What is the "Exercise on Binaries" that we have to do by tomorrow?
This seems kind of late to ask, I thought that it would be in the chapter of writing analytically, which I just got my copy today, but I can't tell.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Monday, September 29, 2008
question about quotes and idioms
hey ben quick question when were using quotes from stevens and freud, do we need to reference lines and page numbers? and also if were using idioms in our essays, just quotation marks? i didn't want the chance for it to be misinterpreted as coming from freud or stevens. I'm using the idiom "removing of a veil" so should i keep it in quotation marks or notate it in a different way
Friday, September 26, 2008
What's with turbans?
So, this happens to be my first main post to the blog, and I had a question that I hope others can help me with that relates to my paper.
I happen to be doing a close reading of Wallace Stevens's poem "The Plain Sense of Things" and I can't come up with any reason why Stevens would choose to use the word turban in the line "No turban walks across the lessened floors," in the second stanza, last line. I was talking it over with some friends and none of us could come up with a reason for that "strange" word choice there. It appears to be a specific choice the author made and there should be a reason for that decision (I mean the guy was from CT USA in the early 20th century, how often could he have thought of turbans at random?).
Any ideas?
Tom Magrino
I happen to be doing a close reading of Wallace Stevens's poem "The Plain Sense of Things" and I can't come up with any reason why Stevens would choose to use the word turban in the line "No turban walks across the lessened floors," in the second stanza, last line. I was talking it over with some friends and none of us could come up with a reason for that "strange" word choice there. It appears to be a specific choice the author made and there should be a reason for that decision (I mean the guy was from CT USA in the early 20th century, how often could he have thought of turbans at random?).
Any ideas?
Tom Magrino
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Some thoughts on the papers
Hey everybody,
A few things came up in office hours today that I'd like to clear up. So...
1) A number of you were worried that if you decided to write on one of the poems, you might "get it wrong," since your interpretation or reading of the poem wouldn't be the same one Claudia or I might come up with. As far as we're concerned, there is no right or wrong way to read a poem (or the Nietzsche or Freud, for that matter). Lots of people have come up with different interpretations of everything we've read in class up to this point, some of which are quite different from the ones we've been laying out. You are more than welcome, if not outright encouraged, to do some digging and figure out what you think any of the poems or essays mean. Be creative. Be bold. Be original. We don't care if your readings accord with ours - in fact, we'd be thrilled to learn something new.
What you do want to do, however, is be smart. And that means you need to back up your reading with evidence from the poems. That is to say, a less convincing reading isn't necessarily one that disagrees with either of our interpretations (even the ones we've been working through in class), but one that isn't supported by the poems themselves. There are no right or wrong answers here, but there are more or less convincing readings - your job is not get things "right" but to be persuasive. By all means disagree with me (or Claudia!), but make sure that when you do you support your argument with actual evidence.
2) If you're going to choose option #3, you should feel free to use almost any of the poems we've given out. I say "almost" because I've decided to not let people write about Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken." Despite all I said above about there being no right or wrong readings, to my mind the quite common interpretation of the poem - that the poem celebrates choosing the less conventional option - is absolutely incorrect. By which I mean that it's not supported at all by the poem itself (for what it's worth, Frost himself called that poem "a wolf in sheep's clothing"). Since we didn't discuss that poem in class, I'd be very worried that this common interpretation would be the one you worked with. Which would be a problem. So choose any poem (how about "The Innocence"?) but that one.
Good luck!
A few things came up in office hours today that I'd like to clear up. So...
1) A number of you were worried that if you decided to write on one of the poems, you might "get it wrong," since your interpretation or reading of the poem wouldn't be the same one Claudia or I might come up with. As far as we're concerned, there is no right or wrong way to read a poem (or the Nietzsche or Freud, for that matter). Lots of people have come up with different interpretations of everything we've read in class up to this point, some of which are quite different from the ones we've been laying out. You are more than welcome, if not outright encouraged, to do some digging and figure out what you think any of the poems or essays mean. Be creative. Be bold. Be original. We don't care if your readings accord with ours - in fact, we'd be thrilled to learn something new.
What you do want to do, however, is be smart. And that means you need to back up your reading with evidence from the poems. That is to say, a less convincing reading isn't necessarily one that disagrees with either of our interpretations (even the ones we've been working through in class), but one that isn't supported by the poems themselves. There are no right or wrong answers here, but there are more or less convincing readings - your job is not get things "right" but to be persuasive. By all means disagree with me (or Claudia!), but make sure that when you do you support your argument with actual evidence.
2) If you're going to choose option #3, you should feel free to use almost any of the poems we've given out. I say "almost" because I've decided to not let people write about Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken." Despite all I said above about there being no right or wrong readings, to my mind the quite common interpretation of the poem - that the poem celebrates choosing the less conventional option - is absolutely incorrect. By which I mean that it's not supported at all by the poem itself (for what it's worth, Frost himself called that poem "a wolf in sheep's clothing"). Since we didn't discuss that poem in class, I'd be very worried that this common interpretation would be the one you worked with. Which would be a problem. So choose any poem (how about "The Innocence"?) but that one.
Good luck!
WRITING ANALYTICALLY Exercise 2.4. shazzam!
1a) Fewer Americans walk through neighborhoods.
1b) Perhaps more American homeowners just don't want people walking in front of their property.
1c) Form over function: sidewalks don't enhance curb appeal.
2a) Families value togetherness.
2b) House designers cater to this trend by incorporaing kitchens, living rooms, and family rooms into blueprints.
2c) Family members want to spend time not only with each other but also with guests. Living rooms by front doors provide an ideal space for entertaining.
3a) When it comes to coexistence, privacy begets harmony.
3b) Robert Frost valued privacy.
3c) The frustration that the ladies of Room 205 experience when I barge in unannounced is reflected in Frost’s remark.
