Bat in a cave?

We've been talking about the idea of how do we know if we can experiencing other animals experiences and really know anything about their lives. This is an interesting idea, because I personally think that us being unable to experience a bat's life is just as hard as feeling like we can understand our best friend, or any other humans life. The bat is an extreme example, obviously, because they have extremely different senses and routines and everything, but think about being able to know how someone else is feeling. Senses are subjective, how could we ever know if what I see as blue is actually blue for you? Or how would we know if a pillow feels the same for one person as it does for the next? We couldn't, and therefore, i think we know the same amount about a bat's life as we do about our best friends. What do you think?

Is Philosophy Invading Our Lives?

I was sitting at my computer listening to the song, Calling All Angels, by Train, there is a verse that goes like this:

"I need a sign to let me know you're here.

'Cause my TV set just keeps it all from being clear.

I want a reason for the way things have to be.

I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me."

I think these few lines express some major topics from class: The need to be in contact with others, the ambiguity of TV, and the desire for an explanation of why things are the way they are. 

Do these topics come up more often than we think? Do they sneak there way into our brains way more ways than we realize?

How does one achieve 'Happy'?

I worked at a camp this past summer with teens with moderate to severe disabilities, both mental and physical. I often found myself thinking about how little it takes to make these teens happy. I could walk into the camp room, make eye contact with and just say, "Hi, Em! How was your night last night?" and she would be smiling away. Happy as can be, just because somebody gave her a minute of their time and said hi. This camp made so many kids so happy because of the mere fact that we showed up and played with and talked to them. 

I think our society takes for granted happiness, and how its achieved. I believe we tend to brush off quick social interactions or nice gestures as part of everyday life. This camp made me realize that we need a few more people in this world that appreciate the small stuff. How do you think happiness is achieved?

More on Kathy Griffin

So, I posted something on the discussion board for week 2 about Kathy Griffin and her use of the word "Retarded." It's kind of important for you to watch the video before you can understand this blog. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFe6llOCIIY

In this eight minute video, Kathy uses about six minutes of it making fun of Paris Hilton. After she calls Paris "retarded," her sentences following this are these:

"I know thats a bad word, I know, I know its a very politically incorrect word, I don't care I like it I think its fun. I don't mind if you call me retarded. I might call you a 'beep'tard. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's a fun word."

I mean doesn't that paragraph just sound ignorant? A 'fun word.' Do you think that she knows what that 'fun' word means? Yet everyone laughs. But, why? 

I think it's because the word is accepted in our culture today as a fun, funny word used to make fun of people.  

Dr. Mazoue  gives us this topic as a discussion point, "The descent into trivia by popular culture and the mainstream media. Why do we focus more on the lives of celebrities than discussing important issues like social and economic class, health care, and justice?"

Griffin also asks in her show why do people care about the life of Paris Hilton? She says she's everything America's tired of, yet we all still watch and make fun of her. 

Does anyone think this could have a link to Moore's comments from discussion board week 2 about how our culture finds it much more important to be entertained by people such as Kathy talking about and making fun of Paris Hilton instead of discussing actual, real life stuff?