CaliforniaCoaster Posted January 4, 2017 Posted January 4, 2017 Hello everyone, I've been trying to figure out my own self-study program to learn philosophy and it got me thinking about how much fluff is added into your average university major. It seems that much of what is taught could be distilled into half a dozen or so courses that strike at the core of any given subject.For instance, I attempted to condense the UC San Diego philosophy degree and ended up with the following courses.(Feel free to post your own condensed versions of your university major program.) Introduction to Logic Symbolic Logic I History of Philosophy: Ancient History of Philosophy: Early Modern History of Philosophy: Late Modern Metaphysics Epistemology Philosophy of Science Which brings me to the question on the thread.Q:If a Bachelors Degree in Freedomain Radio existed, what would the course load look like and how would it be structured?Would a Freedomain Radio degree be strictly focused on philosophy? Should it be a (B.S.) degree or a (B.A.) degree? Would the course load consist of just reading Stephan's books, or would the course work also need to teach elements of statistical analysis, computer science, and history? What do you all think? 2
shirgall Posted January 5, 2017 Posted January 5, 2017 Snarky answer incoming! In all seriousness, there was an old school of thought, called the Trivium, that discussed the proper grounding of an education in critical thinking, and formed the bottom three of the seven liberal arts: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. (The other four are arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy, which don't get talked about much at FDR, except when flat Earthers visit). 2
CaliforniaCoaster Posted January 5, 2017 Author Posted January 5, 2017 Snarky answer incoming! (IMG) In all seriousness, there was an old school of thought, called the Trivium, that discussed the proper grounding of an education in critical thinking, and formed the bottom three of the seven liberal arts: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. (The other four are arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy, which don't get talked about much at FDR, except when flat Earthers visit). I suspected the Trivium as part of the FDR degree, but I feel that while the trivium is a good base, elements of the Trivium should be covered already by high school graduation. Even if an FDR graduate degree is representative of the Trivium, how best would one even approach the study of the trivium in modern times? The scope of rhetoric for instance, can cover quite a bit. """ Rhetoricians have studied the discourses of a wide variety of domains, including the natural and social sciences, fine art, religion, journalism, digital media, fiction, history, cartography, and architecture, along with the more traditional domains of politics and the law.[8] Many contemporary approaches treat rhetoric as human communication that includes purposeful and strategic manipulation of symbols. Public relations, lobbying, law, marketing, professional and technical writing, and advertising are modern professions that employ rhetorical practitioners.""" (Wikipedia) Perhaps the Trivium can be a sort of "general ed" requirement to which the meaty bits of the FDR degree are added on top.
shirgall Posted January 5, 2017 Posted January 5, 2017 I suspected the Trivium as part of the FDR degree, but I feel that while the trivium is a good base, elements of the Trivium should be covered already by high school graduation. I went to high school in the 1980s and I didn't get the Trivium... and based on my son's education now I don't think it's gotten any better. All the critical thinking skills I earned were in debates and conversations, not in school (except possibly a good grounding in science).
CaliforniaCoaster Posted January 5, 2017 Author Posted January 5, 2017 I went to high school in the 1980s and I didn't get the Trivium... and based on my son's education now I don't think it's gotten any better. All the critical thinking skills I earned were in debates and conversations, not in school (except possibly a good grounding in science). Slightly off topic, but have you designed a way to teach your son the Trivium? From what I've read on the topic there is no specific "cannon," but rather just a focus on the classics and critical thinking. 1
rosencrantz Posted January 5, 2017 Posted January 5, 2017 I can't suggest a curriculum, nor do I have a syllabus but I found that reading what philosophers wrote to be much more interesting than a summary of their thinking.
shirgall Posted January 5, 2017 Posted January 5, 2017 Slightly off topic, but have you designed a way to teach your son the Trivium? From what I've read on the topic there is no specific "cannon," but rather just a focus on the classics and critical thinking. I talk to him. I share contrary opinions. I share FDR with him as well. I emphasize that it is prudent in argument to know where the attack will come from and have an appropriate counter in place. I remind him that a good lawyer never asks a question in court that he doesn't know the answer to. I show him how Hollywood and the press get things incredibly wrong and how to notice it. I do not explicitly refer to the Trivium itself, but instead I got on practicing the legs of it.
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