The Value of Philosophy (PART 3/3)

This is the third and last of a 3-parts article. The first part focused on a few things I have learned from my PHIL 100 class, namely the thinking of two philosophers, Clifford and Russell. In the second part of this article I continued my reasoning by analyzing intrinsic value and using some examples for clarity; and in the third and last part I am going to discuss how to best enjoy your life, as explained my my Philosophy professor.

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...People get caught in what they are doing and they forget to enjoy it. This is why people say “Thank God it’s Friday!”, so they can finally be themselves. They spend five days working SO THAT they can spend two days relaxing, having fun, and enjoying their time. And students study hard during the week SO THAT they can have fun in the weekend. But why is that? Why can’t we have both at the same time? Can you find the intrinsic value in working? In studying? In the end— I think— whatever adds value to my life contributes to my happiness, and isn't happiness what every human being ultimately strives for? But what is happiness? Is it love, is it success, is it money?...

Well, money is just a means to buy other things that eventually may make you happy down the line. 

For example, let’s say pancakes make me happy. Hopefully they make you happy too. We said that happiness is the end, so let’s consider how do we get there. You are a college student; so, why do you go to class? Do you go to class just so that you can pass the course so that you can transfer to university so that you can get a degree so that you can find a job so that you can earn some money so that one day you can buy a house so that you can have a kitchen so that you can make yourself some pancakes on Sunday morning so that you can be happy? Everything is just a means, but where is the intrinsic value? Being able to recognize the extrinsic value of what you do AS WELL AS the value added by the activity itself, is truly going to make your life better. 

If you're just going to school for the above reasons, you're only enjoying part of your days, day after day. You are too busy chasing that ultimate happiness that you don't even realize that each of those steps is charged with intrinsic value that can make you really happy. When you forget to enjoy the process you end up neglecting how many (hundreds, thousands?) beautiful things happen to you every day. 

How about the fact that you are learning, growing up, and building a strong foundation for your future? How about the fact that you have many opportunities, many friends, that it’s sunny outside, and that you have food provided at school? How about the fact that you are free, that you can walk, that you can laugh. We tend to take all these things for granted, but when you realize how fortunate you are for having them, you become more grateful, more aware, and more happy. 

For example, for me, every single meal is a reason of great happiness. Food for me is never just a means to fill up my stomach so I have energy and so I don't starve to death. Eating is an experience, one that I am lucky to have every single day. Eating makes me feel happy because the food tastes good; it is hard to describe, but I recognize the intrinsic value of eating in that it makes me happy! Here’s another example. I don't have a car. For a year and a half, I biked to school every morning, and back home every night/afternoon. For me, the ride to school was never just a means to get me to class. I enjoyed it. I was biking in the sun, by the ocean, in Santa Barbara, CA, looking around and appreciating the beautiful day. Biking also forced me to stay active, which makes me happy in itself because being fit makes me feel good about myself and because I actually enjoy the sensation I get from a workout. I would not have used a car to go to school even if I had it— which is the reason why I don't own one in the first place. If you disagree, and you drive a car to school, and could never bike to school every day, then hey! There is your intrinsic value: be happy because you don't have to bike! 

In other words, every single day so many great things happen and we take them for granted. Instead, recognizing that they have intrinsic value as an end themselves, can greatly improve our lives. Introduction to Philosophy is a great class because it makes me think about these things, it makes me realize how happy I am, it makes me enjoy my life a lot. It guides me through a process of questioning and thinking that I can apply outside of life to anything that happens around me. It makes me understand the functioning of other people and the world and it ultimately makes me a better person. I suggest you give it a shot!

A presto,

- Fede

The Value of Philosophy (PART 2/3)

This is the second of a 3-part article. The first part focused on a few things I have learned from my PHIL 100 class, namely the thinking of two philosophers, Clifford and Russell. In the second part of this article I continue my reasoning by analyzing intrinsic value and using some examples for clarity; and in the third and last part I am going to discuss how to best enjoy your life, as explained my my Philosophy professor.

