Journal 8
Due 11.19

Philosophy, like journal writing, can be a highly personal activity. A very important objective of InterQuest is to leave you with a sense of how the history and literature of philosophical thought intersects and informs your personal belief system. You do have beliefs that are distinctly philosophical. These beliefs are a crucial part of your identify. How important these beliefs are to you can be seen in how they operate in your everyday world. To see this, consider how your judgements, perceptions, preferences, behaviors, choices, conditions, and conversations reflect your core beliefs.

In this journal installment, you are asked to attend to how your philosophical beliefs (at least those that have been identified so far in this course) operate in your everyday life. Be aware of the conversations that you have, the information that you receive (newspapers and TV), and the activities that you engage in. Look for ways that your philosophical beliefs enter into these spheres of your life. One way to pursue this is to open conversations with friends and co-workers related to the philosophical issues that you have been studying. That is not usually hard to do. People are often eager to present opinions about philosophical issues. Try raising a philosophical issue with someone you know and carry the discussion as far as it will go (be sure to adopt an appropriate discursive purpose for your interaction).

Prepare for your interactions this way:
     - Read your Classic Text #8
     - Identify the main problem of that text.
     - Write a summary of that problem and your idea of the author's solution.
     - Present the problem (i.e. in conversation) with friends.
     - Write your journal entry about this experiment. Include your summary of the text and your reflections about your experience with         your peers.