4a) An anatomical reason explains why men have trouble expressing their feelings: compared to women, men have fewer connections between the part of the brain that is responsible for emotions and the part that is responsible for communication.
4b) Women can verbalize emotions and reasoning more readily than men can.
4c) If this trait is based on gender, and, if gender has a genetic basis, then this trait must also have a genetic basis.
5a) More and more American courts are applying the lens used to evaluate crimes committed by mature adults to crimes committed by maturing juveniles.
5b) A young defendant’s age and inexperience cannot preclude her conviction.
5c) More adults serve sentences for crimes they committed as juveniles because, supposedly, the actions of juveniles are directly comparable to the actions of adults.
6a) Most juveniles have underdeveloped capacities for judgment and impulse control.
6b) American courts should consider this limitation when resolving the fate of a juvenile defendant.
6c) It may also be implied that, once a person’s frontal cortex is fully developed, that person is responsible for all her actions.
7a) Women tend to make their commands appear less aggressive by voicing commands as they voice questions.
7b) Younger men have begun to speak like women, and the line that distinguishes stereotypically male and female traits has been blurred.
7c) As these younger men age, the demographic of men who exhibit this stereotypically female tendency will extend to older men.
8a) It’s easy for shoppers to lose track of time.
8b) Store managers want customers to ignore time, shop for longer periods, and make more unplanned purchases.
8c) Since stores rarely have clocks, employees must use other timepieces—watches and cell phones, for instance—to keep track of time.
<3
-- ok, it's not letting me copy-and-paste so now I have to re-type all of mine in this blog! ah
2) If kitchen is not separated from the rest of house could imply that food needs to be closer to other living habitations. Could contribute to Americans watching TV more and more and want to be able to eat and watch TV at same time. If watching more TV, taking away from family time and if spend less family quality time, the family support system will not be very strong and could lead to children being less efficient in growing up because of lack of support and family community. Also if closer to other rooms, that means a person doesn't have to walk that far to food which means two things: there not walking as much to get to the food and they made be eating more food because it is more readily available. This can also lead to obesity!
3) Could imply you have a responsible, good-minded neighbor if they take the initiative to put up a good fence or take care of their fence. You would also be suggesting that the way a person handles their things represents who they are as a person. Could also suggest that a good fence means that it is one that keeps neighbors out of your space, meaning that "good neighbors" are ones who don't bother you. Therefore the fence would act as a barrier....not sure where else to go with this
4) First thing I want to say is how does this person know this? If it's scientific information, than it implies that females are more able to express their emotions than males. And if true, males have and excuse to be disabled of expressing their emotions. If men have an excuse for this, then maybe they won't even try to talk out their emotions and if men do that, women will go crazy!
5) Could be saying that culture is getting more violent and therefore younger people have the ability and capability to commit "adult" crimes. Could also be suggesting that TV culture is affecting reality. A lot of teens watch TV now a days and there's a lot of violence on TV. TV could be affecting how we act in society (this is actually proven!) Also could be saying courts want to convict people of more crimes. Are they suggesting that children can commit adult crimes when their brain isn't even fully developed?
6)Haha what I just said! Can someone really be tried of a crime when they don't have a brain of an adult yet? If more kids are getting convicted, then more kids are in jail. Jail becomes more of a reality for a kid. Kids will experience the unpleasantness of jail that could affect them for the rest of their lives. This could make them even more violent than before. They will not get taught proper coping skills and will not be properly enforced in jail while their brain is still developing. Therefore what ever they get taught in jail could permanently affect them for the rest of their lives.
7)Giving a question sound to a statement implies the person isn't really confident in the statement they're saying. Implies lack of trust to whomever the person is directing statement to. Also statement the statement said if said by a women sound a lot like a mom talking to her child. So if men are saying more statements like that, then maybe they're are beginning to stay at home more often now than constantly having to work all the time and therefore participatin more in the family which will build stronger families which will make people happier! maybe more dads are becoming stay-at-home dads (yayee!)
8)Shopping malls and grocery stores don't want you to leave! They want you to stay longer so you will buy more things, if you buy more things, you're not only reinforcing the store but also buying things that you possibly don't need that you could be spending on things you really do need or if you have extra money you could give it to someone who really is in need! Though having no clocks in stores could have a backfiring affect in the sense if people get too tired and dehydrated while shopping because they lose track of time they could not want to go to stores anymore because of this occurance.
Exercise 2.4
I forgot to post my answers on the blog-- hope this isn't too late.
Exercise 2.4
1. New housing development don’t see sidewalks as a priority.
Sidewalks are no longer seen as a necessity.
Sidewalks may now be considered obsolete: people may start driving more and walking less.
2.Because of an increase in their design, living rooms and family rooms seem to be popular among home buyers.
Families may prefer eating together in the family room, which is closer to the kitchen, than the living room, which is closer to the front door.
Guests may use the living room because it is close to the front door.
3. People relish the privacy of their homes.
Robert Frost valued fences highly, perhaps for its ability to prevent intrusion.
Robert Frost had fences.
4.Females are better fit to express emotions verbally than men are.
When talking, females tend to connect emotions to words more so than men do.
Men may be less inclined to emote in a conversation.
5. Minors may be committing crimes severe enough to warrant adult sentences.
The American judicial system may be flawed on the account that minors, who are by definition, not adults, are increasingly tried and convicted as adults.
The magnitude of the crime takes precedence over age.
6. Minors should not be sentenced as adults because until the age of twenty-one, the part of the brain which is responsible for judgement and impulse control is not yet fully developed.
The American judicial system may be flawed on the account that minors, who have brains which are physically more prone to committing crime than adult’s brains, are increasingly tried and convicted as adults.
There is also another flaw in the fact that those who are 18 and 19 years of age are also considered adults.
