Category: McCoy Fall 2015

From the microcosmic realm of an atom or the syntax of a sentence to the macrocosmic realm of our universe or our system of language as a whole, reflexive structures exist in all elements of, well, everything. By reflexive structures I’m referring to the smaller structures within a greater system and how the smaller parts that make up that greater system reflect the whole of the system itself. For example, an atom, a smaller part, can function similarly to our universe, a greater whole, and a sentence, another smaller part, can function similarly to the system of language, another greater whole. How does this work? Well, basically, any occurrence, be it an atom, a sentence, or whatever else, can be interpreted as taking place within an organized structure of sorts, a particular level within a greater system. Take us as human beings for example. When looking at us from a biological perspective, one can see this reflexive nature of parts and their whole by looking at where we fall in the levels of biological organization. Let’s take a look at this greater system of levels from largest to smallest to try to better understand the nature of this reflexive relationship. Continue reading “Interrelatedness, Form, and Meaning”

All throughout my years of schooling, I consistently found myself being one of the few people who genuinely enjoyed studying English. All my friends would groan and complain at even the thought of having to read and analyze another work, or completing another writing assignment. I never understood their apathy; to me, analyzation and writing were invigorating. I finally had an opportunity to express myself in a school setting, and could get away from the monotony of science and history. Yet for my friends, English was daunting for the very same reason. The lack of concrete rules and methods pushed them farther away, toward disciplines of hard facts.

Moran described this very same occurrence perfectly, categorizing English as its own autonomous subject, and quoting Rosen, noting how “no one can confidently map its frontiers” because of its fluidity. That fluidity makes it remarkable and unlike so many other disciplines. It’s so rare to be able to find room for self-expressionand introspection in an academic setting, which is why this major is so appealing to me. As a vocal-performance major and aspiring conductor, leaving space for artistic expression in academia is an integral part of my learning experience, for without that sort of freedom, internal growth is put on hold, which I consider equally as important as scholastic growth.

English isn’t the only subject, however, that allows such freedom, as there is of course music and art. I suppose it is no surprise that these are the two other disciplines in which I find myself immersed in most frequently, considering my take on English. I find that these fields hold the same weight as English, and as any other discipline, despite the academic dismissal all three seem to receive from many. For example, when I told my father I was going to be a music major with a possible double in English, his skepticism was not easily masked, and I of course was berated with questions about how I could possibly make a living. I look forward to the moment when these fields aren’t disregarded as cute pastimes or hobbies of an optimist, and are instead treated with dignity and respect. The arts are as critical to our society as science or math, for the nurturing of the human spirit is what will keep our world alive and colorful.

My family is one of complainers. My sisters complain, I complain, my father complains, and my mother complains about everyone’s complaining. One day I was so sick of hearing all the constant complaints, I promised myself I’d try harder to look on the bright side, or at least keep my complaints to myself. Up until recently, I had been doing fairly well I think. But after reading the introduction to Joe Moran’s book, “Interdisciplinarity,”  my streak was quickly broken.

Although interesting, I have come across many statements belonging to Aristotle of which I don’t necessarily agree with. Early on, Moran mentions a statement believed by Aristotle that reads, “The theoretical subjects were the highest for of knowledge, and comprised theology, mathematics and physics, in descending order of importance…” He then went on to report that “…and the productive subjects, which were the lowest… included fine arts, poetics and engineering” in accordance with Aristotle.

It was odd to me that the subjects included in the lowest category were labeled as “productive” when Aristotle clearly felt differently towards those subjects. Subjects such as math and science although important, depend on the arts and engineering as a vehicle for their notoriety and the ability to cause advances in the world in which we live. Fine arts enables societies to preserve, retain and advance its culture, and therefore I believe Aristotle was mistaken when he placed fine arts, poetics and engineering into the lowest point at his “hierarchy.”

Continue reading “WARNING: A Complaint To Follow”

A running joke on campus is that as we walk up the hills to class we look at our friends and say, “I’m seriously paying 20,000 dollars just for great calf muscles?” Like all good jokes, it’s funny because sometimes it seems as though it’s completely true. The debate about whether or not a college degree (or worse- a college degree in English) is worth it is constantly raging around every college student. For everyone who has taken the leap and is already walking up the hills to class every morning, it’s easier to laugh about the uncertainty facing graduates than to seriously consider it.

In Interdisciplinarity, Moran makes an argument not only for a more inclusive and less compartmentalized education but also for education itself. Moran quotes Aristotle saying that liberal educations are “something good in itself” and that the value of these educations are held not in necessarily in “usefulness” but in the idea that a person armed with a well-rounded education is inherently of value.

Additionally, if the only way people can get a quality higher education is by shoveling thousands of dollars out the door, shouldn’t the students get the best education possible? Doesn’t it make sense that along with overwhelming debt, college graduates leave school knowing not only their major but also the disciplines outside of it? Moran quotes an Italian “thinker” Giambattista Vico who claims that focusing only on some disciplines has “led to the neglect of a broad education in favour of specialist knowledge”, leaving some students who perhaps took only Psych classes realizing that maybe taking entry level calculus wasn’t such a bad idea after all. People don’t go to college because they want to master a single math equation or keep rereading the same novel every semester; people go to college so that when they graduate and head into the workforce they have a degree in their back pocket. Of course they will have a major, but with a liberal education they’ve also been exposed to dozens of other disciplines along the way.

The introduction of Interdisciplinarity advocated not just for the derided English majors, but for the embattled liberal education as a whole. So the next time anyone complains about walking up these beloved Geneseo hills, just remind them they are investing in their futures and not just great legs.

 

Moran, Joe. Interdisciplinarity. New York and London: Routledge, 2010. Print
Continue reading “In Defense of a Liberal Education”

Did I say that I was an Education major? Now don’t get me wrong, majoring in education and moving on to becoming a teacher is probably one of the most rewarding jobs a person can have! Teachers consistently get to meet new people, hear new ideas, and have the opportunity to help mold the minds of upcoming generations. Teachers have a major impact on society’s future. Although, teaching is not the only career option that I will have the ability to succeed in. Continue reading ““Oh, cool! So you want to be a teacher?””