The Uncanniness of Heimlich
Before reading Sigmund Freud’s The Uncanny, the only Heimlich I knew of was the Heimlich maneuver. Though technically the term for the maneuver was named after the first doctor to describe it, it is still interesting to finally find the meaning of the word itself in a totally unrelated work of text. The distinction between…
Plato in today’s society – A thought experiment.
These were the two questions that I came up with to prompt discussion for Plato’s “Republic”. Although the discussion went on a tangent, I record my initial train of thought below. What kind of society would we have today if Socrates’ censorship of heroes’ flaws or the god’s wrongdoings were employed? Plato’s need for […]
Can Darwinism be considered optimistic or pessimistic?
Can Darwinism be considered optimistic or pessimistic? Oh man, I wrote this a while ago and never posted it! :O In Wednesday’s seminar, we discussed this question in small groups, and in my group (which I think consisted of Yun and Karen? Maybe?) we found it to be a really difficult question to answer. We […]
Blake’s use of the perfect symmetry and the not-so-perfect asymmetry in creating a graphological double entendre in “Introduction” (Songs of Innocence)
In my essay on Blake’s “Introduction” in The Songs of Innocence, I focused on the use of colour scheme and religious symbolism that relate to the overarching themes of purity, Boehme’s contraries and the consequences of human creativity. Due to word limit and possible confusion, I omitted my discussion on the use of symmetry and […]
The Uncanny: Cognitive Dissidence
When we think of psychology, we often think of Sigmund Freud, the glorified conspiracy theorist whose widely popularized concepts of wish fulfillment, dream interpretation, and the systems of the psyche have left their stain on the modern science as we know it today. Despite some of his rather absurdist notions, particularly on the subject of […]
Make the Kallipolis Just Again
It takes a great deal of integrity to admit one is wrong. I do not have this integrity and fortunately neither did Plato. However, despite our many disagreements that will never truly be solved I do think that in light of America’s most recent election, Plato does deserve some credit. Congrats, Plato. You were sort […]
Is Modern Human Evolution a Social Construct?
Darwin believes that creatures, including us humans, adapt and evolve accordingly to the changes in our surroundings. Natural Selection as Darwin calls it, is every living creature’s struggle towards survival in this world. Taking this concept and applying it in a more contemporary setting such as a high school classroom, we see an ecosystem where societal trends govern the lifestyle of children. Mainstream media manufactures a definition of acceptable, ostracizing children that deviate from the norm, branding them as “weird” and “unacceptable,” leading these children to be bullied. Thus people…read more
Survival of The Fittest
Around the same time that I first understood Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution in my early high school science courses, rapper Eminem came out with the song “Survival.” His song included lyrics that were inspired by Darwinism, the idea that … Continue reading →
Darwin: The Flower
The main part of Darwin’s writing that really stuck with me is how he talked about flowers. This may seem like a very odd thing to say, however, I feel like his piece about flowers and the reproduction of them stuck with me most because it intrigued me. Reading about how Darwin explains, or […]
Still Not Nasty Enough
Since the dawn of the patriarch women have been misjudged, held back, held down, underestimated, and punished for trying to rise above their station. However, women have had a nasty history of pushing back and fighting for their rights. We … Continue reading →