GB Y1 W34: Separate those powers, don't be bashful

The Iliad - Homer, Books I-III: Agamemnon won't give up captured daughter of Apollo's priest. Apollo shoots down his men, so he gives up the girl if he can have a girl of Achilles. Achilles says fine, but won't fight for them anymore, then prays to his goddess mom to convince Zeus to frustrate their efforts and come begging for him to fight again. Gods stir up everyone to fight. Menelaus (Helen's husband) and Paris (the tool that took Helen) square off, but Paris is losing and Venus whisks him off to his bed. Then she convinces Helen to sleep with him even though she thinks he's a coward. Great start to the epic fight. Sad to see that everyone is only concerned with their own reputation/vengeance. Certainly nobody has a problem talking trash about the gods.

Of Bashfulness - Plutarch: Bashfulness is a sign of a good disposition (modesty) taken to the extreme.  Bashfulness is bad because it makes you gullible to both flatterers and enemies alike. Need to learn to "just say no". His rule: make note of our failures due to bashfulness, reflect on them often, remember their "disgraceful and prejudicial effects" and we "will soon be enabled to restrain (ourselves) in like cases." Helpful for those who are bashful.  Long on examples of the bad effects, short on the remedy.

The Republic - Plato, Book VIII: Four types of alternative governments: "timocracy", oligarchy, democracy, tyranny. Each leads to the other. First - everyone at discord and seeks honor. Second - money more important than virtue and discrimination based on property/wealth arises. Third - freedom comes from rebellion by the poor. Equality eventually too broadly applied and results in anarchy ("anarchy [is called by them] 'liberty', waste 'magnificence', impudence 'courage'). Fourth - anarchy reigned in by "protector" who eventually becomes a tyrant. Nails the democratic tendency to freedom, then to anarchy. Orwell must have had the tyrant section of Book VIII opened on his desk when he wrote Animal Farm.

Federalist Papers #50, 51 - Madison or Hamilton: (Sorry, #50 should have been done last week) 50) Question of whether periodic (as opposed to happenstance) appeals to the people would be a "proper and adequate means of preventing and correcting infractions in the Constitution." No, it wouldn't. Time periods are a problem, and it's been tried in Pennsylvania and didn't work. 51) How do we maintain separation of powers? "By so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constitutive parts may, by their mutual relations be the means of keeping each other in their proper places". Each branch needs the means and motive to "resist encroachments of the others". Men are not angels, hence both the need for government, and problem of making it work. Fifty-one is probably one of the most important papers so far, giving the fundamental aim of government, problem of human governmental corruption and the U.S. Constitutional solution. The depravity of man is at the heart of it all. Ouch, I thought it was about making us look nice to other countries.

The Running-Down of the Universe - Sir Arthur Eddington: Shuffling is an example of a random act, i.e. it "can't be undone".  Two exceptions that this "random element" can't affect - single units (things in themselves) and sets of things sufficiently "shuffled" already (thermodynamic equilibrium). Everything else is subject to this random entropy, which is the only thing time can be measured by. Laws of "things in themselves" and laws of groups (second law of thermodynamics) are two different kinds of laws. Violations of the first are impossible. Violations of the second only improbable. Problem of infinity past - if we're losing "organization" in the universe (hence the "winding down"), then that implies the universe was "wound up" at some point. But he doesn't like the idea of a "bang" (Big Bang?) and won't comment on God being involved. Great discussion, just shy of the jump to information theory. Interesting how when you're talking about organization and information, God always seems to be just around the corner. Hmm.

The Process of Thought - John Dewey, Ch. XIV-XV: Whatever babies are "thinking", their chief concern is mastery of their body. A child's imitation of adults isn't mere parroting, but the whole train of reflective thought. We don't see it because we're used to the world whereas it's still experimental to them. "Play" happens when ready objects become signs for real objects (dolls for people, etc.). Play should gradually become "work", which is "interest in the adequate embodiment of a meaning" through the appropriate means - i.e. deals with the objects themselves, not stand-ins, and ends in real-world "products"/accomplishments (not to be confused with "labor", can be fun). Adults shouldn't disparage children at play, but introduce real-life (work) aspects gradually. Concrete ideas/activities refer directly to real-world things, whereas abstract ideas/activities refer to connections between these things (thoughts about thoughts). Neither is "higher", but the "higher" person is one who's mastered both aspects. This reading is pretty good, and quite helpful as far as real-world education for children is concerned. I do wonder if what he says about child's development is only partial, but at least that part looks right.


