Philosophy in Secondary Schools

[marjoramblues]

Which note in Marche funèbre were you referring to.

... Unfortunately I cannot supply with you the name of that note as I cannot read music. It is something my ear picks out each time I hear it - and my heart thumps that bit louder.

OK, now hooked on sad and beautiful. Digging deeper - this fits in with the aesthetic side of teaching, I think.
There are some who inspire and captivate...ears p**** up.

http://thosewhodig.net/article/episodes ... nbre/1036/

The word virtuoso is defined as, "a musician who is a consummate master of technique and artistry." or "... an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability at singing or playing a musical instrument."

When I decided that I was going to be a serious (classical) musician, I regarded this word with esteem and respect. I saw the aspiration for virtuosity as a means of achieving self-actualization, and decided to dedicate my life towards this realization. However, like so many things, after six years of conservatory training the shine wore off this word and I fear that I have lost my reverence for the beautiful. After all, art is the habit of the artist
Nevertheless, it is my intent to use this platform to (re)discover, admire, and share music/musicians of the highest caliber, in any and all genres, strictly for the purpose of listening to Music worth listening to.
.... [ youtube link]...
This piece a wonderful programmatic work because in it's beauty it connects us with a shared human experience. Yet, it is Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli who breathes the kind of life into this work which stirs these feelings and memories in us all, and that is the real power of music. You dig?

To listen to The Performance, without reading the article
Chopin's Funeral March - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (9:34)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hgw_RD_1_5I


Now, how many teachers aspire to be beautiful players and sharers of minds; or do they lose something in the 'habit'.

Here's to outstanding teachers

Oh yes, and please tell us, Aidan, what is the heart-thumping note that you dig

[marjoramblues]

There are some who inspire and captivate...ears p**** up.

uwot

I didn't do the starry bits - what is going on
P Rick

[marjoramblues]

Aidan: Yes, I was making the point that it had not occured to me that something so transient as one's mood can actually define the aesthetic merit of art. It is something that genuinely puzzled me. And still does. A depressing painting or piece of music should be beautiful no matter how you're feeling, but somehow it doesn't work like that for everyone.

M: I don't think that one's mood defines the aesthetic merit of art; however, it might colour how we perceive a particular piece or performance.

Your friend did state that it was beautiful but at that moment it didn't 'move in the same way'.

Just as you might prepare for a philosophical performance of a life-time, if the audience is not in the right frame of mind, it is less likely to thrill.

[uwot]

There are some who inspire and captivate...ears p**** up.

uwot

I didn't do the starry bits - what is going on
P Rick

Is it that obvious?

[aiddon]

Since you are not American you are subject to our media's created caricature of the TEA Party bogeyman. If you were to look, you would find material friendly to the TEA party which is really a loosely bound coalition. I’m not a member, so I won’t defend all their positions. As a new quasi-political party, they have some growing pains to go through and better define which issues they will focus on. Those will likely be: government growth, tax policies and entitlements as the common denominator. Social issues will likely get buried.

I’m teaching from a secular text and right now we’re going through Hume’s Dialogues on Natural Religion. We will be also be reading Plato’s Euthyphro and some other readings. The BIble stuff they get in other classes.

Point taken. If I may say, you do not sound like the classic Tea Party supporter. Perhaps, we receive a media-skewed version of what the TP stands for, but I must say that I base much of opinion on mainly American sources - e.g. journalists such as John Jeremiah O'Sullivan, the New Yorker, 'neutral' news networks (if such a thing exists). I know I may be using a crude and lazy example, but surely Sarah Palin's message wasn't deliberatly massaged that much by the left-leaning media to make her look like a complete dimwit? I assume she managed to do that all by herself? I repeat, I am using the most high-profile example of Tea Party Republicanism, and she may or may not represent the average TP view on the ground.

On another note, it is refreshing to see the TP back out the more moralistic, emotive issues. You being a libertarian, I expect that sits well with you.

[aiddon]

Oh yes, and please tell us, Aidan, what is the heart-thumping note that you dig

I'm working on it majoramblues, but my wife is busy running the family at the moment as I sit here carelessly pissing hours away on a philosophy forum. In fact she is giving me a dirty look right now. That's dirty in the non-erotic sense. First chance I get I'll ask her to locate the same said note....though it could be a chord for all I know.

[aiddon]

Re: VoT's idea of using films to introduce philosophy.

It's obviously unfeasible to show two hour films during school-time so why not set them as homework?

That could work, and could be a good solution, but could also take too much focus on the length of the film instead of the parts in question, and so the homework might be about a specific length of the film, and a question or two to be pondered over in hindsight of watching that part, for then to have a full expression and historical comparison and detailing in class.

