Students Search for Character Principles in British Museum
By Kayla Haas
For Intro to Philosophy’s last fieldtrip, Drs. Anne and Owen Smith took students to the British Museum to search for objects relating to the previous day’s lessons.
The day before the class had discussed Aristotle and character ethics. They also discussed Chinese philosophy relating to Taoism.
Jennifer Nicely said, “The British Museum was filled with great influence from the Greek and Romans.”
Students were told to look for Greek and Roman statues that depicted the character principles that were discussed in class: excellence, courage, moderation, etc.
“Places like The British Museum are very educational and always help me learn more about what I’m studying,” said Nicely.
Next, students explored the museum looking for instances of the Chinese philosophy Taosim.
James Beeks said, “I believe Taosim is an ancient Chinese philosophy that governs the ways of the universe through Tao principles.”
The British Museum contains various multi-cultural exhibits. Their sections range from Chinese, North American, Spain, to Egyptian and Greek. Practically anything can be found in the British Museum.
Nicely said, “It was very interesting learning about Taosim and its effect on history.”
Taoism is, of course, centered around the Chinese culture. Beeks said, “We also explored the ancient Chinese exhibits and how they related to Taosim.”
This trip marked the last field trip for the Intro to Philosophy students. Saturday, they will board a flight back to Texas.
For Intro to Philosophy’s last fieldtrip, Drs. Anne and Owen Smith took students to the British Museum to search for objects relating to the previous day’s lessons.
The day before the class had discussed Aristotle and character ethics. They also discussed Chinese philosophy relating to Taoism.
Jennifer Nicely said, “The British Museum was filled with great influence from the Greek and Romans.”
Students were told to look for Greek and Roman statues that depicted the character principles that were discussed in class: excellence, courage, moderation, etc.
“Places like The British Museum are very educational and always help me learn more about what I’m studying,” said Nicely.
Next, students explored the museum looking for instances of the Chinese philosophy Taosim.
James Beeks said, “I believe Taosim is an ancient Chinese philosophy that governs the ways of the universe through Tao principles.”
The British Museum contains various multi-cultural exhibits. Their sections range from Chinese, North American, Spain, to Egyptian and Greek. Practically anything can be found in the British Museum.
Nicely said, “It was very interesting learning about Taosim and its effect on history.”
Taoism is, of course, centered around the Chinese culture. Beeks said, “We also explored the ancient Chinese exhibits and how they related to Taosim.”
This trip marked the last field trip for the Intro to Philosophy students. Saturday, they will board a flight back to Texas.
Philosophy Students Relive World War II Code Cracking Days
By Kayla Haas
Last Thursday, students visited a lesser known museum called Bletchley Park. Students were offered a guided tour of the estate and learned how Bletchley Park was a significant site during World War II.
Bletchley Park is located north of London and was the site of many advances in code cracking. It was here that the workers managed to break the German code Enigma and shorten the war by two years. Historical figure Alan Turing was part of the team that made the first break.
Christin Edwards described Turing as “A super-genius computer scientist.”
Turing also is described as the father of computer science and artificial intelligence.
“He thought that computers couldn’t think like humans, but if they became any more developed, they could,” said Edwards.
The group of students were able to tour the facility and learn the history behind cracking codes and encryptions. The tour guide showed students the offices in which the history code cracking team worked, and also WWII memorabilia.
James Beeks said, “It was awesome getting to tour the 'hidden secret' historic site, Bletchley Park, home of the Codebreakers during WWII. The park allowed me to deeply understand the information we learned on Alan Turing, whose intelligence played a key role in breaking codes.”
One thing that also stood out to the students was the involvement of young people and women in the code cracking process. However, once the war was over, many of these women had to go back home.
“A lot of women our age, 19-21, were doing this. Then they had to go home to be ‘domestic goddess’ after the war," Beeks said.
The students found the tour over-all very interesting. Edwards also thought it was nice to know that students their age were able to accomplish something back then.
Next week the philosophy students will be taking their last field trip to The British Museum
Last Thursday, students visited a lesser known museum called Bletchley Park. Students were offered a guided tour of the estate and learned how Bletchley Park was a significant site during World War II.
Bletchley Park is located north of London and was the site of many advances in code cracking. It was here that the workers managed to break the German code Enigma and shorten the war by two years. Historical figure Alan Turing was part of the team that made the first break.
