In the first essay, Nietzsche illustrates the contrast between slave morality and master morality. The slave morality is derived from the priestly morality of the Jews. The master morality comes from the early conquerors who judged their power, wealth and success to be good, and the poverty of those they ruled over, the slaves, to be bad. Nietzsche compares the master and slave morality to a lamb and a bird of prey. The master is the bird of prey and the slave is the lamb. The lambs judge the bird of prey to be evil because they kill the lambs. They consider themselves good for not killing. But, in reality, the lambs do not kill simply because they are not able to. Nevertheless, the bird of prey kills because he has to eat.
In the second essay, Nietzsche genealogy of morality is the essence of guilt. Nietzsche suggests that our concept of guilt originally had no moral overtones. Nietzsche recognizes that concepts are given different meanings over time and that these meanings ae dictated by a will to power, where concepts are given meanings by the different wills that appropriate them. Nietzsche identifies guilt and bad conscious in the transition from hunter gatherers to agrarian societies.
The third essay is about the meaning of ascetic ideals. Nietzsche suggests that asceticism is ultimately enhanced by the feeling of power by giving a person complete control over him or herself. Asceticism is life affirming. Nietzsche sees asceticism as being born with spiritual sickness. He sees the majority of human kind as being sick.
19. Mohandas Gandhi believes in Ahimsa. Ahimsa means to do no harm. It is literally translated as the avoidance of violence. Ahimsa is a rule of conduct that many people live their lives by. Ahimsa originated in ancient India, and is the basis of many religions that originated there as well. Such as, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.
Mohandas Gandhi applied Ahimsa in all aspect of his life. He also applied this to politics in particular. Gandhi believed that any type of violence entailed negative karma. Thus he was a devoted Hindu. Gandhi lead a non-violent resistance movement. This was also known as Satyagraha. It had a tremendous impact on India and more importantly the people of India. This Satyagraha influenced civil rights leaders and impressed public opinion in Western countries.
20. Nietzsche’s notion of the myth of eternal recurrence is the eternal hourglass of existence. In this movie, the narrator goes on to tell a story . . . If a demon creped into your room one night and explained to you that over and over again, you where going to relive the same life over again and again. Times with ought number. The narrator then goes on to ask if this would be a burden or would you be delighted?
Do you want this again and again. Time with ought number? How many times would you have to relive your life to have no greater desire? I think that the myth of eternal recurrence is actually just time with out numbers. As if you where going to die but be reborn to live the same life over and over again. This is time with ought numbers.
21. The movie “Flame On” is trying to say that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality. This movie is trying to say that homosexuality is only wrong in a certain time period because of the way people perceive it. There was a lot of propaganda in this film. For example, in the film, the narrator talks about how continuous exposure to gay magazines and point of view, can make even the straightest man queer. The narrator also went on to list a number of famous people in history whom where homosexual.
22. Daniel favors calling himself a “bright.” To him, he refers to a “bright” not as an intelligent person but as a person rejecting supernatural beings. Brights are agnostics are atheists. Daniel states the Brights should come out of the closet, and demand “Bright rights.” He considers himself an Atheist. Because he does not believe in God. But he dislikes the term Atheist because he thinks that moth Atheists go around preaching to other people.
Daniel is not one-hundred percent sure that there is no god. He cannot prove that there is no god. One reason he can not prove this is because he claims that no two people define god as the exact same thing. Daniel acknowledges that most people do not believe in god. People try and pretend to believe in god. They go through out life experiencing emotions because they think that they should believe in god. But, most believers live there life as if they where not believers.
23. Outline of “A Free Man’s Worship.” The beginning paragraph of this novel, portrays the evolution of man from a beast into this monster’s world. It depicts that this man wants to possess thought, knowledge of good and evil, and the thirst to worship. He also elaborates on the thought that although man has brought this life of sin upon himself, science does an even better job of stripping a life of purpose. Science makes life less meaningful. It does this by suggesting that all of mankind’s achievements, loves, beliefs ect. Are nothing more than accidental natural selection.