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...According to Russell, the “narrowly practical man” is the person who recognizes only material or physical needs such as the need to eat, sleep, etc, but he does not recognize the need to train his mind, “feed” it, and keep it well. Unaware of what value is, the narrowly practical man is always chasing the added value of happiness, but he might never actually get it...

To see why, we need to differentiate between means and ends, and between extrinsic value and intrinsic value. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Intrinsic value has traditionally been thought to lie at the heart of ethics. Philosophers use a number of terms to refer to such value. The intrinsic value of something is said to be the value that that thing has “in itself,” or “for its own sake,” or “as such,” or “in its own right.” Extrinsic value is value that is not intrinsic.” 

This is the discussion of the Ends of Life, which contrasts Theoretical Reasoning to Practical Reasoning. Practical reasoning has to do with extrinsic value, which is what everyone, even the narrowly practical men, even the naive and the instinctive men can see. Extrinsic value is the value of something as a means to get something else. For example, brushing your teeth has no intrinsic value, it is not enjoyable in itself, it is something that you would not just do because it makes you feel good. It is just a means to an end, something that you do to have a clean smile, fresh breath, and prevent cavities. 

On the other hand, eating some chocolate has great intrinsic values. You are not trying to raise your blood sugar, you are not trying to gain fat, you are not trying to study the psychological effects of chocolate on the human brain; you are just enjoying the sensation of eating that brown gold. If you were doing any of those things, and perhaps you did not even like chocolate, then eating chocolate would have mostly extrinsic value for you. But if you are like me, then chocolate has A LOT of intrinsic value and no extrinsic value what-so-ever! You just eat it ‘cause you like it!

The same concept applies to hanging out with your friends or watching a sunset, you do it because you just enjoy it for what it is, period. Therefore, whatever has intrinsic value is not a means to an end, it is the end. Truth be told, there is intrinsic value in most of the things that people do on a daily basis, but unfortunately we often fail to notice it. 

People get caught in what they are doing and they forget to enjoy it. This is why people say “Thank God it’s Friday!”, so they can finally be themselves. They spend five days working SO THAT they can spend two days relaxing, having fun, and enjoying their time. And students study hard during the week SO THAT they can have fun in the weekend. But why is that? Why can’t we have both at the same time? Can you find the intrinsic value in working? In studying? In the end— I think— whatever adds value to my life contributes to my happiness, and isn't happiness what every human being ultimately strives for? But what is happiness? Is it love, is it success, is it money?

To find out, read ahead in the last part of this article.

The Value of Philosophy (PART 1/3)

This is the first of a 3-part article. This part focuses on a few things I have learned from my PHIL 100 class, namely the thinking of two philosophers, Clifford and Russell. In the second part of this article I will continue my reasoning by analyzing intrinsic value and using some examples for clarity; and in the third and last part I am going to discuss how to best enjoy your life, as explained my my Philosophy professor.

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I am really enjoying my Introduction to Philosophy class, because it aligns with my values and ideas and gives me an opportunity to challenge them and think critically about what I stand for. In addition, Professor Joe White is amazing. He is SO funny, and makes going to class extremely entertaining. I think he is the perfect fit for the class, because he is able to make fun of the problems and paradoxes that we face, which makes studying Philosophy very fun and interesting. I highly recommend this course to any student at SBCC.

In the first month we have discussed the work of some important philosophers, and tacked important and interesting questions, such as “How shall we conduct ourselves?” and “What is the Value?”.

William K. Clifford believes that the greatest danger to society is for its people to become credulous; to use the philosopher and mathematician’s words: “It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” In other words, he claims that becoming accustomed to refusing to test one’s own beliefs is sinful and dangerous, because this practice leads to savagery. In his discussion titled “The Ethics of Belief,” Clifford explains How we shall conduct ourselves, although he is a little extreme. While it is true that one should always question his beliefs and look into them rather than just taking them for granted, it is practically impossible for one person to question every single small belief that one has. Taken with a grain of salt, Clifford invites us to think before we make up our minds and before we take action.

