Through the lens post

The Desire to Learn

In The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, by Frederick Douglass, Douglass is a slave who yearns to learn how to read and obtain knowledge. However his first owner, Mr. Auld, stated, “If you teach that nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master” (29). His emphasis on preventing Douglass from learning motivated Douglass to read even more. This mere drive and motivation led to his ultimate success, where he eventually escaped slavery.

The quote Mr. Auld stated relates to Black Shack Alley by Joseph Zobel. Although Jose wasn’t a slave like Douglass, he was a minority as well, under the oppression of white owners. Under the insistence of his grandmother, he goes to school to obtain an education. His grandma did this in order to prevent him from working on the fields as well, like the other young children.  Jose went to school and avoided working at the sugar cane fields, where he even achieved a scholarship because of his outstanding essay. Jose also stated this quote I found very meaningful: “Wasn’t the very act of reading a pleasure more substantial than that of playing or eating, for instance, even when one was starved?” (115). This shows just how important school is and how it can potentially lead to a positive road ahead of you. Both Douglass and Jose have their achievements due to them having an education and their desire to learn.

Through the lens post, Weekly Post-Check-In #3

Good sense

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Rene Descartes states that ” Good sense is, of all things among men, the most equally distributed; for every one thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that those even who are the most difficult to satisfy in everything else, do not usually desire a larger measure of this quality than they already possess. And in this it is not likely that all are mistaken; the conviction is rather to be held as testifying that the power of judging aright and of distinguishing truth from error, which is properly what is called good sense or reason, is by nature equal in all men; and that the diversity of our opinions, consequently, does not arise from some being endowed with a larger share of reason than others, but solely from this, that we conduct our thoughts along different ways, and do not fix our attention on the same objects”. The main argument there from Rene Descartes text is that good sense is equal amounts all men and so is the ability to judge and the difference in opinion, thoughts and ideas is what makes one persons perception of good sense different from another person. The differences in what we fix our attention to can be different due to of many reasons geography, religion, time and that ties in with the autobiography of Frederick Douglass because reading it, it is easy to say that the injustices committed at the time were inhumane and unjust and I feel that his story supports the idea that our different paths justify out actions and determine what our good sense are. Despite how unfair and unjust the acts were committed to the slaves, the slave masters and plantation owners felt justified in these acts and whether they thought it was a bad idea, that is unlikely because they continued there practices even after all the devastation they committed. The idea that good sense is things among all men may be true, but in what context there applying that idea of good sense too and the morality of the person or the act can make this a more complicated point.

 

Announcements

Difference between a Textual Analysis Thesis and a Position Thesis

It’s important for you to understand the difference between the kind of thesis you should work on in your paper and the kind of argument you will put forth in your project.

The main difference between the paper thesis and the project manifesto thesis is a matter of scope!

Your paper is essentially a close reading paper or a textual analysis paper.  Yes, it will reflect some of your thoughts and ideas about education and the materials we read especially since you will be putting a theory text in conversation with a literary one.  However ultimately you r “it” for this paper will be some part of one of the texts we have read.  Your claim will be about how we might understand that “it” once you put it into comparison with another texts, and the stakes of your paper will be about how this new way of reading/thinking about the “it” helps us understand what this text is doing as a whole  (i.e. what is it saying about x, y, or z relevant theme).

Your paper is all about how you see the text working!

Your Education manifesto on the other hand is a larger claim.  Your “it” here is your idea about schooling or education.  You will use examples from the theory and the literary texts to help your point, but you will also use examples from other places in history and contemporary life.   Your goal in this paper is to make a theory or a philosophy.  So you are really trying to make logical sense.  You’re not trying to prove that one text is right or that all people do X thing, but you are trying to make a claim about your ideas on education and schooling and back them up with strong reasoning, which your project will then try to put into action.

Your manifesto is all about your well reasoned philosophy!

