Please comment on at least several if not all of these questions -- use separate posts if you like.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
How has your appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives changed?
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
How has your appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives changed?
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
This class has mainly taught me that I do not know exactly how I feel on some topics. When we discussed issues in class half the time I could see both sides of the argument and couldn't decide which side I agreed with most. That surprised me about myself because I thought I was pretty sure of my opinions. I would definitely take another philosophy class. I really liked this classes topic, so maybe a class completely dedicated to all the different views of one main topic discussed, like physicians assisted suicide, or if we could get into suicide more. I wouldn't say my understanding human nature has changed but become more well rounded due to taking this class. I don't feel my views towards death have really changed, it's an inevitable life event. I do want to create my living will now after taking this class. I have become more appreciative for philosophical questions in my daily life now. Before I used to brush them off and not put much thought into questions pertaining to metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. But now I actually try to think through how I feel on a given issue or scenario. This class has greatly improved my skills of analysis and critique, as well as oral and written communication. When I think about my opinion now I begin to question myself just as Dr. Cate would in class to help to create and round out my opinion.
ReplyDeleteWhat have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteThe thing that most surprised me during this class is everyone else's points of view while talking about the different decisions of end of life. It opened up my mind to a different way of thinking and made me question be beliefs and why I believed what I believe.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
I do like the idea of philosophy. I like the setup in your classroom or open discussion. So, I would probably take another course. I like the sports class that I took two years ago. Basically any topic that interests me I would take.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
The open discussion has made me look at death and dying more openly myself. I am more apt to discussing what I want to have done with me when I am near death and after I die with others.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
I think that yes I have improved my skills. Being able to talk about anything with and without criticism. Others helped me to analyze better.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteThe thing that most surprised me during this class is everyone else's points of view while talking about the different decisions of end of life. It opened up my mind to a different way of thinking and made me question be beliefs and why I believed what I believe.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
I do like the idea of philosophy. I like the setup in your classroom or open discussion. So, I would probably take another course. I like the sports class that I took two years ago. Basically any topic that interests me I would take.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
The open discussion has made me look at death and dying more openly myself. I am more apt to discussing what I want to have done with me when I am near death and after I die with others.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
I think that yes I have improved my skills. Being able to talk about anything with and without criticism. Others helped me to analyze better.
Biggest shocker of the semester?
ReplyDeleteRights imply obligation of others. Various issues that I thought I was certain about are now challenged by this ethics definition of rights. At the core of so many of my long-held beliefs are that humans should have the “right” to choose ...(fill in the blank)... as long as they are not hurting anyone else with their decision. I extend this belief to issues we have not even come close to discussing in class, many of which could be considered very controversial. I’ll use an absurdist example to illustrate my point: I believe a human should be allowed to build a tower using only dominoes and super glue. As long as the tower does not interfere with flight plans of airplanes, she can build it to any height she desires and no one should stop her. However, I don’t believe anyone is obligated to help her with the seemingly purposeless endeavor. I am now more carefully considering the differences between what I believe is good for me or even for other individuals and what is good for society. Individual freedoms I believe we should have are not necessarily good social policy.
Another surprise...
As Josie mentioned in her post above, I was also surprised to find myself open to arguments I had not considered as a possibility before this class. It helped me to realize that my personal world is very small. Even the ways in which I have attempted to reach out from my tiny personal world and explore the world around me has been very focused. It is startling to realize that my exploration has been within a comfort zone that has only slightly blurry edges. My classmates and our illustrious tour guide have helped me begin to expand my horizons.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDelete-The whole thing about end of life decisions I think surprised me the most because I've never truly thought about end of life decisions because I've never personally had to deal with it. so learning about some of the different cases and scenarios really got me thinking more about it all and what I would want at the end of my life. Also I was surprised by all of the different viewpoints that people had in class over topics because some people had viewpoints that i had never even considered before, so it opened up my mind more to all of the different sides and options to the discussions about death and dying that we had.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
-I liked this course of philosophy and all the topics that were discussed in class. So I wouldn't mind taking another type of philosophy class related in some way to death and dying.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
-I never considered what i wanted at the end of my life, so this class has made me think a lot about what I would want for myself but also for others if i had to make an end of life decision for them.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
- I think that I have improved in my skills of analysis and critique as well as written communication too. I think the setup of how are class is where we have an open discussion and question other people's viewpoints is one of the main reasons why I think i have improved in these aspects. Some views I didn't think about before so that also helps me be more critical not only about my views but others, seeing if I agree with them or not.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteWhat surprised me the most that we learned was what all actually goes into end of life decisions. I am surprised at the different points of view the end of life has brought about and the different "rights" a patient should or should not have. I have just always had one belief that the patient should always have the right to chose in the given situation but hearing everyone else's views surprised me and made me wonder, if that is really all that moral of me to think.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
I liked our philosophy class this semester, I found it interesting and I liked that we could speak our minds. I would take another philosophy class, I actually am next semester on the philosophy of music. After that if money was not an object or time I think I would take another, on whatever interested me.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
My understanding has changed a lot, I have always been very afraid of death and I still am afraid but I am not as afraid. I can openly talk about it after this class without freaking out, and I have come to realize that if you live a good life death might not be terrifying. It has also made me realize things like I need to make a living will and realize what I want to do about end of life care because I never want to put my family through that.
