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Jacks White Oak Phil 101 Classical Philosopy 241002
In the classical philosophy class at White Oak, the discussion initiated by Father Jack commences with witnessing various forms of late arrivals and interactions amongst the students – Ashen Starling, Syl Pevek, and Jodie. Ash brings up a concern regarding the last assignment to Jack, establishing an informal tone for their engagement. Syl enters, flustered and notably injured, striving for a front row seat while engaging minimally with Jack. The class is set to explore the fundamentals of classical philosophy, focusing primarily on Greek thinkers, raising a debate on the Eurocentric lens often applied to the study of philosophy. Ash and Syl both contribute insightful observations to the discussion—Ash through the lens of cultural and colonial biases, and Syl by linking classical thoughts to modern computational logic, setting a diverse intellectual canvas.
As the class progresses, the discussion takes a deeper dive into ethical theories, contrasting the philosophical ideals of Stoicism introduced by Zeno with Aristotle's practical approach towards a societal construct of ethics. The active engagement between Jack and the students sheds light on various interpretations of virtue, raising pertinent questions about its source and application in modern society. Syl's inclination towards game theory as an analogy for ethical conduct and decision-making processes introduces a contemporary perspective to the age-old philosophical debate. By the end, despite an underlying sense of intimidation and struggle with the subject’s complexity expressed by Jodie, Jack assigns a reflective task on the source of virtue, emphasizing personal engagement with the philosophical inquiries discussed. The class concludes on a note of mutual understanding and curiosity, leaving room for further exploration and discussion in future sessions.
(Jack's [White Oak] PHIL 101: Classical Philosopy)
[Tue Oct 1 2024]
In the Latin Classroom of the Spender Arts and Wellness Center at White Oak
Aged, leather-bound tomes and meticulously annotated manuscripts line the sturdy, oak bookshelves. The soft, filtered sunlight seeps through the stained glass windows, casting a colorful, ethereal glow that dances across the weathered, wooden desks and the intricate, Latin inscriptions adorning the walls. The faint scent of antiquity lingers in the air and the distant murmur of students poring over ancient texts can just barely be heard in the distance.
It is about 60F(15C) degrees.
Ash clops in out of breath, because may God forbid being 2 minutes late. They sigh in relief as they arrive before class has properly begun. They smile to Jack and give a polite nod, drawling, "Father Jack... I've been meaning to reach out to you for the last assignment... but haven't been able to find you."
Jack glances up at Ash. There's a moment, studying her with head tilting, as if her identity is on the edge of recognition. "Good evening, Miss...?"
Ash smiles to Jack, drawling a reminder, "Ashen Starling. I'm wearing my uniform - people don't recognize me in it."
Jodie steps away from the blackboard and decides to go take a seat in the front row after Ash does. An upnod is offered to them on the way.
Ash smiles to Jodie, whispering over to her before Jack starts up.
Syl hurries in, flustered - and looking somewhat injuried as she makes her way to one of the front row seats. She shoots a shy smile to Jack as she slips into one of the chairs.
Jack looks up at Syl. "Good evening," he says. He doesn't confident on her lateness. "I am Father Jack Francis," he says, introducing himself. "And Miss Starling," he says. "It's good to see you."
"Syl Pevek," Syl offers, returning Jack's introduction.
Ash smiles up at Jack, pleased by something. They nod back as they prepare to listen.
Jodie glances aside to Syl when the woman joins them at the front row. She gives a subtle upnod and even throws her a lazy peace sign. But thats all she has to offer.
"Miss Pevek," Jack tells Syl. "We'll give this three more minutes and then start," he says. "Tonight will be an overview of classical philosophy -- really of the Greeks," he says. "There were Roman philosophers, but of course like much of everything they just copied and borrowed."
"Now then," Jack says. "Classical Philosophy. Let's start with the bugbear in the room -- when you hear about classical philosophy, people talk exclusively about Greece and Rome. There are, of course, many more ancient cultures with philosophers, but we tend to think about these ancient cultures. Anyone want to hazard an idea why?"
Ash raises their hand immediately.
Jodie's eyes, which where sleepy and drooping sort of glaze over at the first few words addressing classical philosophy. Such a dense subject is unlikely to find purchase in the messy haired chick's head.
Syl raises her hand a bit after Ash does.
