My Actions: Their Contribution to Me

What am I doing today that contributes to who I am/want to be?

Like everyone else taking this course, I am in college to get a higher education and figure out what I’m doing with my life. I am undeclared, however as this semester has gone on I am leaning towards becoming a math major and pursing something with that. That’s part of why I am in community college rather than a CSU or UC; I have no idea what I want to do and I don’t want to spend that sort of money to not know what I want to do.

I have always taken pride in being a nerd; being a nerd is part of who I am as a person. I have always enjoyed learning and figuring out new things, understanding how things work, things of that nature. I’ve never taken the word “nerd” as an insult.

Which leads to the other major part of my life: Band. Seen throughout multiple blog posts. comments, and my about me page, band is an incredibly large part of my life. I enjoy playing music, and I enjoy teaching others how to play and perform. For a while now I have volunteered at Sam Brannan Middle School with their band program and have had an absolute blast doing it. Seeing the kids progress and grow has been incredibly fun. No, I have no intention of being a music teacher or anything of the sort. Not because being a teacher wouldn’t pay or anything like that, but because I feel pursing it as a career would take the lighthearted fun out of what I enjoy about band.

Like most I enjoy hanging out with my friends and while I don’t think that is necessarily “advancing” me forward in my life, it definitely makes life much easier and helps me develop as a social being. The one nice thing about having friends away at college is its allowed me to join multiple friend groups and meet a lot of new and interesting people.

While I don’t believe I am at an insanely crucial point in my life, there are many things I am doing now that are helping me progress towards my future.

Words: 372

Anguish, Despair, and Marriage. The Killer Trio

In existentialism, anguish is in all people. Everyone is either in a state or anguish or is hiding/trying to get away from their anguish. People always have anguish because in any moment, when a decision is made by any person anywhere, it in turn can and will have an effect on the things around them. This forces a sense of responsibility alongside a sense of anxiety. The only way to prove to yourself that not everyone feels anguish is to deceive yourself into thinking that not everyone has this sort of feeling. There is no way to fully understand your own purpose and your own reason for living. There is no way to fully understand if your purpose in life is to impose your ideas onto the world (like say being a president) or to sell mass produced burgers in a fast food chain. It is something we have no way to know, and thus feel despair in being unable to understand these complexities.

We further live in despair when trying to cope with the idea that we as humans do not have complete and total freedom in our lives. We cannot control everything around us. And for most the best way to hide this feeling is by just ignoring it. However that does not deny that the fact that that despair and anguish is still there.

Sartre presents an example of marriage. With marriage, without marriage, and with marriage and kids, you take some form of immense responsibility. Partially your own responsibility for your own actions and more for when you have a wife and possibly kids to look after.

A similar example to Sartre’s marriage example is when I was a paid instructor for the drumline at a local Middle School. Even though I had 2 coworkers to help me work through all of the tasks of running the drumline and keeping everything orderly, I still felt that the responsibilities were upon my shoulders. My coworkers failures alongside the drumlines failures were failures of my own. I felt as though there would have been some way for me to prevent those errors.

Words: 354

What is a Person? Frankfurt Edition

A person, by Frankfurt’s definition, is assumed to be human and also has the ability to evaluate themselves. Frankfurt notes that it is possible for humans to not be people (as in they don’t have 2nd order desires, they live passively in every way shape and form). He explains the self evaluation as a “2nd Order Desire”.

This leads to Frankfurt’s order of desires. He begins, as you would probably guess, with a 1st order desire. 1st order desires are not limited to just humans. 1st order desires are just wants, just desires. a 1st order desire can be as simple as “I want to continue eating this chinese food”. This isn’t limited to humans as, just as easily as I can think that, a cat or dog could think “I want to continue to eat this pet food”. Frankfurt presents an effective and ineffective 1st desire, however this applies to the thought of a 2nd order desire.

