OK, I'm pretty sure I actually liked this week.
Quick review on this week's readings:
May 27 "Education of The Human Race" by Lessing: 1/5 At least it's not a poem like the similar one last week. I sometimes consider moving these up in the hopes that they're included as examples of how not to think, but that seems like cheating.
May 28 Assorted Poems by Moore: 2/5 Bring back real world Magic flavor text.
May 29 "The Barber's Fifth Brother" From 1001 Nights: 2/5 Bring back weird and/or swashbuckling 1001 Nights excerpts.
May 30 "The Building of The Ship" by Longfellow: 3/5 It's a decent poem. Weirdly rambly metaphor reminds me of the one scene in Human Revolution where the CEO tells you he's the captain of this football battleship company or whatever.
May 31 Intro to Leaves of Grass by Whitman: 4/5 I don't love this, but I think it's one of the best explanations of American Exceptionalism I've ever read.
June 1 Dr. Faustus by Marlowe: 5/5 We love the bad end!
June 2 "Profession of Faith by a Savoyard Vicar" by Rousseau: 4/5 I don't know that I entirely agree with or love Rousseau, but I think he's a very accessible philosopher that makes some good points
Average: 3/5 The first week with an average (saved by my man Kit Marlowe) at or above 3!
Overall Thoughts on The Project:
While I assume I'll find other philosophers I like more, I want to stick a big ol' flag on Rousseau as the guy who needs to be in high school/gen-ed philosophy. He's old enough to be a "safe" classical choice, but his basic points of:
1. Don't be endlessly skeptical for no reason
2. We exist and are affected by things
stand in strong opposition to the navel gazing "everything is pointless" that is so cliché for elementary philosophy. The world is unknowable and you're useless is not inspiring (almost) anyone. We can certainly teach those philosophers, but a more dynamic starting point would do both people (more meaningful life) and philosophy (people actually give a crap about that gen ed) a world of good.
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