7. Many women may not identify well with authoritative positions.
The similarity in speech may indicate a newfound familiarity among men and women.
Men under the age of 30 may be in environments where declarative statements and command forms are not prevalent.
8. Shopping malls and grocery stores don’t feel the need to tell their customers the time while they shop.
Shopping malls and grocery stores want to keep their customers occupied with shopping; knowing the time may threaten or shorten that.
Shopping malls and grocery stores want your money and are greedy.
-Bryan h
Exercise 2.4
1. New housing development don’t see sidewalks as a priority.
Sidewalks are no longer seen as a necessity.
Sidewalks may now be considered obsolete: people may start driving more and walking less.
2.Because of an increase in their design, living rooms and family rooms seem to be popular among home buyers.
Families may prefer eating together in the family room, which is closer to the kitchen, than the living room, which is closer to the front door.
Guests may use the living room because it is close to the front door.
3. People relish the privacy of their homes.
Robert Frost valued fences highly, perhaps for its ability to prevent intrusion.
Robert Frost had fences.
4.Females are better fit to express emotions verbally than men are.
When talking, females tend to connect emotions to words more so than men do.
Men may be less inclined to emote in a conversation.
5. Minors may be committing crimes severe enough to warrant adult sentences.
The American judicial system may be flawed on the account that minors, who are by definition, not adults, are increasingly tried and convicted as adults.
The magnitude of the crime takes precedence over age.
6. Minors should not be sentenced as adults because until the age of twenty-one, the part of the brain which is responsible for judgement and impulse control is not yet fully developed.
The American judicial system may be flawed on the account that minors, who have brains which are physically more prone to committing crime than adult’s brains, are increasingly tried and convicted as adults.
There is also another flaw in the fact that those who are 18 and 19 years of age are also considered adults.
7. Many women may not identify well with authoritative positions.
The similarity in speech may indicate a newfound familiarity among men and women.
Men under the age of 30 may be in environments where declarative statements and command forms are not prevalent.
8. Shopping malls and grocery stores don’t feel the need to tell their customers the time while they shop.
Shopping malls and grocery stores want to keep their customers occupied with shopping; knowing the time may threaten or shorten that.
Shopping malls and grocery stores want your money and are greedy.
-Bryan h
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
PDF Writing Analytically
Here you will find a link to a pdf file of some pages of writing analytically. See you tomorrow. Claudia
A copy of the hw assignment, scanned.
Apparently some people don't have the fourth edition so I thought I would scan it.
Implications HW
Charles
Inferring Implications from Observations
1.
Some parts of the American way as we know it is slipping away.
New housing developments are more concerned about their profit margin than their customers.
Sidewalks were once integral to the ideal American residential landscape.
2.
The average family or home buyer values having some sort of central or at least attached, kitchen.
A living room is more for display and entertaining guests, while a family room, with its more intimate size, is for the permanent residents.
The family room might be where the family gathers after a meal.
3.
Very few, if any, people like intruders, even perhaps acquaintances on their private property.
Part of being a good neighbor may include minding your own business.
Robert Frost despised his neighbors, maybe they were loud at night, or maybe they had kids who ran in his backyard.
4.
The female brain is better able to connect emotions and spatial reasoning into words.
The male brain is inferior because most people would like to be able to improve communicating emotions and reasoning verbally.
Women are better in cognitive faculties than men.
5.
The American court system is flawed because people who aren’t adults are being tried as adults.
Teenagers who commit crimes cannot be held in the same moral obligation as adults.
Either crime is on the rise or more juveniles are committing crimes so heinous that it would cause a judge to believe the defendant must be seen as adult, for the good of the people.
6.
Juveniles should not be tried as adults because biologically, their brains are not developed, especially in the area of judgment making and controlling impulses.
If anything, the current trend for lowering the age for which a teenager can be considered an adult, should be reversed because the human brain is not fully developed even at the age of 18.
An undeveloped segment of the brain means that it does not function, and people who hit their temples really hard might not be rational or have restraint.
7.
Women may have a tendency to confused other people because what appears at first to be a seemingly innocuous question is actually a command.
Men under 30 are mimicking a speech pattern usually found in women, or younger men talk like women.
We must diagnose a solution to an old linguistic tendency that until recently, was not a problem.
8.
Shopping malls and grocery stores want to take your money, so they don’t remind you how long you’ve spent inside.
Shopping malls and grocery stores are owned and managed by the same type of greedy people.
Strategic managers are able to reduce costs, boost sales, and increase the volume of consumers, all in one.
Inferring Implications from Observations
1.
Some parts of the American way as we know it is slipping away.
New housing developments are more concerned about their profit margin than their customers.
Sidewalks were once integral to the ideal American residential landscape.
2.
The average family or home buyer values having some sort of central or at least attached, kitchen.
A living room is more for display and entertaining guests, while a family room, with its more intimate size, is for the permanent residents.
The family room might be where the family gathers after a meal.
3.
Very few, if any, people like intruders, even perhaps acquaintances on their private property.
Part of being a good neighbor may include minding your own business.
Robert Frost despised his neighbors, maybe they were loud at night, or maybe they had kids who ran in his backyard.
4.
The female brain is better able to connect emotions and spatial reasoning into words.
The male brain is inferior because most people would like to be able to improve communicating emotions and reasoning verbally.
Women are better in cognitive faculties than men.
5.
The American court system is flawed because people who aren’t adults are being tried as adults.
Teenagers who commit crimes cannot be held in the same moral obligation as adults.
Either crime is on the rise or more juveniles are committing crimes so heinous that it would cause a judge to believe the defendant must be seen as adult, for the good of the people.
6.
Juveniles should not be tried as adults because biologically, their brains are not developed, especially in the area of judgment making and controlling impulses.
