Blog 14

Langer & Postman

"Audible Actions":

Audible Actions, as defined in the reading, are sounds that an infant repeats. When they get a conversational reaction from a parent, or any other adult, they will realize the significance of the sound/words that they just made. The baby will make a connection between the sound that they are emitting and the response that they are receiving. This is what leads to the development of a child's language. I believe that this is important because it informs a kid on whether or not they are making sense to their elders. It is also important because it allows the infant to practice with babbling, where they are free to make mistakes and correct them as they continue to grow. 

"Phoneme":

As defined by Google, a phoneme is, "any of the perceptually distinct units of sound in a specified language that distinguish one word from another, for example p, b, d, and t in the English words pad, pat, bad, and bat." So, basically, a phoneme has to do with articulation and diction of speech that forms words and creates the language. Lalling is almost the exact opposite. It is defined as the process of saying words incorrectly. Sometimes, this can be referred to as lisps or stuttering on certain letters, but it is where some letters or words come out as they are not supposed to.

"Gestalt":

Gestalt means, "a structure, configuration, or pattern of physical, biological, or psychological phenomena so integrated as to constitute a functional unit with properties not derivable by summation of its parts" In paragraph 16, Langer is most likely referring to sound as the new phenomena. It becomes a new symbol for the child, is identified, and then named. The text explains that a child's main purpose with speech seems to revolve around playing with concepts, and that is exactly what this term is referring to.

Susanne Langer is best known for her involvement in the importance of language in the early stages of life, and also the successes of developed language through great social environments.

"An Organ of Perception":

An Organ of Perception may be defined as, blatantly, having an organ where we have the ability to hear or see, or become aware of something through the senses. To me, that's what I picture, at least, when Postman is describing a metaphor. He may have said this because he is talking about the importance of language and how since we have moved on from teaching the metaphor as an important concept in our writing, it is almost as if we are losing a part of ourselves, and our ancestry. For example, when we look at old English, such as Shakespeare, we find it harder to understand, although we still study it in High School and College literature classes. But, we are not taught how to read passages, or books, such as those. Rather, we are taught to read it together as a class and interpret together, watch a movie on the book that we're reading, or go online to find a word-for-word transfer into modern English. Postman's belief that we have an "Organ of Perception" may be true, but if that's the case, if we keep us this method of teaching English and don't stress on the importance of metaphors, then, we'll never be able to understand as well as generations before us.

Over and Under Achievers in School:

I believe that Postman brings forward the idea of over-achievers and under-achievers in school based on his theory of an "Organ of Perception". He believes that, at one point, this is how we understood and wrote old English, and it probably was a genuine theory. But today, we are lacking the importance of putting metaphors into our school curriculums and into our everyday vocabulary. Postman mentions this because the under-achievers in school tend to have a lesser vocabulary than the over-achievers. The under-achievers are more likely to not do as well on spelling tests, reading novels, or writing papers, whereas those who study older and richer literature are likely to have a more developed vocabulary, and be more successful in their learning environment.

Territory Mapping:

When talking about mapping out a territory, I think of being on a college campus and being a Murray State student. First of all, a thing that I consider my territory, aside from the college, itself, would include my classes. Everyday that I have class, they are not always the same. Some days I have more classes than the other, and other days, I have simpler classes that I rarely receive assignments in. So, I need to balance through mapping. The words that help me map out my classes are the words that I learn in each individual subject. This includes prior knowledge, stuff I've learned, and even words and phrases that I will end up learning in these classes.

Neil Postman, brings forward the idea that metaphors are important in

our society and through the advancements of language.

Blog 13

Bacon & Darwin

"Idols":

The idea that I get from Bacon about the word, "Idols" is that it is a sense of error. It is our wrongdoings that we develop in our society from someone such as ourselves, past relatives/ancestors, or from a random stranger in public. These idols are created/distorted through our mind.  I think that Bacon should not have used the word, "Idol" to describe something that can be perceived as wrong. When one thinks of an idol, they think of a person that he/she looks up to and aspires to be like. This is practically the exact opposite.

From One Idol to Another:

I believe that the most inaccurate knowledge comes from the Idols of the Marketplace because it is spread through direct human word. So, in a sense, the Idols of the Marketplace is like a giant gossip circle where everyone just spreads around rumors, or distorts the reality of something because it doesn't sound as interesting as the member of the marketplace wants it to be. When attempting to determine which Idol is the most truthful, I would say that the credibility belongs to the Idols of the Tribe. I think that the Idols of the Tribe is sort of like our own personal beliefs. We all have our own facts and opinions that are going to change how we see/view certain things, but there is no giant factor that is behind this specific Idol.