"Miss Starling," Jack tells Ash. "Let's hear your answer -- but after Miss Pevek's." He turns to Syl. "Miss Pevek?" he asks. "What do you think?"
Syl says, "Speaking as a computer science student, Aristotle laid out Logic which is a pretty fundamental and has been continually influential. Its one of the few things that ancient philosophers actually got right and its more modern variant like boolean logic haven't truly replaced it so much as applied it in more useful ways. In the textbook Aristotle, with him basically describing a planning algorithm that still works today."
Syl meant to say Artificial Intelligence a Modern Approach, not in the textbook Aristotle.
"I think that's perceptive," Jack tells Syl. "Though I suspect Miss Starling has a different opinion." He glances at Ash. "Miss Starling?"
Syl says "Blah, got tongue tied. Meant to say in one of course books Aristotle is actually quoted by modern computer scientists. "
Ash drawls in explanation, moving their hands as they speak, "Colonialism is the easy term that comes to mind, but really, it's the Eurocentric mindset that rules the Western world. The ancient Asian and, specifically, Chinese philosophers are well known, as China has always had a large impact... but they aren't white."
Sitting forward with a fierce focus, they go one, "Even though Rome was a famously multicultural city-state, we still see it and Romans as white people, not pulled from all over the Empire. With the burning of the library of Alexandria, and more recently, the mass destruction of knowledge in the Holocaust, alongside general colonialist and racist policies in progress for centuries, the role other cultures play in the realm of philosophy is forgotten and diminished."
They lean back, finishing their scholarly rant with, "So, in other words, the same reason history tends to focus on Europe - whitewashing."
"It's an interesting theory," Jack tells Ash. He pauses, glancing at Syl. "Miss Pevek, have you experience with the basics of the Venetian system?" he wonders, before he perhaps responds to Ash further. There's a glance at Jodie to see if she is paying attention.
At some point, relatively early. Jodie put her head in her hands as if to try to contain a splitting headache, when people talk around her she shows absolutely no recognition of anything that is being said on this subject and she's probably long given up trying to catch up. Even though its only been about ten minutes of said talk.
Syl looks at Jack curiously. "Not... in the context of Classical Philosophy, no."
"Mmm," Jack tells Syl. "Well, Miss Starling. I'll be general, then, and this is something we can follow up on in office hours. It may be that something special happened in the Fertile Crescent five or six thousand years ago," he says. "It may be that the legacy of Greece and Rome is something essential." He pauses. "I think also if you were to ask someone eighty years ago, they'd say neither the Greeks nor the Romans were white." He pauses. "Regardless: we'll start with Zeno. Who knows who Zeno was?"
Syl eventually offers her hand up for Jack's selection; someone has to be the victim.
Ash tilts their head as they think on what Jack has said, their mind making some connections. However, when he mentions Zeno, they shake their head.
"Miss Pevek," Jack tells Syl. "So far," he tells her, "you're impressing." There's a glance back over at Ash -- perhaps recognizing those connections. "We can schedule an office session," he says.
"I know him as the guy who didn't understand limits so thought infinite halving of distance would never reach a destination. Like if I needed to go somewhere, I would need go half way there, but to get there, you would need to go halfway over that distance. That happens an infinite number of times and he basically tries to argue that movement must be an illusion as a result." Syl says. "I don't know much else about him though."
Ash blinks slowly, showing a weakness in certain subjects. They glance between Syl and Jack, though, waiting for illumination.
"For us, what matters is Zeno's creation of Stoicism," Jack tells Syl. He glances at Jodie. "Even this might interest you, Miss Moore," and then he includes Ash as he addresses the class generally. "Stoicism is the idea that virtue is the only good," he says. "And that virtue comes from courage, wisdom, moderation and justice," he says. "Those things enough sustain you -- one doesn't need wealth, or pleasure, or even health, but merely virtue."
Jodie perks up a little when she's called up. There is an initial fear that she's been asked a question, but when it becomes clear she hasn't been. She tries to listen to the following words. It's dubious that any of its reaching her brain
Ash nods, vague rememberance on their face. "The essence of man is virtue -- and virtue comes from a balance in all things."
Syl nods and listens - there were multiple Zeno's relevant to philosophy and the one she was clued in on was not the same one that founded stoicism. Her failure of anticipation has her leaning in and paying more attention, hanging on Jack's words.