If anything, the current trend for lowering the age for which a teenager can be considered an adult, should be reversed because the human brain is not fully developed even at the age of 18.
An undeveloped segment of the brain means that it does not function, and people who hit their temples really hard might not be rational or have restraint.
7.
Women may have a tendency to confused other people because what appears at first to be a seemingly innocuous question is actually a command.
Men under 30 are mimicking a speech pattern usually found in women, or younger men talk like women.
We must diagnose a solution to an old linguistic tendency that until recently, was not a problem.
8.
Shopping malls and grocery stores want to take your money, so they don’t remind you how long you’ve spent inside.
Shopping malls and grocery stores are owned and managed by the same type of greedy people.
Strategic managers are able to reduce costs, boost sales, and increase the volume of consumers, all in one.
Please forgive any formatting errors. I do not seem to be able to get the numbering system to work. Does any one know how to fix that problem.
Ritwik
Exercise 2.4
1) There were different requirements from the township to the developers in the past.
Sidewalks are a necessity and the loss of these sidewalks is deplorable.
Housing developers are unwilling to build sidewalks.
2) Family rooms require privacy and comfort as they are close to the kitchen but far from the door.
Living room is now used for entertaining guests.
Old house designs had every room fenced off.
3) Beings outside need to be kept off ones land and beings inside the fence should not get out.
Neighbors prefer to maintain a degree of separation between the two living areas.
Robert Frost supported the above viewpoints.
4) Female are more prone to using emotions when talking.
Males are prone to keeping emotion out of their conversation.
There are major differences in male and female behaviors.
5) Minors should not be convicted as adults for committing crimes.
Most countries other than America do not follow the same practices.
The age of 18 is an appropriate age for assuming responsibility for one.
6) People only become responsible at the age of 21.
People under 21, cannot be held completely responsible for their crimes.
The development of the frontal cortex brings about responsible behavior.
7) Young men are becoming less confident when giving orders.
Women use rising inflections because they wish to form the statement as a question and not an order.
Women have been less confident when giving orders for a long time.
8) Clocks are a necessity in grocery stores and shopping malls.
The lack of clocks in grocery stores and shopping malls is a common phenomenon all over the world.
The grocery stores and shopping malls do not follow a strict time schedule.
Poems for Thursday
Hey everybody,
Here are the poems for tomorrow (Thursday). I doubt we'll be able to get to all of them, or probably even most of them, by tomorrow, but I certainly encourage you to write papers about any that may happen to grab you.
poems
(link should cause you to download a word document)
Here are the poems for tomorrow (Thursday). I doubt we'll be able to get to all of them, or probably even most of them, by tomorrow, but I certainly encourage you to write papers about any that may happen to grab you.
poems
(link should cause you to download a word document)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Exercise 2.4 - the 8 Questions
Hey. These are the 8 questions from the exercise 2.4. I hope this helps!! =D
1. The sidewalk is disappearing as a feature of the American residential landscape. New housing developments have them only if a township requires them of the developer.
2. New house designs are tending increasingly toward open plans in which the kitchen is not separated from the rest of the house. New house designs continue to have a room called the living room, usually a space at the front of the house near the front door, but many (not all) also have a separate space called the family room, which is usually in some part of the house farther removed from the front door and closer to the kitchen.
3. “Good fences make good neighbors.” – Robert Frost
4. In the female brain, there are more connection between the right hemisphere (emotions, spatial reasoning) and the left hemisphere (verbal facility). In the male brain, these two hemispheres remain more separate.
5. An increasing number of juveniles – people under the age of eighteen – are being tried and convicted as adults, rather than as minors, in America, with the result that more minors are serving adult sentences for crimes they committed while still in their teens.
6. Neuroscientists tell us that the frontal cortex of the brain, the part that is responsible for judgment and especially for impulse control, is not fully developed in humans until roughly the age of twenty-one. What are the implications of this observation relative to observation 5?
7. Linguists have long commented on the tendency of women’s speech to use rising inflections at the end of statements as if the statements were questions. An actual command form – Be home by midnight! – thus becomes a question instead. What are we to make of the fact that in recent years younger men (under 30) have begun to end declarative statements and command forms with rising inflections?
8. Shopping malls and grocery stores rarely have clocks.
Have fun!!!
Sivapratha Nagappan C.
1. The sidewalk is disappearing as a feature of the American residential landscape. New housing developments have them only if a township requires them of the developer.
2. New house designs are tending increasingly toward open plans in which the kitchen is not separated from the rest of the house. New house designs continue to have a room called the living room, usually a space at the front of the house near the front door, but many (not all) also have a separate space called the family room, which is usually in some part of the house farther removed from the front door and closer to the kitchen.
3. “Good fences make good neighbors.” – Robert Frost
4. In the female brain, there are more connection between the right hemisphere (emotions, spatial reasoning) and the left hemisphere (verbal facility). In the male brain, these two hemispheres remain more separate.
5. An increasing number of juveniles – people under the age of eighteen – are being tried and convicted as adults, rather than as minors, in America, with the result that more minors are serving adult sentences for crimes they committed while still in their teens.
6. Neuroscientists tell us that the frontal cortex of the brain, the part that is responsible for judgment and especially for impulse control, is not fully developed in humans until roughly the age of twenty-one. What are the implications of this observation relative to observation 5?
7. Linguists have long commented on the tendency of women’s speech to use rising inflections at the end of statements as if the statements were questions. An actual command form – Be home by midnight! – thus becomes a question instead. What are we to make of the fact that in recent years younger men (under 30) have begun to end declarative statements and command forms with rising inflections?
8. Shopping malls and grocery stores rarely have clocks.
Have fun!!!
Sivapratha Nagappan C.
Can anyone please...
Type up the 8 questions that we need to get our 3 implications from? I don't have the 4th edition yet. Thanks a bunch.