Social Intercourse vs. Individual Reflection:

The idols that are a result from social intercourse are the Idols of the Marketplace and the Idols of the Tribe. Both of these are like a cause and effect of what can happen to the individual. For example, Idols of the Tribe are what we have instant beliefs on. It is something that we interpret from a certain situation in our own mind. A different idea about something before we have many different perspectives on the subject. The Idols that are a result of individual reflection include the Idols of the Theatre and the Idols of the Cave. The Idols of the Cave are an interpretation of all the things that he/she has learned and he/she alters his opinion/mindset through his personal devotion. The Idols of the Theater is a response to that. Because they have their own mindset on certain things, we perceive that any philosophy or theory is instantly correct, when in fact, even if what we learn is from a false audience, we believe it is credible based on past experience and our own intuition.

Sir Francis Bacon is best known for his ideas with the 4 Idols.

Survival of the Fittest:

According to Dictionary.com, the phrase, "Survival of the Fittest," is defined as the continued existence of organisms that are best adapted to their environment, with the extinction of others. Whereas Natural Selection is defined as the process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.  An example of Natural Selection would be a creature like the Deer-Mouse. They're very popular in North America, but most specifically in Nebraska. Originally, their coats were a light-pale color, but because they have begun to become extinct, they have adapted to darker shades of fur in order to hide from their predators in darker soils and natural wildlife. An example of "Survival of the Fittest," can be best seen through the Dodo Bird. The Dodo Bird is a bird that could not fly, and was last seen in the late 1600's. Because this bird was not able to fly, and was very close to the ground, it had trouble escaping from predators. So, this bird demonstrates "Survival of the Fittest," through its lack of physical advancement. Since the Dodo bird, variations of the bird have been discovered, although they are not closely related. Many flightless birds nowadays have legs that are long and proportionate, allowing the bird to go as fast as they choose to escape from predators, which is something that the Dodo bird struggled with.

Breeding vs. Natural Selection:

Breeding and Natural Selection are quite different. In Natural Selection, everything is as direct as the name: Natural. There is no one forcing two certain animals to mate with one another, and  there's rarely any chance of hybrid animals out in natural wildlife. That being said, however, although breeding is more forced, it is not more common. There are millions of animals that exist through the process of Natural Selection. Heck, if some people don't believe in the Bible, Natural Selection is the idea of evolution through apes to humans! That being said, Natural Selection by far dominates any sort of breeding on this planet. I believe that it is more efficient to breed animals if you are looking for a certain kind, (ex. a certain dog breed to enter in a professional dog show) but I think that messing with the process of Natural Selection in other ways than that is considered morally wrong. It is more important that we keep the idea of Natural Selection alive, rather than the method of Breeding.

Cloning with Darwin's Views:

Cloning goes against Darwin's Views. Charles Darwin believes in the process of Natural Selection. So, when we as individuals try to alter that process, it is strictly going against that belief system. I remember reading about something in elementary school about the possible cloning of Walt Disney. Rumor is that they have his body, or at least his head/brain frozen in time. When he wakes up and they find out how to clone individuals or at least bring their brains back to life, Walt Disney is said to be one of the first individuals that they will bring back into this world. By cloning individuals, we are completely interfering with Darwin's process of Natural Selection, so I don't think he would be too fond of the idea if it were to actually happen, someday.

Human Social Policy:

Social policy refers to rules or guidelines that can affect a person's quality of life. Human Social Policy in today's society is no longer prominent. "Survival of the Fittest" is seen as a harsh and cruel punishment. For example, when there is a natural disaster, people and missionaries are willing to stop whatever they are doing to help the people that suffered in the area. So, the concept of survival of the fittest has sort of disappeared with the development of our society. Modern medicine and social welfare agencies are helping a few people in situations like this. I know that there are some negative feelings about welfare, but in the long run, they're just trying to make the world function at an equal and fair pace, so that it is able to catch up with the rest of the world. So, to conclude, this modern medicine and the many groups of social welfare are helping those in need, and are furthering proving that the concept of "Survival of the Fittest" is no longer a great concern, or problem for humans, today.

Charles Darwin is most known for his theory of Natural Selection, and how it differs from the perceived ideas of how we came to be alive through different religious groups.

Blog 12

Plato & Freud

Sensory Knowledge:

I completely disagree with Plato when he says that sensory knowledge is unreliable. I believe that our senses are our most important tools when it comes to our instincts about things. For example, when I see a food item in the grocery store, I wanna be able to know that I am getting a good product. So, being able to see any damage made to that product, but also making sure that that individual item that you are planning on buying is not expired, or out of date, is also a plus. You wanna be able to smell and make sure that you don't give yourself food poisoning.

