مکالمه ی اول

Conversation 1:

Listen to a conversation between a student and a professor.

Student: So the reason I came in, Professor Williams, well, it’s about what you were explaining in your philosophy class today.

Professor: Yes?

Student: Yeah, the whole thing about simulations, would you mind going over that with me again?

Professor: No problem. The main point of the book I was referring to is that, well, in a post-modern world, we live in a world of unreal images of simulations. For example, the things we see on TV become a reality for us even though they are not in fact real. They’re representations, simulations of reality.

Student: Post-modern world?

Professor: Right. It came after the modern one.

Student: Gee…thanks a lot.

Professor: No, sorry. You are right. Post-modern, well, that’s a sticky term that covers a lot of things. Let’s save that for later. But back to my point about simulation, it leads to hyper-realism, a feeling that something is more real than real.

Student: I’m sorry. But all this is…I just don’t get Professor: Video games, virtual reality, theme parks, all of these remove us from reality. Worse yet, we can begin to think these simulations, these fake experiences are real, or we don’t know the difference anymore.

Student: Well, actually I’m starting to think this class is not for me. In fact, I wonder if I might not do better just to drop the course.

Professor: Oh, you are still having trouble following this?

Student: Yeah, I just don’t think I’m cut out for philosophy. I signed up because my academic advisor…well, I feel like my advisor sort of pushed me into it.

Professor: I see. If I may ask, what are you interested in?

Student: I want to be a lawyer.

Professor: Well, then you need a firm base in logic and argumentation, so this philosophy course is basically a necessity for you.

Student: I hope not. I could only get maybe half the lecture.Professor: That’s pretty good then. I covered a lot, probably too much. And these were only some opening remarks for the first day of class. I was just skimming through some contemporary ideas and, well, more cultural theory than actual philosophy, so you needn’t worry.

Starting next week, we are going to read some real philosophy, primary sources like Plato, Rousseau, Emerson. And you’ll be able to talk about them in small discussion groups led by graduate assistants.

Student: Well, I don’t know.

Professor: I understand you are uneasy about this course, but, well, give it another chance, attend a few more sessions, get into your assigned discussion group, then see how you feel. Look, these ideas, like what post-modernism really is. They are ideas that people developed over years, careers, lifetimes. I didn’t mean to scare you.

Student: I guess I should have just taken it in the spirit it’s intended, as an intro.

You are right that instead of trying to wrap my mind around every little detail all at once, I need to work on seeing the bigger picture and not getting so stressed out.

Professor: Well, don’t think you are going to learn all the law right away either.

Have you looked at the law library lately?

Student: Yeah. Talk about scary!

at role. Let’s talk about why.