How has your appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives changed?
I have a much better appreciation for these questions. I never realized how relevant they really are until taking this course. It is important to ask these hard questions to find out who we really are, how we want to live our life, and what we really want, and I understand that much better then I ever did.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteIve always known that end of life decisions are very difficult. Before the class, I hadn't really known or understood why someone would choose to go forward with PAS. I still don't agree with it, but there are definitely cases where the use of PAS seems reasonable. I just have been able to find more reasons why not to do it.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
Another philosophy course I would take would deal with healthcare professionals and treatment options. I would take it to understand when paternalistic treatments options are used or taken off the table in order to do what the patient wants. I would also love to work with futile treatments and understand what the best option to do. Nowadays, all people talk about in the healthcare field is how millions of dollars of treatment is used on futile treatments. This was exemplified in the last film we watched.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
I feel like I have most certainly developed my critical thinking skills in this course. It has helped me work through issues, see both sides of the argument and make me formulate reasons to justify my stance.
Jake,
DeleteI definitely agree that taking a philosophy course dealing with healthcare professionals and treatment options would be so interesting. I also am interested in learning more about futile treatments.
I agree with you on having a philosophy class for healthcare professionals, I would defiantly want to take that!
Delete
ReplyDeleteWhat have you learned in this course that surprised you?
I have learned many different things about other religions and how they view death. I am surprised by the similarities between many religions (catholicism and jewish culture) and also the differences. I also am surprised by end of life decisions, I never put much thought into death or end of life decisions in this class.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
Yes, I would take another philosophy class if money/time weren't a major barrier. Philosophy makes me question why I believe the things that I do and I like that. I would be interested in a philosophy topic about science, different cultures, or healthcare. I think those 3 would be so interesting to discuss.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
Yes, this course has challenged me to think critically and support why I believe something. It also helped me be able to argue my point in a respectable manner.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteThis class has defiantly made me think a lot more about death and my overall opinion of it. Our discussions really made me think outside of my comfort zone and understand other people’s views and why they might feel that way about the topic, some even made me question my view and even change it in some instances. Some people’s views were rather surprising to me, especially the classmates that I knew before this class.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
I would defiantly take another philosophy class if I had the time and money to do so. I really liked the topics we discussed so if there was a class similar to this one I would like to take it, or if there was one that focused on some of the individual ideas we discussed. Anything regarding human nature as a whole I think would be interesting to take.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
The discussions we have had this semester has made me be more open regarding my view of human nature and death/dying. I have been set in my thoughts and opinions before this point but now I am more open on the topics and understand other views on the subject. I have never thought much about my own death or anything related to my death, but this class has forced me to and I think I am now more open to talking about how I want my life to end and what I would want for my family in the end of my life. I has also made me think a lot about the living will.
How has your appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives changed?
I have a lot better understanding and appreciation for these topics now. I didn’t realize how relevant they actually were until this class and how important they are to think about. I have become more interesting and open to topics such as these.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
I think taking a philosophy class has defiantly improved my analytical and critical thinking skills. Classes like these kind of force you to step out of your comfort zone and think about things in a different way and work through things you don’t understand as much. You really have to think deeply about these types of topics in order to understand them, the defiantly aren’t black and white.
One particular thing that I learned is that life is precious, so don’t ruin it for yourself. The quality of a fulfilled life will help us to accept death rather than fear it. Death is unavoidable and reflects the true meaning of life. We can improve our lives by using reality, knowledge, and conduct to develop our thinking about death. These tools will help us understand; are place in the world, what we believe in, who we believe in, immortality, science, and differences between right and wrong. I would definitely take another course if time and money were not a factor. I think I would like to learn more about natural philosophy, the study of nature and the physical universe, specifically motion.
