'____ Gene'

I don't know if it's just me but I've now been noticing within our society people are confusing nature and culture, many believe 'I was born gay' or 'I was born poor'. Many people think because of their environment or their situation it becomes apart of them which is true 'culture' but people are trying to erase the line between biology and culture. So it looks like there is some type of gene that makes you the way you are. For example, Lady Gaga's song 'Born This Way' you can say it's just a song, there is no harm to it but there is. It confuses people to believe that there is a 'gay gene' out there but there is no such thing.
We talked about this in class, there is no 'smart gene' even if both of your parents are rocket scientist doesn't mean you will be one too. There is a possibility you can do something related to science or not at all, it depends on the environment you've grown up in.

Skyline

So I watched the movie Skyline after my Dance Company performance last night and there was a scene where one of the main characters died not because they were weak, it was just by chance their body couldn't handle the pain so they ended up dying. 

According to Darwin only the strong will survive because they are the fittest. Now, my question is what happens when someone dies unexpectedly? Is it because they weren't fit enough so they were rooted out or was it just chance they happen to be crossing the street when a man drunk off of road rage forget to stop at a  red light and kills them. They didn't die exactly because there weren't the fittest but it was just by chance they did. Also even if the strong survive we all have to die at some point because we can't live forever so is it apart of us we are all destined to die one day. 

Occupy

Marx predicts that capitalism would become more and more unstable, that the class struggle between the owners of capital and the proletariat . . . until a major social revolution they would take power" (171).
I feel as though that is starting to happen now with the ' Occupy Wall Street' movement. Many people are starting to move around the world with the 'Occupy movement' it had died down not too long ago now people are starting to come back. What would the repercussion of it be?

Sin is like a gear shift

How I think of sin and our relationship with God. I think of it as God and I in a car cruising side by side. :) But here comes along sin and its the gear shift so it comes in between us. It has the possibility of changing of changing not only what direction you many go but it can also stop you in your tracks. I never really thought about how powerful sin was until I looked back on my own life and say how many times I went backwards, forwards, stayed in place (doing nothing), and lastly neutral (letting time fly by and going with the flow).

Hope & Emptiness

So I just got back from Easter lunch and not going to lie the food was amazing. I was invited by the pastor along with a few MCLA students and Williams students. Now, something that caught my attention during the service this morning was "The world gives empty promises of hope" that there is something out there that is able to fill the void that's meant for God. I found that statement very powerful and moving because I know so many people who not only life a lifestyle filling the void with material things. But, also many people who try to have God and the things of this world and try to tell others they are living a bad lifestyle. Many fail to set the example.

Faith and Works

I know from experience looking for God is one of the hardest but at the same time easiest beings to follow or submit to. He requires you to let go of all worldly desires, and to live whole heatedly for Him. I know many people who believe 'I go to church every Sunday and what not' but that's the only time they crack open the bible. I know I'm not judging them by their actions but the bible says "Faith without works is dead" James 2:20 and vice versa. You have to be willing to not only say 'I believe in God' but also see through your actions. Hence the term "Practice what you preach" (Which I just found out it a Barry White song haha Fun Fact)

Why are we here?

So late this evening, I thought of the possibility if I was unpatriotic "If you hate America so much, why don't you leave?" was the first quote that came to mind. I thought of the reasons why I was here and I realized that I wasn't actually being unpatriotic but just upset by some of the decisions that have been made by our government and our society as a whole. Many people I know say they hate America but the only reason why they stay is because of so and so excuse. Would you stay in a country only for it's advantages and nothing else? Similar to some foreign immigrants who come to America for a better life.

Hunger Games

So I just finished watching the Hunger Games. It was an awesome movie! Now, as the movie went on the main character Katniss started to rebel against the system. So eventually she made it out of the Hunger Games alive. In the movie she comes off as someone who despises her own government. Do you guys believe that their should be a punishment for going against your own country?

Helping Someone

In class, we talked about the possibility of having the choose between helping two people. They had the same infections and same everything only difference was that they were from different countries. I first thought to help the person who wasn't American but then that would of seemed unpatriotic. Then, I decided that I would help the American but then that seemed like favoritism. So decided to not help either one of them because I couldn't win no matter who I choose. I feel as though whenever your in that situation I think the best way out is to leave them alone because it will go bad either way but then you'll be considered unpatriotic for not helping the American. This is a very difficult choice to make. What would your choices be?