As promised, here's this week's (Week 35) readings (instead of on a separate post):

1. The Iliad of Homer, Books IV-VI  (GBWW Vol. 3, pp. 38-77)
2. “Of Youth and Age” by Francis Bacon (GGB Vol. 7, pp. 3-4)
3. Plato’s Republic, Book IX (GBWW Vol. 6, pp. 416-427)
4. Federalist #52-53 (GBWW Vol. 40, pp. 165-169)
5. “Mathematical Creation“by Henri Poincaré (GGB Vol. 9, pp. 294-304; Chapter 3 of Science and Method)
6. How We Think by John Dewey, Chapter XVI-XVII (GGB Vol. 10, pp. 185-205)

GB Y1 W34 Schedule

Here's the readings for this week.  I think next week I'll start posting it at the bottom of my first weekly post instead of having it as a separate one. 

1. The Iliad of Homer, Books I-III  (GBWW Vol. 3, pp. 1-38)
2. “Of Bashfulness” by Plutarch (GGB Vol. 7, pp. 97-109)
3. Plato’s Republic, Book VIII (GBWW Vol. 6, pp. 401-416)
4. Federalist #51 (GBWW Vol. 40, pp. 162-165)
5. “The Running Down of the Universe”by Sir Arthur Eddington  (GGB Vol. 8, pp. 565-580; Chapter 4 of The Nature of the Physical World)
6. How We Think by John Dewey, Chapter XIV-XV (GGB Vol. 10, pp. 169-185)

GB Y1 W33: Some animals are more equal than others

Animal Farm - George Orwell: Freedoms lost one by one.  Commandments changed one by one.  Windmills destroyed, first by a storm, then by the Germans - I mean the neighboring farm.  Boxer's worked to death, then turned into glue and sold for whiskey money.  Pigs walk upright, put on clothes, in the end, they look just like the humans and "Animal Farm" becomes "Manor Farm" again.  It's the slow decent to tyranny that's so compelling in this story.  Slow, stepwise descent, manipulation of language and shady explanations by the "pigs" in charge, and the low growls of the "dogs" behind them as social pressure.  What are you going to do?  Two weapons to counter with: truth, courage.

Of Democritus and Heraclitus - Montaigne: "All motion discovers us" - i.e. shows who we are. Caesar is Caesar both at home as well as on the world-stage.  We must give an account of our externals, not them of us.  Laughing at the world is better because scorn of foolishness is better than weeping and knitting yourself to it (at least in your heart, then you weep over it).  Lot of Stoicism in this.  All motion discovers us - agreed.  World shouldn't infect us - agreed.  We're still called to be in the world though (Christians are, at least).

Federalist Papers #49 - Madison or Hamilton (neither wants to take credit for this one, apparently): I don't know if I was just tired when I read this, but it seemed that this one was the least coherent so far.  I'm really not sure what they were even arguing for.  These elements were involved: branches of government overstepping their limits, appeals to the people as the foundation for change, legislature is the most likely to bully the other branches.

The Republic, Book VII - Plato: Cave described.  Captives are forced to watch flickering shadows on the wall, that's the only reality they know.  But if you escape, work your way out of the cave, see light of sun (i.e. the world of being, not of becoming), you won't want to come back.  Guardians must be compelled to come back down and rule though (Montaigne would disagree, methinks).  Arts to produce these guardians: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy.  And, like the One ring, dialectic to rule them all.  Oh, and contingency bad too because of its relation to 'becoming'.  Educational schedule outlined.  With this as an influence, it's somewhat easy to predict the Greek tendency toward gnostic disapproval of material world with: devaluing of 'becoming' and study of/trust in the contingent world.  No modern science for Plato.

Autobiography of Charles Darwin - Charles Darwin (surprise): He wasn't very special growing up.  He loved collecting though, and science in general.  He was perpetually bored in school.  Most of his true scientific education was through science as a hobby and his informal friendships with the various scientific men of his time.  His voyage on the Beagle was "most important event" in his life.  Worked constantly while there.  At Cambridge for a few years afterwards presenting Beagle work, then married and off to London.  Poor health made him retreat to live rest of life in country.  His major advantages: unquenchable interest in science, mind that cannot cease to collect and synthesize, patience, common sense.  Also an amazing illustration of the communal aspect of biological research.  Without the community collecting and sharing samples ad infinitum, the British Empire's maritime system, the leisure time w/in a gentlemen society, etc. - there's no Darwin.  There's no Newtons in biology that can just hole-up and genius out some world-changing theories before they're old enough to drink.

