This week I have been reflecting over philosophical questions which I rarely do. I like questions that have a clear answer, e.g. mathematical problems. So it has been an experience and I feel like I’ve spent alot of time just to get used to these kind of questions, texts etc. I have learned alot during this week and my understandings about the texts we read, Plato’s Theaetetus and Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, have changed over the week, from when I first read the texts, to the lecture and finally the seminar.
First I read the text from start to finish and I feel that it gave me some ground to stand on but I wouldn’t claim I had a good understanding of the texts. So I went on with reading some studyguides and text analysis about Kant’s and Plato’s texts which led to a better understanding of the subject. I made my first blog post about the text but I felt during the lecture and the seminar that I’ve changed how I see and understand the texts so I don’t agree with some of my previous answers.
During the seminar I liked the first part where we discussed the texts in smaller group because then I felt that I had alot to add to the discussion and we talked about alot of interesting questions. “Is mathematics the only truth in this world?” “Are there as many worlds as there are people or animals living in it because everyones perception is different?” “Can we be certain of anything?” are examples of some of the questions we touched and I really enjoyed it. In the other part of the seminar I didn’t discuss alot but rather listened to people discussing similar questions that my group discussed earlier. I find it very interesting with all of the discussions that takes place when talking about these kind of questions. Even though I prefer questions that you actually can answer.
The biggest things I’ve learned this week is reading and writing philosophical texts alot better than I could before. I’m guessing it will only get easier from here on since I will keep on learning how to take in the text, understanding it, analysing it and writing more and more philosophical texts myself.
Hey Jonathan,
SvaraRaderaI agree with the part where you mentioned that we use our senses to understand the world, well said. Moreover, I don’t think your understanding, based on your writing, has changed that much in the post seminar reflection. Your pre seminar writing was equally as good as the other one. Your understanding of the the texts was pretty solid and I enjoyed reading your writings. I guess you covered pretty much every important issue in those readings. You haven’t changed your position reading the readings before or after the seminars. Your reflection was quite coherent even before the seminars. Good job!
I think that both of your blog posts are well written and I think that your first blog post showed that you understood Kant’s and Plato’s texts really well! I did not think of reading study guides or text analysis, but they seem to help give a good understanding of the texts.
SvaraRaderaI found it interesting that you mention that you think that you after the seminar and lecture no longer agree with your previous answers to the questions. (I felt the same way about my own blog post)
It would be interesting to read how your answers differ now compared to the answers in your earlier blog post.