"There's a lot of Zeno in Aristotle," Jack tells Ash. "But there's a key difference," he says. "For Zeno -- for the stoics -- wealth is just 'a material virtue can act on.'" He pauses. "Is that significant perhaps to the world we live in?" he says. "How much of our life is spent in the pursuit of things?"
Ash frowns, then raises their hand with a curious expression.
Jack calls on Ash, "Miss Starling."
Ash asks softly, "Could you define virtue for us? While I know what it means in general, I'd like something more exact to keep in mind for this discussion."
"Zeno defines it as those four things," Jack tells Ash. "Courage, wisdom, moderation and justice." He pauses. "Though I think one can take pieces of philosophy," he says. "Philosophy, especially ancient philosophy, is a toolbox. We build an ideology by rummaging through it and finding the parts we need to fit the task at hand." A beat. "I think the most interesting thing for us is whether living a virtuous life is in itself the goal -- if comfort, for instance, is not something that weighs as a goal unless and until it adds to virtue."
Jodie just can't take it anymore. She looks like she might die if she has to listen to what is essentially another language to her. She visibly makes the choice to escape and she quietly as possible slips from her seat and tries to skirt the edge of the classroom to get out.
Ash nods, murmuring, "Lord Byron said... 'Every day confirms my opinion on the superiority of a vicious life - and if Virtue is not its own reward I don't know any other stipend annexed to it.'" They frown, adding, "This doesn't make sense to me - but, perhaps, because I don't understand how virtue and viciousness can intersect. But, back to the question, I'd say most of our lives is spent in the pursuit of things. Money, knowledge, homes, clothes, toys, games... even each other, to an extent."
"Miss Moore," Jack tells Jodie. "I'm not excusing you. I will move on to Plato, though," he says. "Plato is more interested in the origin of virtue -- he has the idea that there is some fundamental 'form of the good', some godhead, some font of virtue that animates us to understand what's right and wrong." He pauses. "This perhaps gets at Miss Starling's question -- when you encounter something, Miss Starling, you have a sense, don't you? A sense of whether something is wrong or right?" He pauses. "Where do you think your sense of right and wrong comes from?"
Jodie freezes stiff halfway along the wall towards the door. She turns to look at Jack and tries the oldest trick in the book. "I don't feel well..New moon y'know..and its that time of the month." she adds to boot.
Syl shifts in her seat slightly.
"Miss Pevek, I'm interested to hear from you next," Jack tells Syl. He just looks at Jodie for a long moment.
Ash frowns, and looks down, thinking. They admit reluctantly... as if believing the truth would be pulled out of them anyways, "I don't... have much of a sense, I don't think. But when I do, it's largely based on how people will treat me for doing it. If they will treat me badly, and I might lose friends, loved ones, or opportunities... I won't do it. But if they won't treat me badly, or..." They trail off here.
Did her excuse work? Can she escape? Jodie's doesn't seem to know if she can keep walking out or if she needs to find a seat again.
"Miss Moore," Jack tells Jodie. "If you need to go to the bathroom, go and come back. Otherwise, sit." He looks back to Ash. "I think Plato struggles too," he says. "His theory is the form of the good. And while I could spend a whole evening on Plato, I see Miss Pevek has a thought. What do you think about the source of right or wrong?"
Jodie grimaces and slides into the nearest seat in the middle rows. She's no longer at the front of the class. She seems miserable in general but also unwilling to just walk out when Jack is giving orders.
"It comes from game theoretic reasoning. Basically its all cost benefit analysis in the end. It gets complicated by things like accidents. Since there is an actual formal math that underlies what making right decisions is, there is such a thing as a right answer for many situations. When this gets paired with natural selection, there is a selection pressure for the better choice of strategies." Syl says. "Or at least that is how I think of it. I like to think of things in terms of games. I think they're one of the better models we have of things, because they let you model reward and that tends to be way better at understanding how people will actually behave and react then most other approaches." She shrugs. "I think Plato almost points to something like that with his ideal forms, but he just doesn't have sophisticated enough mental models to really get it and he's way off as a result and working in metaphors rather than equations."
Syl smiles widely.
Ash blinks to Syl before informing her, "But, that doesn't tell me anything about what's right or wrong? What did you... did you describe several ways to figure it out? The names of... methods?"