The Process of Thought, Ch. X-XII - John Dewey: Concepts are established meanings.  Concepts are crucial because they help us to generalize things (instead of being overwhelmed with a new flood of data at each moment) and serve as standards of reference.  Education must lead to conceptualizing.  Teachers make mistakes of either giving too much detail that gets in the way of forming the general concepts, or talking in terms that are too remote from the students' experience and thus the concepts are meaningless.  Good discussion on the relations to scientific method and experimentation, though it need not be "scientific" in the modern sense - that is, dealing only with natural science.  Again, a lot seems to depend on how the notion of an idea's "usefulness" is defined.  Is he assuming that people are born a "tabula rasa" (blank slate)?  How would this all change if there is no blank slate?

GB Y1 W33 Schedule

Here's this week's readings:

1. Animal Farm by George Orwell, Chapters VI-X  (GBWW Vol. 60, pp. 496-524)
2. “Of Democritus and Heraclitus” by Montaigne (GBWW Vol. 23, pp. 186-187)
3. Plato’s Republic, Book VII (GBWW Vol. 6, pp. 388-401)
4. Federalist #49-50 (GBWW Vol. 40, pp. 159-162)
5. The Autobiography of Charles Darwin (GGB Vol. 8, pp. 47-93)
6. How We Think by John Dewey, Chapter X-XII (GGB Vol. 10, pp. 143-169)

GB Y1 W32: Four legs good, two legs bad (especially if they belong to Themistocles or Sophists)

Animal Farm, Ch. I-V - George Orwell: Lousy farm owner Mr. Jones overthrown by rebelling animals.  Pigs take lead, though everyone is equal.  Anti-human "animalism" is codified into 7 commandments, summed up in "four legs good, two legs bad".  But things are slowly starting to degenerate.  Short and to the point, yet brilliant allegory of the Soviet Revolution.  Perfect reading for high school students.  The brilliance in allegories seems to be less in the complication or presentation of the story than it is in how appropriate the symbols are to representing what the author intends.

Themistocles - Plutarch: Born half-Athenian, Themistocles clawed his way up the social ladder in Athens for the sake of his own ambition.  He shines in the Persian War.  Later the Athenians banish him for his pompous exploits.  So where does he go - to Persian king Xerxes, of course, the same person he defeated years earlier he now comes to as a vehicle to more self-aggrandizing.  Xerxes doesn't disappoint and gives Themistocles cities and luxuries for life.  Later he's called on to fight against the Athenians, but he doesn't.  A renewed sense of patriotism maybe?  Hardly.  He kills himself rather than "sullying the glory of his former actions, and of his many victories and trophies."  Wow.  The perfect meeting of selfish ambition and military history.  It's rather reminiscent of Adam Smith in that despite the evils of his ambition, they work out to the collective good.  I'd call that "common grace".

The Republic of Plato, Book VI: What do these ideal leaders look like?  They're philosopher-kings.  But few have the requisite personalities and character, and there are many deterrents to forming the latter.  The highest knowledge is the knowledge of the good.  Its essence 1) imparts truth to the thing known; 2) power of knowing to the knower.  It is the cause of all areas of learning, yet above them.  This book seemed the least "tight" so far, and it was harder for me to follow the flow of thought.  He reaaaaaally didn't like the Sophists.  Maybe they're the essence of the evil?

Federalist Papers #48 - James Madison: Some measure of blending must exist between the three branches of federal government or their degree of separation can never be maintained.  Must have some "practical security for each."  In democracies and republics, the legislature is the most likely culprit for overstepping their bounds.  This is seen in the (then current) states of Pennsylvania and Virginia.  Doesn't elaborate on exactly how the blending solves the problem (i.e. what is "good" blending and what is "bad" blending).  That would be a longer piece, it seems.  Maybe that's coming.

Mathematics in Life and Thought - Andrew Russell Forsyth: Wants to point out some uses of mathematics in "daily discussion and daily life." Gives examples of disproving rumors, then more examples of how math has contributed to science (mostly physics, and especially Newton).  Two lessons: 1) these examples aren't the only ones; 2) math doesn't need to be practical to justify itself; pursuing it for its own sake gives "unending satisfaction."  This last part is what really needed elaboration, though it was only a sentence or so with a few examples.  Is this goal of "unending satisfaction" the same as "math for its own sake", or even "art for its own sake", etc.?  Is there another way we can understand what "it's own sake" is than our satisfaction?

