6 Matching Annotations
  1. May 2024
  2. ubalt.pressbooks.pub ubalt.pressbooks.pub
    Protected: XIII.2 Reading: “The Duty to Disregard the Law” by Michael Huemer
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    1. Acutsa10 08 May 2024
      During World War II, some German citizens illegally hid Jews to protect them from persecution by the Nazis. In the pre-Civil War era, some Americans illegally helped slaves to escape from their masters via the Underground Railway. During the 1960s, some Americans illegally burned their draft cards in protest of the Vietnam War. All of these actions were not only blameless but positively praiseworthy

      Each example demonstrates actions that, while illegal, were considered morally praiseworthy due to the higher ethical value attached to them. Do you think that if an action is widely praised despite being illegal, does it lose its illegal status?

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    ubalt.pressbooks.pub/idis302/chapter/the-duty-to-disregard-the-law-by-michael-huemer/
  3. Feb 2024
  4. ubalt.pressbooks.pub ubalt.pressbooks.pub
    Protected: I.2 Reading: “This is Water” by David Foster Wallace
    5
    1. Acutsa10 03 Feb 2024
      here is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping.

      I came to the revelation that everything I put my energy and attention into defines my life, whether it's pursuing academic excellence, gaining power, chasing money, or focusing on appearances. It's caused me to stop and consider what, without even realizing it, I've been placing at the center of my world and how these decisions are influencing both my everyday life and my level of happiness in general.

    2. Acutsa10 03 Feb 2024
      You haven’t had time to shop this week because of your challenging job, and so now after work you have to get in your car and drive to the supermarket. It’s the end of the work day and the traffic is apt to be: very bad. So getting to the store takes way longer than it should, and when you finally get there, the supermarket is very crowded, because of course it’s the time of day when all the other people with jobs also try to squeeze in some grocery shopping. And the store is hideously lit and infused with soul-killing muzak or corporate pop and it’s pretty much the last place you want to be but you can’t just get in and quickly out; you have to wander all over the huge, over-lit store’s confusing aisles to find the stuff you want and you have to manoeuvre your junky cart through all these other tired, hurried people with carts (et cetera, et cetera, cutting stuff out because this is a long ceremony) and eventually you get all your supper supplies, except now it turns out there aren’t enough check-out lanes open even though it’s the end-of-the-day rush. So the checkout line is incredibly long, which is stupid and infuriating.

      As I read this scenario, I couldn't help but notice how those boring, ordinary events mirrored my own life. It perfectly captured how simple it is to let life run on autopilot and live day in and day out. This example effectively illustrates the significance of ending that pattern and making the decision to live a more purposeful life. Its a reminder of the need to make the most of every moment, even in the most routine aspects of our lives.

    3. Acutsa10 03 Feb 2024
      blind certainty, a close-mindedness

      "Close-mindedness" and "blind certainty" stick out to me. They draw attention to how harmful it is to cling so closely to our views that we exclude all outside facts and viewpoints, thus confining ourselves to a limited perspective of the world. This concept resonated with me and caused me to consider times when I might have been closed-minded in my thinking, thereby losing out on more profound realizations. It serves as a reminder of how important it is to keep our minds open and ask questions to prevent ourselves from becoming prisoners to our narrow viewpoints.

    4. Acutsa10 03 Feb 2024
      I fell to my knees in the snow and cried out ‘Oh, God, if there is a God, I’m lost in this blizzard, and I’m gonna die if you don’t help me.’” And now, in the bar, the religious guy looks at the atheist all puzzled. “Well then you must believe now,” he says, “After all, here you are, alive.” The atheist just rolls his eyes. “No, man, all that was was a couple Eskimos happened to come wandering by and showed me the way back to camp.”

      This discusses several interpretations of a crucial circumstance and effectively illustrates the influence of individual ideas on how we understand what is happening. It's a straightforward yet effective reminder that our beliefs have a significant impact on how we understand the world around us. It's fascinating and a little eye-opening to see how various beliefs can result in whole different interpretations of the same occurrence. So here is a question I have for you all. How does this story reflect on our ability to choose perspectives in daily life?

    5. Acutsa10 03 Feb 2024
      the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.

      This quote really hits home for me, reminding me of how often we're like fish, not even realizing we're swimming in water. It's a powerful metaphor for how blind we can be to the everyday stuff around us, our own biases, and the culture we're part of.

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    ubalt.pressbooks.pub/idis302/chapter/2-this-is-water-by-david-foster-wallace/