Jodie tries to sneak her phone under her desk but when it malfunctions and doesn't let her do even basic things. She's trapped into listening to the class, where nothing makes sense and everything is foreign to her. She's being tortured.
Syl checks her phone quickly.
Syl corrects, "The Evolution of Trust," Syl corrects.
Syl frowns as she notices that her phone is not working well enough to send the link and puts it away.
"I see now why Miss Pevek likes Aristotle," Jack says. "She's talking about game theory -- which I will, I promise, cover in a future class. I'm sure Miss Moore will love it," he says to Jodie. "It has a lot of math in it." Is that a twinkle in his eye? He looks back to Syl and Ash. "Aristotle is interested in ethics -- but unlike Zeno, his ethics are about society. A society of good people is a good society," he says. "His is a -practical- ethics, and a good person is a good leader, a generous person, a fair person, and a good friend." He pauses. "He preaches, as do the stoics, moderation, courage, and the like, but who sees the difference between Aristotle and Zeno?"
Ash holds up their hand, though they seem unsure. More of a habit of an eager student than a show of confidence.
Syl doesn't raise her hand. She looks to Ash curiously.
"I'd like to put Miss Moore on the spot, but who knows what violence she'd do to me," Jack tells Ash, glancing across Syl to Jodie. "So unless she has something to offer, Miss Starling?"
Jodie gives Jack a look that could kill, if he did actually commit to putting her on the spot. It's unlikely she would even know where to begin on any question on this subject.
"Miss Starling," Jack says, saving Jodie as he turns to Ash.
Ash chuckles, looking back over their shoulder to Jodie, before wincing, holding their hands up to their ear. They take a bead out of their hair, putting it, and their phone, into their sloth bag. "Aristotle is focused on the group, and Zeno is focused on the individual?" They offer after doing so.
"Something like that," Jack tells Ash. "A virtuous stoic can live in the wilderness," he says. "But for Aristotle, virtue bears with it the responsibility to lead -- the responsibility to improve those around us," he says. "We're getting to the close of class, so any questions before I assign homework?" he asks Ash, Syl and Jodie.
Homework? Homework?! The dread on Jodie's face is existential
Syl shakes her head subtly in silent answer to Jack's question.
Ash shakes their head. "I have a ton of questions in general, but they don't need to be here right now."
"Well then," Jack tells Ash, Syl and Jodie. "Homework. Plato asks us what the source of virtue is," he says. "How we know what is right and wrong. I want 200 words by next Monday on what you think the source of virtue is in your life," he says. "We'll discuss at the next class, which will -- spoiler alert -- be on political philosophy."
Jodie rubs her face tiredly. When the assignment is given she just has a dejected look on her face, suggesting she has no chance, or intent to do it properly, or even do it at all. Everyone has shared a classroom with a student like her and everyone has seen that student collapse when under even the slightest pressure. Now its happening in real time in Philosphy, 101.
Jack tells Jodie, "It will be fine, Miss Moore. If you can't find my office hours, we can find some time to work on your assignment together. I'll help you, I promise."
Ash drawls to Jodie, "We can work on it together, you know... or with Father Jack." They glance at Jack before telling Jodie again, "And I'm not so dull when I'm not trying to impress a teacher." They grin at their shamelessness.
Syl purses her lips, looking conflicted. Her fingers drum on the table.
Jodie sits up a bit straighter and gives Jack a nod, then she looks to Ash and tells them, "This subject is just....you know."
"Yes, Miss Pevek?" Jack asks Syl. "You need to stop by my office, too, so we can do an intake interview."
Ash nods to Jodie, drawling, "I was more excited at the concept... I didn't expect to be so... out of my depth. I thought I knew anything about philosophy. But, yeah... I get you on a personal level, I think. Anyways, you have my number, yeah?"
Ash sighs. "Well, phone calls are... mostly working. But, I getcha."
Jodie says "I want to go to bed now.."
Syl nods to Jack.
Jodie splits from her desk, not waiting for permission to leave.
"Have a good evening," Jack says. "Miss Pevek, it's nice to see you."
Syl rises.
Syl nods to Jack. "I'm looking forward to your lesson on game theory, when you get to it."
Ash asks Jack as they pull out their phone, "Are am I dismissed? Or did you want to talk with me?" They seem unsure, looking from their phone to Jack.
