One morning you get up and head to the kitchen, solely to seek out somebody who appears to be like precisely such as you sitting on the breakfast desk chatting together with your mother and father. You attempt to clarify to your mother and father that you’ve got been changed, however your doppelganger insists that you’re the imposter. Your doppelganger is such as you in each respect, bodily and mentally. They’ve the identical reminiscences, even the identical persona. How would you exhibit to your mother and father that you just (and never your doppelganger) are you?
Portland State College professor Brian Elliott posed this thought experiment (tailored from Dostoevsky’s The Double) to the rising junior and senior highschool college students in Portland State College’s Summer season Camp. This thought experiment is a part of his lecture on existentialism. The scholars suggest and debunk options within the small teams. What would Simone de Beauvoir or Jean Paul Sartre say about what makes you you?
We’re one school member, Alex Sager, and 5 Portland State College college students (two just lately graduated) who in the summertime of 2022 co-designed and led a Philosophy Camp. School from the Division of Philosophy joined us as visitor lecturers to deal with matters from existentialism, Socrates’ protection of the examined life, indigenous philosophy, vital considering, protest and civil disobedience, divine command principle, synthetic intelligence, and the perennially debated conundrum: “Is a scorching canine a sandwich?” Highschool college students obtain university-level course credit score for Introduction to Philosophy.
Why did we determine to make the summer season camp a scholar/school collaboration? The TAs are nearer in age and expertise to highschool college students, and since they’re additionally college students (or just lately graduated), they’ve extra perception and data about college students’ pursuits. They can act as liaisons between the highschool college students and college, making the fabric extra approachable and accessible. Moreover, they function position fashions for what will be achieved in a private philosophical journey. Lastly, service-based and experiential studying are central to PSU’s curriculum and one of the best ways to study one thing is commonly to show it. Since most of the TAs are occupied with educating philosophy, it’s a first-hand alternative to take part in all elements of designing and delivering a course.
TAs proposed models, instructed readings, multimedia supplies, actions, and assignments. Additionally they labored one-on-one with college students in finishing their vital considering assignments and graded them. Karetha really helpful incorporating every day journaling actions oriented in direction of partaking extra personally with the lectures and readings, and cultivating reflection on what was significant to them. We owe the incorporation of our most enthusiastically acquired task, a 1-minute Public Service Announcement video to Jadzia (this task was designed by former PSU undergraduate Matthew Watts, who’s finishing his PhD on the College of Miami).
The PSA task showcased the scholar’s mental passions and consciousness of significant points going through the world. One group introduced a tongue-in-cheek reductio advert absurdum of unfavorable utilitarianism, advocating, as unfavorable utilitarians, for the destruction of the planet. One other group introduced a lighthearted video of why it’s morally fallacious to disgrace individuals for sporting t-shirts of bands they don’t hearken to. This impressed a vigorous dialog concerning the ethics of sporting garments with political messages. Possibly we shouldn’t criticize non-BTS Military members for sporting a BTS t-shirt, however what if the artist is Rage Towards the Machine’s Zack de la Rocha or Tom McDonald?
The camp centered round remaining tasks. College students labored intensively with school, TAs, and friends to decide on, develop, and current a challenge grounded in an space of philosophical curiosity. Matters included cancel tradition, postmodern artwork and totalitarianism, Residents United and company spending in politics, a slam poetry efficiency on the character of artwork, duties towards Central American Refugees, synthetic intelligence and the character of understanding.
The extent of vital understanding of modern-day points and their relation to philosophy was spectacular. We have been moved by the scholars’ profound insights as they tangled with questions of ethics and advantage, particularly regarding the discussions of dying, struggling, and the way we work together with different dwelling beings and our planet. Regardless of various levels of publicity to philosophy pre-camp, the extent of engagement, willingness to study, and need to think twice about every subject was exhilarating. These college students (and younger individuals like them) are going to form and outline future conversations about ethics, morality, legal guidelines, justice, punishment, and dwelling life. This makes us extremely hopeful.
The Syllabus Showcase of the APA Weblog is designed to share insights into the syllabi of philosophy educators. We embody syllabi that showcase all kinds of philosophy lessons. We’d love so that you can be part of this challenge. Please electronic mail sabrinamisirhiralall@apaonline.org to appoint your self or a colleague.
Karetha Dellgrottaglia
Karetha Dellgrottaglia is a senior at Portland State College whose aim is to determine a Ok-8 college grounded in philosophical inquiry, vital considering, and child-directed studying.
Hassan Eltelbany
Hassan Eltelbany is a current graduate from Portland State College in Philosophy and Political Science who’s getting ready to pursue a PhD in Philosophy with an emphasis within the Philosophy of Regulation and Language.
Garrett Palmer
Garrett Palmer is a current graduate from Portland State College who’s getting ready to pursue a PhD in historical past in comparative fashionable political economics and the worldwide historical past of capitalism whereas emphasizing the intersection of power, labor, and the setting.
Jadzia Peterson
Jadzia Peterson is a senior at Portland State College who plans on pursuing a PhD in Philosophy with a normal emphasis in metaphysics. Her aim is to change into a tenured professor of philosophy and subsequently have interaction in analysis and writing.
Zachary Trudo
Zachary Trudo is a pc engineer and postbac at Portland State College who plans to use to graduate college and pursue a profession in Philosophy.