Close Reading Post, Uncategorized, Weekly Post-Check-In #3

FREDERICK’S FREEDOM VS. KANT’S ENLIGHTENMENT

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Immanuel Kant defied “enlightenment is the human being’s emergence from his self-incurred minority”(Kant, p1), which he thinks that minority is the ability to understand something on their own, without anyone’s direction. However Kant stated that people  become lazy, when they found someone who can guide them, teach them and do everything for them, people are comfortable to be a minor, therefor it is difficult for any single individual  to enlighten  themselves because they have never allowed to do so. Kant also believes freedom is importantly related with enlightenment, he stated ” For this enlightenment, however, nothing is required but freedom”(Kant,p5). Kant thinks the society limited the way of how people thinking, and doing things. He gave out examples of tax office, officer and the clergyman, they were all regulate people in the way of how they will like things to be done, “there are restrictions of freedom everywhere” Kant said. Therefore it is even more difficult for people to think freely and not to follow others direction .

In Frederick Douglass’s narrative of his slavery life, Kant’s idea of how enlightenment related with freedom can also be seen. Frederick was a slave, enlightenment  at that time is way far for people to think, when they don’t even know their own birthday, can’t even write their own name. But Frederick learned how to read and write, his education encouraged him to escape from the slaver, pursue his own freedom.

Kant believes the freedom is the key of enlightenment , but for Frederick, without knowledge , without enlighten himself, he will never achieved  his freedom.

Peer Response Post, Weekly Post-Check-In #3

Descartes and Franklin

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This is a response to Barry’s post “Descartes ≠ Franklin”.

I understand the difference between Descartes and Franklin as you explained. Another way that they differs from each other is that Descartes only wants to discuss his method; he is not telling us to imitate him. In Discourse on the Method, Descartes describes “although my own satisfaction with my work has led me to present here a draft of it, I do not by any means therefore recommend to every one else to make a similar attempt” (pt.2, par.3). According to Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin urges people to follow his method. He says “I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit” (ch. 9, par. 17). He believes that his method can be “fully persuaded of the utility and excellency” (ch.9, par.18) and that “each person to be initiated should not only declare his assent to such creed, but should have exercised himself with the thirteen weeks’ examination and practice of the virtues, as in the beforemention’d model” (ch.9, par. 44).

I also notice that they have similar ideas. Franklin thinks “I judg’d it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time” (ch.9, par.4). This is similar to the third law Descartes formulates. Descartes says “The third, to conduct my thought in such order that, by commencing with objects the simplest and easiest to know, I might ascend by little and little, and, as it were, step by step, to the knowledge of the more complex” (pt.2, par.9). They both believe that a subject should be approached slowly starting with simple analysis towards more complex propositions.
Descartes says “imitating in this the example of travellers who, when they have lost their way in a forest, ought not to wander from side to side … they will come at least in the end to some place that will probably be preferable to the middle of a forest” (pt 3, par.3). He suggests that wrong decision is better than indecision. A person will not regret if he had tried. In the case of Franklin, he feels good about himself by attempting to perfect all thirteen virtues even though he fails.

Furthermore, Descartes says “of those who, possessed of sufficient sense or modesty to determine that there are others who excel them in the power of discriminating between truth and error, and by whom they may be instructed, ought rather to content themselves with the opinions of such than trust for more correct to their own reason” (pt.2, par. 4). They have the same opinion about modesty.

Free post

Impossibility of Ever Reaching Moral Perfection

In his attempt to try to achieve moral perfection, Benjamin Franklin was able to pinpoint some of the many virtues needed to achieve the ability of  living “life without committing any fault at any time;” However, one of the virtues suggested by Franklin are only possible to some and not something that should be held as a stepping stone for moral perfection

In the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin he suggests that “order” is essential to meeting higher virtues. He defines order as having all things have their place in the day, with everything in your business having its own time. However, this is not always possible and may sometimes interfere with other important goals one may have.