A 2nd order desire, and all levels of desire past it, are limited to only persons and most humans. 2nd order desires are explained as “wants for wants” or “desires for desires”. An easy explanation for this would be “I want to want to eat the healthy vegetable options when it comes to chinese food”. This differs from a 1st order desire as it then presents further options and shifts. These are presented as the effective and ineffective 1st order desires. For my particular example, the 1st ineffective desire is eating those healthy options, as I am not currently eating those healthy options. The effective 1st order desire is sitting in front of me with that delicious orange chicken.

In the previously mentioned scenario, my thoughts and actions would appear to classify me as “Not free”. This is because my effective 1st order desire does not match the 2nd order desire. This is where the 2nd or volition comes to play. 2nd order volition, in its easiest terms, is the amount of desire for the 2nd order desire to be true. In my scenario, I would be considered a wanton, or someone who doesn’t entirely care what the outcome is. I would be and am completely indifferent to if the food in front of me is either the vegetables or the orange chicken.

However, if I did really want to eat the vegetables (for example if I was trying to be healthier), but did not because I desired the orange chicken more (because it is instantly gratifying), I would be considered not free. My 2nd order desire did not match my effective 1st order desire. Had it, by Frankfurt’s definition, I would be considered free. It would be my free will.

People, and only people, are also capable of expanding past 2nd order desires, further analyzing their analysis. Such as my previous example I had a 2nd order desire of eating healthy, and 1st order desires of different chinese foods. But a 3rd order desire would be something like “I want to be healthy”. Because from there it would branch into 2nd order desires of things like “I want to exercise” or “I want to eat healthy” or “I want to count every calorie I intake in order to mathematically calculate the exact number of steps I need to burn off the empty calories that are food”. Because all of those can be broken into 1st order desires, such as varying food options, exercise options, and calorie counting techniques.

Words: 578

Hume and Free Will

Hume, when referring to the assertion that “one of the consequences of the argument against free will is that we are not responsible for our actions”, states that while we live in a world of irregularities, there are still consistencies within human nature that would be in effect with or without free will. These consistencies allow for the assumption that humans are still responsible for their actions.

Hume believes that humans are consistent. They are not perfectly consistent, but they have consistencies in their nature. He believes that the randomness evident in life is not as purely random as it seems. While some things are down to just luck (like say the lottery) and no human has no influence on it, there are many random events that can be assumed and accounted for. For example, Hume presents the argument of medication. Lets say you take medication for a cold. And this medicine works at curing your cold 999 out of 1000 times. And the 1 instance where it doesn’t does not mean you cannot rely on the medicine, its just a part of the randomness of life. Hume argues that the body, much like life, is incredibly complex. These consistencies (such as the medicine working most of the time) are not absolute, but are so close to absolute that its irrelevant to assume that these small random chances make human nature unpredictable and make humans irresponsible for their own actions.

In Hume’s article, he states that “Should a traveller… bring us an account of men… different from any with whom we were ever acquainted; men, who were entirely divested of avarice, ambition, or revenge; who knew no pleasure but friendship, generosity, and public spirit; we should immediately, from these circumstances, detect the falsehood, and prove him a liar, with the same certainty as if he had stuffed his narration with stories of centaurs and dragons, mirades and prodigies.”. Hume is stating that while there is diversity and randomness within the world, there are still consistencies of which we draw to in human nature. While most are seen as typically negative, such as greed and the goal of promoting oneself over that of their community, they are consistencies nonetheless. Hume is a believer that while these consistencies are enough to ensure that people should be held responsible for their actions.

Words: 387

Causal Determinism

Causal determinism is the idea that after certain events happen at a specific time, the events to follow are guaranteed to happen due to natural law.

Causal determinism differs from the idea in “fate” in that nothing originally is/was destined to happen. Causal determinism is the idea of guaranteed effect of all actions, whereas fate assumes that all actions, even from the beginning of time, are all already guaranteed. However it can be viewed that since time has “existed” for some time, that all events are now going to happen due to fate; this is where causal determinism and fate are incredibly similar.