Syl assumes she is free to leave and so starts heading out.
"You're dismissed," Jack tells Ash. "I would enjoy continuing our conversation soon though about -- how you said -- 'whitewashing'," he tells Ash. "Miss Starling," he says. "I think there's more to tease out there. Like many things, you are right and wrong all at once." He gives Syl a friendly nod as she goes.
As the class progresses, the discussion takes a deeper dive into ethical theories, contrasting the philosophical ideals of Stoicism introduced by Zeno with Aristotle's practical approach towards a societal construct of ethics. The active engagement between Jack and the students sheds light on various interpretations of virtue, raising pertinent questions about its source and application in modern society. Syl's inclination towards game theory as an analogy for ethical conduct and decision-making processes introduces a contemporary perspective to the age-old philosophical debate. By the end, despite an underlying sense of intimidation and struggle with the subject’s complexity expressed by Jodie, Jack assigns a reflective task on the source of virtue, emphasizing personal engagement with the philosophical inquiries discussed. The class concludes on a note of mutual understanding and curiosity, leaving room for further exploration and discussion in future sessions.
(Jack's [White Oak] PHIL 101: Classical Philosopy)
[Tue Oct 1 2024]
In the Latin Classroom of the Spender Arts and Wellness Center at White Oak
Aged, leather-bound tomes and meticulously annotated manuscripts line the sturdy, oak bookshelves. The soft, filtered sunlight seeps through the stained glass windows, casting a colorful, ethereal glow that dances across the weathered, wooden desks and the intricate, Latin inscriptions adorning the walls. The faint scent of antiquity lingers in the air and the distant murmur of students poring over ancient texts can just barely be heard in the distance.
It is about 60F(15C) degrees.
Ash clops in out of breath, because may God forbid being 2 minutes late. They sigh in relief as they arrive before class has properly begun. They smile to Jack and give a polite nod, drawling, "Father Jack... I've been meaning to reach out to you for the last assignment... but haven't been able to find you."
Jack glances up at Ash. There's a moment, studying her with head tilting, as if her identity is on the edge of recognition. "Good evening, Miss...?"
Ash smiles to Jack, drawling a reminder, "Ashen Starling. I'm wearing my uniform - people don't recognize me in it."
Jodie steps away from the blackboard and decides to go take a seat in the front row after Ash does. An upnod is offered to them on the way.
Ash smiles to Jodie, whispering over to her before Jack starts up.
Syl hurries in, flustered - and looking somewhat injuried as she makes her way to one of the front row seats. She shoots a shy smile to Jack as she slips into one of the chairs.
Jack looks up at Syl. "Good evening," he says. He doesn't confident on her lateness. "I am Father Jack Francis," he says, introducing himself. "And Miss Starling," he says. "It's good to see you."
"Syl Pevek," Syl offers, returning Jack's introduction.
Ash smiles up at Jack, pleased by something. They nod back as they prepare to listen.
Jodie glances aside to Syl when the woman joins them at the front row. She gives a subtle upnod and even throws her a lazy peace sign. But thats all she has to offer.
"Miss Pevek," Jack tells Syl. "We'll give this three more minutes and then start," he says. "Tonight will be an overview of classical philosophy -- really of the Greeks," he says. "There were Roman philosophers, but of course like much of everything they just copied and borrowed."
"Now then," Jack says. "Classical Philosophy. Let's start with the bugbear in the room -- when you hear about classical philosophy, people talk exclusively about Greece and Rome. There are, of course, many more ancient cultures with philosophers, but we tend to think about these ancient cultures. Anyone want to hazard an idea why?"
Ash raises their hand immediately.
Jodie's eyes, which where sleepy and drooping sort of glaze over at the first few words addressing classical philosophy. Such a dense subject is unlikely to find purchase in the messy haired chick's head.
Syl raises her hand a bit after Ash does.
"Miss Starling," Jack tells Ash. "Let's hear your answer -- but after Miss Pevek's." He turns to Syl. "Miss Pevek?" he asks. "What do you think?"
Syl says, "Speaking as a computer science student, Aristotle laid out Logic which is a pretty fundamental and has been continually influential. Its one of the few things that ancient philosophers actually got right and its more modern variant like boolean logic haven't truly replaced it so much as applied it in more useful ways. In the textbook Aristotle, with him basically describing a planning algorithm that still works today."