-Alex Iwanicki
-Alex Iwanicki
Monday, September 22, 2008
Dream impression
Hello,
I'm making my debut on this blog.
So I was reading back a bit, and Freud says on page 35 that every dream without exception goes back to an impression of the past few days, or probably within the last day. He says later in the paragraph, if a connection is found in the dream content with any impression of the previous day (Why did he say "if"? Didn't he just say that they all have to be?), that impression is so trivial, insignificant, and unmemorable.
Does this mean that every dream content is connected to an unimportant, recent impression?
Jeff Joh
I'm making my debut on this blog.
So I was reading back a bit, and Freud says on page 35 that every dream without exception goes back to an impression of the past few days, or probably within the last day. He says later in the paragraph, if a connection is found in the dream content with any impression of the previous day (Why did he say "if"? Didn't he just say that they all have to be?), that impression is so trivial, insignificant, and unmemorable.
Does this mean that every dream content is connected to an unimportant, recent impression?
Jeff Joh
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Essay questions
Hey all,
As promised, here are the essay questions for the first essay, due next Tuesday, September 30. Choose one of them. The essays should be a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 5 pages long.
Good luck!
1. In his “On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense,” Nietzsche famously announces truth to be “a mobile army of metaphors, metonyms, and anthropomorphisms.” As we have seen, with this move Nietzsche doesn’t so much dispense with the idea of truth as recontextualize it, giving “truth” not an absolute, timeless essence but instead linking it to power, language, history, figure and function. Freud too invokes the figural in his analysis of dreams and their relation to our inner-most selves, as for Freud the desires that most constitute us as individuals appear to us only in the guise of metaphorical, metonymical and intermediary dream content whose link to our desires is rarely if ever explicit.
First, describe simply and in your own words what you take to be the thrust of Nietzsche’s argument. This description may (but need not necessarily) take the form of a close reading of a shorter passage in Nietzsche that encapsulates some of his more general ideas. Second, assess the degree to which you see Freud as fitting into, complicating or rejecting the Nietzschean paradigm you have identified. This assessment can proceed along any number of lines - might Freud find Nietzsche’s celebration of self-creation a bit naïve, as to Freud any conscious control we might wish to have over our own psychical constitution is illusory at best? Conversely, might Freud’s theory be relying on a scientificism that Nietzsche would find problematic? Nietzsche clearly identifies the process of metaphor-creation as one of forgetting; what role does memory play in Freud’s description of dream-work and what are its implications?
This paper should not be a simple compare and contrast, but should rather attempt to inaugurate a dialogue of sorts between the two thinkers. Your goal is to take one small line of comparison and work it through completely. Be sure to provide specific textual evidence to bolster your readings.
2. In “The Plain Sense of Things,” Wallace Stevens describes what seems to be the inability of human experience to escape from the imagining mind: “the absence of the imagination had,” he writes, “/ itself to be imagined.” The result is a world in which stable things take on new meanings and new descriptions: human artifacts remake natural landscapes, linguistic description shapes future experiences of physical objects, and poetic language can evoke realities forgotten by those living a type of death in life.
Using two or three of Stevens’ poems and either the Nietzsche or the Freud, investigate the way notions of time, change and transformation play out in Stevens’ poetics. What claims, explicitly or (perhaps more potently) implicitly, is Stevens making about the role time, change and transformation play in human linguistic description? How does he make those claims (i.e. do his poems merely describe the way of thinking you’re identifying, or do they actually perform it)? How do these ideas either square with or complicate those of either Freud or Nietzsche? Some suggestions (though you’re certainly welcome, even encouraged, to not use these and move in your own directions): If using Nietzsche, you might want to focus on the performative dimensions of Nietzsche’s text – the fable at the beginning, for example, or his use of metaphor vs. logic to make his argument. If using Freud, you might want to explore his explanation of the way solitary experiences work to seed an almost infinitely possible number of dreams. Either way, one recommendation (again, not required) would be to start with Stevens’ quote from “The Poems of our Climate” that “the imperfect is our paradise,” figuring out what you take that phrase to mean and going from there.
3. Perform a close reading of one of the poems we read for class (whether we discussed it in class or not) with an eye towards the way the poem complements, complicates, contradicts or can otherwise be read in conjunction with either the Nietzsche or the Freud. As a good close reading, your analysis of the poem should attend to one or more of the poem’s formal elements - syntax (word order), diction (choice of words), rhythm, meter, enjambment (line breaks), structure, punctuation, among others - and should show how the elements you’ve selected help us understand both what the poem is trying to say and how your reading links up with either the Nietzsche or the Freud.
As promised, here are the essay questions for the first essay, due next Tuesday, September 30. Choose one of them. The essays should be a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 5 pages long.
Good luck!
1. In his “On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense,” Nietzsche famously announces truth to be “a mobile army of metaphors, metonyms, and anthropomorphisms.” As we have seen, with this move Nietzsche doesn’t so much dispense with the idea of truth as recontextualize it, giving “truth” not an absolute, timeless essence but instead linking it to power, language, history, figure and function. Freud too invokes the figural in his analysis of dreams and their relation to our inner-most selves, as for Freud the desires that most constitute us as individuals appear to us only in the guise of metaphorical, metonymical and intermediary dream content whose link to our desires is rarely if ever explicit.
First, describe simply and in your own words what you take to be the thrust of Nietzsche’s argument. This description may (but need not necessarily) take the form of a close reading of a shorter passage in Nietzsche that encapsulates some of his more general ideas. Second, assess the degree to which you see Freud as fitting into, complicating or rejecting the Nietzschean paradigm you have identified. This assessment can proceed along any number of lines - might Freud find Nietzsche’s celebration of self-creation a bit naïve, as to Freud any conscious control we might wish to have over our own psychical constitution is illusory at best? Conversely, might Freud’s theory be relying on a scientificism that Nietzsche would find problematic? Nietzsche clearly identifies the process of metaphor-creation as one of forgetting; what role does memory play in Freud’s description of dream-work and what are its implications?
