Instructions:
We are going to build this page together, containing our observations and questions that follow your choice of a famous quotes.
Read and consider the following passages. Write a response afterward in which you offer a summary, observation, or any questions that come to mind regarding ONE of the quotes. (In other words, consider "What does it SAY," "What does it MEAN," and/or "What does it MEAN TO US/ME.") Use the following format:
Name -- Observation or intricate question. (2-3 sentences aiming for complexity/comprehensiveness)
QUOTES (Choose one)
"You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr
"Logic is the beginning of wisdom, Valeris, not the end." Spock
"Two extravagances: to exclude reason, to admit only reason." Blaise Pascal
"All generalizations are false-- including this one." Henry David Thoreau
"You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into." Jonathan Swift
"The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything but his reason." G.K. Chesterton
"He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; and he that dares not reason is a slave." William Drummond
"My aim is not to be consistent with my previous statements on a given question but to be consistent with the truth as it may present itself to me at a given moment." Mahatma Ghandi
Chae Young -- "All generalizations are false -- including this one." Henry David Thoreau -- This quote is saying that no right generalizing can be said or be made. For me, I think this is a true statement. Since "all generalization are false" could be false, it means that this statement is right. Also the reason that I think there could be no correct generalization is because generalizing includes a large area of a topic most of the time and there could be always one or two that are exceptional. Additionally, the generalization that I made here could be false as well.
Gerard Belmans -- "You are not thinking. You are being logical." Niels Bohr. What Bohr is saying here is that logic is not something that we can consciously think about. When we are presented with different statements, we do not often consciously compare and contrast the two - we always seem to have a logical response ready to whatever situation we face. Another example would be the limbic system in our bodies, which controls our basic instincts. When we are in the path of a car, our limbic system tells our muscles to move back to safety. We were not consciously involved - same as when we draw logical conclusions.
Shawn Lim -- "My aim is not to be consistent with my previous statements on a given question but to be consistent with the truth as it may present itself to me at a given moment." Mahatma Gandhi -- Gandhi suggests that it is crucial that one forgets not to be consistent with the truth and reality, instead of his previous arguments. People often attempt to maintain themselves consistent in order to not contradict themselves because it looks "unsophisticated". Yet, Gandhi claims that if one finds what is closest to the truth so far, one should choose that. Although this may sound like a mere excuse, it is actually ridiculous to stick to something spurrious just because we used to think that way.
Jangho Seo - "All generalizations are false-- including this one." Henry David Thoreau.
I interpreted this statement as "some generalizations are true but not all of them", because Thoreau denies that statement --"All generalizations are false", which means that some generalizations must be true. I believe that this statement is true, and therefore chose this quote. Some generalizations about a certain topic can be true. However, not all generalizations are true and many have exceptions.
Edward Cannell - "All generalizations are false-- including this one." Henry David Thoreau
This statement is probably a fancy way of saying that MOST generalizations are false, but not all. However, I think that Thoreau is trying to criticize how humans tend to make hasty generalizations, which almost always turn out to be faulty. Therefore, I think that Thoreau is claiming that we should reason more before making generalizations, as most of them result in faulty, hasty ones.
Quentin Perrot - "Two extravagances: to exclude reason, to admit only reason." Blaise Pascal
We've explored various "ways of knowing" and we came to find that reason was one of them. Blaise Pascal is basically telling us that reason, although being a way of knowing, should not be entirely relied on, or to be entirely accepted as the universal way of knowing. Just like Blaise, I think that balancing your methods of reaching conclusions, whether it's through reason or faith, is extremely important in keeping a healthy mind. Reason, of course, is important, but is it and should it be our primary way of knowing? And if it is, which other way of knowing should we rely on?
Harry O'Sullivan - "You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr
I think what Bohr is trying to say here is that logic is not a consequence of thought. By mentioning that we are "merely being logical," I think he is trying to say that logic and thought are two completely different ideas, and one is not the consequence of the other. The notion that "we are merely being logical" is, I find, a fallacy. Indeed, logic comes from experience, and many other things, but I think it is impossible to be logical without thinking. . .
