[lit-ideas] Join The MMM
- From: "Mike Geary" <atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2008 07:58:22 -0500
Since JL has broached the subject of The Memphis Metaphysical Ministry
(formerly known as The Seattle School of Scholasticism), I, as Dean, feel it
incumbent upon me to explain our mission to those unfamiliar with our noble
work.
As you know, there are many people out there who simply don't know the first
thing about thinking. "Couldn't think their way out of a paper bag" as the
saying goes. We here at the Memphis Metaphysical Ministry have taken it upon
ourselves to teach the world to think in perfect harmony. We teach people to
think apple trees and honey bees and snow white turtle doves. And why don't
all people think that way, you might wonder. Well, we believe as JL pointed
out in his post -- "The focus [in most schools] is on modus tollendo tollens.
Rather than ponendo." Yes, all that mumbo-jumbo. Junk it, we say. Just let
your mind go. Be free. It's not for nothing that William Blake is our patron
saint. And so we teach Modus Nintendo tollens. Our teaching methods are the
very model of a modern major pedagogical institution. MNT is, of course, a
video game and through it we teach our students to recognize Philosophers and
to shoot them down before they can destroy them through their powers of
declaration: "Illogical" and "Fallacy" and "Nonsense" and "Balderdash". Our
students must score 10,000 Philosophy Professors before commencement. MNT has
been proven to enable even very mediocre students to detect linear thinking in
all but the most subtle arguments, such as perhaps one might find in Carroll.
But we need your help. Our software programmers insist on being paid. We'd
like to shoot them down, but not just yet, like computer viruses, new ways of
being rational keep cropping up, therefore we are turning to you, our friends
in free-thinking, for a financial donation during this bi-weekly Pledge Week.
A contribution equal to your tax return could help us continue to fight the
tyranny of linear thought.
Yours in the wisdom of Blake,
J. Michael Geary
Founder and Dean
The Memphis Metaphysical Ministry
and boss of JL Speranza
(a teacher)
----- Original Message -----
From: jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; rpaul@xxxxxxxx ; atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx ; teemu17@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 10:35 PM
Subject: Join The MMM
I'm told that I'm only allowed one free trip on the grounds that I only
teach one semester per academic year, if I teach at all, but the dean has been
known to be sympathetic.
As for research, well...
----
Yes, Research is trickier at the MMM (Memphis Metaphysical Ministry). The
Dean is known to be sympathetic, which is not the same thing as that he is.
He's currently researching on the Memphis Papyrological Collection, for
occurrences of pagan oracles.
I only teach half a semester every two academic years, and thus I have plenty
of time to indulge in what Walter O. calls the non-philosophical activities of
the philosopher: drink coffee, use the bathroom a lot, etc.
My students like me. One reminds me of Hyparkhia. Their Greek is fluent,
perhaps too fluent to me. They like what they do, and they hope to get As.
Usually my technique is:
1. Memorize philosophical terminology to impress your classmates
(first two weeks)
2. There's s quiz then where I ask for the definitions they have memorized.
It's open book, since I rather correct the least I can.
The 4 next months we discuss Subsistence -- hypostisis. A notion not central
for the neo-Plotinian system but appealing on its own right.
By the end of the seminar, the students have to hand in an essay on "Spring"
-- the season, and how it relates to all that we've been discussing. The focus
is on modus tollendo tollens. Rather than ponendo.
One of my students attended the APA meeting. She was not presenting or
commenting -- but was looking for what she described as 'hot' action. She
socialized with the "Frenchies", and other continentals, and had on the whole a
great time.
The APA meeting was in Hawaii, complete with meal per diam _on the beach_.
Cheers,
JL
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