Christin Edwards described Turing as “A super-genius computer scientist.”
Turing also is described as the father of computer science and artificial intelligence.
“He thought that computers couldn’t think like humans, but if they became any more developed, they could,” said Edwards.
The group of students were able to tour the facility and learn the history behind cracking codes and encryptions. The tour guide showed students the offices in which the history code cracking team worked, and also WWII memorabilia.
James Beeks said, “It was awesome getting to tour the 'hidden secret' historic site, Bletchley Park, home of the Codebreakers during WWII. The park allowed me to deeply understand the information we learned on Alan Turing, whose intelligence played a key role in breaking codes.”
One thing that also stood out to the students was the involvement of young people and women in the code cracking process. However, once the war was over, many of these women had to go back home.
“A lot of women our age, 19-21, were doing this. Then they had to go home to be ‘domestic goddess’ after the war," Beeks said.
The students found the tour over-all very interesting. Edwards also thought it was nice to know that students their age were able to accomplish something back then.
Next week the philosophy students will be taking their last field trip to The British Museum
Trip to Oxford Explains How Philosophy Relates to Science
By Kayla Haas
Last Thursday students from the introduction to philosophy course walked the streets of Oxford to learn of its history and scientific discoveries.
Oxford is one of the oldest cities in Great Britain, and Oxford University is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. In Oxford, history has taken place, from Edmund Halley, Professor of Geometry, predicting the return of the comet that shares his name, to Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile in 1954.
Students went to The Museum of the History of Science and from there a tour guide.
“Our guide really gave us some in-depth discussion of this history of the museum and the different artifacts in there,” said James Beeks.
Students saw inventions from clocks and telescopes to even a blackboard with an equation by Albert Einstein on it.
“I thought that it was really awesome,” Taylor Cernosek said. “There were a lot of inventions like clocks and different ways they measured time.”
The students learned about how science relates to philosophy and how scientific discoveries impacted the lives of everyday people.
Shelia Mayberry said, “It was about how science contributes to life itself because back then scientists really didn’t like to work together. Our fieldtrip proved, with all the science and everything, that science has made our life better.”
Dr. Anne Smith’s discussion prompted students to think about the sharing of information and how it relates to the betterment of the world.
“The alchemists that made those inventions were actually the first people to get together in a group in a coffee house next to Oxford and discuss their findings. If it wasn’t for them, then scientists would still be keeping their findings to themselves and not sharing,” Cernosek said.
Beeks found Oxford to be very enlightening and beautiful as did many other students.
Next week, students will be traveling to Bletchley Park, an estate that held a significant purpose during World War II and also contains two museums.
Last Thursday students from the introduction to philosophy course walked the streets of Oxford to learn of its history and scientific discoveries.
Oxford is one of the oldest cities in Great Britain, and Oxford University is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. In Oxford, history has taken place, from Edmund Halley, Professor of Geometry, predicting the return of the comet that shares his name, to Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile in 1954.
Students went to The Museum of the History of Science and from there a tour guide.
“Our guide really gave us some in-depth discussion of this history of the museum and the different artifacts in there,” said James Beeks.
Students saw inventions from clocks and telescopes to even a blackboard with an equation by Albert Einstein on it.
“I thought that it was really awesome,” Taylor Cernosek said. “There were a lot of inventions like clocks and different ways they measured time.”
The students learned about how science relates to philosophy and how scientific discoveries impacted the lives of everyday people.
Shelia Mayberry said, “It was about how science contributes to life itself because back then scientists really didn’t like to work together. Our fieldtrip proved, with all the science and everything, that science has made our life better.”
Dr. Anne Smith’s discussion prompted students to think about the sharing of information and how it relates to the betterment of the world.
“The alchemists that made those inventions were actually the first people to get together in a group in a coffee house next to Oxford and discuss their findings. If it wasn’t for them, then scientists would still be keeping their findings to themselves and not sharing,” Cernosek said.
Beeks found Oxford to be very enlightening and beautiful as did many other students.
Next week, students will be traveling to Bletchley Park, an estate that held a significant purpose during World War II and also contains two museums.
Sherlock Holmes is on the Case
By Kayla Haas
Introduction to Philosophy Class Visits The National Gallery, the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and Jeremy Bentham
Thursday, students in Dr. Smith’s Introduction to Philosophy class visited three significant places that related to their readings. The readings for this week were focused on the concept of knowledge and wisdom. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes was an example of such concepts.
