The title sounds better than the actual post will be. Yesterday was the start of classes, which is always exciting. I am teaching an Intro to Philo class (in the Philosophy department), and Argumentation (in the Communication Studies department). Every year I pass out notecards and get basic information from the students, but and every time I also add in one random, silly question. Like, What is your favorite arctic animal?, What is your least favorite place to visit?, etc. This year, inspired by philosophy monopoly I linked to before, I asked them for their favorite board game.
Monopoly won, hands down. Many students admitted to picking the game randomly, as it was one of the few games that came to them. In second place was Scrabble, followed in third by Apples to Apples. Those were the only games to reach double digits. I don't really have a profound point to make with all this, just sharing.
Also, isn't it great how students work very hard to make unfunny professors seem rather witty? I am always surprised at the things students are willing to laugh at. I think it is rather nice of them to take such pity on me.
The agony of the rat or the slaughter of a calf remains present in thought not through pity but as the zone of exchange between man and animal in which something of one passes into the other. - Deleuze and Guattari, What Is Philosophy?
