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Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

 

Jesuit schools (like where I am now) are big on philosophy and theology; they are, perhaps, the biggest philosophy and theology wonks in the world these days. The philosophy instructors seem to indulge in lots of snide put-downs about "limited physical science way of thinking" that many students come with, with the clear implication that is something to be broken.

 

As an undergrad I went to an Enormous State University, U of Washington here in Seattle. At the time the distribution requirements were very loose; I could have graduated without ever taking an English class, and many folks I knew reveled in doing just that. Philosophy courses were available and I simply didn't bother; theology courses weren't available there. As it is, I had to take a 5-credit intro sociology course in my final quarter in order to get to a minimum number of credit hours outside my majors. And by one's final quarter, nailing down obscure graduation requirements is most of what you're doing, of course.

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Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

 

Where I have been attending has had some rather terrible instructors, probably due to the program I'm in not being on the main campus (at least I hope that is the reason), but the other instructors have been really great. Unfortunately, I've only seen the two extremes. I will say that the good ones have been very knowledgeable in their subject matter, which is a good thing considering, and I definitely haven't felt like I've been preached to at all, which is also a good thing. But the one thing that this program has really done right is have a solid track to follow with all the requirements laid out from the very beginning. That said, I can't wait for December 14th to arrive because after that day, I will not be returning to school, outside of job required courses, ever again. I am quite done with academia.

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Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

 

Ah' date=' that could just be a California thing? I know both the JC I went to, and the state university, that I didn't go to, had philosophy as recommended and required courses, and the university that I go to now definitely has it, but to be fair it is also a Jesuit University and requires Theology as well.[/quote']

 

I went to UC Santa Cruz and I'm not sure what was required, but something outside of science was required for my Computer Science degree.

 

I didn't finish, but I did have Economics, Religion, Philosophy, Art, and Accounting classes.

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Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

 

Why do you immediately assume that those who do know something about modern physics are necessarily ignorant of classical philosophy' date=' its contributions to Western thought, and actively cultivate and maintain that ignorance? That's the implication you make there.[/quote']

 

:yes: I have to agree. As far as I'm aware' date=' all the science degree programs are required to take philosophy. And in my case, my philosophy professor went out of his way to point out the importance of philosophy to modern science. I naturally assume that all scientists have studied philosophy, and arguably, in a classical sense, are still philosophizing to this day by asking questions and getting answers (sometimes ;) ).[/quote']

 

FYI still writing a response. So far up to 2700 words. Hope you both stick around to read it (assuming I can finish it) :)

 

A side effect is that I'm reading and rereading various texts, thus learning and hopefully dispelling ignorance. ;)

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Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

 

I have read some philosophy' date=' but it's been self-directed and unsystematic.[/quote'] likewise.

 

It is interesting, for example, that folks harp on some of the counterintuitive things about modern physics but never try wrapping their mind around broad branches of classical physics, like rotational mechanics (gyroscopes, tops, flywheels), electricity and magnetism, or hydrostatics (Archimedes' principle, anyone?).
guilty of this. My schooling never covered some of the topics above, and others from a high school level.
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Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

 

I miss the old Threadslayer thread, the Thread of Ten Thousand Names.

 

... he said, wistfully hoping for some scatological necromancy.

 

Oh yeah' date=' that thread ... Must be buried pretty deep by now.[/quote']

 

If you could remember the threads name... ;)

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Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

 

In one of the freshman physics labs there's the lab exercise where you set up pendulums by tying thread around the handles of lab weights (like these but brass, older, and a little tarnished) and hanging them from horizontal arms attached to lab stands; you measure the length of the pendulum, then time how long it takes for them to swing back & forth.

 

Like all labs, they didn't put everything away, so there were five or six of these set-ups with lab weights hanging from threads when my class came in.

 

So after my class was done -- we didn't have to use the space where the stands were so we just left them -- I made little tiny notes all saying the same thing ("Goodbye cruel world") and taped one on each of the hanging weights ....

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