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  • Ethics Debates
  • Pop Philosophy Seminar Details
  • Sample Slideshow
  • Pop Philosophy: Current Topics
  • Pop Philosophy: Previous Topics

  • ​​Ethics Debates

    How to prepare? (to be modified for hybrid learning later)
    * You'll have time in class to...
           * make a poster that clearly yet briefly gives a sense of the ethical theory
           * make sure you're solid on the theory
           * incorporate an excellent quotations in your explanation that gives us a sense of the writing as well as clarifying the theory
           * make sure you can apply the theory to EACH of these issues:  abortion, euthanasia, prostitution, capital punishment, animal welfare, censorship, drug use, exploitation of workers/prisoners, population control...
    * If you have a group, you'll be graded as a group, but not everybody has to debate. You can divide the tasks. Here's the rubric. 

    What will it all look like???

    * You'll sit in groups with your beautiful, yet informative, poster behind you.
    * You'll take turns explaining the basics of your philosopher's ethical theory - including one poignant quotations from the philosopher (likely about 5 minutes each).  
    * We'll go through the issues, one at a time, and each groups will tell us how your philosopher would look at each issue (but I won't ask you about every issue - be ready just in case).  This might happen fairly fluidly - from one topic to the next - not necessarily in order.  In the past, this has taken a few days.  
    * We'll look at what we really think of each issue, and how our ideas fit with the different philosophies.  
    * We'll look at the limitations to each philosophy, and talk about which one works best.
    * I'll take notes and post them so you don't have to worry about remembering anything that happened while you're trying to teach your theory to the class!!  
    ​
     

    ​​Pop Philosophy Seminar Details

    You get one day to present.  If you can't make it on your assigned date - find another classmate to switch times with.  There won't be enough time for people to do the presentations on a different date at the end.  We'll be moving on.
    Rubric is here.   
    How to prepare...
    • Seminars should be 25-27 minutes including set-up time; you'll be cut off if you're too long and possibly asked further questions if it runs too short.
    • In general, for each point...
      • explain the theory really clearly
      • back it up with a quotation from the philosopher (briefly)
      • illustrate it with the book/movie/song...
      • then get more in-depth with some discussion on it
    • Media can take up a maximum of 8 minutes (film clips, book reading, etc.).  It's highly recommended to check if any tech you're using works the DAY BEFORE your presentation to give yourself time to fix any possible glitches.  Film clips aren't necessary and don't count as your visual aid - they're just sometimes useful to clarify connections.  
    • HINT: If you're using clips, and if you're using a slideshow (you don't have to do either), then please embed your videos into your powerpoint - copy them instead of linking them. (That doesn't work with google slides though, so don't use it!)
      • ​​download any videos to your desktop (google how to do that)
      • trim the clip to just have exactly the part you want (e.g. in QuickTime, go to Edit --> Trim - move the bars at either side, hit Save and give a new name)​
      • upload to the powerpoint 
      • bring the powerpoint on a memory stick, or on your own computer, but check it the DAY BEFORE your presentation
      • Always bring a back-up method of showing anything important (download and have the link to a clip, etc.)
    • Prepare a visual aid to help people remember the theories of the philosopher as illustrated by the popular media (Choose from a handout, blackboard, power point, poster...).  Powerpoint is just one of many options. The visual aid MUST include, in words, the three main points of the theory that you're teaching to the class, with the piece of media used to illustrate the theory. DON'T simplify each point down to one word. The explanatory statements or headings must clarify the philosophy. You don't have to make a powerpoint, and, if you do, it doesn't have to look like mine! Mix it up a bit! ***If you're using a handout, give it to me by the end of school the DAY BEFORE your seminar - then I can copy them back to back or on used paper.*** If you're using a computer, then make sure it works the DAY BEFORE your seminar. ***
    • Ask discussion questions to get the class involved.  Think of ways this theory can relate to students' lives!   HINT - make them personal enough for people to get involved. AND the second presenter on the day should find out the questions and topics of the first presenter a day before in order to avoid overlap! HINT - avoid "Is..." questions, because they tend to be yes/no answers. It's often better to start with "Why do you think..." or "How is it the case...". Try to make your questions a part of the conversation rather than saying, "My first question is...". 
    • HINT - practice your timing - you’ve got a maximum of 27 minutes in total - aim for one main point, explanation and discussion in 8-9 minutes (if you've got 3 main points), then move on even if it means cutting off some discussion (if people are feeling really discussiony that day).  And then have a few back-up points or questions at the end in case you've got lots of time left over. It's your job to watch the time as you go. 
    • Have fun teaching the theory (or at least look like it's fun to be up there)!
    • FINAL HINT: Do NOT write out what you want to say word for word, and don't memorize a script. You should know the topic well enough that the few words on your powerpoint/handout/poster or a few key words on a page will cue you - just a reminder of what to say next. Avoid reading from a page/phone/computer or using further notes if possible. Just tell us what you learned about the theory and how it shows up in the media like we're your friends at a symposium! That's the only way I know that you know the theory.

