Friday, March 4th, 2016

Administrivia/Announcements
Auction at the end of period 7.

Circle: If you saw someone cheating on a major test, what would you do?

Philosophy 101
Purpose: Philosophy and religion exist for the sole purpose of giving purpose and explaining how life works. They can be very useful when things aren't going so well and can make one's life significantly better.  Personal philosophies can be by-products of where you live, "inherited" from your family or chosen by you.
Challenge Narrative: Pretend you are have just been zapped by the Men In Black stun device. The device has been set to remove all philosophical beliefs from your normally driven, purposeful brain. You no have no idea what the purpose of life is and are shopping around for a philosophy that make sense.
Challenge: You're going to be given one quotation at at time. All the quotes come from different philosophies.  For each quote, you must 1) Find out who said the quote; 2) name the philosophy it came from; 3)  explain exactly what the quote means, as simply as possible, and; 4) explain a time in your life the quote and it's underlying belief would have been useful.  If your group finishes with a quotation, you will get another.  You will be quizzed next class on the quotes' meanings.
Today, your group will be given a single quote from a philosopher.  Your job will be to 1) Find out who said the quote; 2) the name of the philosophy it came from; and, 3) exactly what the quote means, explained as simply as possible.  If your group finishes with a quotation, you will get another.
The Quotes:

• You cannot step in the same river twice.
• God is dead. 
• Death need not concern us because when we exist death does not, and when death exists we do not.
• An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.
• The struggle itself...is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy
• The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, we did it ourselves. 
• Man is the measure of all things. 
• Nothing in the world—indeed nothing even beyond the world—can possibly be conceived which could be called good without qualification except a good will.
• Man is born free and is everywhere in chains. 
• The unexamined life is not worth living. 
• I think therefore I am. 
• Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily. 
• Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
• To lead the people, walk behind them. 

Reading

Figure your theme:

beauty
coming of age
corruption
courage
effects of the past
faith
fall from grace
family
fate
fear
fear of failure
freedom
friendship
greed
hate

perseverance
Power of the mind vs others
authority
prejudice
price of progress
pride
quest for knowledge religion
revenge
secrecy
security/safety
seizing the moment survival
the overlooked
the road not taken war
winners and losers 

abuse of power
action vs apathy
beating the odds
heritage
heroes
honesty
innocence
justice
love
loyalty
manipulation
mothering
nature
need for change
obligation
parent-child relationships peace
peer pressure