Aaron Olin -- "My aim is not to be consistent with my previous statements on a given question but to be consistent with the truth as it may present itself to me at a given moment." Mahatma Ghandi
I think Ghandi is trying to say that his truth can change whenever his mindset is altered. He is not afraid to say what he feels on any given day whether or not is it consistent on what he felt before. For example, right now a person may be totally against war but if their country is invaded they might feel a need to defend their country and fight in the war. To many world leaders have stayed with their same thoughts throughout their time in office because of the fear in sounding inconsistent. It would be better if they followed Ghandi's advice and spoke their truths on each given day.
Nari -- "You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr
How can we be logical if we're not thinking? Is it because it's just the way it is and what we believe? This quote by Niels Bohr made me think of these questions. It is true in a way because we believe something and it doesn't always involve thinking. You may just know for sure that something is true. In that case, you are not thinking but being logical so the quote does make sense. But, if it's a concept, for example, you are thinking as well as being logical in your sense, making this quote fill your head with questions.
Matthieu--"All generalizations are false-- including this one." Henry David Thoreau
I believe this statement is "generally" true because generalizations are, in general, very broad and abstract, and a "generalization" holds too much ideas/power for one word. Just because the tall and mighty Mint Listerine bottle says "DO NOT SWALLOW", it does not mean that other types or brands of mounthwash cannot be consumed without a little pain/irritation. The statement that I made about mouthwash is relatively true due to the broad range of different types of mouthwash(i.e. water technically counts as mouthwash, then again Drano does too...because mouthwash is, in general, anything that washes your mouth to some extent). So if I say "I drink my mouthwash" and you say "That is stupid", I acted on a hasty assumption based on a relatively safe type of generalzation that people make everyday. HOWEVER, one should never ever consume dessicant Silica Gel. This is because the "in-general" range of dessicant Silica Gel is very narrow(approx.46), while the range for mouthwash is wide(approx.177).
Soo Hyung Jung-- "You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr
I symphathized with Niels Bohr's point of view. I simply think that being logical is just being observant. Also, I interpreted being logical as stating knowns which also belong to merely being logical. Thinking is just a way to find unknowns, I assume. Sometimes, people believe something without deeply thinking or pondering about it. This will perfectly match to the quote, since people were just being logical when they believed something without thinking.
Sean Williams -- "He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; and he that dares not reason is a slave." William Drummond. As I read this quote by William Drummond, I thought of the benefits of reasoning. As i see it, reasoning is a way in which one is able to open their mind in a way that allows one to explore further into things that we are not sure of. Therefore I really liked the last sentence in the quote, where William Drummond says, "... he that dares not reason is a slave". I took interest to this part as I can fully understand what Mr. Drummond means when he says that one that cannot reason is not free, and therefore a "slave".
Albert Takagi-- "You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr. Simple, but complicated. Sense of enigma, but something deep into it. Honestly speaking, I don't understand what Niels Bohr is trying to bring up. However, I also think that that is a human nature of having a hard and long time to figure out a simple short quote. I don't claim myself to be correct, but from my perspective, I assume "to think" involves a slight emotion of the speaker, where in the other hand being "logical" is spitting out dictionary words out of your mouth. For example, if I see a sorrowful child crouching on the ground, I could be logical by saying "she looks sad because she is crouching on the ground and there is no one around who worries about her." However, "thinking" involves the process of worring about her, and to question yourself, "why does she look so sad?" and "why is she crouching on the ground?"
Filippo Ricci -- I found this one to be particularly interesting: "You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into." -- Jonathan Swift. How many times have we all had long, sometimes complex arguments about whatever? A common 'bystander' if you will, between each argument would be the reasoning behind it, for instance, we always try to explain things to people using examples just as I am doing now. What Jonathan Swift is trying to say, in my opinion, is that you cannot expect someone to believe, if you never thought him to believe, and I used the word 'believe' strictly contextually. For those who watched the movie inception, I guess it is fair to say that you cannot make somebody scratch out an idea, without first giving the 'inception' to do it beforehand.
Taku Kitamura -- "The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything but his reason." G.K. Chesterton.