Even more interesting was the discussion of What is the value of Philosophy, because eventually it really expanded to questioning what is value in general, what is valuable to one’s life, and how to get the most value out of your life. I feel like I am taking a Science of Happiness class :) 

We started this discovering by analyzing the work of Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher, historian and mathematician who lived about 100 years ago. Russel finds a sharp demarcation between Philosophy and Science. He claims that Philosophy is concerned with questions that cannot be definitely answered but may be answered in many ways that cannot be proven for sure to work. However, the very attempt to answer these difficult questions increases ipso facto our knowledge of what things may be, thus resulting in a meaningful stimulus to our intellect. As soon as definite knowledge concerning any subject becomes possible, this subject ceases to be called Philosophy, and becomes a new, separate science. Throughout the millennia, this eventually happened, for example, to the subjects of Astronomy and Psychology, which deal with matters that have always been considered philosophical until they were demonstrated scientifically. Finally, while the study science by the people who study science is useful to the entire humanity because it results in technological inventions which bring tangible benefits to society, Philosophy only provides benefits to those who actually engage in the study of this discipline, for the very study itself is the benefit one gets. This studying, through contemplation and questioning, is good for the mind because it expands the conception of what is possible, enriches intellectual imagination, and diminishes dogmatic assurance which closes the mind against speculation. So this is the value of Philosophy: it is good practice for your mind. 

According to Russell, the “narrowly practical man” is the person who recognizes only material or physical needs such as the need to eat, sleep, etc, but he does not recognize the need to train his mind, “feed” it, and keep it well. Unaware of what value is, the narrowly practical man is always chasing the added value of happiness, but he might never actually get it.

To see why, read ahead in part 2 of this article.

Sunny sunny sunny California

Don’t you love living in California? 

When I open that door <3

I mean seriously, take a second to acknowledge how lucky you are for waking up every day in this little piece of paradise, and how lucky you would be to attend Santa Barbara City College if you are a prospective college student. 

Differently from most Californians, I hate the rain. I was born and raised in Milan, a city in Northern Italy where the weather is often foggy, cloudy, and rainy. Summers are hot and sunny, but I would say it is rare to see clear skies when it’s not Summer. 

NOT ME. haha

Since I moved to California I have met several people who claimed that cloudy or rainy weather is relaxing, and that they prefer it to the sunny weather, because it is more interesting. They say when it’s sunny it’s just normal, plain, boring sky, but when you have rain or clouds it makes it more interesting…

Pshhh!! I disagree sooooo bad! If it were for me, I would be happy with 365 days of sunshine. And this is why I moved to California. Every day, when I wake up, I open the door and see the brightness of the green grass and the light blue sky, I hear the call of little birds singing, and if there are no cars around and I listen very carefully, sometimes I can even hear the sound of the waves crashing against the cliff. 

As I type... :)

As you probably realized if you live here, it was cloudy on Friday and it rained pretty much all day and night on Saturday. The forecast said the rain would have persisted throughout the weekend and until Monday. However, when I woke up this morning, I opened that door and guess what did I see? Sunshine! I mean, as I type right now, I am sunbathing shirtless and watching people running or biking to the ocean with their surfboard. How chill is that? 

What type of weather do you prefer?

Opening the door and seeing the “good weather” gives me motivation. When the weather is “bad” it usually makes me be in a “bad” mood…  I see the gray color of the sky and I lose my inspiration… I just don't feel like doing anything and end up wasting a lot of time. On the other hand, brightness charges me up with positive energy. I see the sun and I am immediately happy, and I know it’s going to be a great day.

And so today IS going to be a great Sunday, and I encourage you all to think positively because it is all you need to make your days great. For example, I have a lot of homework awaiting to be done this afternoon. I have to do my laundry, some cleaning around the house, and a few other chores that are very annoying. But hey, check it out: it’s sunny! It’s warm. I am in California, it could be worse. I am going to get all my homework and chores done, and I might squeeze in one hour of surfing too! 

