I was originally going to write this blog about my personal struggle with the issue of reason v. emotion (which has shattered many close personal relationships during my life) and how today's lesson corroborates my position, but my family seems to think that that wouldn't be the most interesting thing ever, so instead I shall provide a description of the day's events.
After spending nearly 4 hours in a dreadfully hot and muggy classroom, we ventured out to visit the Acropolis of Rhodes. The view isn't nearly as delicious as that of the Athenian Acropolis, nor are the ruins as exciting, but it did provide opportunity for some decent pictures.
This was immediately followed up by a fantastic sunset over the Mediterranean, and a photobomb that I'm rather disappointed to say has not yet appeared online.
Walking back to the hotel, I made a new best friend in a precious beagle-something hybrid that followed at my heel. We wrestled a bit, and he would run up to my extended palm when I was walking. Easy training, clearly not always stray. He ran in front of me as I turned a corner, continuing down the street off of which I had just turned. I looked around just in time to see him silhouetted in the distance staring at us as we left. It was very slightly tragic.
...Descriptive narrative really just doesn't excite the mind. I can write words about activities, but lacking any particularly apt anecdote for the day, there's no context. When the most I have to say about the day is regarding a jovial stray dog..... I shall refrain from further explanation.
Body and Soul is the title of this entry. It reminds me of an advertisement here at which I've gawked every time I walk past it:
This isn't the argument I'm trying to make....but it's kind of the argument I'm trying to make (The ad above this one reads, "Smart Critiques, Stupid Creates," so although I completely disagree with that statement, it's evident that the use of the word "stupid" here is not meant to be derogatory). I have absolutely no idea how this slogan is relevant to a clothing boutique, nor why kissing out of a bus would indicate that these models are anything but stupid, but perhaps that is the point. I have come to believe that they are advocating stupidity, considering the cliched idea of "listening to one's heart" (like...with a stethoscope?).
Tangent aside, if we equate this advertisement to the lesson of reason v. emotion, or body & soul, we have Smart v. Stupid, where
Smart = Reason/Body
Stupid = Emotion/Soul
I'll get back to this in a minute, so keep it in mind.
Mortality is not an issue for me -- I'm not so attached to this existence that I'd fear death -- but I know that there will come a time when I am physically unable to play the piano, for example. That mental image is more upsetting than the idea of no longer being.
At first glance, it may appear as though Smart trumps Stupid by default. But there's clearly a benefit to the idea of Stupid = Emotion/Soul. Our peripherals have changed -- I'm currently writing this on a computer courtesy of Reason -- but our emotions, and the manner by which we emote has not changed. Shakespearean love sonnets resonate today as they did back in his time. This echoes in the idea of the soul, which emerges as an immortal projection of humanity's physical inadequacies. It is unchanging and everlasting, likely similar to humanity's emotions, but on a much larger scale.
I was trying to argue for Stupid, but instead I found that Smart triumphs for the same reason (hah). Throughout history, the critical reasoning faculties of humanity has been largely what set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. Similar to our emotions, our reasoning process has not advanced in any great way -- but the products of our reasoning have advanced us in a great many ways. Though the body breaks down, Reason continues to push us through.
Reason has yet to produce an infinite battery, however, so I am forced to cut this thought short, with the hope of finishing in either a subsequent post or in the final paper for this class.
After spending nearly 4 hours in a dreadfully hot and muggy classroom, we ventured out to visit the Acropolis of Rhodes. The view isn't nearly as delicious as that of the Athenian Acropolis, nor are the ruins as exciting, but it did provide opportunity for some decent pictures.This was immediately followed up by a fantastic sunset over the Mediterranean, and a photobomb that I'm rather disappointed to say has not yet appeared online.
Walking back to the hotel, I made a new best friend in a precious beagle-something hybrid that followed at my heel. We wrestled a bit, and he would run up to my extended palm when I was walking. Easy training, clearly not always stray. He ran in front of me as I turned a corner, continuing down the street off of which I had just turned. I looked around just in time to see him silhouetted in the distance staring at us as we left. It was very slightly tragic.
...Descriptive narrative really just doesn't excite the mind. I can write words about activities, but lacking any particularly apt anecdote for the day, there's no context. When the most I have to say about the day is regarding a jovial stray dog..... I shall refrain from further explanation.
Body and Soul is the title of this entry. It reminds me of an advertisement here at which I've gawked every time I walk past it:
This isn't the argument I'm trying to make....but it's kind of the argument I'm trying to make (The ad above this one reads, "Smart Critiques, Stupid Creates," so although I completely disagree with that statement, it's evident that the use of the word "stupid" here is not meant to be derogatory). I have absolutely no idea how this slogan is relevant to a clothing boutique, nor why kissing out of a bus would indicate that these models are anything but stupid, but perhaps that is the point. I have come to believe that they are advocating stupidity, considering the cliched idea of "listening to one's heart" (like...with a stethoscope?).
Tangent aside, if we equate this advertisement to the lesson of reason v. emotion, or body & soul, we have Smart v. Stupid, where
Smart = Reason/Body
Stupid = Emotion/Soul
I'll get back to this in a minute, so keep it in mind.
Body
Every day I've been here, I'm reminded of how thankful I am for my body. As senescence begins to set in, I appreciate my youthful knees and tolerable depth perception that allows me to nimbly ascend mountains and ruins. These are blessings that will fade in time.Mortality is not an issue for me -- I'm not so attached to this existence that I'd fear death -- but I know that there will come a time when I am physically unable to play the piano, for example. That mental image is more upsetting than the idea of no longer being.
Soul
I typically interpret "soul" as "consciousness." If nothing else, consciousness would be the effect that the soul has on the body. I can get behind the idea that the soul is piece of an infinite energy source in the universe, but when people describe it as the typical white ghost that floats up from one's body after death, maintaining the body's physical shape and characteristics, or that one is still one's same person in Heaven (but with wings and a harp), it gets a wee bit too....human(?) for me.At first glance, it may appear as though Smart trumps Stupid by default. But there's clearly a benefit to the idea of Stupid = Emotion/Soul. Our peripherals have changed -- I'm currently writing this on a computer courtesy of Reason -- but our emotions, and the manner by which we emote has not changed. Shakespearean love sonnets resonate today as they did back in his time. This echoes in the idea of the soul, which emerges as an immortal projection of humanity's physical inadequacies. It is unchanging and everlasting, likely similar to humanity's emotions, but on a much larger scale.
I was trying to argue for Stupid, but instead I found that Smart triumphs for the same reason (hah). Throughout history, the critical reasoning faculties of humanity has been largely what set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. Similar to our emotions, our reasoning process has not advanced in any great way -- but the products of our reasoning have advanced us in a great many ways. Though the body breaks down, Reason continues to push us through.
Reason has yet to produce an infinite battery, however, so I am forced to cut this thought short, with the hope of finishing in either a subsequent post or in the final paper for this class.
comments:
Kyle, you write beautifully and with a very strong voice. I always enjoy your blogs.
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