A Phillosophy Assignment

[tpdncr4christ]

So my first writing assignment in philosophy is to write down a short paragraph explaining the nature of philosophy. I've written what's below but I don't know if an ardent philosophy professor will be offended by my attempt at humor. What do you guys think?

The nature of philosophy is similar to that of a small dog, for as much as a dog chases his tail, a philosopher will continue to chase after answers with such vitality and fury developing argument after counter-argument, until the list of fallacy’s and illogical reasoning’s becomes so long that it would take a life time to read through. The philosopher delves into regions of thought that most would fear, for he reaches for the unreachable, grasping for his tail, a goal so far away, and yet, once discovered and explained, he realizes that is there all the time. The role of the philosopher is not to simply ask the unanswerable questions, but to question the unquestionable answers; which, to a non-philosophical person, seems as silly and redundant as a dog chasing its tail.

[Zerbie]

So my first writing assignment in philosophy is to write down a short paragraph explaining the nature of philosophy. I've written what's below but I don't know if an ardent philosophy professor will be offended by my attempt at humor. What do you guys think?

I liked your last line - that concluding statement is the first time it was clear to me that you were deliberately being humorous. Maybe you can be clearer earlier on? Otherwise I think it does give the impression right away of an attitude that philosophy is somehow a waste of time.

Watch the typos. Fallacies and reasonings are plural, not possessive.

[tpdncr4christ]

Zerbie I love you! I've read through it several times and I never noticed the fallacies bit...

How could I make it clear that I'm being humorous up front? I really can't think of anyway to make it funny in the beginning...

[Zerbie]

Zerbie I love you! I've read through it several times and I never noticed the fallacies bit...

:p It's always easier to edit someone else's stuff than our own.


How could I make it clear that I'm being humorous up front? I really can't think of anyway to make it funny in the beginning...

I dunno - you're the one who wrote it! :lol:

Let's see how it strikes the other members - maybe they will have a different opinion.

[BrianB]

So my first writing assignment in philosophy is to write down a short paragraph explaining the nature of philosophy. I've written what's below but I don't know if an ardent philosophy professor will be offended by my attempt at humor. What do you guys think?

I like the humor. It's something different.
The problem I see is that your first sentence is spliced together with commas. The first phrase is a complete sentence. "The nature of philosophy is similar to that of a small dog." Then you could start the next sentence, "In the same way as a dog chases his tail..."

Believe me when I say philosophy professors care about grammar. I was engaged to one. She had to give low grades to many good papers because of bad grammar.

[Gregory_de_Bois]

I see Zerbie's point, but I think that since it is a short paragraph it's okay. I loved it!

[antonyh]

You remind me of Seneca who wrote:


'Mouse is a syllable, and a mouse nibbles cheese; therefore, a syllable nibbles cheese.' Suppose for the moment I can't detect the fallacy in that. What danger am I placed in by such lack of insight? What serious consequences are there in it for me? ... What childish fatuities these are! Is this what we philosophers acquire wrinkles in our brows for? Is this what we let our beards grow long for? Is this what we teach with faces grave and pale?

Shall I tell you what philosophy holds out to humanity? Counsel. Once person is facing death, another is vexed by poverty, while another is tormented by wealth - whether his own or someone else's; one man is appalled by his misfortunes while another longs to get away from his own prosperity; one man is suffering at the hands of men, another at the hands of the gods. What's the point of concocting whimsies for me of the sort I've just been mentioning? This isn't the place for fun - you're called in to help the unhappy. You're pledged to bring succor to the shipwrecked, to those in captivity, to the sick, the needy and men who are just placing their heads beneath the executioner's uplifted axe ...

All mankind are stretching out their hands to you on every side. Lives that have been ruined, lives that are on the way to ruin are appealing for some help; it is to you that they look for hope and assistance. They are begging you to extricate and disarray the shining torch of truth...


The ancient philosophers attempted to build a philosophy that would help you live with peace of mind and happiness. Well Philosophy is not that way any more...as you've discovered :)

[tpdncr4christ]

Well its a pass/fail assignment with no real wrong answer, so I'll submit it as is and then find out what kind of prof he is. If he's cool, then maybe it won't be so bad, but if not than I'll just have to be lame all semester. :eek: :love: Thanks guys.

[drewcaine]

Very interesting...I guess it really depends on who your professor is (trust me, that has some influence on this kind of stuff, no matter where you are), eh? Besides what everyone else said, I guess it's adequate, being your first assignment and all...
At least people are reading your posts...sheesh...
drewcaine

[HarmlessEccentric]

That last sentence is kind of smartass, which means it depends a lot on your professor, and your rapport with her.