Last night's class, a summary

[oakenguy]

1. Teacher lists on the board Socrates's reasons for staying in Athens. We go through them in order.

2. We hit Soc's explanation that the city laws are like parents and therefore we have to obey them unquestioningly no matter how wrong they might be, just like we do our parents.

3. Brief pause as the class takes to this concept like fish take to maple syrup.

4. Explanation from teacher that this is something philosophers like to point to as a Flawed Argument. Sometimes they use a technical term, "full of crap".

5. Sigh of relief from the class.

6. Vanessa raises her hand and begins talking.

7. I draw a horse in my notebook.

8. I tune back in. Vanessa's complaining about the government saying it's illegal to smoke in her own car.

9. I draw a beard and top hat on my horse.

10. And now Michelle Obama's telling Vanessa her children need to eat healthy food, and...

11. I write 'Neighbraham Lincoln' underneath the picture of my horse.

12. So, Vanessa concludes, what about when the laws are attacking parents?

13. Class ends.

Comments

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

That sounds just like Cambridge College. Except we don't have anybody who can draw a horse.

[natbudin.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a lot of philosophy classes I had in college...

When we were kids, my brother thehumanclams drew a picture of Abe with a tray of food and a tea towel slung over his arm and titled it "Waiterham Lincoln." I think our mom still has it on the kitchen wall, because she keeps everything.

[temperlj.livejournal.com]

Excellent Horse
If Vanessa was in my class I would point out how much money per minute she cost everyone in the class and then b-slap the professor who let that happen

[clionona.livejournal.com]

I write 'Neighbraham Lincoln' underneath the picture of my horse.

You almost made me snort hot coffee out of my nose. That would have hurt! :P

And I'm proud of you for not slapping Vanessa. I don't think I could have refrained. :P

[breakinglight11.livejournal.com]

"Neighbraham Lincoln" is the best thing I've heard in ages.

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

Ditto.

[smacaski.livejournal.com]

I could argue with Vanessa re: number 10 (Michelle Obama is not a legislative body, no legislative body has mandated eating healthy foods, omg children need to eat healthy food to be healthy? who knew?, etc.), but I feel like it would be arguing with a brick wall. A very smoky brick wall.

+ 1 million for Neighbraham Lincoln

[coscaram.livejournal.com]

You remind me of the daydreaming, Warner Bros. character, Ralph Phillips.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENxnrine-Jc

[sheapottery.livejournal.com]

"like a fish takes to Maple syrup" is now one of my go-to lines.

BTW, I think Vanessa sounds charming, stimulating and quite persuasive. She's a catch, all right.

[thorbol.livejournal.com]

"2. We hit Soc's explanation that the city laws are like parents and therefore we have to obey them unquestioningly no matter how wrong they might be, just like we do our parents."

It's been a very long time since I read Socrates's argument, and I even forget the title of the essay containing it. That said, and while the argument as you summarized it makes no sense to me at all, a veriant of it makes at least some sense in a democratic society, which Athens was for some of the people living there. Note that I said "some sense."

Socrates is often pointed to as one of the greats in human history. I found a very different view in I. F. Stone's The Trial of Socrates, which I recommend highly.

[wow-hazmat.livejournal.com]

I want to see Neighbraham Lincoln. Scan! Scan!

[plastickitty.livejournal.com]

Neighbraham Lincoln!! At least you got something out of class.

[bluestocking.livejournal.com]

Yick.

I would not deal with that well. I have some winners in one of my classes, but no-one anywhere near that bad.

[clarkieburger.livejournal.com]

If we had gone to college together, my job would have been to sit next to you and stare at your doodlings since I'm lousy at such things myself. You crack me up.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Hey! It's you!