Allison Rollins: Blog 5

Allison Rollins

Mrs. Wilhelmus/Wagener

AP Language

8 August 2013

The Philosophical Project

            Until I had read Sophie’s World I did not have much understanding about the many philosophers of the world, let alone did I know much about philosophy. Surprisingly, I found the majority of it very interesting. While reading this novel I agreed with many of the philosophers; however, there were a few philosophers I disagreed with.

As I was reading, I felt drawn to the teachings of Socrates because of how humble and reserved the man was.  Socrates once said, “One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.” This statement really stood out to me because Socrates understood that he did not know everything and was able to admit it. He was willing to learn, and wanted to gain as much knowledge as possible. Even though Socrates was a very wise man, he would never admit it because he only knew a small fraction out of everything there was to know in the world. Socrates knew it was not humanly possible for a person to know everything about the world. I admire this quality very much about Socrates because knowing you cannot know everything is the best thing to know.

Keeping an open mind in this book was very tough for me, especially while reading about Aristotle. Aristotle was a very wise man, but at times I feel he was just ignorant. He saw a woman as an incomplete version of a man.  I feel like he would over think some aspects about life or nature and would be completely irrational. I know he lived a quite a long time ago, but I still think this was unreasonable for his time. Aristotle often took too much time trying to come up with complex reasons for everything in the world, when in reality he just needed to sit back and enjoy his surroundings.

When I first started reading Sophie’s World, I was buried deep down into the rabbit’s fur. I had never really thought in some of the ways this book made me think, and I knew very little about philosophy. But now that I have finished the book, I have become more aware of the world around me. This book has taught me to be more curious and ask questions out of the ordinary. Now that I have read Sophie’s World, I would say I am not too far away from reaching the top of the rabbit’s fur. However, I do know that I have a lot more to learn about philosophy, so keeping an open mind and staying curious will help me reach the top.

Allison Rollins: Blog 4

Allison Rollins

Mrs. Wilhelmus/Wagener

AP Language

8 August 2012

Red Tinted Glasses

            Life is an adventure we all get to enjoy. There are many great experiences in life; however the great times also come with times that are not so great. In life, it is not uncommon for this to happen, nor do we not have control over it. On the other hand, we do have control over the way we react to these situations, and how we choose to view the world.

            In Sophie’s World, Sophie was given a pair of red tinted glasses to put on. When she puts the glasses on, everything turns to a different shade of red. These glasses represent the way we see the world. Everything around her is still the same, but now a new color. This is an example of our outlook on life. Before Sophie had put the glasses on, she saw everything in normal color, but as soon as she put the glasses on, everything changed to red. By doing this, it changed her view of everything around her.

            In my life, I have gone through many ups and downs. At times it is hard to always be positive, but I have learned to overcome many obstacles and just be thankful I have the chance to live each and every day. In addition, the “Kant” chapter in Sophie’s World really opened my eyes. I had never thought of viewing the world in the sense of glasses. It is simple to choose what glasses to put on, but the question is did you choose the right ones? In other words life is more enjoyable if you decide to view it with the correct glasses.

Through everything that occurs in life, good or bad, everyone has the chance to put on the perfect “glasses” for them.  Also, everyone has the chance to view the world in their own way; it’s just up to the person if they choose to view it positively or negatively.

Allison Rollins: Blog 3

Allison Rollins

Mrs. Wilhelmus/Wagener

AP Language

5 August 2013

Christianizing Philosophy

            During the Middle Ages, a majority of the population were Christians, so philosophy often angered many people, and caused much turmoil. As a result, philosophers found it very difficult to please people with some of their claims on philosophy. In order to please the people, many philosophers had to twist around many of their philosophical claims with the teachings of Christianity. Aquinas Christianized the teaching of Aristotle just like St. Augustine Christianized the teachings of Plato. Before this point in history, philosophy and Christianity had never crossed paths in particular areas.

            The reason many philosophers attempted to Christianize philosophy was because many Christians were often upset about many philosophical truths. In addition, the philosophers did not like the idea of not being supported by the people. St. Augustine and Aquinas had to demonstrate their ideas in a way that would satisfy Christians, but also defend their conclusions they made in the beginning.

