Saturday, September 22, 2007

Tutorial

Something happened during Philosophy this week, it went something like this:

T is for my friend. G is for me

T: What are you doing now?

G: I am sitting in here listening to you lecture

T: Why are you sitting in here? Why are you listening to me lecture?

G: Well, because I am suppose to attend this class. I am doing this course and as such to do well in this course, it is essential I listen attentively to your lecture.

T: Why do you then do this course? Why do you then want to do well in this course?

G: Firstly, I love Philosophy, I believe it represents the one study which transcends our mundane lives. Secondly, doing well in this course will allow me to be on my way to getting a good degree, which will get me into graduate school and for me to seek the job I always wanted/

T: Why do you want do get that job you always wanted? Why do you want to transcend this mundane life you are talking about?

G: Well, I guess because it is the job that will get me the most fulfillment. And for the second question, I guess being able to transcend the mundane life will grant me fulfillment as well

T: Why do you want to seek this so called fulfillment?

G: Hmm.. Because finding fulfillment is the reason why we are able to continue sustaining ourselves. Without fulfillment, I can imagine what life will become

T: But why the need to sustain ourselves? Why the need to fear life without fulfillment?

G: Because if we can’t sustain ourselves. We can’t go on living. And if I can’t find fulfillment, I’ll fear living.

T: You can’t go on living?

G: Well. Maybe living physically, but my inner self would completely lose the zest for life

T: So, this fulfillment? Do you find fulfillment in all things?

G: No, of course not.

T: Then do you find fulfillment in some things?

G: Yes.

T: Are all these things morally permissible?

G: No.

T: If so, you find fulfillment in some things you would deem immoral.

G: Certainly.

T: So, if you find fulfillment in things immoral, that makes part of what you seek immoral?

G: I guess so.

T: If such, do you think these immoral things serve for the betterment of your life?

G: Certainly not, some of it is harmful

T: As such, how can you say fulfillment is the sole ambition of your life?

G: I do not. I mean it is what we seek.

T: Do you seek, even in part, what is wrong?

G: No. We do wrong, we do not seek wrong

T: But you said you seek fulfillment and part of what fulfillment presents for you is wrong. So how can it just solely be fulfillment that brings about the betterment of your life?

G: Well, then. I may seek fulfillment, but not all fulfillment that I seek is the best for me.

T: Certainly sounds like it.

G: But what is wrong? And what is right?

T: Crafty.. but I do know that we have to find something much more objectively convincing than fulfillment.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

First Friday

It is officially the end of the first week in school.

I must say that things are going quite well, well as in some sense of the word. Aside from the hustle and bustle of rushing between lectures and tutorials (which I find excruciatingly irritating), and my 'girly' pursuits, things are well and fine. Things are well and fine indeed, I actually got to see Peter Singer in real person. Singer is a prominent Philosopher, and some would argue activist, who argues that we in the developed world are morally obligated to alleviate poverty. He goes to the extent of suggesting that we should part with a huge chunk of our income (to the extent where it isn’t maladaptive) to bring about the latter. I’ll leave that as that, but it was a great experience to actually see for myself a formal lecture such as this.

I’ve got an essay due next week, another the week after, and..Cheer up bloke, it is the start of the academic year.. Sorry for the abrupt ending but yeah, that’s the theme. The rush of abruptness in it all.

Monday, September 03, 2007

Passing People

Finally got sorted out and moved into the new apartment. I must say for the record, this time I’ve certainly outdone myself. One reason is that it actually does look better than my abode in Singapore! I don’t think my mum would be amuse to read this, knowing full well that she would be parting with quite a handsome sum to allow me to indulge myself. Anyway, as they say, ‘all work but no play makes Jack a dull boy’. So yes mum, I think good accommodation does partially equate to better results!

Last night while I was about to go to sleep, with my head rested on my pillow (as such my head was held inverted to its surroundings), I set eyes (albeit rather blurry) upon one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve seen. As my bed lies adjacent to the open window, I held in full view the apartments across the block, which was separated against mine by a rose garden. Usually, these apartments look like what it is, a block of apartments. However, last night was slightly different. With my head rested on my pillow, I saw the world in inversion. The stacks of concrete which I was so used to seeing now played itself into a metamorphosis of a shimmering vision from years past – a towering beacon with lights illuminating from its every niche, festooned from under the rock solid earth. Haha, I might be getting way ahead of myself here. I certainly did think about it, and I knew full well that in those little bright illuminating niches, laid an individual like myself. I see him or her everyday, on the streets, as passing people. Now, in my deep sodden solitude, these little glimmering niches were in possession of these very passing people.