The sleuth detective Sherlock Holmes lives at 221B Baker Street. This fictional address has been made real since the novels’ debut, and is a museum. The Sherlock Holmes Museum lets guests see an exact replica of a 19th century house. The museum also has iconic pieces from Sherlock Holmes, such as the pipe and hat.
“It was really neat getting to actually go to Baker Street and actually see what would be Sherlock Holmes’ apartment,” said senior James Beeks.
Dr. Smith emphasized the knowledge Holmes has in the novels in her classes. Holmes solves crimes through what he called “deductive reasoning.”
Beeks, said “We went in-depth about critical thinking and different aspects of critical thinking; we applied that by reading and discussing the Sherlock Holmes novels, which are really interesting.”
Next, the students traveled to The National Gallery of London. The National Gallery is home to hundreds of iconic paintings. The students were required to select a painting that best represented wisdom.
Christin Edwards, junior mass media major, explained “The difference between wisdom and knowledge is that wisdom is the significance of the fact, as opposed to just knowing the fact.”
Some students chose painting of mothers protecting children, and some did not. Every student selected a different painting for what they thought best represented wisdom.
Edwards chose a painting of a woman carrying John the Baptist’s head on a platter.
“Instead of actually drawing John the Baptist dying, he drew a woman holding the head on the platter,” Edwards said. “I thought it was wise because he saw the significance of the fact that he died, rather than just drawing how he died.”
After, the students made a last stop to visit Jeremy Bentham. Bentham, however, is dead. He was a philosopher who did not believe in the after-life. So after he died over two centuries ago, he donated his body to science; he is thought to be one of the first people to have done so. He was then “stuffed” or rather mummified and put on display. Today, most of the skin and flesh has rotted away, leaving bones.
That last stop ended the tour for the students. Students believe the trips do supplement their education inside the classroom.
“It’s one thing actually being in class and talking about wisdom, and it’s another thing actually going out there and looking for it,” Edwards said.
Introduction to Philosophy Class Visits The National Gallery, the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and Jeremy Bentham
Thursday, students in Dr. Smith’s Introduction to Philosophy class visited three significant places that related to their readings. The readings for this week were focused on the concept of knowledge and wisdom. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes was an example of such concepts.
The sleuth detective Sherlock Holmes lives at 221B Baker Street. This fictional address has been made real since the novels’ debut, and is a museum. The Sherlock Holmes Museum lets guests see an exact replica of a 19th century house. The museum also has iconic pieces from Sherlock Holmes, such as the pipe and hat.
“It was really neat getting to actually go to Baker Street and actually see what would be Sherlock Holmes’ apartment,” said senior James Beeks.
Dr. Smith emphasized the knowledge Holmes has in the novels in her classes. Holmes solves crimes through what he called “deductive reasoning.”
Beeks, said “We went in-depth about critical thinking and different aspects of critical thinking; we applied that by reading and discussing the Sherlock Holmes novels, which are really interesting.”
Next, the students traveled to The National Gallery of London. The National Gallery is home to hundreds of iconic paintings. The students were required to select a painting that best represented wisdom.
Christin Edwards, junior mass media major, explained “The difference between wisdom and knowledge is that wisdom is the significance of the fact, as opposed to just knowing the fact.”
Some students chose painting of mothers protecting children, and some did not. Every student selected a different painting for what they thought best represented wisdom.
Edwards chose a painting of a woman carrying John the Baptist’s head on a platter.
“Instead of actually drawing John the Baptist dying, he drew a woman holding the head on the platter,” Edwards said. “I thought it was wise because he saw the significance of the fact that he died, rather than just drawing how he died.”
After, the students made a last stop to visit Jeremy Bentham. Bentham, however, is dead. He was a philosopher who did not believe in the after-life. So after he died over two centuries ago, he donated his body to science; he is thought to be one of the first people to have done so. He was then “stuffed” or rather mummified and put on display. Today, most of the skin and flesh has rotted away, leaving bones.
That last stop ended the tour for the students. Students believe the trips do supplement their education inside the classroom.
“It’s one thing actually being in class and talking about wisdom, and it’s another thing actually going out there and looking for it,” Edwards said.