Remember: stay positive and always appreciate what you have.

A presto,

- Fede

Tragedy: Damaged my laptop!

You won’t believe what happened last week. After the Ambassadors meeting, which  is ever Friday from 1 to 2 PM, I got on the bus to Isla Vista to go back home, like every other Friday… I set my backpack down on a seat, and talked to my friend Omar during the bus ride. About 30 minutes later, when we arrived to our bus stop, I grabbed my backpack, and as I was getting off the bus I felt water drops wetting the back of my leg. 

OMG.

I got off the bus, I set the backpack on the floor, and I opened it to discover its interior was filled with one or two inches of water— my water bottle laying down and looking at me with its mouth open. OK so you got your notes and pens wet, not that big of a deal… True. 

However... my MacBook Air was not enjoying the bath.

The Blue Chamber of Death

As fast as I could, I pulled my laptop out of the blue chamber of death and helplessly watched my innocent piece of technology as it was bleeding water, hoping it wouldn't die in my hands. I opened it up, and I was surprised noticing that it turned on just fine. In the meantime, my friend Omar pulled everything out of my backpack and dumped out the water. Quickly, I turned off my laptop and walked home. I set the laptop in some rice, and let it rest until the next morning. 

On Saturday, I woke up early and took my laptop to the Apple Store first thing in the morning. Once I turned it on, I immediately realized that about 20% of the screen is ruined, as well as the USB port on the left. Miraculously, the laptop could still charge, however the Apple technician who was helping me informed me that there was a possibility that my dear MacBook Air might have died in a couple of days or so, as the water will eventually reach the logic board, penetrating its metallic body and killing its cells, like cancer. 

He recommended I save a backup of my laptop on an external hard drive and come back. So I did, but when I went back on Monday they could only schedule an appointment for Friday, which is today. As I type, I am currently on the bus waiting to consume my appointment at the Apple Store. There, they are going to open up my device, and I am going to find out if my laptop can be fixed. If it can’t be easily fixed, then I will have to decide if I want to spend $700 to get it sent to the factory and be fixed or substituted, or if I prefer to keep using it with the few problems it has… and wait until it dies. I really don’t want to ask my parents for that much money, but my dad told me he might know someone who could fix it for cheaper (back in Italy). Right now, I am just hoping that my laptop won’t leave me suddenly and unexpectedly, although I kind of get the feeling that if it was able to survive for one week, it will probably not leave me anymore. I don’t mean to jinx it, but I have a feeling all the water should be completely dried out by now!

If you read this and know of a cheaper solution than send my MacBook Air to Apple’s factory for $700, please don't hesitate to let me know! Thank you :)

A presto

- Fede

Fears.

Having been playing water polo for 3 years, I got used to swim in a swimming pool. When you swim in a swimming pool every day for three years, you become very used at being able to see the bottom of the pool, and everything that is going on under water. You also become accustomed to the idea that there are no unforeseen creatures or dangers under the water, with the possible exception of an unnecessary kick coming from underwater… But nothing too bad. 

Basically, what I see inside of every wave, haha!

The ocean, on the other hand, in very different. The ocean is violent, messy, and unpredictable. To me, the ocean is scary, because I don't know what is going on below me. If you have you ever been surfing in the SB area, you know that when you look down, you see nothing. You see water, but you can’t see through it. You can only see that greenish color that results from the combination of the blue reflection of the sky up above and the yellowish movement of sand underneath. The very fact that there could be something under me that I don't know of, kinda freaks me out. 