Sense Perception:

I think that we are materialistic when we praise sensory perception. Most of the time, when we relate things back to the real world, or the environment that we live in, it is important to rely on our sensory knowledge to determine whether or not certain environments are meant for us, or could potentially be considered not safe. The alternatives to sense experience could include things, such as, knowledge, or common sense. Plato claims that this must be relevant on experience, or by a feeling. Either way, sense perception could be quite helpful, whether we see it as materialistic, or not.

World Beneath Sense Experience:

Even if our senses benefited us in all the positive ways you could think of, without sensory experience, I believe that we won't be able to understand the information that we sense, especially if our perception is skewed, or altered in anyway.

A Sixth Sense:

If I could choose my own sixth sense, I would choose to see into the future. I think that if you are able to go forward in life, knowing that something that you do can negatively or positively affect your future could be life-saving. For those who are struggling with obesity, maybe seeing into the future could be a life changer for them. It could inspire them to avoid an early death. Another example could include hanging around with certain people and seeing if those people are going to be good people or bad people for you to hang out with years from now. It would be nice to know if you could change for the worse or for the better based on certain situations. All in all, I believe that there are definitely some negatives about having an additional sense, but I think that being able to look into the future would benefit everyone in one way or another.

One of Plato’s theories is known as the World of Forms.This world is where

the ideal form of everything we come to understand exists through our senses.

Dream Significance:

I personally believe that there is a significance to almost every dream that you have. Some dreams are meant to be a recollection of your day, where others are meant to have a deeper meaning. I know that I personally have this one dream which is very repetitive. It involves me and my old best friend shopping and the character, E.T. from the movie. Out of no where, a tiger comes out and eats both E.T. and my childhood best friend and I am left alone in the darkness. I think that this could show that I don't wanna be alone, or that it frightens me to not have someone to lean onto.  It isn't always the clearest thing in the world, and sometimes, I think it just depends on how creative of a person you are. Honestly, some individuals might recognize dreams as nothing at all. They may see them as having no significance. I, however, believe that by some notion that almost every dream is meant to express some importance.

What Dreams Most Mystify You?:

I believe the dreams that mystify me the most are the reoccurring ones. Although I have one reoccurring dream that makes sense to me, not all individuals have many dreams that make sense like that. I think that it is very cool to have people have similar dreams, such as running to no where, or showing up to school in your underwear. But, I always wonder why we have these same fears of embarrassment in our dreams. And when do the people in our dreams become faces that we should pay attention to? I know that some people that show up in our dreams are people that we ran into that day, or people that are on our minds. But, how can we tell those people apart if we don't know them that well? I just wish that dreams could be watched over and over again, so that we could try to understand what their main intentions were.

Frightening Dreams:

I think that the most frightening dreams are dreams that surround the subject of death. The movie, "The Nightmare on Elm Street," always freaks me out because although the story of Freddy Krueger is false, I've read that those who die in their dreams will not wake up. One of the dreams that I had once was when I was asleep in my bed and I woke up and ended up in the city of Chicago. I remember walking off to the top of the John Hancock building with my old best friend. And while we were up on the rooftop, he pushes me over the edge and I begin to fall. I remember the feeling of falling and then instant darkness as I looked up at the night sky. The only thing visible was the hand of my friend trying to reach out for me. And then, I woke up. I don't remember the entirety of it, but it scared the life out of me when it happened.

Forgetting Dreams:

I think that most people forget their dreams because those dreams weren't as significant. If they were important, I believe that it would've been easier for the dreamer to remember that dream. Overall, I think that when we are dreaming we only remember the stuff that is important to us. For example, the two dreams that I talked about had deeper meanings to them. But, if I had to tell you what my dream was about last night, I wouldn't be able to even come close to explaining what it was actually about when attempting to discuss it.

Mental Activity:

In my opinion, I believe that dreaming is a mental activity. After researching, I discovered that the process of sleep thinking is also called sleep mentation. This process consists of vague, bland, thought-like ruminations about real life events. So, since the facts state that sleep has to do with our daily events, this shows that our mental state exists when we sleep because it has to remember our journey throughout the day in order to come up with some of our dreams. In conclusion, mental activity has to have some relation to dreams because our brain activity helps determine it.

Sigmund Freud is best known for his understanding of relationships and love. His ideas compare with Carl Jung, who talks about the relationship of dreams and our own realities.

Blog 11

Woolf & Mead:

Oxford College:

I believe that it is important to explain that this speech was originally presented to women at Oxford College because this essay is all about the empowerment of women. I think that the audience can tell the nature of Woolf's audience because of how she speaks about women in Shakespearean time. When she begins to talk about how if a woman in Shakespeare's time had the same genius as Shakespeare did, she predicts that she would've realized that she would not be able to achieve the same dreams, be forced into marriage, get pregnant, and then eventually commit suicide because this is not the life that she was born to live. So, in  her speech, she is trying to motivate her audience of women not to be afraid to do the same things as men, if not do it better than they ever would.

