Update

Sigh... all play and no work makes Jen very very lazy.

It's not even been play, really... it's been sitting in front of the PC... looking at various papers and articles. Half-heartedly trying to get into my essay on Foucault and the Enlightenment.

I actually started writing today, which is a good sign. It's always the hardest part... getting started. I've got 10 days... 10 days... 3000 words on a topic I've done, now, more than enough research for.

Now I just have to try and present it as an argument, and actually write it up so it sounds like a great essay. Last assignment... last hurdle. Argh.

Monday in Ethics in Practice we covered Ethics and War. I thought it was a great topic, it really made me think about things I've always taken "as is". This tutorial also made me realise how little I actually know about the world around me and the conflicts which are/have taken place. Well.. final class next Monday, we are given our exam essay questions that day... so let us hope they will be interesting. :)

Reading sections from Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil, one of the main texts I will be using in my thesis. We are studying him for a week in M&I...

Argh... the thing about philosophy is that you just can't do the readings and go to class expecting to understand. It takes so much effort to painstakingly go through each line... why did he say this... what does he mean...

Sometimes it feels as if I am missing something very fundamental to understanding philosophical texts. It feels as if there is a giant door blocking my way to understanding, and occasionally I can peek through the keyhole and actually see something beyond it, but most of the time I am stuck with the door in front of me, trying to comprehend what could actually be behind it. Why is this door there in the first place? Why is so hard to understand sometimes?

That is how I feel... the best way I can explain it... surely other students feel this too? Or am I just downright clueless?

But, I guess, truth be told... I am, however, enjoying the task of attempting to break this door down. It's frustrating, and long hours... stressful.... but so rewarding in the end even if I haven't completely understood. I guess that is why I continued studying philosophy.

Chosen Question

Throughout the Semester I had planned to do Davidson and Nietzsche for my major essay in Meaning and Interpretation, however, Anita explained that we will need to know at least three thinkers in prep for exam. So far, I am okay with Davidson and Frege... Nietzsche would be my third. I don't really want to limit myself in this way... so I have decided to go for a challenge and do the Foucault and Kant question. Most people cannot do this one, as apparently ~90% of the class chose to do Kant for the first essay. But, since I did Frege, I am open to the Kant question. :)

So, I have decided to do so.

'What is Enlightenment?' Discuss Foucault's understanding in reference to Kant's article.

It should be quite interesting, and will give me a greater all around knowledge for the exam.

3000 words - 30%
Due - 5th of November

I should have started this earlier... I have just been so busy!

Presentation - Davidson

My presentation on Davidson and Metaphor went surprisingly okay!

Worked hard all week to research and understand it the best I could. Admittedly, I was quite nervous before I started the tutorial, but a few minutes in I was okay. Voice was steady, my pronunciation (which is usually awful!) was clear. Was very happy with how it went. :)

There was only one moment where I had the tears coming on, and that was after Philosophy Jock said "well... I just don't think that was a very good example to use" - making reference to my Frege example. An awkward pause, and then my lecturer said... ""!) I was a bit upset by how upfront he said that, but afterwards he said "good job" while I got my applause, and then afterwards walking by the group on the way to the bus-stop, one of the guys said "well done, good presentation" and Philosophy Jock agrees.

Perhaps he just felt guilty? :P

But, I think it went okay. Anita asked if everyone had understood what Davidsons main thesis was, and they did, and nobody had any unanswered questions. :)

Only ONE more assignment to go before exams - Meaning and Interpretation - Research Essay!

I haven't yet chosen which question to do... must make a decision soon...

Dead Metaphor

New favourite game:

Taking notice of the use of any dead metaphors. I was sitting at my desk, trying to think of a few,

"he was high as a kite"
"hitting rock bottom"
"falling in love"
"rising star"
"computer mouse"

Dead metaphors are a semantic shift in language, and I am oddly enjoying exploring them! It's amazing how unnoticed they pass, and how I never really took the time to understand them, "world wide web" is good one. Hm... now to make the connection between these amusing dead metaphors and how Davidson uses them to support his argument.

Confidence level for tutorial presentation tomorrow: 60%
Lots of reading and revising and writing left to do. Must make up handout sheet as well. Mike will be my test subject tonight as I go through my practice run for tomorrow. Can't wait till this is done... have been dreading it since day one!

Philosophy on YouTube

Decided to take a break from the books and look up some videos/interviews/discussions about Davidson. Reading the comments, I came across this... now... THIS is how philosophers flame one another on the internet: (read from bottom-up, obviously).



The hilarity and resulting politeness astounds me, as it makes for unique YouTube commentary!

History of Philosophy

Received an email forwarded to me about a new podcast that has just started regarding the History of Philosophy -

on the history of philosophy, which will cover, in time, at least all of ancient and medieval philosophy
"without any gaps."

It will be exciting to follow this, downloading the first two as I write!

It's been a long week, yesterday was quite nice despite how tired I was. Wittgenstein Pt2 - didn't go as bad as I had expected. I ran into Paul in front of the EH building. It was sunny outside so we decided to sit on a bench while we chatted. We ended up talking for about 20 minutes about many things, the Royal Show... classes/lectures... travels. It was a very nice chat, and it was very wonderful to be able to sit down with a lecturer and not talk just about University business. :)

On Wednesday I attended a second seminar at UWA, argh... so lost... very analytical.. very pin-pointed and long presentation. I wish I could have appreciated it more, but I had next to no knowledge on the subject.

This weekend - prepare for tutorial presentation for Thursday - Davidson on Metaphor. Run quickly through Ethics readings before Monday.

HD!

Well, Mike was right, Clive had marked the essays and handed them back to us today. I was so nervous... especially when he began by saying something along the lines of this:

"According to Peta I am a harsh marker, too harsh. I only gave out one HD, only one philosophy student got it."

Turns out... that was me.





I admit, I cried a little in the bathroom afterwards because I was so happy.

Something I really truly wanted... and I got it. Now to make this inspiration and good spirit last for the next final 7 weeks!

Hurray!

Good news!

My tutor got back from her holiday, and I had a reply in my inbox regarding the absent essay mark.

Reply:


Hi Jennifer,

Sorry about that! I gave you a D+ for your essay.

:O

!!!!!!!!!!

:O!!!!!!!!!

For the hardest and most tedious essay I've ever written, that's an amazing mark. I didn't know Distinction Plus existed. :P Very happy with this mark, I was expecting C+/D. :)

*celebrates*

Okay, now... I have two assessments left in this unit.... presentation next week and final essay worth 30%... both will prove to be harder than this assignment. Luckily for me, the two topics overlap somewhat, which is lucky.