Last weeks blogs

Hey guys I didn't realize until now but my post from last week were being posted on another blog that I wasn't using. Here's the link: http://trickster01.blogspot.com/2012_03_01_archive.html
Sorry for the inconveniences

Meat in my household

While reading this essay I had a few personal connections to some of the examples that Kheel used. I know back home at my house sometimes for dinner we would have rice and stew pretty frequently. While preparing my own plate I sometimes opted out of eating eat with my rice, then my grandmother would say "Why are you not taking meat?" I respond, "I don't want it." I know that my mom sometimes questions my liking of meat. It's a little annoying she does it all the time.

24

So recently I got obsessed with the show 24, I know it's a little dated but I got interested in it. One of the topics we talked about in class was how men and women have certain traits like how women are weak vs men who are strong. While watching 24 there was a scene where one of the main protagonists was having an argument with his wife because she was doing things behind his back. So he got upset and raised his voice, compared to his wife who kept trying to reason with him that she was doing what she did for him because she knew what was best. Now, after finishing that episode I thought of the saying: 'A mother knows best' Now my question is do you think the wife felt as though she knew what was best because she's been by his side all this time or is it a characteristic that women share. They observe and gives the best answer, so they 'know' the solutions to most problems.

Another Interesting Night

I know I had a previous post about a friend who lost his marbles and how I felt obligated to help him, this is sort of the same concept.W ell actually not really. This situation involved another friend and I felt as though something put me in this spot because it could of had a different outcome had I not been there. I realized that it was free will that made me want to help my friend, but also my altruistic nature that made me care for my friend's well being. Now after a long talk to myself I though of God and his ability to be all knowing and all powerful. If it was my free will that made me help my friend I feel as though it determined the flow of the rest of the night. I don't know I'm still confused about it. Any thoughts?

So we talked about trying new things in class and also how when we experience something once it's not the same the tenth time around. I know that I feel like this when ever I help someone sometimes, sort of the opposite way though. I feel not that excited about helping someone, but eventually after the fifth time or so I have fun and I'm all for helping them. Now my question is that is that a part of human nature to be skeptical about helping people not until we know them personally, since were sociable creatures.

Monopoly

I was walking around campus as I usually do on a Thursday afternoon and I was thinking about determinism and how there are things that are determined for us. Since I have faith in a all powerful God I wonder if our life is like a game of monopoly and we all have a place to be or go. Yet, we have free to go where ever we want on the board. I know it doesn't make sense but I've sort of always though of God looking down on us on a big game board and seeing where we go.

Green Lantern

So I watched the movie Green Lantern last night and it was really a nice action packed movie. Well anyways, as I was watching the movie I realized the main character was really a selfish jerk. Once he got super powers he decided to help people because he had the power to do it. Yeah, So where am I going with this? I was thinking while I watched the movie would we as people be altruistic if we didn't have the power to do good things for other people. I know it's a weird connection but it's just a thought. What really makes us want to make other people's lives easier and do good things for them? I know we are sociable beings but why do we do it? Are we trying to gain acceptance?

Would we feel guilty for not helping, knowing that we possibly had the power to change something?

P.S. I realized that my last two post have been about movie and it's come to me recently that so many movies have a lot to do with some of the things we discuss in class.

Interesting Night

So last night I was faced with a problem concerning one of my friends. It was really an intense conversation. Hence the reason I didn't talk so much during class due to lack of sleep. As I was helping a friend find his lost marbles and guide him to a leveled ground I thought of how nice of a person I was to help him out. I thought I was pretty cool then I started to question my generosity. What was I gaining from this? Why do I feel obligated to help this person when it was their own fault they ended up like this?

I know I wasn't trying to gain anything from giving up my sleep time to make sure my friend was okay. I was just trying to help because that's what I do. I did realize when I decided to help my friend I was the only one out of a group of people who looked and laughed at my friend. I felt guilty because no one helped him so I decided to be the odd ball and help when others didn't.

I think I just realized why I try to do nice things for people. It's because they sometimes need someone to step outside of the crowd and offer a helping hand because no one does and sucks to be left alone. I sort of know the feeling.