ReplyDeleteIn taking this class I was unsure about what to expect, especially talking about death. I feel like taking this class has helped me understand what matters most in a life. I think this class has helped me to develop a better understanding of human nature and why I choose to view situations as I do. It has strengthened my beliefs and opinion about death and its possibilities. Religion, culture, and society have changed my way of thinking by showing me that not all people think alike. All of these topics help me to understand why people think the way they do. I appreciate the differences between opinions because it helped me to understand all points of view that I was not considering. I have improved my skills through all of the discussions in the class. I feel my oral and written communication skills have also influenced my learning from this class.
When coming into this class everything really surprised. There was a lot more that had to be talked about involving death and life choices than I would have ever thought of. I was shocked about all the debates over things involving death. I was also shocked by how listening to other student made me rethink and changes that way I thought about a few things.
ReplyDeleteThis course has really helped me critique a lot better. The course has taught me to question things and really know how to back up what I have to say. It has pushed me to think more deeply. The course has pushed me to stop an think and re-reason with myself. It has shown me there is more than just the surface so keep pushing.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteI think what surprised me the most in the course was how little I knew or understood my opinions on death and dying. Looking back I have learned so much about death and dying and myself.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
I took a course previously on metaphysics which I enjoyed because we learned a lot about many different philosophers and the different types of thinking.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
I now understand that there are many different views on the subject. There is a universal minimal understanding of human nature and death and dying but most don't go into the philosophy of it. I now understand more motivations behind human nature as well as death and dying. There are motivations, known or unknown, that lead every decision a person makes which can be tied to their philosophical thinking.
How has your appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives changed?
Like I stated in the previous question, I am now able to understand the philosophical motivations that guide my life, as well as those around me. Even though they may not be able to share why they feel that way.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
I feel that I have improved my skills. The course has challenged me to further my thinking and understanding of the situations that I find myself in. Although I didn't speak much in class, I feel that my communication has improved because I have taken this course.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeletesomething that I learned in this course that surprised me was how different religions view death and burying their dead. being catholic I have really only seen that burial process and nothing else. It was nice to be able to have an understand for how others view death.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
Yes I would take another philosophy class because I feel like it challenges your usually views and what you though you knew. It makes you think with more insight to a topic and it may even change how you feel on topics. I'm not sure what topics I would want to take though. I'm very open to any topic because there is always more that I can learn.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
I have changed how my view of death is formed because I now have multiple scenarios to consider when talking about the treatment of the dying and death itself. I feel that over all a patient has the right to request treatments and PAS could even be an option to that. I haven't really made up my mind about how I feel about PAS because I have a hard time forcing my opinions onto someone else. I just know that I would not be for PAS.
How has your appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives changed?
I feel like I have a more rounded understanding of their relevance now. before I just associated it with generic things and now I am able to be more in depth and explain what they are in my life.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
This course has helped me to challenge my own opinions as well as the opinions of others. I have learned how to better defend my opinions with facts through our readings and supporting material.
This class has taught me to reevaluate a lot of things, for example religious beliefs or what happens to me after death. It not only makes me think about those types of things, it makes me wonder what the answer for me really is. This class has taught me to think deeper and with a different type of mindset then I had before. I might consider taking another philosophy class if time and money weren't the issue. I would enjoy one that looks at philosophy vs science arguments. I also believe this course has made me a more rounded individual and a more well-rounded student, due to the different methods of thinking this class has taught me. I have improved my skills of analysis and critique. I have learned that I have to be able to defend what I believe in order to fully believe it, if I cant defend my beliefs then they must not be that strong.
ReplyDeleteThis class has taught me to reevaluate a lot of things, for example religious beliefs or what happens to me after death. It not only makes me think about those types of things, it makes me wonder what the answer for me really is. This class has taught me to think deeper and with a different type of mindset then I had before. I might consider taking another philosophy class if time and money weren't the issue. I would enjoy one that looks at philosophy vs science arguments. I also believe this course has made me a more rounded individual and a more well-rounded student, due to the different methods of thinking this class has taught me. I have improved my skills of analysis and critique. I have learned that I have to be able to defend what I believe in order to fully believe it, if I cant defend my beliefs then they must not be that strong.
ReplyDeleteWhat have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to learn how much easier death can be to talk about. Before this class, I hated talking about death because of personal experiences with family and friends dying, but after this class it has helped me receive closure in a sense. After seeing films and reading articles and stories about people going through the dying process and are nearing death, it helps me sort of put myself in the shoes of my loved ones who have passed. I have had the EOL conversation with my friends and family about what I want for my life. This is a conversation I probably would have never had, at least for another 20 something years if it wasn’t for this class.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
I would very much like to take another philosophy class, because I enjoy talking about life beyond the surface. I would really like to take a philosophy class that focused on movies or music that discuss the meaning of life. I think this would be interesting and very relevant/relatable as media play prominent roles in everyday life. And like who doesn’t love movies and music.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
I never really learned about aspects of dying, such as PAS, EOL conversations, or other religions practices related to death, so it was extremely educational for me to feel more well-rounded and cultured. I feel as though by approach to the death and dying process is less pessimistic way. I mean yes, death is still sad and heartbreaking, but the fact that we have learned about different things to make the process more bearable for all parties involved (the one dying and their friends and family).