This quote states that the madness always comes from the reason, and even if you lose everything, you always have a reason for the madness. Then, is it possible to have a madness without any reasons? I think that as long as we are "humans", reasons can never be separated from the feelings, such as madness, sorrow, insanity, and happiness. Therefore, I do not agree with the part of the quote, "who has lost his reason." In my opinion, humans do not ever lose a reason.
DEEP THOUGHTS
Instructions:
We are going to build this page together, containing our observations and questions that follow your choice of a famous quotes.
Read and consider the following passages. Write a response afterward in which you offer a summary, observation, or any questions that come to mind regarding ONE of the quotes. (In other words, consider "What does it SAY," "What does it MEAN," and/or "What does it MEAN TO US/ME.")
Use the following format:
QUOTES (Choose one)
Chae Young -- "All generalizations are false -- including this one." Henry David Thoreau -- This quote is saying that no right generalizing can be said or be made. For me, I think this is a true statement. Since "all generalization are false" could be false, it means that this statement is right. Also the reason that I think there could be no correct generalization is because generalizing includes a large area of a topic most of the time and there could be always one or two that are exceptional. Additionally, the generalization that I made here could be false as well.
Gerard Belmans -- "You are not thinking. You are being logical." Niels Bohr. What Bohr is saying here is that logic is not something that we can consciously think about. When we are presented with different statements, we do not often consciously compare and contrast the two - we always seem to have a logical response ready to whatever situation we face. Another example would be the limbic system in our bodies, which controls our basic instincts. When we are in the path of a car, our limbic system tells our muscles to move back to safety. We were not consciously involved - same as when we draw logical conclusions.
Shawn Lim -- "My aim is not to be consistent with my previous statements on a given question but to be consistent with the truth as it may present itself to me at a given moment." Mahatma Gandhi -- Gandhi suggests that it is crucial that one forgets not to be consistent with the truth and reality, instead of his previous arguments. People often attempt to maintain themselves consistent in order to not contradict themselves because it looks "unsophisticated". Yet, Gandhi claims that if one finds what is closest to the truth so far, one should choose that. Although this may sound like a mere excuse, it is actually ridiculous to stick to something spurrious just because we used to think that way.
Jangho Seo - "All generalizations are false-- including this one." Henry David Thoreau.
I interpreted this statement as "some generalizations are true but not all of them", because Thoreau denies that statement --"All generalizations are false", which means that some generalizations must be true. I believe that this statement is true, and therefore chose this quote. Some generalizations about a certain topic can be true. However, not all generalizations are true and many have exceptions.
Edward Cannell - "All generalizations are false-- including this one." Henry David Thoreau
This statement is probably a fancy way of saying that MOST generalizations are false, but not all. However, I think that Thoreau is trying to criticize how humans tend to make hasty generalizations, which almost always turn out to be faulty. Therefore, I think that Thoreau is claiming that we should reason more before making generalizations, as most of them result in faulty, hasty ones.
Quentin Perrot - "Two extravagances: to exclude reason, to admit only reason." Blaise Pascal
We've explored various "ways of knowing" and we came to find that reason was one of them. Blaise Pascal is basically telling us that reason, although being a way of knowing, should not be entirely relied on, or to be entirely accepted as the universal way of knowing. Just like Blaise, I think that balancing your methods of reaching conclusions, whether it's through reason or faith, is extremely important in keeping a healthy mind. Reason, of course, is important, but is it and should it be our primary way of knowing? And if it is, which other way of knowing should we rely on?
Harry O'Sullivan - "You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr
I think what Bohr is trying to say here is that logic is not a consequence of thought. By mentioning that we are "merely being logical," I think he is trying to say that logic and thought are two completely different ideas, and one is not the consequence of the other. The notion that "we are merely being logical" is, I find, a fallacy. Indeed, logic comes from experience, and many other things, but I think it is impossible to be logical without thinking. . .
Aaron Olin -- "My aim is not to be consistent with my previous statements on a given question but to be consistent with the truth as it may present itself to me at a given moment." Mahatma Ghandi
I think Ghandi is trying to say that his truth can change whenever his mindset is altered. He is not afraid to say what he feels on any given day whether or not is it consistent on what he felt before. For example, right now a person may be totally against war but if their country is invaded they might feel a need to defend their country and fight in the war. To many world leaders have stayed with their same thoughts throughout their time in office because of the fear in sounding inconsistent. It would be better if they followed Ghandi's advice and spoke their truths on each given day.