Seven Pounds

So on Monday and Wednesday we talked about altruism and how people sometimes do it unknowingly and others do it because they feel obligated to. As classes ended for the day on Wednesday I watched a movie with a few friends. The movie was Seven Pounds starring Will Smith and I thought that this was a perfect thing to blog about because the purpose of the movie was him feeling guilty for something that he committed in the past and he felt that he should look for genuine people who deserved things that he could provide for them. I brought this up in class on Friday and learned that him feeling guilty and helping others because of that guilt doesn't make him selfish.

P.S. You guys should all see the movie it's really fantastic

The Grammy's

I know I'm a little late with this blog post but I felt as though I should do one just for the Grammy's. As I watched little clips of the award show online and got updates via Facebook and Twitter I thought to myself this is so stupid! Why would we as people spend millions of dollars to glorify an artist who no matter if they win an award or not will continue to make good music. The reality is that people love to swim in their own accomplishments and show everyone else that they are on top. My question is why are they so concerned with what others think of them and competing against each other? I wonder if any of those people are actually happy with being in the spotlight and having everyone's eyes on them instead of their own lives.

What came first?

So during class on Wednesday we talked about what came first the chicken or the egg. I did some research and found out that a scientist believes that the chicken came first because they have a particular protein that only a chicken can produce in the womb, without that protein it would be impossible for an egg to be produced without it. I found this article very interesting because it went along with our discussion about causalism. Seeing how we would try and trace back why we do things or our very existence is very complicated, and tricky. I thought that this was my favorite discussion in class yet because we all had a different idea of what came first.

Happiness

What is the point of looking for happiness when it's never going to be achievable?

So I asked this question on Friday during class and the response that I got was that I wasn't looking for the meaning of what it means to be happy. I was actually looking for the meaning of life. Surprisingly, while I was finishing up my Q&A I kept thinking of what it meant to be happy and I couldn't find an answer. So I brought it up in class and got a completely different question all together.

I think I can understand now why I wasn't asking the meaning of happiness but the meaning to life. I realized that no matter how you look at it, happiness has a plethora of meanings because you can literally do anything and be happy.

My friends and uno

On this cold Friday/Saturday early morning my friends decided to play a game of uno and I was thinking that this was going to be a normal game but it wasn't. It was full of tricks. I know I was probably over thinking a simple game of uno, but I started to think. What's the purpose of the game? It's to be the first one to lose all of their cards. I started to think of Aristotle's four questions and how the game was brought into existence. I know that I won't find why the game was brought into the world but I know that the purpose from my point of view, was to stimulate competition. Maybe that the purpose of all games is to stimulate competition? But now the question why does it matter who comes first and who's last? Maybe this simple game of uno is me over analyzing way too much but it's interesting.

The Cave

So yesterday we talk a lot about Plato and how we as humans are chained by our shadows. As we went over this I thought of sin and addiction and how people are chained to kept repeating the same sin or being an addict to something. I remember while I was at a christian retreat a year back we were told to break the chains of the devil. Now looking back at that moment Christianity and Plato have some similarities; such as breaking the chains holding you bound and walking out of the cave of darkness and finding the truth which can be God or the truth.

What are your thoughts?

Do you guys agree, disagree or have another point of view?

Forms

This past weekend/Monday after class I started to think about how I have always unintentionally made forms in my mind whenever I read books. I didn't realize it until now that I had a perfect idea what the book would look like in reality, but there was no such thing. Director's have a form of what the movie should look like based on the book or idea but it's never up to par with the form they created in their mind. It was as if someone else thought that their form of the book would be better than everyone else's that read the same book not to be mean but I think that's pretty selfish. Am I wrong? But then you realize that you can't satisfy everyone because it's just not possible.

Perfection

Something that caught my eye after reading Chapter one again out of boredom was "We are unfinished and impressible, and in need of constant modeling to achieve our ultimate end of moral perfection " (13). Now this got me thinking of what is perfection because we all believe that being perfect without flaw but yet we as humans are constantly trying to be perfect morally. I don't know if that makes sense or not because why would we try to obtain something when we know it's impossible to achieve perfection? Wouldn't we just be selfish people trying to aim for a star no matter how hard we try we won't get it. I was also thinking about how we are unfinished which makes me wonder about Confucius and if he was able to reach that point of perfection or understanding?