    Here's a video of my seminar: Plato on Hedwig. I didn't have an audience to discuss with, so I talked to myself a bit. But notice, that, even though I use notes, the only time I read them word-for-word is when I'm reading directly from Plato's Symposium (in hindsight, my quotations are WAY too long!). The visual aid (words on the screen) focuses on the points of comparison. And the entire seminar focuses on teaching this piece of Plato, using Hedwig as an example of it. Here's the handout - notice that the points of comparison (and, therefore, the theory in general) are the most pronounced thing on the page.  Also, see my awesome slideshow below. Notice how I cite images (full citations on the very last slide) AND quotations!  (except it's the previous version of MLA)
    ​

    As an audience, you'll each evaluate the presentations AND take notes.
    SEMINARS WILL BE ON THE EXAM - This is an entire unit of study.
     
     

    Current Seminar Topics

    January 2021
    Jung on Silence of the Lambs
    Nietzsche on Merlin
    de Beauvoir on 10 Things I Hate About You
    Kierkegaard on Franny and Zooey
    Tao of Yoda, from Star Wars
    Nietzsche on Alien: Covenant
    Marx on Outlast: Whistleblower
    Jesus on The Blind Side
    Aristotle on Hell or High Water
    Rousseau on Wings of Desire
    Plato on Fallout: New Vegas
    Aristotle on Big Hero 6
    Nietzsche on Fallout
    Aristotle on Good Will Hunting
    Tolstoy on Hacksaw Ridge
    Butler on A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
    Lao Tzu on Megamind
    Camus on Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
    Aristotle on The Dark Knight
    ?? on "Dear Dreams"
    Marx on The Hunger Games
    Buddhism on Girl from Nowhere
    Plato on The Truman Show​
    ?? - Kaiya & Zack O.

     

    Previous Seminar Topics

    May 2020
    Aristotle on The Blindside 
    Butler on The Purge​ 
    Camus on Olivia O'Brien
    Heidegger in Her 
    Jesus 
    in Good Omens 
    Nietzsche ​in Fight Club 
    Nietzsche on The Dark Knight​ 
    Rousseau in Midsommar  
    Sartre in Diary of a Teenaged Girl 
    Schopenhauer on ​Earl Sweatshirt 
    Stoics on Djesse, Vol. 2​ 
    Taoism in Spirited Away 
    Taoism in Beauty and the Beast​ 

    ​December 2018

    Aristotle in Beauty and the Beast 
    Aristotle in Kingsman: The Secret Service
    Aristotle in Nightmare Before Christmas 
    Beauvoir in Diary of a Teenage Girl
    Buddhism in Avatar: The Last Airbender 
    Camus in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead 
    Chuang Tzu in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 
    Epicurus in Bastille's Wild World album 
    Existentialism in Toy Story
    Freud in Inception 
    Gertz in three episodes of Black Mirror 
    Hobbes in the "Tea Peter" episode of Family Guy 
    James in Alice in Wonderland​ 
    Jesus in The Hobbit 
    Lao Tzu in The Little Prince 
    Marx in Beyoncé's Lemonade album
    Nietzsche in Running With Scissors 
    Plato in ​The Good Life 
    Rousseau in Boy in the Striped Pajamas
    Sartre - in American Beauty 
    Sun Tzu in Star Wars 
    Rand in The Pursuit of Happyness 
    Žižek in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 

    ​May 2018
    ​Arendt
     in Ticket to Heaven
    Aristotle in Berserk
    Camus in Death: The High Cost of Living
    Epictetus in Rocky
    Hegel in Frasier
    Jesus in Surgill Simpson's A Sailor's Guide to Earth
    Jung in The Shining
    Lao Tzu in Modest Mouse's Good News for People Who Love Bad News
    Nietzsche in The Dark Knight
    Sartre in American Beauty 
    Seneca in Candide
    ​

