I hope you all had a good time at our activity last night! Thank-you for being kind and respectful and for your willingness to always help clean up and serve. If anyone wants to borrow the CD that we did not get to finish, please let me know. I would be happy to lend it out. I hope you are noticing your "language of responsibility" this week and remembering that excuses weaken us. Taking responsibility is a very key happiness principle.
One thing I forgot to mention about your writing... the first important skill I will be having you work on is putting your thoughts in a clean, concise, way. This is a writing principle - and a life principle - clean out the clutter and then add the beautiful. I am first going to try to help you "unclutter" your writing.
In your word studies, several of you disagreed that happiness was having your desires met. Be thinking this week if this is true or not and be prepared to share why you think like you do. Does it depend on what your desires are? In what way? We will discuss it some more in class.
1. Watch: How to ask Great Questions (11 min)
One thing I forgot to mention about your writing... the first important skill I will be having you work on is putting your thoughts in a clean, concise, way. This is a writing principle - and a life principle - clean out the clutter and then add the beautiful. I am first going to try to help you "unclutter" your writing.
In your word studies, several of you disagreed that happiness was having your desires met. Be thinking this week if this is true or not and be prepared to share why you think like you do. Does it depend on what your desires are? In what way? We will discuss it some more in class.
1. Watch: How to ask Great Questions (11 min)
2.
Read: On Contenment by Plutarch, look up words you don't know. *This is
can be found in Volume 10 of the Gateway to the Great Books series or
online. I like the Gateway translation best so I uploaded it to google drive here (it has my and Cassia's notes on it so if you'd rather read a clean copy, here is an online version called “A Tranquil Mind” (both titles are used depending on
who translated it). Read the Sidebar on this blog about how to read the Great Books for this class.
3.
Take note of Plutarch’s principles of happiness. What does he say takes
you to happiness and what does he say pulls you away? Does he believe that happiness if having your desires fulfilled? Do you
think his principles are true? Why or why not?
4. Write a discussion question about this reading on the
blog.
5. Write your favorite quote on a 3x5 card and bring it to
class
6. Print 2 copies of your Extended Definition Essay and bring them to class. If you have not yet, be sure you email it to me for feedback before class (preferably by Thursday at noon if you want feedback before class). I should have mentioned this before, but maybe it can be of help in the
future: In your word study, you discovered several happiness principles - in an extended definition essay, you can use those principles as your
thesis and then explain why each one is true in the following
paragraphs. I have enjoyed reading your essays so far and look forward
to hearing the rest.
7. Keep tracking your goals and noticing what helps you
accomplish them and what tactics Satan uses to keep you from accomplishing
them. Each class, you will have a chance to share any war strategies that you
find.
What is the difference between happiness and joy? What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the difference between happiness and contentment? Is one fuller than the other? Are they both linked to the same principles?
ReplyDeletePlutarch talks about comparing yourself to others as a obstacle to contentment.
ReplyDeleteHow do we overcome this?
Plutarch says " the women's apartment is assailed by more distress and disturbance and depression than you could count because of their jealousy and superstition and ambition and empty notions."
ReplyDeleteDoes he think all women are like that? It that true? If so how do we stop it? Why does he say that?
Plutarch says "It does no good to rage at circumstances; events will take their course with no regard for us. But he who makes the best of those events he lights upon will not fare ill." When he says "...will not fare ill" does he simply mean you will be happy or just not unhappy? if so is there a difference between being happy and not unhappy?
ReplyDeleteHow do we look for the good always?
ReplyDelete