This paper should not be a simple compare and contrast, but should rather attempt to inaugurate a dialogue of sorts between the two thinkers. Your goal is to take one small line of comparison and work it through completely. Be sure to provide specific textual evidence to bolster your readings.
2. In “The Plain Sense of Things,” Wallace Stevens describes what seems to be the inability of human experience to escape from the imagining mind: “the absence of the imagination had,” he writes, “/ itself to be imagined.” The result is a world in which stable things take on new meanings and new descriptions: human artifacts remake natural landscapes, linguistic description shapes future experiences of physical objects, and poetic language can evoke realities forgotten by those living a type of death in life.
Using two or three of Stevens’ poems and either the Nietzsche or the Freud, investigate the way notions of time, change and transformation play out in Stevens’ poetics. What claims, explicitly or (perhaps more potently) implicitly, is Stevens making about the role time, change and transformation play in human linguistic description? How does he make those claims (i.e. do his poems merely describe the way of thinking you’re identifying, or do they actually perform it)? How do these ideas either square with or complicate those of either Freud or Nietzsche? Some suggestions (though you’re certainly welcome, even encouraged, to not use these and move in your own directions): If using Nietzsche, you might want to focus on the performative dimensions of Nietzsche’s text – the fable at the beginning, for example, or his use of metaphor vs. logic to make his argument. If using Freud, you might want to explore his explanation of the way solitary experiences work to seed an almost infinitely possible number of dreams. Either way, one recommendation (again, not required) would be to start with Stevens’ quote from “The Poems of our Climate” that “the imperfect is our paradise,” figuring out what you take that phrase to mean and going from there.
3. Perform a close reading of one of the poems we read for class (whether we discussed it in class or not) with an eye towards the way the poem complements, complicates, contradicts or can otherwise be read in conjunction with either the Nietzsche or the Freud. As a good close reading, your analysis of the poem should attend to one or more of the poem’s formal elements - syntax (word order), diction (choice of words), rhythm, meter, enjambment (line breaks), structure, punctuation, among others - and should show how the elements you’ve selected help us understand both what the poem is trying to say and how your reading links up with either the Nietzsche or the Freud.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Poems for Tuesday
Hey all,
Here's a link to a page with the poems (all by Wallace Stevens) that we'll be discussing next Tuesday (the 23rd). Print them out and mark them up! I should hopefully have the essay questions up here by the end of the weekend.
Stevens Poems
Have a good weekend!
Here's a link to a page with the poems (all by Wallace Stevens) that we'll be discussing next Tuesday (the 23rd). Print them out and mark them up! I should hopefully have the essay questions up here by the end of the weekend.
Stevens Poems
Have a good weekend!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Hitherto
Since Ben talked about looking up definitions to unfamiliar words, I thought I'd post the definition of "hitherto." It is an adverb that means "until this time" or "up to now."
Examples from Freud's On Dreams:
"...logical links which have hitherto held physical material together..." (p41)
"Hitherto philosophers have had no occasion to concern themselves..." (p62)
"...make a first approach to this hitherto unknown topic..." (p62)
See, Ben and Claudia? We do look up words! Haha
See you guys tomorrow!
Examples from Freud's On Dreams:
"...logical links which have hitherto held physical material together..." (p41)
"Hitherto philosophers have had no occasion to concern themselves..." (p62)
"...make a first approach to this hitherto unknown topic..." (p62)
See, Ben and Claudia? We do look up words! Haha
See you guys tomorrow!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
On Dreams
So I haven't finished the reading that was assigned for Tuesday, but I'm a little confused on one sentence. "We may put it in this way: in the course of the dream work the psychical intensity passes over from the thoughts and ideas to which it properly belongs on to others which in out judgment have no claim to any such emphasis." page 34 at the top.
Freud goes on to say dream displacement is what causes us to not fully understand dreams. Seems to me like he is saying dream displacement is essentially the symbolism in dreams. Something like substituting what we see in a dream for a possibly hidden meaning?
I'm not sure if I'm totally right on this, and still not really sure exactly what he means by that sentence, but he goes on to say that it is what makes dreams hard to figure out, so it seems important.
-Kyle Meshna
Freud goes on to say dream displacement is what causes us to not fully understand dreams. Seems to me like he is saying dream displacement is essentially the symbolism in dreams. Something like substituting what we see in a dream for a possibly hidden meaning?
I'm not sure if I'm totally right on this, and still not really sure exactly what he means by that sentence, but he goes on to say that it is what makes dreams hard to figure out, so it seems important.
-Kyle Meshna
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Anyone want to make some money?
Hey everyone,
I was recently notified that the Disabled Students' Program is looking for someone to take notes in our class. Here's their official announcement:
"The Disabled Students' Program (DSP) is looking for a note-taker! If you take clear, well-organized notes, this is a good opportunity for you to assist a fellow student and receive pay. Please come to the Disabled Students' Program Office and fill out an application. We are located in 260 Cesar Chavez right beside The Golden Bear Cafe. The application is also available online at dsp.berkeley.edu on the 'Note Takers Needed This Semester' link. If you have any questions, please send an email to dspnotes@berkeley.edu."
Might be a nice way for someone to make some extra cash, since you'll presumably be taking notes anyway. If interested, contact them.