    Nov. 2017
    Aristotle
     in Halsey's "Hopeless Fountain Kingdom" 
    Beauvoir in Hairspray 
    Buddhism in The X-Files' "all things"
    Camus in A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
    Epicurus in Rent
    Freud in American Psycho
    Jesus in Tolkein's Hobbits
    Kierkegaard in Looking for Alaska
    Marcus in Jurassic Park 
    Marx in The Who's "Eminence Front"  
    Nietzsche in Marianas Trench's "Astoria"
    Nietzsche in Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance 
    Plato in Rocky Horror Picture Show 
    Plato in The Lion King 
    Taoism in The 100-Year-Old Man... 
    Thoreau in Captain America: Civil War ​

    ​May 2017
    Aristotle on Beauty and the Beast
    Aristotle on Inception
    Epictetus on Memoirs of a Geisha
    Epicurus on Friends 
    Epicurus on The Lion King
    Hegel on The World Ends With You
    Jesus on Narnia
    Jung on 
    Breakfast Club
    Machiavelli on Scarface
    Marcus Aurelius on Serendipity 
    Marx on Ender's Shadow
    Montaigne on The Grateful Dead 
    Nietzsche on 
    Trainspotting
    Nietzsche on Pulp Fiction
    Noddings on The Blind Side
    Plato on 16 Candles
    Sartre on Taxi Driver
    Schopenhauer on Black Books
    Seneca on The Great Gatsby
    Skinner on Clockwork Orange
    Taoism of Nick Drake

    December 2016
    St. Augustine on Horns 
    Beauvoir on My Big Fat Greek Wedding 
    Buddhism on Spirited Away 
    Freud on Picture Perfect 
    Jesus on Lord of the Rings' Gandalf 
    Kierkegaard on High Fidelity 
    Lewis on One Tree Hill 
    Nussbaum on Criminal Minds
    Sartre on Mac DeMarco
    Seneca on Star Trek's Spock
    Taoism on American Beauty 

    December 2015
    Aristotle on Beauty and the Beast 
    Beauvoir on 10 Things I Hate About You 
    Epictetus on Apocalypse, Derren Brown 
    Epicurus on Stuck in Love
    Existentialism on Ghost World 
    Hedonism on Bowling for Soup 
    James on Alice in Wonderland 
    Jesus on Forrest Gump
    Jung on Breakfast Club
    Kierkegaard on Seventh Seal 
    Marx on Never Let Me Go  
    Montaigne on Perks of Being a Wallflower 
    Nietzsche on Beyoncé 
    Nietzsche on 
    Fight Club 
    Plato on Wizard of Oz 
    Schopenhauer on The Catcher in the Rye  
    Seneca on Black Veil Brides

    Taoism on Lost 
    Tolstoy on Lord of the Rings 
     
    December 2014
    Aristotle - Mean Girls 
    Aristotle on Beauty and the Beast
    Buddhism - Wristcutters
    Camus -  Waiting for Godot
    Confucius - American History X 
    Freud on Breakfast at Tiffanies
    Hobbes on V for Vendetta
    James - Interstellar 
    Jesus on Lord of the Rings
    Kierkegaard on Looking for Alaska
    Locke on Dollhouse
    Marx on Game of Thrones
    Montaigne - Calvin & Hobbes
    Nietzsche - Marilyn Manson  
    Plato on The Wizard of Oz
    Sartre on Breathless
    Schopenhauer - Saw 
    Seneca on Little Miss Sunshine
    Taoism - "Echoes" by Pink Floyd
    Thoreau - Kids of Summer

    December 2013 
    Artistotle - Beauty and the Beast 
    St. Augustine on Everlast 
    Buddha - The Last Airbender
    Confucius on Spirited Away
    Epicurus on Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    Freud on American Psycho
    Hume on Duchamp
    Jesus on Narnia
    Jesus - Beyond the Gates of Splendor  
    Machiavelli on Voldemort from the Harry Potter series
    Montaigne -  Juno
    Nietzsche -  Trainspotting
    Nietzsche on Fight Club 
    Nietzsche on Rosemary's Baby
    Plato on Hot Fuzz
    Plato on the Truman Show 
    Sartre - The Lion King
    Sartre - Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground
    Seneca - Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
    Socrates on House, MD
    Taoism - Rain Man