Destiny

So I know for a fact that we have all been through something that has made a major impact in our lives. I feel as though everyone has to go through it, to really be human because no one has a perfect life no matter what. I have come to the conclusion that we go through life having multiple experiences whether good or bad because it helps to shape how we view the world, and also how we view ourselves. I know for a fact that if I went back ten years to a younger version of me he would have a totally different view of the world than I would now. I think that this is true because I have gone through a lot of things in life, but with these experiences I have learned the importance of life and whats out there for me. Let me rephrase that, I don't think that I have really found the importance of life and its value because maybe a year from now my view may change because we are constantly changing as we grow older. I just gave my two cents. What are your views of destiny?

Winners and Losers

We talked about Winners and Losers in class on Wednesday and it was interesting to see how we view them from a global standpoint. I know that most people think of winners 'people who are successful' as people that have a lot of money. When this comes to mind I think of rappers of today because so many people are not only being influenced by these figures but also becoming addicted to what they represent and feel as though its right. I feel that the people being influenced by the artist of today are losers because some of them are trying to attain what these rappers promote by doing what they say compared to trying to be themselves and do something meaningful with their life.

I think from my perspective of the world I define a winner as anyone who strives to be someone or achieve a goal that people would deem impossible because of their situation.

My definition of loser is anyone who fails to learn from past mistakes and can't make decisions for themselves unless they are influenced by other people.

I don't know if I am over thinking about what Winners and Losers are, but what do you think losers and winners? Are their qualifications?

Messing with my suite mate

So on Sunday Night after the Giant's somehow won against the 49'ers. I thought it was a fluke. :) But anyways I decided to have fun with my friend next door, while he was sleeping I borrowed a few of his things. I took his magnets, bottle caps, and his old lighter. I decided to use magnets and the bottle caps together to make a weird/abstract sculpture and stick it to the lighter. I wish I took a picture, but that's what I'm not going to talk about. It was the magnetism that made me think. How can something just come together like that? I have a little knowledge about magnets from grade school, but there was something about how they react to each other. It's a mystery to me even though is proven by science.

It got me thinking about out talk yesterday with gravity. Its something that people try to describe but you can't really describe it. I'm a little confused any thoughts?

Philosophy Toolkit: Theism/Deism & Metaphysics

I found this interesting because I believe that there is an all-powerful, omnipotent, ect. God. The reason is because I've grown up with the belief but also as I grew older I started to think that God was spiritual being that really just watched my life go by and not really intervene when needed even when I had times of suffering. Over time my faith actually grew stronger because of my past suffering and realized that there is a God.

I also found Metaphysics/Ontology interesting because it makes me wonder now how things work. I heard of this same word after class in Phil 100 and one question that actually made me stop and think was: What does it mean to exist?

Who I am

Hello everyone!
My name is Osakpolo Igiede, but I go by Osa and I was born March 10, 1993 making me 18 going on 19. I am currently a Freshmen in my second semester here at MCLA. I am from Boston, MA to be more specific Roslindale. I am Undeclared as of right now but I'm finding a lot of different interests from the classes I am taking. Especially my Philosophy course 'A First Course in Philosophy' with Paul Nnodim, even though I only had my first class yesterday he's making me take a second look at things I see in everyday life. Outside of class I am MCSS (Multi-Cultural Student Society) treasurer, 2015 class president, also class senate representative, and the list goes on but anyways you can always find me doing something productive while on campus. Besides class, clubs, and hanging around with friends I can be found just enjoying everyone and everything around me. I have been told that I'm a very positive person, at times I don't agree. I am also a devoted Christian. Along with myself and a friend we run a youth prayer line teleconference on Sundays for youth in and around the Boston area.

Some of my hobbies include reading books, photography, playing the djembe, reading the bible, spreading positivity to friends, and listening to music. Some of my favorite artist include Trip Lee, Lecrae, Andy Mineo, and KB.

Something that I found interesting and also looking forward to are the Q & As because I like to see what type of questions people come up with and give them my own answer and not something that requires thinking and not looking up information in a textbook. I also like the fact that we are able to post our own questions because I like to sometimes think of complex questions and see what others think about my questions.

I wonder if this small description gives you a glimpse of who I am and how I'm constantly changing, because I know that trying to describe oneself would take a lot more than a few paragraphs because if I've learned something from Nnodim's course since yesterday is that we all are constantly changing and trying to describe who we are.

-Osa