(no subject)
It's been a week and a half, and I think I have a fairly good handle on my classes... so it's time to blog about them like a big nerd. I'll put them in the order I first went to them.
Logic
This class is interesting- it's like reducing sentences to symbols and doing mathy stuff with them, and the prof is really fun and energetic and likes to say 'shit-ton' in class. But it moves so slowly, and so many people don't get it and need lengthy explanations, that I've been doing other homework in the class anyway. Even so, I like it enough that I might go on to the next level of the class just for the hell of it.
Moral Consciousness
Very cool so far. It's all about the mind-body connection in anthropology, so we're reading a lot of philosophy and anthro stuff, and the lectures are all pretty interesting. Each one is sort of a case study about a culture or subculture with a different perception of the body. We talked about a tribe who think of themselves as parrots, we did Descartes and 'I think therefore I am', and at one point there's going to be a lecture about transsexuals. Downside- I'm the only one in my recitation of 30 people who is an Anth major.
Anthropology of the Body and the Subject
Also about the mind-body connection, too bad it was sort of bullshit. One of the premises was that all modes of thought about the body are equally valid... so, for example, Chinese traditional medicine is just as legit as Western medicine. Forget what you know to be true about organ systems- Chinese medicine that ignores them in favor of chi flow is literally just as 'true', not only as a cultural practice, but actually 'true'. Also, the authors we read seemed almost like they HATED Western thought, despite being Westerners themselves. I can't accept a class that literally asks me to reject rational thought, so I dropped it.
Graphic Design
So far, this is the only class I'm worried about possibly falling behind in, which is actually pretty cool. We're learning Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop, and we'll have four big projects at the end of the semester. This class should be a lot of fun- I'm just going to have to practice a lot. I'm really looking forward to building up these skills and starting a portfolio. Also, I found out I can get those programs for $200 as a student, instead of the normal $900, which... HOT DAMN.
Chinese Culture
This class is just about Chinese historical legend, which is apparently integral to understanding Chinese idioms and traditions. It's really cool stuff, and it actually makes me want to learn more about Chinese history and possibly even take the language at some point. I'm slightly worried about the exams, though- all those Chinese names!
Logic
This class is interesting- it's like reducing sentences to symbols and doing mathy stuff with them, and the prof is really fun and energetic and likes to say 'shit-ton' in class. But it moves so slowly, and so many people don't get it and need lengthy explanations, that I've been doing other homework in the class anyway. Even so, I like it enough that I might go on to the next level of the class just for the hell of it.
Moral Consciousness
Very cool so far. It's all about the mind-body connection in anthropology, so we're reading a lot of philosophy and anthro stuff, and the lectures are all pretty interesting. Each one is sort of a case study about a culture or subculture with a different perception of the body. We talked about a tribe who think of themselves as parrots, we did Descartes and 'I think therefore I am', and at one point there's going to be a lecture about transsexuals. Downside- I'm the only one in my recitation of 30 people who is an Anth major.
Anthropology of the Body and the Subject
Also about the mind-body connection, too bad it was sort of bullshit. One of the premises was that all modes of thought about the body are equally valid... so, for example, Chinese traditional medicine is just as legit as Western medicine. Forget what you know to be true about organ systems- Chinese medicine that ignores them in favor of chi flow is literally just as 'true', not only as a cultural practice, but actually 'true'. Also, the authors we read seemed almost like they HATED Western thought, despite being Westerners themselves. I can't accept a class that literally asks me to reject rational thought, so I dropped it.
Graphic Design
So far, this is the only class I'm worried about possibly falling behind in, which is actually pretty cool. We're learning Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop, and we'll have four big projects at the end of the semester. This class should be a lot of fun- I'm just going to have to practice a lot. I'm really looking forward to building up these skills and starting a portfolio. Also, I found out I can get those programs for $200 as a student, instead of the normal $900, which... HOT DAMN.
Chinese Culture
This class is just about Chinese historical legend, which is apparently integral to understanding Chinese idioms and traditions. It's really cool stuff, and it actually makes me want to learn more about Chinese history and possibly even take the language at some point. I'm slightly worried about the exams, though- all those Chinese names!