The Process of Thought, Ch. IX - John Dewey: Ideas are "midway between assured understanding and mental confusion."  Ideas must work on problems to be genuine ideas, though.  An idea normally terminates in understanding when brought into the larger context of the problem and related to other ideas.  He outlines the process of children's acquisition of knowledge for the first time.  The idea must be "useful" (it does work in solving life's daily(?) problems), that's why it's surviving (read natural selection).  A problem is that habitual uses of ideas become "so intimately read into the character of things that it is practically impossible to shut them out at will."  This is why schools need good practical projects so kids can see the usefulness of ideas.  We can see Dewey's pragmatism coming through now.  What is a real "problem" for an idea to work on after all?  Depending on the answer to that, you can magically rule entire areas of life as not even constituting domains of knowledge.

GB Y1 W32 Schedule

1. Animal Farm by George Orwell, Chapters I-V  (GBWW Vol. 60, pp. 477-496)
2. “Themistocles” by Plutarch (GBWW Vol. 13, pp. 88-102)
3. Plato’s Republic, Book VI (GBWW Vol. 6, pp. 373-388)
4. Federalist #48 (GBWW Vol. 40, pp. 156-159)
5. “Mathematics in Life and Thought” by Andrew Forsyth (GGB Vol. 9, pp. 26-46)
6. How We Think by John Dewey, Chapter IX (GGB Vol. 10, pp. 132-143)

GB Y1 W31: Group marriage (and communism) will solve all the world's problems

The Man of Destiny - George Bernard Shaw: Young (though, still General) Napoleon's letters are stolen from his gullible lieutenant by a man who looked surprisingly like a woman after a French victory over the Austrians in Italy.  Strange lady shows up claiming to be the thief's "brother".  Napoleon's not fooled and demands the letters back.  She makes him feel guilty for asking.  He says she must be English, because they're the type to steal something from someone, then feign the moral high ground and make the victim feel guilty for asking for amends.  Funny, lively writing.  The conclusion (thus, the whole point of the play?) seemed a little bitter.  It seems satire is always flirting with that line of bitterness and mockery and I wonder where exactly that line is.

Meditation Upon a Boomstick - Jonathan Swift: A broomstick has a noble beginning in the woods, but then is chopped down, turned upside down, and makes other things clean while making itself nasty.  Man is a broomstick.  We set up to be universal reformers, but are infested with the very same pollutions within.  On the one hand - great metaphor.  On the other - also seems a bit bitter.  Am I just too sensitive this week?

The Republic of Plato, Book V: What about the rest of the community - the women and the children?  The women should undergo the same education as the men.  The best women should be chosen for their place in the guardian group marriage.  Yes, group marriage.  Not only do they share their spouses in common, they share the same residence, same property, and same children as well.  Nobody is to know who is related to who.  This will remove all animosity and ground the greatest good - unity.  We need philosopher-kings.  Philosophers are lovers of the truth and seek the absolute and eternal being of the thing in question, not the opinion of it, which is a "mix" between truth (being) and ignorance (non-being) of the thing.  It's funny that we have to come up with creepy group marriages and communism to overcome the evil in man (supposedly).  It always consists in addressing the problem of the temptation, not the one being tempted.  It's reforming externals, not internals.

Federalist Papers #47 - James Madison: The new constitution will keep powers separate and distinct as far as is needed.  Neither the model of such a principle for Montesquieu (British constitution), or that which exists in the various state constitutions forms some kind of "absolute" separation between the powers.  I wonder how many of the changes/problem areas that have arisen in the federal government since then (especially in the 20th century) would be examples of the concerns that these opponents of the constitution had.

The Starry Messenger - Galileo Galilei: Describes how he built a "spyglass" after hearing about the idea from a lensgrinder in the Netherlands.  Perfects his spyglass, comes up with a way to measure distances between objects he views.  Then describes observations and theories about the surface of the moon and new "fixed" stars.  Then discusses his observations leading to the discovery of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter (as later named, though I'm surprised he didn't suggest it himself).  Along with other history of science/mathematics texts in this series, this seems like it'd be a great tool for teaching science to middle school/high school kids because it's not bogged down in esoteric technicalities and it's even the kind of thing they could recapitulate themselves.  Galileo's occasional chest-beating did get old (actually, it was a bit comical).

The Process of Thought, Ch. VIII - John Dewey: Reflective thought requires a series of judgments, and they must be relevant to the problem at hand (lest the thoughts be useless).  Want to form good habits of judging pertinently and discriminatingly.  Need to determine the relevant data (facts) and elaborate on the meanings they suggest (law).  Analysis is clearing up this confusing data.  Synthesis is bringing the remaining facts together.  It quickly becomes apparent how important it is to form these good habits of thought from a young age.  Maybe we should be using things like the Galileo text as guides to that end?