Nari -- "You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr
How can we be logical if we're not thinking? Is it because it's just the way it is and what we believe? This quote by Niels Bohr made me think of these questions. It is true in a way because we believe something and it doesn't always involve thinking. You may just know for sure that something is true. In that case, you are not thinking but being logical so the quote does make sense. But, if it's a concept, for example, you are thinking as well as being logical in your sense, making this quote fill your head with questions.
Matthieu--"All generalizations are false-- including this one." Henry David Thoreau
I believe this statement is "generally" true because generalizations are, in general, very broad and abstract, and a "generalization" holds too much ideas/power for one word. Just because the tall and mighty Mint Listerine bottle says "DO NOT SWALLOW", it does not mean that other types or brands of mounthwash cannot be consumed without a little pain/irritation. The statement that I made about mouthwash is relatively true due to the broad range of different types of mouthwash(i.e. water technically counts as mouthwash, then again Drano does too...because mouthwash is, in general, anything that washes your mouth to some extent). So if I say "I drink my mouthwash" and you say "That is stupid", I acted on a hasty assumption based on a relatively safe type of generalzation that people make everyday. HOWEVER, one should never ever consume dessicant Silica Gel. This is because the "in-general" range of dessicant Silica Gel is very narrow(approx.46), while the range for mouthwash is wide(approx.177).
Soo Hyung Jung-- "You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr
I symphathized with Niels Bohr's point of view. I simply think that being logical is just being observant. Also, I interpreted being logical as stating knowns which also belong to merely being logical. Thinking is just a way to find unknowns, I assume. Sometimes, people believe something without deeply thinking or pondering about it. This will perfectly match to the quote, since people were just being logical when they believed something without thinking.
Sean Williams -- "He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; and he that dares not reason is a slave." William Drummond. As I read this quote by William Drummond, I thought of the benefits of reasoning. As i see it, reasoning is a way in which one is able to open their mind in a way that allows one to explore further into things that we are not sure of. Therefore I really liked the last sentence in the quote, where William Drummond says, "... he that dares not reason is a slave". I took interest to this part as I can fully understand what Mr. Drummond means when he says that one that cannot reason is not free, and therefore a "slave".
Albert Takagi-- "You are not thinking. You are merely being logical." Niels Bohr. Simple, but complicated. Sense of enigma, but something deep into it. Honestly speaking, I don't understand what Niels Bohr is trying to bring up. However, I also think that that is a human nature of having a hard and long time to figure out a simple short quote. I don't claim myself to be correct, but from my perspective, I assume "to think" involves a slight emotion of the speaker, where in the other hand being "logical" is spitting out dictionary words out of your mouth. For example, if I see a sorrowful child crouching on the ground, I could be logical by saying "she looks sad because she is crouching on the ground and there is no one around who worries about her." However, "thinking" involves the process of worring about her, and to question yourself, "why does she look so sad?" and "why is she crouching on the ground?"
Filippo Ricci -- I found this one to be particularly interesting: "You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into." -- Jonathan Swift. How many times have we all had long, sometimes complex arguments about whatever? A common 'bystander' if you will, between each argument would be the reasoning behind it, for instance, we always try to explain things to people using examples just as I am doing now. What Jonathan Swift is trying to say, in my opinion, is that you cannot expect someone to believe, if you never thought him to believe, and I used the word 'believe' strictly contextually. For those who watched the movie inception, I guess it is fair to say that you cannot make somebody scratch out an idea, without first giving the 'inception' to do it beforehand.
Taku Kitamura -- "The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything but his reason." G.K. Chesterton.
This quote states that the madness always comes from the reason, and even if you lose everything, you always have a reason for the madness. Then, is it possible to have a madness without any reasons? I think that as long as we are "humans", reasons can never be separated from the feelings, such as madness, sorrow, insanity, and happiness. Therefore, I do not agree with the part of the quote, "who has lost his reason." In my opinion, humans do not ever lose a reason.