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
This course helped me to not only think deeply about social and moral aspects, but it allowed me to be able to better articulate what I really think and want to express. I have never experienced a class like this where we just discuss the topics, hearing both sides of the argument, and breaking it down to better understand the topic. It was great that we were all open and I learned to work off of what other people are saying to help me vocalize my feelings on the matter.
I think what surprised me the most of this class was the different opinions of my classmates expressed for each issue we discussed. Even after considering some of the topics I was surprised to find that when I asked my father about his thoughts we had completely different opinions on the matter. For instance, on ceremonies for burial he was completely against donating his organs and being cremated and I was an advocate for both. If money and time weren’t major barriers I would consider taking another philosophy class because I liked the way that it challenged me to think and consider topics that I had never thought about before because they are seen as sensitive but in all reality they need to be considered sooner than later. My understanding of philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death and dying has changed greatly. Before this class I wasn’t aware of the importance of making a living will and discussing with someone my wished for end of life treatment and burial. I didn’t fully understand dying or see it as the process that it is. I’m glad that I comprehend it more so that when I am working in the nursing field I will be more understanding and sensitive to the matter for my patients. My appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives changed because I never acknowledged their importance before taking this class. I have improved in my skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course because I was made to think in ways that I never had to before and I had to put these new thoughts in written form for our papers as well as verbally convey them to my classmates.
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot from this class. It has taught me that people need to think about their death before it is too late. Everyone needs to make a living will so that they can have the decisions already made. It will make their families way less stressed if that situation arises. I know that I am going to make a living will so that my family can make decisions that I want. I also really enjoyed the class with the different religious leaders. I think it taught me to not judge a book by its cover. I really liked that class and I would recommend doing that again.
ReplyDeleteWhat have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteWhat ive learned in this course that has surprised me would be the different view points and understanding of people backgrounds and beliefs towards death and all of the related factors towards death. Comparing what i believe to what other believe and understanding how they made me think through their eyes sometimes changed my view on what the general topic was. The topic of death was such a constant thing in this course that listening to what others had to say was very inspirational in the way i view and believe things today after months of talking about it has gone by. I can honestly say that taking this course has opened my eyes a lot and i definitely view death differently in different phases.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
Yes, i would take a philosophy in law so that i can better understand the law related to PAS. taking a class like that can really open your eyes on the views of others and even change the mindset of yourself because there are many laws that can tell you whether something is okay to do or not.
How has your appreciation for the relevance of metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions in our daily lives changed?
Talking about the ins and outs of this course and how we should view them has allowed me to understand that life is very precious and that nothing should be taken for granted. Everyday is a new beginning and like we talked about in the beginning of the course and asked the question, "what kind of life do you want to live before dying", are we taking advantage of everyday and doing what we need to do to live a successful and fulfilling life.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
After taking this course, the way i would go about talking about death has showed me a lot in the eyes of others. Critiquing the views of others and breaking down the understanding of death has improved my ability to think critically and express my feelings a lot more on what i believe.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
ReplyDeleteI guess talking about all of the topics we did and getting other peoples perspectives, it really got me thinking more as an individual.
Would you take another course in philosophy if money/time weren't major barriers? On what topic?
This is actually my second philosophy course, I chose to take this class because I honestly heard it was great, and the topic is very interesting.
How has your understanding of the philosophical dimensions of the study and critique of human nature and death & dying changed?
It made me more comfortable with talking about death, it wasn't as depressing when talking about certain scenarios with the class as a whole.
Have you improved in your skills of analysis and critique, as well as in written and oral communication due to this course?
I think that I have improved. I usually don't like talking about the topics that we did, so being able to open up a little bit more with that I think was very helpful, personally.
Since taking this course my thought as of death and dying has changed dramatically. As I grew up overt the years, I was so afraid to discuss
ReplyDeletedeath or even think about dying. I tend to now to try to figure out rather am I living right and that death itself is not a bad thing if one lived The best that they could. I look at life now in a more deeper now. I think it will defintly benefit me when I become older because I will hopefully have my will and everything set much more quickly before it is to late.
What have you learned in this course that surprised you?
The day that we had the clergy and learned about the several different religions. I was able to see how each religion was able to relate to one another and how they interact with death amongst each group