24. The overall theme of the movie “Inner Visions and Running Trains” is Babba Faqir Chand and his realization. He was fighting in a battle in Iraq. During this battle he was charged to take care of a rail way station. He was deemed a rail way master. There were heavy losses on both sides.
Suddenly, after wiring a message back to headquarter saying that they needed more ammo, and that they would surely not survive but an hour in battle, a religious figure appeared to Babba Faqir Chand. This apparition said, worry not, the enemy has not came to attack but to take away their debt. Don’t attack and let them do that. After, Babba told the subadar major. The subadar major obeyed his wishes. Then the enemy came and instead of attacking, they took away their debt. The next morning their supplies (ammo) arrived and they where safe.
When Babba went back to bagdad after three months. Everyone worshiped him. Babba told them that he was not the guru and asked why did they worship him? They claimed that they came to their defense in time of need had took charge and kept them safe. In conclusion, God can come in many forms. It is the true knowledge of the feelings and images that is seen within. They are produced in the mind.
25. Nicholas of Cusa means that any reason is not an adequate determination of truth, when he says “learned ignorance.” In his book he expands on various bold astronomical and sociological speculations. Such as that the earth was indeed not the center of the cosmos. He also argued that they do not move in circular motions. Both of these have been later proved. Nicholas based his predictions on metaphysical principles.
26. Gerald Edelman means that neural Darwinism is the theory on brain function. This theory establishes that the human body is capable of creating complex adaptive systems. For example, the brain, the heart, the lungs. This study shows the relationships between the collective parts. It also shows how the systems forms and creates relationships with the environment.
27. According to the film I saw, there are many reasons to turn vegetarian. The first point is that heart disease begins in childhood. The second one is a vegetarian diet reduces heart disease. Another point is that in every package of chicken there is a little poop. Some other reasons are that mad cow disease is in the United States and that no one should make a living by killing.
There are also many arguments against vegetarianism. Such as, it is not healthy. Most vegetarians do not eat enough forms of protein. Such as beans and tofu that would replace the meat in ones diet. Also, it is inconvenient for many people. For example, no drive thru’s for the vegetarians! Another example of inconvenience would be the way that most food is cooked, like the black beans at chipotle. They have bacon in them! There are few vegetarian restaurants. Also, being a vegetarian is much more expensive. Buying fresh produce is not cheap, especially in winter. When most fruits and vegetables are not in season.
28. The turning point in Ramana Maharshi’s life was when a violent fear of death over came in. He was in the upstairs room at his uncles house, in spite of his good health, he felt he was going to die. This shock drove him inward. He then was totally absorbed in the question ‘what does death mean?’
He imitated his death. He tried to imitate “rigor mortis” the state of not moving. He still felt his personality alive in him. He then experienced that he was the supreme spirit leaving his body. The body was dead but he was a spirit that could not be touched. This was a permanent awakening for Ramana. It was his union with god.
29. Gandhi’s double shame was not being by his fathers side, when he died. Gandhi was sixteen when his father became very ill. He attended to his father at all times, during his sickness. He was bedridden. On one night, Gandhi’s uncle relieved Gandhi. Gandhi retired to his bedroom where he made love to his wife. Shortly after, a servant came to his room to tell him that his father had died. This is the even that Gandhi refers to as “the double shame.” And because of this shame, Gandhi became celibate.
If Gandhi lived in our era, he may have had a different view on things. I doubt he would be celibate. Something I learned about Gandhi is that he practiced Brahmacharya. This was when Gandhi would sleep in his bed, nude, with other woman. The other woman where also nude. Sometimes these woman would be just children. For example his nieces and grand nieces. If Gandhi did this today, he would go to jail for statutory rape. Gandhi claims to have done this to test his celibacy. He claimed to have had a glimps of ideal truth and purity as a result of Brahmacharya.