Causal determinism also differs form probability in that probability is just a guess. While a mathematically provable good guess, it is not guaranteed. Causal determinism states that these events are guaranteed to occur. Probability just states that they are likely to occur

Causal determinism would not change how I view the world or force me to change my actions in any way, even if it were guaranteed to be true. My reasoning for this is fairly simple: it would give me a reason to live. Even if that reason were a lie, I would still feel like I have a reason to be alive. If I just assumed all of life is events were going to happen and whatever I “decide” (since I can not really decide if causal determinism exists since all of my actions are already set to happen) was meaningless, then I would view my life as meaningless; it would give me no will to live as I would just be living as a shell of a person.

This brings me to MacIntyre, who states in “The Story Telling Animal”, that “When someone complains… that his or her life is meaningless, he or she is often and perhaps characteristically complaining that the narrative of their life has become unintelligible to them, that it lacks any point, any movement towards a climax…”. I would find myself at a complete loss if I drifted away from how I live my life normally. I would see myself as pointless, as an object. I would feel I have no say in anything, and in feeling that powerless I would probably just drive myself insane. Not that I am power hungry, but that the lack of any control is truly frightening.

If the idea of causal determinism were true, I would do everything in my power to continue my life as I am doing now. If I were to truly accept causal determinism, and assume my every action to be meaningless, I would not be able to function as a person. While I do not need my life to have meaning to everyone I meet, I need my life to having meaning to me; with that I need the ability to know my actions are my own. I need that amount of self control/power to be able to function in the “determined” world. Without it I honestly have no idea what I would do.

Words: 506

This Storytelling Animal

“To be the subject of a narrative that runs from one’s birth to one’s death is… to be accountable for the actions and experiences which compose a narratable life” – Alasdair MacIntyre

The significance of this quote is fairly simple; each individual is accountable for what they do throughout the course of their lives. Each action and interaction affects us and develops us as people. Even if these interactions are forgotten, they are still part of our development as individuals. Even if these actions are far different than what we would do now as people, they are still part of our “story” and are still part of who we identify as.

This particular quote definitely spoke to me. In my sophomore year of high school, I was often really rude, inconsiderate, lazy, and just overall not a very great person. I distinctly remember getting into arguments with classmates, saying some rather mean and sometimes twisted things, and having easily avoidable drama. None of these interactions were threatening by any means, they just were not considerate of the other persons feelings. This changed rather rapidly when I had a long discussion with my AP World History teacher; I had come in after school to take a midterm that I had missed. After completing the exam I spoke with my teacher as he graded it (the conversation began because I had very clearly failed that midterm, resulting a D in the class) and he spoke to me about my actions in class. He noticed I would flip often when interacting with students verses interacting with adults/teachers. I would speak to teachers with incredible kindness and respect, but for students I would occasionally be very rude. I had never really thought about how my actions could affect other people.

Shortly after this meeting I changed very rapidly, I became less talkative (which, in this case, is an incredibly good thing), much more respectful and considerate person. My grades also quickly improved (I went from a low-near failing D to the following semester earning a high B in AP World) While my closer friends will say I still have a “meaner” sense of humor, they also are aware that it is all in good fun, and that nothing “mean” I say is really with intent of being mean.

However, while I do take full accountability for my actions prior to that meeting, I also constantly say that I am a different person than I once was. While untrue, as I agree with MacIntyre that I am still that same person and the unity of my recollecting stories is what makes me me, it makes explaining the shift much easier. I like to believe I would not be the inconsiderate person I was, but I know I am.

I feel me being that inconsiderate person then was actually good for me as a person now; it was good for my story. It helped me develop as a person. It allowed me to look broader than myself and see that what I do affects other people.

Words: 510

What I Find to be Art

My example of art is marching band, more specifically “Field Show” marching band (as opposed to parade style). The specific example I provided is of my senior year show, entitled “Believe” which uses music from the movie The Polar Express. For those who do not understand marching band, a typical high school “season” (a time span usually lasting from June to November) consists of: rehearsing for easily 5+ hours a week, memorizing roughly 7-8 minutes worth of music, being able to execute it while marching, being able to march in step in time into forms with your fellow marchers, all while performing with the theme of the show.

I will be primarily basing my connections to Tolstoy based on his definition of the infectiousness of art through his three criteria of: individuality, clarity, and sincerity.

