Posts Tagged ‘English’

Socialism and Utopia

Tuesday, June 19th, 2007

After reading the Utopia, I checked some information about socialism, and presented a little thought here.

Socialist ideals have influenced throughout the history of literature; from Plato to Marx, the goal of a perfect state has taken up some of the best minds in political thought manifesting itself in literature. Among these, the most famous one is the Utopia of More, a work which links the utopias of the ancient with the utopias of the modern. The fantasy island draws on the Greek Republic and yet it influenced the revolutionary world of Marx.

Utopia lacks classes because everyone shares the same work, everyone is equal, and everyone has the same rights. In Utopia there is an obligation for all to work a minimum of six hours everyday at whatever he is best at. All people spend time in the country working the land, as this is an agriculturally based society they must assure themselves of continued crop growth. In addition to creating the same conditions for everyone, this assures that they will have enough supplies to suppress the animal fear of want. All clothing is plain and simple, designed only for utility and practicality. More points out that if someone was dressed in ‘finer’ material, he would not be better protected against the cold, nor would he appear better dressed to the Utopians. Hereditary distinctions do not exist because children are easily moved around from household to household, depending on which occupation he would like to learn. Since there is very little distinction in occupation, dress, lodging, riches, or use of free time, pride is almost non-existent in Utopia.
(more…)

Teaching Method of Socrates

Saturday, June 2nd, 2007

This is one of my articles in university. It may take you a little longer to read.

What is the best teaching method? Different people have different answers. The famous ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates’ teaching method is well-known for its efficiency and its unique style. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of teaching method? Is it the best teaching method?

About Socrates
The most interesting and influential thinker in the fifth century was Socrates, whose dedication to careful reasoning transformed the entire enterprise. Since he sought genuine knowledge rather than mere victory over an opponent, Socrates employed the same logical tricks developed by the Sophists to a new purpose, the pursuit of truth. Thus, his willingness to call everything into question and his determination to accept nothing less than an adequate account of the nature of things make him the first clear exponent of critical philosophy.

Although he was well known during his own time for his conversational skills and public teaching, Socrates wrote nothing, so we are dependent upon his students for any detailed knowledge of his methods and results. The trouble is that Plato was himself a philosopher who often injected his own theories into the dialogues he presented to the world as discussions between Socrates and other famous figures of the day. Nevertheless, it is usually assumed that at least the early dialogues of Plato provide a (fairly) accurate representation of Socrates himself.

About Socrates’ Teaching
Now that we have looked at the life of Socrates, we can turn to an examination of his particular approach in educating. What techniques did he use to facilitate learning?
(more…)

Update WordPress, Change theme

Monday, May 21st, 2007

Days ago, I updated my wordpress to WP2.2 and changed a new theme “Grid Focus“. This theme is Derek’s design, I talked about him in the copyright dispute articles. I like this kind of style very much.

There are some of the details left for me to do some changes. However, I was busy these days so I put it aside. I’ll make it up ASAP.

On last Saturday, we had a gethering. Friends from 6571.net, mostly my schoolmates, met each other. We enjoyed ourselves very well in the latter activities. It’s 12 o’clock when I climbed to my room. For more details you may visit 6571.net.

I’ve have to stop here for my supper :roll: .

Update: I find “Grid Focus” uneasy to use, so I take Nicky’s theme again.

Emily‘s Poetic Sense of Life

Tuesday, May 8th, 2007

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) wrote her verse far different from that of other American poets, showed the fact that one could take a single household and an inactive life, and make enchanting poetry out of it.

Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her early letters and descriptions of herself in her youth reveal an attractive girl with a lively wit. Her later retirement from the world, though perhaps affected by an unhappy love affair, seems mainly to have resulted from her own personality, from a desire to separate her from the world. The range of her poetry suggests not her limited experiences but the power of her creativity and imagination.

Emily Dickinson was not predictable; yet the comic sense, widely abroad, upsetting much stability, was bound at last to break that tie holding the poet within the bondage of social preoccupation. Emily Dickinson was not only a lyric poet; she was in a profound sense a comic poet in the American tradition. She possessed the sense of scale and caught this within her small compass. A little tippler, she leaned against the sun. The grave for her was a living place whose elements grew large in stone. Purple mountains moved for her; a train, clouds, a pathway through a valley became huge and animate. Much of her poetry is in the ascending movement, full of morning imagery, of supernal mornings: seraphim tossing their snowy hats on high might be taken as her symbol. Her poetry is also comic in the Yankee strain, with its resilience and sudden unprepared ironical lines. Her use of an unstressed irony in a soft blank climax is the old formula grown almost fixed, yet fresh because it was used with a new depth—
(more…)

Talktive shy man

Monday, April 23rd, 2007

Someone told me that I was a shy man but good at communication. I admit, I am not a talktive man, not at all. Most of the time, I was just lowering my head and thinking by myself. Mostly because of the experience in my childhood.

Still remember what Michael said to Sara in Prison Break? “Be the change you want to see in the world. ” Just make some changes of yourself, improve a little bit. As a shy man, I perfectly understand how we are admiring those talktive guys. When I was in university, some friends deliberately created chances for me to talk. That talkshow time gave me big courages. I even made decision to be “a changed man”.

Time flies, I leart a lot about how to communicating with others; however, the impression of a shy man could be removed from their mind. It really reminds me that initiation is crucial sometimes. No matter what happened, I will make my way to the destination. Being improved is just what want in the my prime time.

Talktive shy man, I am willing to be.
Just have a little faith, man!