This is the main focus of analysis of this post. Franklin acknowledges that this is one of the harder tasks to accomplish from the 13 when he writes: “My scheme of ORDER gave me the most trouble.” He goes on to acknowledge that for some professions like a journeyman printer this virtue would be nearly impossible to achieve. But I want to focus on another aspect that makes ORDER so hard. To have order one must have his time planned out and organized, without making any alterations to what was set. But when we talk about the artist or the thinker, he or she does not control when to be inspired or how long it will take to accomplish their masterpiece or theory. In today’s world, this virtue may be possible for those who have a 9-5 job today but what about those who don’t go by a certain schedule everyday? Sometimes you may find yourself in situations where one task is more important then another and requires more of your time.  Placing constraints and specific times for specific activities limits the possibilities and the creativity one is able to achieve when they are able to think and do at erratic moments.

Introduction Exercise #1

Introduction Exercise

Frederick Douglass has spent his entire life of misery in search for one thing, happiness, or enlightenment. Douglass knew that reaching enlightenment was not an easy task for colored people like him in the mid 1800s, but that did not discourage him. Douglass’s realizations for how to reach enlightenment were in correlation to Immanuel Kant’s philosophies on enlightenment. Kant once advised those seeking enlightenment to, “have courage to make use of yourown understanding! is thus the motto of enlightenment”(Kant 1). What he is saying is that in order to reach enlightenment, one much think for themselves and find their own way to enlightenment, without being influenced by traditional societal perceptions. Douglass followed this motto and took the initiative to learn how to read and write in order to become educated. After becoming educated, a train that was not very common amongst colored people in the mid 1800s, Douglass soon realized what his own self-worth was. He then realized that his life, as well as the lives of all the other colored people, was not to be subjective to other people. Thus began his journey in spreading the message and helping lead other people into enlightenment, by educating people and teaching them how to think for themselve

Introduction Exercise #1, Uncategorized

The Journey to Freedom

Frederick Douglass has spent his entire life of misery in search for one thing, happiness, or enlightenment. Douglass knew that reaching enlightenment was not an easy task for colored people like him in the mid 1800s, but that did not discourage him. Douglass’s realizations for how to reach enlightenment were in correlation to Immanuel Kant’s philosophies on enlightenment. Kant once advised those seeking enlightenment to, “have courage to make use of yourown understanding! is thus the motto of enlightenment”(Kant 1). What he is saying is that in order to reach enlightenment, one much think for themselves and find their own way to enlightenment, without being influenced by traditional societal perceptions. Douglass followed this motto and took the initiative to learn how to read and write in order to become educated. After becoming educated, a train that was not very common amongst colored people in the mid 1800s, Douglass soon realized what his own self-worth was. He then realized that his life, as well as the lives of all the other colored people, was not to be subjective to other people. Thus began his journey in spreading the message and helping lead other people into enlightenment, by educating people and teaching them how to think for themselve

Introduction Exercise #1

Frederick Douglass’s Road to Enlightenment

Frederick Douglass has spent his entire life of misery in search for one thing, happiness, or enlightenment. Douglass knew that reaching enlightenment was not an easy task for colored people like him in the mid 1800s, but that did not discourage him. Douglass’s realizations for how to reach enlightenment were in correlation to Immanuel Kant’s philosophies on enlightenment. Kant once advised those seeking enlightenment to, “have courage to make use of your own understanding! is thus the motto of enlightenment”(Kant 1). What he is saying is that in order to reach enlightenment, one much think for themselves and find their own way to enlightenment, without being influenced by traditional societal perceptions. Douglass followed this motto and took the initiative to learn how to read and write in order to become educated. After becoming educated, a train that was not very common amongst colored people in the mid 1800s, Douglass soon realized what his own self-worth was. He then realized that his life, as well as the lives of all the other colored people, was not to be subjective to other people. Thus began his journey in spreading the message and helping lead other people into enlightenment, by educating people and teaching them how to think for themselves.

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