Syl meant to say Artificial Intelligence a Modern Approach, not in the textbook Aristotle.
"I think that's perceptive," Jack tells Syl. "Though I suspect Miss Starling has a different opinion." He glances at Ash. "Miss Starling?"
Syl says "Blah, got tongue tied. Meant to say in one of course books Aristotle is actually quoted by modern computer scientists. "
Ash drawls in explanation, moving their hands as they speak, "Colonialism is the easy term that comes to mind, but really, it's the Eurocentric mindset that rules the Western world. The ancient Asian and, specifically, Chinese philosophers are well known, as China has always had a large impact... but they aren't white."
Sitting forward with a fierce focus, they go one, "Even though Rome was a famously multicultural city-state, we still see it and Romans as white people, not pulled from all over the Empire. With the burning of the library of Alexandria, and more recently, the mass destruction of knowledge in the Holocaust, alongside general colonialist and racist policies in progress for centuries, the role other cultures play in the realm of philosophy is forgotten and diminished."
They lean back, finishing their scholarly rant with, "So, in other words, the same reason history tends to focus on Europe - whitewashing."
"It's an interesting theory," Jack tells Ash. He pauses, glancing at Syl. "Miss Pevek, have you experience with the basics of the Venetian system?" he wonders, before he perhaps responds to Ash further. There's a glance at Jodie to see if she is paying attention.
At some point, relatively early. Jodie put her head in her hands as if to try to contain a splitting headache, when people talk around her she shows absolutely no recognition of anything that is being said on this subject and she's probably long given up trying to catch up. Even though its only been about ten minutes of said talk.
Syl looks at Jack curiously. "Not... in the context of Classical Philosophy, no."
"Mmm," Jack tells Syl. "Well, Miss Starling. I'll be general, then, and this is something we can follow up on in office hours. It may be that something special happened in the Fertile Crescent five or six thousand years ago," he says. "It may be that the legacy of Greece and Rome is something essential." He pauses. "I think also if you were to ask someone eighty years ago, they'd say neither the Greeks nor the Romans were white." He pauses. "Regardless: we'll start with Zeno. Who knows who Zeno was?"
Syl eventually offers her hand up for Jack's selection; someone has to be the victim.
Ash tilts their head as they think on what Jack has said, their mind making some connections. However, when he mentions Zeno, they shake their head.
"Miss Pevek," Jack tells Syl. "So far," he tells her, "you're impressing." There's a glance back over at Ash -- perhaps recognizing those connections. "We can schedule an office session," he says.
"I know him as the guy who didn't understand limits so thought infinite halving of distance would never reach a destination. Like if I needed to go somewhere, I would need go half way there, but to get there, you would need to go halfway over that distance. That happens an infinite number of times and he basically tries to argue that movement must be an illusion as a result." Syl says. "I don't know much else about him though."
Ash blinks slowly, showing a weakness in certain subjects. They glance between Syl and Jack, though, waiting for illumination.
"For us, what matters is Zeno's creation of Stoicism," Jack tells Syl. He glances at Jodie. "Even this might interest you, Miss Moore," and then he includes Ash as he addresses the class generally. "Stoicism is the idea that virtue is the only good," he says. "And that virtue comes from courage, wisdom, moderation and justice," he says. "Those things enough sustain you -- one doesn't need wealth, or pleasure, or even health, but merely virtue."
Jodie perks up a little when she's called up. There is an initial fear that she's been asked a question, but when it becomes clear she hasn't been. She tries to listen to the following words. It's dubious that any of its reaching her brain
Ash nods, vague rememberance on their face. "The essence of man is virtue -- and virtue comes from a balance in all things."
Syl nods and listens - there were multiple Zeno's relevant to philosophy and the one she was clued in on was not the same one that founded stoicism. Her failure of anticipation has her leaning in and paying more attention, hanging on Jack's words.
"There's a lot of Zeno in Aristotle," Jack tells Ash. "But there's a key difference," he says. "For Zeno -- for the stoics -- wealth is just 'a material virtue can act on.'" He pauses. "Is that significant perhaps to the world we live in?" he says. "How much of our life is spent in the pursuit of things?"
Ash frowns, then raises their hand with a curious expression.