Historians:

In the sixth paragraph of our textbook, it explains the differences of royalty and ordinary women. This paragraph mentions a queen, or a nice, fair lady, but fails to mention anything about an average woman. This further explains that having an Elizabethan woman of this nature, especially an ordinary individual, would be very odd to occur in the time of Shakespeare. Connecting back to the Historians, they reveal that if a woman had wanted to be just like Shakespeare, or any other man in that age in time, they would not have been successful. Rather, they would probably be bullied, humiliated, disowned, or even, in severe cases, jailed or beaten.

Changes in Society:

Since Shakespeare's era, the amount of women writers and actors has significantly increased. Women have been given more rights, along with the rights to vote, and the right to uphold a job similar to that of a man. There is an increase in female CEO's and we are starting to see more females in positions originally held by men. For example, I'm from Chicago, and I see a lot of construction. But, I think it is just wonderful to see females on the job doing the same "dirty work" as men. It defines the strength in women that we all need to acknowledge. I believe that Woolf would propose these changes as some of the most important developments in society, simply because they benefit the average woman. For women, however, talent is extremely difficult, even today. Although we may achieve similar goals that our male counterparts do, our talents aren't always accepted. There are still more males in school, more males in the work place, and more women at home with the children. Although, over the years, we have seen an alteration of men and women in the household and work place, we still have a long way to go in order to ensure equal rights, all around, for women of every body type and color.

Virginia Woolf is known mainly from her comparison to Shakespeare

if he was a female. This is famously known as Shakespeare's Sister.

Temperamental Traits:

Some of the temperamental traits of women include cooking, cleaning, caring for children, and sexuality. By sexuality, I mean having to look nice all the time in order to please their husbands/boyfriends. In order for a female to obtain a male in today's day in age, their attractiveness plays a significant role. Today, some f the average temperamental traits, such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for children are shared, but predominantly, still identify as main female traits. For the men, these traits include hardworking, religiously affiliated, must obtain a job, and needs to maintain a masculine body structure. Exercise and muscles are very important for these stereotypical traits.

The Price Society Pays:

While society may restrict certain opportunities for either men or women based on the gender they are born with, I believe that it is morally wrong. Society pays the price when they tell a male that he cannot go into teaching at an elementary school because those jobs are saved primarily for females. Female teachers are more common In elementary schools, but that should not restrict them from being able to apply for the job. It makes them that more applicable. Plus, you miss out on the different type of teaching that that male my propose, and once they have more male teachers in middle school and high school, they might struggle in classes where a female is not their main teacher. So, not only are we not helping the individual going against the temperamental trait, but we are not helping those that would've benefited from them entering that position.

Standardization of the Sexes:

When one gender appears to be more like its opposite, that individual suffers tremendously. One of my closest friends back in middle school was very masculine. Every thought she was such a tomboy and nobody messed with her. She wasn't afraid to stand up against a boy and tell them that she was tougher than them. But, as soon as she got to high school, everything was different. She grew her hair out, wore makeup, made sure that all of our clothes grasped onto her body at all times, and then, she adapted to the gender norm. It is so sad to think that she just gave up her true identity because society didn't approve of it. If  you're a male, and you don't have muscles popping out of your arms and legs, your six pack is non existent and you don't go to the gym at least once a week, you will be judged. So, if one gender doesn't follow the stereotypical traits of their gender, they will be criticized and mocked for their differences.

"Primitive Cultures":

I think that society should acknowledge our primitive cultures because we don't want history to repeat itself. The more that we focus on all of the great advancements of our culture today, the less time we will spend remembering just how far we've actually come. I just learned in my sociology class that they are considering adding a new identification into the Census in 2020. It'll be called MENA, which is meant for Middle Eastern and North African individuals. This could honestly be seen as just another way for the government to single out possible "ISIS" individuals. Although I appreciate the government being concerned about my safety, this is exactly what I'm talking about. The more time that we don't spend time thinking about our past, the more chaos that we will put ourselves into. Since 9/11, we have been discriminating those practicing the Muslim religion. Just because some extremists exist, that does not mean that all Muslims are like this. If we continue to criticize against one religion, more religious groups could break out into criminal behavior and we'd be in World War III. So, focusing on the original cultures of our society is important so that we avoid getting ourselves in any more trouble than we are already in.

Margaret Mead is well known for getting involved with equality movements

among the sexes and going against gender stereotypes.