What I see in waves in which I don't see seaweed monsters. LOL

In addition, ocean waves are big and powerful, and when the ocean gets agitated, it’s harder to get back to the shore. I grew up in Italy, and we don't have the open ocean like in the United States. Instead, we have the Mediterranean Sea, which is calm, usually clear and limpid water; at least it is at the beaches where I have been hanging out during summer as I grew up. The waves in the Mediterranean are… well, not really waves! They are small, so you never have to worry about being sucked into a wave and having to keep your breath and play dead while you are catapulted to the bottom of the sea :)

In other words, while I love being in the water, I am a little scared of the ocean. However, I really love surfing and I use this as a reason or motivation to face and win my fear. Usually I go surfing with my friend Isaac, however this morning I went by myself for the first time. 

I woke up feeling rested and happy at 9 o’ clock. I opened the door of my house, stepped outside, and I was welcomed by the heat of the sun and the freshness of the oceanic breeze. So I decided I would go surfing. I put on my wetsuit, grabbed my board, and walked to the ocean, where I realized that there was nobody else out. 

A picture of my playing with a seal. Cute! haha

“That’s scary!” — I thought; “what if something bad happens and there’s nobody around to help me or even realize I am in trouble?” I told myself that nothing bad was going to happen, and I started paddling out. I stayed in the water for about 45 minutes, and I had a good time. I even got to see a seal and I thought it was really cute. Many times I had a temptation to leave, but I always told myself I should stay, partly for the challenge of winning my fear and partly for the desire of catching another wave.

When I got out of the water I felt really good about my morning, in part for being able to face my fear of being alone in the ocean, and in part because I felt fortunate and grateful for living right by the ocean and being able to go surf on a Wednesday morning. 

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Long story short, facing your fears is the only way to win them, and you should do it. 

I really like this quote.

It may take some time, but I think that there’s nothing wrong with being scared of some things. While they are not an issue for me, many people are scared of spiders or other insects, some are disturbed by clowns, and I even know people who are afraid of… having feelings! Everybody has some fears, and I think being able to admit it demonstrates maturity and self-consciousness, and as Socrates would put it, it is of fundamental importance to Know Thyself. Being able to admit your fears and not being ashamed of them is the first step to win them, and facing your fears will make you grow as a person.

A presto,

- Fede

Field Trip to Rattlesnake Canyon

After months of sunny weather, the beginning of the week was very foggy. On Monday morning I woke up early, got on my bike, and started the day with some coffee from Starbucks. I never drink coffee in the morning, but on Monday I wanted to workout before class, so I needed a little boost!

At 9:30am— like every Monday morning, I have class. This week my classmates of Physical Geography Lab (ERTH 141L) class and I went on our second field trip. I really enjoy going on field trips, because on top of studying the local geology and topography, I get to hang out in the sun and visit beautiful places; I get to discover the Santa Barbara area, which is something I have been wanting to do for a while, but never actually took the time to do. 

Last Monday’s field trip was to Rattlesnake Canyon, not far from the Santa Barbara Mission. This was a hike, and thank goodness I remembered about it, differently from the last time we had a field trip, so I came prepared— a water bottle handy, running shoes, and comfortable, light clothes. If I wore long pants and loafers to this field trip it would definitely have been a messy problem!

The hike was pretty steep and some less athletic classmates struggled with it. About half way up, one girl commented: “Heck, it’s the first time I break a sweat since the new year!,” which I thought was really funny.

As the morning progressed, the weather got pretty hot, especially with the sky being completely clear and the sun beating on our heads. The scenery was beautiful and suggestive, with the whole ocean and the coast being covered by low clouds (fog) and us being on top of them, thus enjoying the clear sky. 

40 million years old rock.

Rock looks like a smiling frog! (Has mouth and eyes :)

On our trip, we got to see a few interesting rocks, such as one that really looked like a freaking happy frog, and another one with oyster fossils dating FOURTY MILLION YEARS back! Pretty impressive! 

During the field trip, my partner Sarah talked to me about her vegan diet, so when I got back to city college I decided to go for a legal lunch. Although vegan diet is very healthy, it’s not for me. It does not fill me up enough, thus resulting in spending more money and getting less satisfaction, since I LOVE dairy, meat, and eggs! I just wanted some recognition for my effort, at least I tried. :)

A presto

- Fede