Nice to see you in cooperative mood, VOT! I do like this more moderate suggestion of showing truncated sections of movies. In fact I like it a lot. Now why didn't you suggest that at the beginning?...we could have got off to a better start...

[Arising_uk]

I didn't do the starry bits - what is going on

Someones turned on the word censorship function.

[The Voice of Time]

Because I write things as they present themselves ^^ I still think movies must be part of the picture, or some other way that equally makes up for the function that I present about the movies. My point has never faltered. The discussion going on now is how to optimally do it, I would've taken that discussion with you as well, if you had presented me with the opportunity, I have no reason not to cooperate with you aiddon.

[marjoramblues]

I didn't do the starry bits - what is going on

Someones turned on the word censorship function.

How fuckin' ridiculous is that
You see that just makes me wanna swear -
Cuntless ways

[marjoramblues]

Oh yes, and please tell us, Aidan, what is the heart-thumping note that you dig

I'm working on it majoramblues, but my wife is busy running the family at the moment as I sit here carelessly pissing hours away on a philosophy forum. In fact she is giving me a dirty look right now. That's dirty in the non-erotic sense. First chance I get I'll ask her to locate the same said note....though it could be a chord for all I know.

Excuses, excuses...
If so wunderbar, you could lick it in a heartbeat

[Arising_uk]

That could work, and could be a good solution, but could also take too much focus on the length of the film instead of the parts in question, and so the homework might be about a specific length of the film, and a question or two to be pondered over in hindsight of watching that part, for then to have a full expression and historical comparison and detailing in class.

Bloody 'ell are you now saying that this C21st student now has trouble holding a couple of thoughts in mind when watching a film! I give up, just send 'em out to work, they're too much trouble and not worth educating.

[thedoc]

Bloody 'ell are you now saying that this C21st student now has trouble holding a couple of thoughts in mind when watching a film! I give up, just send 'em out to work, they're too much trouble and not worth educating.

'Been there, done that.' It seems things haven't changed in the last 40 years, this was true in the 20th century.

[The Voice of Time]

That could work, and could be a good solution, but could also take too much focus on the length of the film instead of the parts in question, and so the homework might be about a specific length of the film, and a question or two to be pondered over in hindsight of watching that part, for then to have a full expression and historical comparison and detailing in class.

Bloody 'ell are you now saying that this C21st student now has trouble holding a couple of thoughts in mind when watching a film! I give up, just send 'em out to work, they're too much trouble and not worth educating.

heh x) Well, I think it's more about... Sherlock Holming... yes that is a verb if you are confused by the spelling. Sherlock Holmes talked about having a limited amount of memories in his head so as to work more effectively on just those memories. I think we'll have to talk about the same here. If there's not much to say about a movie, like if the whole point you are looking for in the movie is one single scene (like my mention of a single scene in the "Lord of War" movie), then you might as well give them the assignment to watch the whole movie because you're not gonna get back to it.

But if the movie has like 2-3-4-5-6 and so forth points worth talking about and discussing, then you might as well do a bit of Sherlock Holming and assign the bits in question for the specific school hour where you are gonna bring it up and talk about it. One movie might have a lot to say about it. These movies of course are more pop-culture and easy examples, there have been made less famous movies about intellectual grand novels and such that might be very interesting also and more relevant to our everyday lives, for instance, one such good example from my home country of Norway is the three-act play in prose by Henrik Ibsen called "A Doll's House", which according to Wikipedia: "In 2006, A Doll's House held the distinction of being the world's most performed play."

The play, although not being a conscious effort towards the women's rights movement (as Wikipedia says Henrik himself noted), could be called an important building block for feminism and in some way a work of "feminist existentialism". I've seen a movie about it myself including modern versions of it, and it's a very interesting and refreshingly philosophical play hidden under the veil of ordinary life. I dunno if there's a good English depiction or translation of the story in multimedia, but I hope so.

PS: (found this on amazon, a movie collection of Ibsen's works - http://www.amazon.com/Henrik-Collection ... %27s+house)

[aiddon]

Many thanks to all who offered suggestions on introducing philosophy to secondary schools. It is good to know that a) many think it is an important thing to do and b) people are interested in how it is taught. By some wild coincidence there is a feature in one of today's daily national broadsheets, The Irish Times on the said same subject: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education

It appears that teaching philosophy in Ireland (it is still embarrassing that we do not) is really gaining momentum. Of late, there has been a serious case made to the National Curriculum Council which has been backed by our President. If you are interested in petitioning for its introduction please visit this site: tinyurl.com/mudzm9z

Thanks again!