-Ben
I was recently notified that the Disabled Students' Program is looking for someone to take notes in our class. Here's their official announcement:
"The Disabled Students' Program (DSP) is looking for a note-taker! If you take clear, well-organized notes, this is a good opportunity for you to assist a fellow student and receive pay. Please come to the Disabled Students' Program Office and fill out an application. We are located in 260 Cesar Chavez right beside The Golden Bear Cafe. The application is also available online at dsp.berkeley.edu on the 'Note Takers Needed This Semester' link. If you have any questions, please send an email to dspnotes@berkeley.edu."
Might be a nice way for someone to make some extra cash, since you'll presumably be taking notes anyway. If interested, contact them.
-Ben
Style 9th Edition - Exercise 3.6
Late night procrastinating. I hope Claudia and Ben are sleeping :)
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, war became inevitable.
2. The president’s aides attempted to immunize him from Congress’ subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. How you analyzed my report omits any data that supported how you criticized what I found.
5. The health care industry is unable to exert control on the costs, which could lead to the public deciding that Congress needs to act.
6. The pope appealed to the world’s rich nations for assistance to those facing the threat of starving in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why voters participated more in this year’s elections.
8. The class agreed that the reading list was based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. The business sector did not independently study the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10. The fraternities recognized an understanding as to the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether the North Koreans intend to cease their missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team’s physical condition.
13. If the data contradicts, you are required to explain why.
14. While the Dean rejecting our proposal was disappointing, it was not surprising because it was expected that this had been decided.
15. They performed the play enthusiastically, but they did not stage it intelligently.
ALICE CHUNG
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, war became inevitable.
2. The president’s aides attempted to immunize him from Congress’ subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. How you analyzed my report omits any data that supported how you criticized what I found.
5. The health care industry is unable to exert control on the costs, which could lead to the public deciding that Congress needs to act.
6. The pope appealed to the world’s rich nations for assistance to those facing the threat of starving in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why voters participated more in this year’s elections.
8. The class agreed that the reading list was based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. The business sector did not independently study the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10. The fraternities recognized an understanding as to the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether the North Koreans intend to cease their missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team’s physical condition.
13. If the data contradicts, you are required to explain why.
14. While the Dean rejecting our proposal was disappointing, it was not surprising because it was expected that this had been decided.
15. They performed the play enthusiastically, but they did not stage it intelligently.
ALICE CHUNG
Exercise 3.6
Exercise 3.6
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but after the South attacked Fort Sumter, war was inevitable.
2. The president’s aides attempted to assert that he was immune from Congress’s subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. You analyzed my report, but did not support the work you criticized with any data.
5. The public could decide that Congress needs to act because the health care industry is unable to control costs.
6. The pope appealed to the world’s rich nations to assist those facing Africa’s starvation threat.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain the increase in voters that participated in this year’s elections.
8. The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study why the trade surplus suddenly increased.
10. Fraternities understood the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain if North Korea intends to cease missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team physically conditioning.
13. You must explain any data that contradicts itself.
14. When the Dean rejected our proposal we were disappointed, but not surprised because we expected what he decided.
15. They performed the play enthusiastically, but did not stage it intelligently.
Elizabeth Bojorquez
Some thoughts on Nietzsche and Looking Forward to Freud
I know we are pretty much done with the Nietzsche, but I just wanted to share some final thoughts on it.
Nietzsche says "every concept originates through our equating what is unequal." For me, the small differences between each and every single "leaf" are present, but unimportant as it pertains to how we use them. Eskimos have however many different words for snow because these differences are essential to how the Eskimos use the snow. The differences among these "leaves" or any other objects which we have forgotten the individual differences of are not integral to the functioning of our society. We categorize these individual experiences into more general concepts (language) which allow us to identify and convey to others our needs. We do not need to distinguish among all these individual differences because our generalizations allow us to function in our society.
Maybe not thoughts. Just a thought.=)
One thing that immediately jumped out to me in the Freud reading occurs on page 30 in the last paragraph. "There is no need for me to quote any instances." I was taken aback when I read this and it prompted me to ask why Freud had done this. Was the previous statement so obvious that examples were unnecessary? Did the premises of his argument lead to this conclusion? Or had Freud simply become overly confident in his idea?
Until tommorow.
Nietzsche says "every concept originates through our equating what is unequal." For me, the small differences between each and every single "leaf" are present, but unimportant as it pertains to how we use them. Eskimos have however many different words for snow because these differences are essential to how the Eskimos use the snow. The differences among these "leaves" or any other objects which we have forgotten the individual differences of are not integral to the functioning of our society. We categorize these individual experiences into more general concepts (language) which allow us to identify and convey to others our needs. We do not need to distinguish among all these individual differences because our generalizations allow us to function in our society.
Maybe not thoughts. Just a thought.=)
One thing that immediately jumped out to me in the Freud reading occurs on page 30 in the last paragraph. "There is no need for me to quote any instances." I was taken aback when I read this and it prompted me to ask why Freud had done this. Was the previous statement so obvious that examples were unnecessary? Did the premises of his argument lead to this conclusion? Or had Freud simply become overly confident in his idea?
Until tommorow.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Exercise 3.6
Since the assignment is due Thursday morning, what better time to submit it than Wednesday night? A few of them gave me a bit of trouble so forgive me in advance for mistakes.
1) Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, war became inevitable.
2) The president's aides attempted to assert him the congressional subpoena's immunizing.
3) Business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4) The way you analyzed my report omits any data supporting the way you criticized what I found.
5) The public may decide that Congress needs to act because the health care industry cannot control costs.
6) The pope appealed to make the world's rich nations assist those facing the threat of Africa's residents starving.
7) Several candidates attempted to explain the increase of voters participating in this year's election.
8) The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain sections.
9) The business-sector did not study independently the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10) Fraternities understood the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11) The CIA is uncertain if North Korea intends to cease testing missiles.
12) The coaching staff responsibilizes the team to physically condition.
13) If data contradict each other, you must explain why.