30. “The facts in logical space are the world.” I think that this means that the world is everything. That the world is composed of many facts and of many truths. And that all of these facts and truth make up the earth and everything on it.
“An atomic fact is a combination of objects (entities, things).” I think that this means that facts are made up of two parts. These two parts are entities and things. This is just like a sentence. A complete sentence is mad up of two parts: a subject, and a verb.
“If all objects are given, then thereby are all possible atomic facts also given.” I think that this means that if objects are made up of truths. And facts are the equivalent of truths. Therefore if you give someone all of the truths, or objects, then you have given them all of the truths, or facts.
“The object is simple.” I think that this means that everything can be broken down into parts. And, that everything can be broken down into the same thing, atoms.
31. The overall thesis of the author in “Is My I-Phone Conscious” is

32. In the booklets “Is Consciousness Physical?” and “Physics of Awareness,” the author champions a materialistic understanding of our “I” awareness.
33. Leo Tolstoy was not a religious man. Tolstoy showed this by telling people how he was raised in an Orthodox Christian home but he had given up on this faith. He gave up on it because he didn't feel that it was what he believed in. Tolstoy believed that he needed more evidence to believe in Christianity. This evidence that was never provided, to the extent that would make him a believer.
When Leo Tolstoy was fifteen, he began to read philosophical books and magazines. He started to realize that he was taking control of his own beliefs. Tolstoy also says that around his adolescent years, he knew that he believed in something but that he didn't know if what he believed in was God. Neither did he know if he denied God. But, he always knew that he believed in something such as a higher power.
34. My favorite expert film lecture this term was “Why Turn Vegetarian?” The reasons that this Peta video used to try and convert us “meat eaters” into vegetarians where so realistic. No one should have a job killing things. And meat is dirty and unhealthy. A lot of people in America are overweight. One major reason for this is the amount of meat that a normal person eats on a daily basis. Meat is also dirty because it is covered in blood. “No matter how you slice it, it’s still flesh.”
Seeing the poor farm animals be tortured almost turned me into a vegetarian. Those poor animals are living in such in humane conditions. They live a horrible life up until they die. Imagine being defenseless and watching your family being murdered. It is a horrible life and no animal should be put through that. It truly does take “a small man to beat a defenseless animal.”
35. My favorite movie this term was “Little Things That Jiggle.” This film cracks me up! I remember the first time I saw it. I was in my pajamas, sitting at my desk. I was having a relatively boring day. This movie cheered me up! What is so funny, is the music and the randomness of it all. I mean I am not a philosophy major so this is all very random to me.
This movie is about Quantum physics, the periodic table, Einstein and gravity among many other things. There are multiple facts that are the basis of science and math. The quotes that where used in this video where also very intriguing to me. They all seem very profound. But, in other ways they seem very sarcastic. I love “The Little Things That Jiggle” movie and when I think of Philosophy, this is now what I relate it to.
36. My favorite reading was “Reasonable Logic,” by Ludwig Wittgenstein. At first, I was shocked to see the format of this book. But, it turns out that I really like it. I like that all of the small parts add up to one larger part; and that larger part is reasonable logic.
My favorite part of this book is
37. The most unusual thing I learned this term was definitely about Gandhi. I read about how he used to practice Brahmacharya. This is where Gandhi would sleep naked with other woman. He would do this to test his celibacy.
What creped me out the most about Brahmacharya was that Gandhi did this with children. And even scarier he did this with his relatives such as nieces and grandnieces. I also find this disgusting because he was married. A lot of Gandhi’s followers did not approve of this and neither do I. I feel that this was unnecessary and unethical. I am personally disgusted. I feel this was an excuse to sleep with young women. And even if he claims that he was “not tempted” I doubt that. What little girl would tell on Gandhi, their uncle/great uncle?
I now believe that Gandhi is a child molester and a pervert.