Jack calls on Ash, "Miss Starling."
Ash asks softly, "Could you define virtue for us? While I know what it means in general, I'd like something more exact to keep in mind for this discussion."
"Zeno defines it as those four things," Jack tells Ash. "Courage, wisdom, moderation and justice." He pauses. "Though I think one can take pieces of philosophy," he says. "Philosophy, especially ancient philosophy, is a toolbox. We build an ideology by rummaging through it and finding the parts we need to fit the task at hand." A beat. "I think the most interesting thing for us is whether living a virtuous life is in itself the goal -- if comfort, for instance, is not something that weighs as a goal unless and until it adds to virtue."
Jodie just can't take it anymore. She looks like she might die if she has to listen to what is essentially another language to her. She visibly makes the choice to escape and she quietly as possible slips from her seat and tries to skirt the edge of the classroom to get out.
Ash nods, murmuring, "Lord Byron said... 'Every day confirms my opinion on the superiority of a vicious life - and if Virtue is not its own reward I don't know any other stipend annexed to it.'" They frown, adding, "This doesn't make sense to me - but, perhaps, because I don't understand how virtue and viciousness can intersect. But, back to the question, I'd say most of our lives is spent in the pursuit of things. Money, knowledge, homes, clothes, toys, games... even each other, to an extent."
"Miss Moore," Jack tells Jodie. "I'm not excusing you. I will move on to Plato, though," he says. "Plato is more interested in the origin of virtue -- he has the idea that there is some fundamental 'form of the good', some godhead, some font of virtue that animates us to understand what's right and wrong." He pauses. "This perhaps gets at Miss Starling's question -- when you encounter something, Miss Starling, you have a sense, don't you? A sense of whether something is wrong or right?" He pauses. "Where do you think your sense of right and wrong comes from?"
Jodie freezes stiff halfway along the wall towards the door. She turns to look at Jack and tries the oldest trick in the book. "I don't feel well..New moon y'know..and its that time of the month." she adds to boot.
Syl shifts in her seat slightly.
"Miss Pevek, I'm interested to hear from you next," Jack tells Syl. He just looks at Jodie for a long moment.
Ash frowns, and looks down, thinking. They admit reluctantly... as if believing the truth would be pulled out of them anyways, "I don't... have much of a sense, I don't think. But when I do, it's largely based on how people will treat me for doing it. If they will treat me badly, and I might lose friends, loved ones, or opportunities... I won't do it. But if they won't treat me badly, or..." They trail off here.
Did her excuse work? Can she escape? Jodie's doesn't seem to know if she can keep walking out or if she needs to find a seat again.
"Miss Moore," Jack tells Jodie. "If you need to go to the bathroom, go and come back. Otherwise, sit." He looks back to Ash. "I think Plato struggles too," he says. "His theory is the form of the good. And while I could spend a whole evening on Plato, I see Miss Pevek has a thought. What do you think about the source of right or wrong?"
Jodie grimaces and slides into the nearest seat in the middle rows. She's no longer at the front of the class. She seems miserable in general but also unwilling to just walk out when Jack is giving orders.
"It comes from game theoretic reasoning. Basically its all cost benefit analysis in the end. It gets complicated by things like accidents. Since there is an actual formal math that underlies what making right decisions is, there is such a thing as a right answer for many situations. When this gets paired with natural selection, there is a selection pressure for the better choice of strategies." Syl says. "Or at least that is how I think of it. I like to think of things in terms of games. I think they're one of the better models we have of things, because they let you model reward and that tends to be way better at understanding how people will actually behave and react then most other approaches." She shrugs. "I think Plato almost points to something like that with his ideal forms, but he just doesn't have sophisticated enough mental models to really get it and he's way off as a result and working in metaphors rather than equations."
Syl smiles widely.
Ash blinks to Syl before informing her, "But, that doesn't tell me anything about what's right or wrong? What did you... did you describe several ways to figure it out? The names of... methods?"
Jodie tries to sneak her phone under her desk but when it malfunctions and doesn't let her do even basic things. She's trapped into listening to the class, where nothing makes sense and everything is foreign to her. She's being tortured.
Syl checks her phone quickly.
Syl corrects, "The Evolution of Trust," Syl corrects.
Syl frowns as she notices that her phone is not working well enough to send the link and puts it away.