Individuality: Marching band very successfully portrays the individuality of those on the field, be it directly or indirectly. In some cases, it produces individual people and their individuality. For example, in the show I provided there are individual moments in solo parts (for example, my alto solo at 3:24 and/or the mellophone at 3:51 and/or the drum majors in the front, back, and sides of the field conducting). From those you will notice their individual takes on the pieces, seen prominently by the head field conductors bodily movement with the music. Individualism is also seen by each individual marcher performing to the best of their abilities, and from the ability to add their own ideas to the mix at 2:18, where they were instructed to freestyle (some highlights include a trumpet breakdancing, the low winds dancing to the sousaphone section feature, and a trumpet player leaping over another trumpet player) and do what they felt fit the music and conveyed the general emotional idea of the music.

Emotion/Sincerity: While heavily covered in the individualism section, the portrayal of emotion is fairly clear in marching band. For example, when the song transitions from the thrilling excitement at 1:37, to the joyous fun at 2:18, to a deep moment of self reflection at 4:05, to once again joyous fun from 5:37 onward. The emotions are further conveyed through the execution of the music, keeping exciting parts rather loud and quick while leaving more sincere parts slower and softer. The emotion is further conveyed through bodily actions as seen from the dancing at 2:18 to the sway with the music at 4:07.

Clarity: The clarity is seen through the performers ability to convey their emotion through music and action. This is seen through musical transitions of which I explained earlier in the Emotion section.

Tolstoy would probably have very mixed feelings about marching band. On one hand, it is very clear in its portrayal of emotion through bodily movement and song; it is sincere in that every person there wants to be there performing, and that there are many moments of individualism mixed into the group as a whole thus, by Tolstoy’s definition, marching band would be an incredibly infectious successful art form. However, he would also likely dislike in that he has shown his frustration towards theater as a small, minuscule part of art. But, even if he were to view it as insignificant compared to other art forms, he would likely view it as art nonetheless.

Words: 541

Long Live the King

Aristotle’s definition of tragedy includes inducing a feeling of pity and/or fear, a tragic hero, and its story must hold weight. No movie/play depicts this in a clearer to understand form than The Lion King. While based off the Greek tragedy Hamlet, the Lion King provides a more modern twist to the play, and presents it in a fashion that is significantly easier to grasp.

The major themes of the film are pride, betrayal and redemption; all of which are common in tragedies.

The tragic hero of The Lion King is Simba. Simba, as a lion cub, is blamed for the death of his father, Mufasa, while in reality the cause was due to his uncle Scar. Scar convinces Simba that Simba was the cause of Mufasa’s death, leading Simba to exile. Simba is then left with the guilt and goes off to die in his deep depression. The Disney variation on Hamlet does turn to a brighter side with “Hakuna Matata”, however this is only an attempt to appeal to a younger audience and to make the tragedy somewhat less tragic. It was Disney’s way of putting a shine on this tragic story.

The pride element is seen through Simba, as he finds he cannot return home because he was believed to have murdered Mufasa. Simba, however, returns eventually when he discovers himself through the help of Rafiki. This leads to his redemption in returning back to the Pride Lands to fight and beat Scar, redeeming himself in the process.

The pity and fear produced from the movie is seen throughout the Pride Lands after Mufasas death. This felt throughout the movie, including the starvation of a massive group alongside the depression and exile filled in our tragic hero. This is also evident in that Simba, at the beginning of the movie, feels pride in the leadership role he will gain, he feels pride in the responsibilities he will gain. However these are torn from him due to his fate. He loses everything due to the deception of his uncle.

The pity and fear is also felt in the audience when Simba is blamed for something he did not do. It reminds us that sometimes things happen out of our control that we just have to deal with. These things can be caused by deceiving people or through actions outside of anyone’s control, but still it is just something we have to live with.

The Lion King is a modern tragedy dressed up with periods of brief foolishness and jokes to soften its delivery and appeal to a younger audience.