14) The Dean rejecting our proposal disappointed us but did not surprise us because we expected it was what he had decided.
15) They performed the play enthusiastically, but did not stage it intelligently.
1) Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, war became inevitable.
2) The president's aides attempted to assert him the congressional subpoena's immunizing.
3) Business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4) The way you analyzed my report omits any data supporting the way you criticized what I found.
5) The public may decide that Congress needs to act because the health care industry cannot control costs.
6) The pope appealed to make the world's rich nations assist those facing the threat of Africa's residents starving.
7) Several candidates attempted to explain the increase of voters participating in this year's election.
8) The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain sections.
9) The business-sector did not study independently the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10) Fraternities understood the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11) The CIA is uncertain if North Korea intends to cease testing missiles.
12) The coaching staff responsibilizes the team to physically condition.
13) If data contradict each other, you must explain why.
14) The Dean rejecting our proposal disappointed us but did not surprise us because we expected it was what he had decided.
15) They performed the play enthusiastically, but did not stage it intelligently.
Exercise 3.6
Hey, I definitely know it isn't perfect. So feel free to correct me any time. See you guys tomorrow~
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, the war became inevitable.
2. Congress subpoenaed the President, but the president's aides attempted to assert that he ought to be immune.
3. The business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. In analyzing what I had found out, you criticized me but did not support your argument with any data.
5. If the health care industry is unable to control the cost, the public may decide that Congress needs to act.
6. The Pope appealed to the world's rich nations to assist those facing the threat of starvation in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters participated in this year's election.
8. The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10. Fraternities recognized the need to control drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease its missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team's physical condition.
13. You need to explain why the data contradict themselves.
14. Although we were disappointed that the Dean rejected our proposal, we were not surprised because we expected him to decide against it.
15. The actors performed the play enthusiastically, but it was not staged intelligently.
Hee Kyun Chung
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, the war became inevitable.
2. Congress subpoenaed the President, but the president's aides attempted to assert that he ought to be immune.
3. The business executives predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. In analyzing what I had found out, you criticized me but did not support your argument with any data.
5. If the health care industry is unable to control the cost, the public may decide that Congress needs to act.
6. The Pope appealed to the world's rich nations to assist those facing the threat of starvation in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters participated in this year's election.
8. The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests on only certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10. Fraternities recognized the need to control drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease its missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team's physical condition.
13. You need to explain why the data contradict themselves.
14. Although we were disappointed that the Dean rejected our proposal, we were not surprised because we expected him to decide against it.
15. The actors performed the play enthusiastically, but it was not staged intelligently.
Hee Kyun Chung
On Dreams
I began reading Freud today, and realized that the syllabus said pages 5-32. I'm assuming these are the pages of the first few chapters of the book, but my pages start on 1. Basically my question is, which chapters are we supposed to read?
Kyle Meshna
Kyle Meshna
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Exercise 3.6
Well, here it is. I hope I did this right. Don't yell at me too much if it's not done right. Ha
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, war became inevitable.
2. The president’s aides attempted to immunize the president from Congress’ subpoena.
3. The business executives’ predicted that the economy would quickly revive.
4. When you analyze my report, any data supporting you criticizes what I have found.
5. The health care industry, unable to control the cost, could lead the public to decide that Congress must act.
6. The pope appealed to the world’s rich nations to assist those threatened in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters voted in this year’s election.
8. The class agreed on the reading list, assuming tests would be only on certain sections.
9. The business sector did not independently study why the trade surplus suddenly increased.
10. Fraternities understand the need to control drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible of the team’s physical condition.
13. If the data contradict each other, you must explain why.
14. When the Dean rejected our proposal, we were disappointed but not surprised because we expected that this had been decided.
15. They performed the play enthusiastically, but did not stage it intelligently.
Answers to Stylebook Exercise 3.6 -- Alisha Ansari
Hey guys. These are my answers to the homework. Please feel free to correct anything that's wrong with it...
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, war became inevitable.
2. The president's aides attempted to make him immune from Congress's subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted that the economy would revive quickly.
4. You analyzed my report, but you omitted any data supporting what you criticized of what I found.
5. The health care industry is unable to control costs, so the public may decide that Congress needs to act.
6. The Pope appealed to the world's rich nations to assist those facing the threat of starvation in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters voted this election.
8. The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests only on certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10. Fraternities recognized an understanding as to the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease its missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team's physical condition.
13. Since the data contradicts itself, you need to explain it.
14. Although we were disappointed that the Dean rejected our proposal, we were not surprised because we had expected that he had already decided against it.
15. They performed the play enthusiastically but it was not staged intelligently.
-- alishansari
1. Lincoln hoped to preserve the Union without war, but when the South attacked Fort Sumter, war became inevitable.
2. The president's aides attempted to make him immune from Congress's subpoena.
3. Business executives predicted that the economy would revive quickly.
4. You analyzed my report, but you omitted any data supporting what you criticized of what I found.
5. The health care industry is unable to control costs, so the public may decide that Congress needs to act.
6. The Pope appealed to the world's rich nations to assist those facing the threat of starvation in Africa.
7. Several candidates attempted to explain why more voters voted this election.
8. The class agreed on the reading list based on the assumption that there would be tests only on certain selections.
9. The business-sector did not independently study the cause of the sudden increase in the trade surplus.
10. Fraternities recognized an understanding as to the need for controls over drinking on campus.
11. The CIA is uncertain whether North Korea intends to cease its missile testing.
12. The coaching staff is responsible for the team's physical condition.
13. Since the data contradicts itself, you need to explain it.
14. Although we were disappointed that the Dean rejected our proposal, we were not surprised because we had expected that he had already decided against it.
15. They performed the play enthusiastically but it was not staged intelligently.
-- alishansari
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