            When Christianity and philosophy finally crossed paths, many people were very satisfied. Christians were no longer upset because what they believed was now woven into philosophy. I feel that St. Augustine and Aquinas had a twisted way of doing this, though. It completely changed the way of philosophy. Philosophy is based on reasoning and values, where as Christianity is based on the teachings in the Bible and a person’s spirituality. In the end, philosophy can go a long way, but only to a certain point before spirituality and beliefs are in control.

Allison Rollins: Blog 2

Allison Rollins

Mrs. Wilhelmus/Wagener

AP Language

4 August 2013

Philosophy’s View on Women

From staying at home and cleaning, to being uneducated and powerless, women did not always have the upper hand in life. History makes this evident because very few, if any, women were given the simple rights society takes for granted today.  Through time, women have prevailed and have become more powerful and intelligent. In Sophie’s World the well-known, historical philosophers open up and tell their perspective on women at their time of living.

Aristotle believed women to be an incomplete version of man. Aristotle saw women as the “unfinished man.” He thought that man gave the child all of the genes for life. In my mind, this kind of angered me. I thought of Aristotle to be such an intelligent man, but when it came to women he was certainly incorrect. He was so wrong about the relationship of the sexes and how the reproductive system works.  Aristotle did not realize how important women are for existence. In addition, Aristotle also swayed the view of women in the church. The Bible did not reflect what the church was teaching. In God’s eyes everyone is equal. Overall, Aristotle was a brilliant man; he was just inaccurate with his view on women.

I think that Plato was the wisest man when it came to views on women. Plato believed that women had the right to reason, just like man did, if they were given the same education and training.  Plato said, “A state that does not educate and train women is like a man who only trains his right arm.” This shows Plato views women as having just as many capabilities as a man does. Just because Plato was a man, he did not feel he was superior to women. He felt that women deserved just the same rights as men. Plato had the best view towards women in Sophie’s World, in my opinion.

It really was not unexpected when I learned that the vast majority of philosophers in Sophie’s World were male. Many women during this time period were not given the opportunity to be educated. Women were the ones that were supposed to be taking care of the house and children. Men, on the other hand, were able to be educated and dig deeper to find answers to the questions of the world. Men saw themselves as the great leaders, and teachers of that time.

Though women were given very little rights in history, they still found a way to prove to men that they are just as capable, and equal as anyone else. No matter what gender a person is, everyone plays an important part in the world we live in.

Allison Rollins: Blog 1

Allison Rollins

Mrs. Wilhelmus/Wagener

AP Language

30 July 2013

Life’s Questions

            From the earliest philosophers to present day philosophers, two questions have been frequently asked, but have yet to have one specific answer.  These questions are, “Who are you?” and “Where does the world come from?” Sophie Amundsen, the main character from the novel Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder, found herself pondering these questions when she received them in the mail one afternoon. As I thought about these questions myself, I wondered is it even possible to answer these questions completely? Depending on your religious beliefs it may be simpler to figure out where the world comes from, but it is up to only one person to know who you are, and that is yourself.

            To start off, I will tell you a little bit about who I am. My name is Allison Taylor Rollins. I am from Evansville, Indiana. I am 16 years old, and I will be a junior at North High School. I am in many extra-curricular activities at North including: Teenpower, CIA, student council, and PEERS. I am also a runner and swimmer. One of my favorite things to do is hang out with my friends and family. They always know how to make me laugh, which makes life much more enjoyable. I also love to work hard and give my all at everything I do. In the future, I would love to go into the medical field. I have always been fascinated with the way the human body works. So, by now you may know a little more about who I am. These characteristics describe who I am and make me unique from everyone else.

            “Where does the world come from?” Science and religion are in a constant battle to determine this question in life. Science tells the story of how the earth appeared from a “bang” in space over a billion years ago. This theory is known as the Big Bang Theory. On the other hand, I do not believe in this theory. As long as I can remember I have been taught that God is the creator of this beautiful world we live in today. God made the world in six days and left the last day for rest. Although, one question still had me curious. Where does God come from? I had always been given the same answer: He’s always existed. He has no beginning or end. I still cannot wrap my mind around that to this day, nor do I think I will ever be able to. How can something come from nothing? Sophie asked herself this same question. In the end, I believe that God has always existed, and He alone created this marvelous world we live in today.

            All in all I think these questions are very difficult to answer. People search their whole life just to find two answers. Although everyone is unique, with different opinions, and beliefs, it is still important to figure out these life questions to know who you really are. Knowing who you really are gives you the chance to enjoy life and make a difference in this beautiful world we live in today.