开自己的花的BLOG

• Pigs that want to be eaten
   

     The advocates of animal rights and vegetarians refuse to eat meat because they feel disgusted and guilty in the sense that humans obtain the satisfaction of taste based on the agony of animals. However, will they change their idea if they are in the face of pigs that what to be eaten?

    Actually it is thinking experiments to imagine that scientists invent some genetically changed pigs, they do not have desire of life and they do not even notice their existence. As for those pigs, the noblest and ultimate goal is to be eaten. The author proposed a scenario that a firmed vegetarian met a pig which request him to eat it, in order to help the pig to fulfill its dream, the vegetarian ate the pork for the first time of life, however he still have a feeling of nausea.

  The point is what’s wrong with it to eat a pig which does not know their existence and the meaning of life? What’s wrong with it to eat a pig and help it to achieve its dream? You may argue that it is nonsensical and meaningless to discuss such ridiculous scenario? Maybe it is not possible to invent the genetically changed pigs, but that is not the point. The point is, why do we refuse to eat meat? Is it because we feel cruel to deprive animals from their lives or because we feel it is selfish and guilty to violate their rights and will to live? If they do not have the will to live and they will be happy if you eat them, it is reciprocal?

     These ideas come from the book, pigs that want to be eaten, I just summarize the points.

     That’s the charm of the thinking experiment, from the visual reality we can stand in different perspectives to consider one issue. Thinking experiment does not help us to solve the problem but it helps us to see the essence of the problem. Here I cite another example from the same book.

     Adultery is universally reputed as an immoral behavior, however, have you considered what the main cause was to make it unacceptable? Is it because your spouse could not tolerate you have an affair because the existence of the third person or because your spouse could not tolerate you to leave her or him? Someone argues that love and sex are separated things, if there is a stimulated space which is controlled by computer, it can provide you the exact same feeling of having sex, and will your spouse allow you to do so?

     If the answer of your spouse is “yes”, it means she did not accept adultery because she could not tolerate the existence of the third person; if the answer is “no”, it demonstrates that she could not tolerate you to leave and abandon her, if you want to make love, she should be the first choice that you consider. It means she could not tolerate that her status in your heart has undermined.

     The stimulated space does not exit and it is impotent to help people to solve the thorny problem adultery, but it helps us to be clear of the main cause of the problem, why it is unacceptable. Also it encourages and inspires you to challenge to those common sense? It is strictly logical in the justification process? If the genetically changed pigs and stimulated space do exist, will the moral values change? Are those so-called common sense and moral values applicable for all the situations? It is so funny to think these questions.

• nonsense
   

     Recently teachers are busy marking our exam papers, although we go to school every day, we do not actually have lessons. Some activities did not mark attendance so they are seemingly not compulsory; some of my friends skipped the activities and went back to boarding. I did not skip yesterday’s activities and I enjoyed the performance of the Chinese orchestra and chorus, but I hesitated if I should skip today. After recess, we were supposed to play sports in the field, but it was too hot outside, so I went back to boarding furtively. When I was fabricating my pretext, fortunately, the torrential rain forced teacher to cancel the plan and dismiss other students early. The timely rain reassured me and lessened my guilt to a certain extent. I will not skip tomorrow’s session because the interclass football match will be held, I promise I will be here to support my classmates and showcase the so-called esprit de corps.  

     I was lonely in my room, one of my roommates was sleeping, another one is injured so matron took him to the clinic, and the last guy is my senior who also disappeared, I guess he must be playing computer games in the study room. It is such an irony that study room (the only air-conditioned room for boarders in my block) becomes a game room after exams because it’s a comfortable environment, and as for the so-called game room, I always use the TV to learn English and practice guitar there. During the exams, I always complain that all our leisure time was occupied, thus we do not have time to read books to improve English and Chinese. Since I came to Singapore, my Chinese is form worse to worst, at the same time; I do not notice any conceivable advance of English. After the exam, I am not willing to read books anymore, no matter whether English or Chinese books. I know it is a good opportunity to concentrate on English but I cannot get rid of a slack condition, what should I do?       

• Journal
   

     After the end of year exams, we had a high time for the whole five days. Some guys who think they are dashing were very lucky to have romantic outing (not date)with girls, one of my friends was so excited that he could not fall asleep in the night before the outing. As for me, not very charming in terms of appearance, so I have to spend most of my time with myself. I know I was lucky enough, in terms of health, many boarders were sick and had to tolerate the agony at the exact time we were very high.

     What an irony! Those guys who finally finished the EOYs, especially my seniors who will graduate from secondary school soon, were attacked by the sudden viruses and fenced in the bed. We suspected that there were something wrong in the food provided by dinning-hall last Friday and Saturday, but the staff alleged that it was not their faults. We could not accuse them without the evidence, but there are nearly 20 boarders in my block were involved in this unpredictable disaster. Who can prognosticate which time the food will have problems? Although it cost more money then my budge, I decide to go out to eat for every meal. In retrospect, I feel that I was so lucky at that time. Last Friday, in order to celebrate we finish the EOY, my friend and I went out to eat and we were voracious to the delicious food. Due to the over-eating, my stomach was replete with yesterday’s food and thus I lost the appetite for the whole Saturday, it was why I was not involved.

     Last Saturday was the traditional New Year for Malaysians, so we have two more day-off and today was the first day for school after the exams. I thought teachers would teach our lessons for next year, but to my surprise from today to Friday we do not have formal lessons but various activities instead.

     I will go back home soon but I did not feel the improvement of English is desirable, although I wrote so many journals in my blog, but if I submitted those journals to my teacher I am very sure that she will frown and circle many mistakes which I did not perceive at all. In order to expand my vocabulary, more importantly, to learn how to use the new words, I bought a book called 1100 words you should know. The book is well-organized and I can learn the new words effectively. Another book was pigs that want to be eaten, it is a rather interesting book it guides how to think and reason in different perspectives. With the help of thinking experiments, we can even doubt and think further for something which is seemingly absolute correct. It is a learning journey which I enjoy the gratification of thinking. I will be steeped in English for the rest of time before i came back to China,I need to catch up with pacesetters.  

• Is it possible to think without language
    This essay is my philosophy homework,I embellished my draft and modified some weak arguments so I published it in my blog again.  

  In my opinion, language only serves people as a tool to communicate with others and express your ideas, so it is conceivable that a tool cannot dominate people’ minds. Language is not an indispensable factor of thinking.

        Firstly, let us take the origin of the language into account. Language did not exist in the nature until humans created it; therefore it is not an instinctive talent to master the language. As we know that the criteria to differentiate language from non-language are to judge if there is a regular structure and rules in it, whereas, where were the structures and rules from? Obviously, making rules is a process of thinking. It means that if humans were not able to think without language, they would not even create the language. Therefore, people were able to think before language appeared; of course humans are able to think without language.

        A possible counter statement is to point that I had narrowed down t