Word Count: 433

Film Screening: eXistenZ

The film eXistenZ vividly portrays Platos hierarchical theme of reality through presenting false “realities” within what we presume is the main characters reality. They do this through the use of putting our main characters into a game, and then going into a game once more. This alone displays his depiction of the hierarchical theme of reality through having a world within a world within a world. This is furthered in that the conclusion in the movie leaves the audience unclear as to whether or not the main characters are actually in reality, or just another game.

The hierarchy is also described through the characters actions, costumes, and through the acting of some of the characters. As the main characters delve deeper into each game, their costumes become less conforming. For example, the female protagonists hair slowly becomes less straight and even, and it begins to curl more and more as they go deeper and deeper game after game. Their clothes slowly get dirtier and more revealing. This is evident in the main female protagonist as her clothes go from rather classy at the beginning and ends of the movie, to at some points rather radical with her in a tight short black skirt. Also, as they go deeper into the games their actions become more radical. This is evident in the main male protagonist committing sexual acts with the main female protagonist in non conventional ways as well as his blood lust increasing as the games go deeper. We can tell his actions are new from the game as he was evident in showing minimal sexual interest with her at the beginning of the movie, as well as being scared to hurt anyone, even when it was to save someones life. This displays Plato’s view of the distractions and the things that take us away from what is really reality.

The hierarchy in Existenz is furthered by each descent into the game getting more and more fleshy, bloody, and had further focus on sexual experimentation. This descent and hierarchy is put in place to resemble the radical actions people make as they “drift” away from the Forms put in place by Plato.

The game Trancendenz fits into Platos hierarchical theme as the “initial” step out of reality. In the film, it is seen as the initial step into the game world, into their distractions  from reality. While this is the first thing that does literally take them from reality, I would assume Plato would argue the idea of the video games in general a step out of reality; the game itself just finishes the job. Plato’s argument for hierarchical reality was directed towards losing the Forms; getting too distracted my imitations in art and disctractions rather than reality itself. This is paralleled with the video game Trancendenz in Existenz.

This theme of distractions is furthered in the fact that they’re delving into video games, an area in which Plato would’ve assumed a distraction from reality, taking us away from the Forms and introducing us to his hierarchy of reality.

Words: 510

Ethics of Belief

1. Every time we let ourselves believe for unworthy reasons, we weaken our powers of self-control, of doubting, of judicially and fairly weighing evidence. (Page 6 paragraph 2)
2.  …it has been judged wrong to believe on insufficient evidence, or to nourish belief by suppressing doubts and avoiding investigation (Page 4, Paragraph 3)
3. The harm which is done by credulity in a man is not confined to the fostering of a credulous character in others, and consequent support of false beliefs. (Pg 6 Paragraph 3)
C: It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence. (Page 7, paragraph 2)

Clifford’s general argument throughout discusses that belief with insufficient evidence causes harm in others and can create “false beliefs” to spread. I find his argument to be valid yet I do not believe it is sound. The issues I have with his argument is that he never explains what “sufficient” evidence is, which would greatly strengthen his argument, and that he makes a very absolute conclusion that is not true in every single possible situation; Which only furthers his previous weakness without a concrete definition of sufficient evidence.

The lack of definition for sufficient evidence leaves a large hole in his argument, and this leaves his conclusion to not be true in the absolute form he presented it. Lets take religion as an example. There are many people who believe that there is insufficient evidence to believe in a higher power or God or whatever form you feel fits that category. While others believe that there is an over abundance of sufficient evidence to prove in the existence of a higher power. It can be argued, though, that those who say there is no higher power are making a belief with insufficient evidence, because while they say that there is no evidence that there is a higher power, they themselves have no evidence to support their own claim. This is where the hole in the argument lies, because it brings about the definition of “sufficient” evidence, something of which Clifford does not address.

That doesn’t mean I do not agree greatly with what he has to say; believing on insufficient evidence is often a very bad thing and leads to harm upon our society. His thesis is worth looking at in that it does provide a truth that is not absolute; believing things with what is seen generally as insufficient evidence, in the areas of public safety or court or anything like he presented, can lead to problems in that society due to false evidence and information. However, his lacking of definition leaves a very large hole in his argument that cannot go unaddressed.

Word Count: 440