"I see now why Miss Pevek likes Aristotle," Jack says. "She's talking about game theory -- which I will, I promise, cover in a future class. I'm sure Miss Moore will love it," he says to Jodie. "It has a lot of math in it." Is that a twinkle in his eye? He looks back to Syl and Ash. "Aristotle is interested in ethics -- but unlike Zeno, his ethics are about society. A society of good people is a good society," he says. "His is a -practical- ethics, and a good person is a good leader, a generous person, a fair person, and a good friend." He pauses. "He preaches, as do the stoics, moderation, courage, and the like, but who sees the difference between Aristotle and Zeno?"
Ash holds up their hand, though they seem unsure. More of a habit of an eager student than a show of confidence.
Syl doesn't raise her hand. She looks to Ash curiously.
"I'd like to put Miss Moore on the spot, but who knows what violence she'd do to me," Jack tells Ash, glancing across Syl to Jodie. "So unless she has something to offer, Miss Starling?"
Jodie gives Jack a look that could kill, if he did actually commit to putting her on the spot. It's unlikely she would even know where to begin on any question on this subject.
"Miss Starling," Jack says, saving Jodie as he turns to Ash.
Ash chuckles, looking back over their shoulder to Jodie, before wincing, holding their hands up to their ear. They take a bead out of their hair, putting it, and their phone, into their sloth bag. "Aristotle is focused on the group, and Zeno is focused on the individual?" They offer after doing so.
"Something like that," Jack tells Ash. "A virtuous stoic can live in the wilderness," he says. "But for Aristotle, virtue bears with it the responsibility to lead -- the responsibility to improve those around us," he says. "We're getting to the close of class, so any questions before I assign homework?" he asks Ash, Syl and Jodie.
Homework? Homework?! The dread on Jodie's face is existential
Syl shakes her head subtly in silent answer to Jack's question.
Ash shakes their head. "I have a ton of questions in general, but they don't need to be here right now."
"Well then," Jack tells Ash, Syl and Jodie. "Homework. Plato asks us what the source of virtue is," he says. "How we know what is right and wrong. I want 200 words by next Monday on what you think the source of virtue is in your life," he says. "We'll discuss at the next class, which will -- spoiler alert -- be on political philosophy."
Jodie rubs her face tiredly. When the assignment is given she just has a dejected look on her face, suggesting she has no chance, or intent to do it properly, or even do it at all. Everyone has shared a classroom with a student like her and everyone has seen that student collapse when under even the slightest pressure. Now its happening in real time in Philosphy, 101.
Jack tells Jodie, "It will be fine, Miss Moore. If you can't find my office hours, we can find some time to work on your assignment together. I'll help you, I promise."
Ash drawls to Jodie, "We can work on it together, you know... or with Father Jack." They glance at Jack before telling Jodie again, "And I'm not so dull when I'm not trying to impress a teacher." They grin at their shamelessness.
Syl purses her lips, looking conflicted. Her fingers drum on the table.
Jodie sits up a bit straighter and gives Jack a nod, then she looks to Ash and tells them, "This subject is just....you know."
"Yes, Miss Pevek?" Jack asks Syl. "You need to stop by my office, too, so we can do an intake interview."
Ash nods to Jodie, drawling, "I was more excited at the concept... I didn't expect to be so... out of my depth. I thought I knew anything about philosophy. But, yeah... I get you on a personal level, I think. Anyways, you have my number, yeah?"
Ash sighs. "Well, phone calls are... mostly working. But, I getcha."
Jodie says "I want to go to bed now.."
Syl nods to Jack.
Jodie splits from her desk, not waiting for permission to leave.
"Have a good evening," Jack says. "Miss Pevek, it's nice to see you."
Syl rises.
Syl nods to Jack. "I'm looking forward to your lesson on game theory, when you get to it."
Ash asks Jack as they pull out their phone, "Are am I dismissed? Or did you want to talk with me?" They seem unsure, looking from their phone to Jack.
Syl assumes she is free to leave and so starts heading out.
"You're dismissed," Jack tells Ash. "I would enjoy continuing our conversation soon though about -- how you said -- 'whitewashing'," he tells Ash. "Miss Starling," he says. "I think there's more to tease out there. Like many things, you are right and wrong all at once." He gives Syl a friendly nod as she goes.