Great debate!
Why you should love philosophy/philosophy etiquette

By Kyle Wallis

s a lover of philosophy
classes, I find it very
trying when the people

at the back of the room start
sniggering at someone when
they take a controversial stance
on an issue. It’s philosophy!

The point is to argue. It’s

great when somebody makes a
controversial stance, because then
you either get to argue an easier
counterpoint, or you’re treated to
soine serious knowledge—both
good things. It bothers me when
the people who contribute the
most to class discussion are
ostracized.

Personally, I wish more people
would contribute! The ancient
Greeks didn’t sit around sniggering
at Plato whenever he made a
point. They debated it, tested it,
and argued over it. That’s how a
philosophy class should be.

I’m not saying you should
contest everything the professor
says, but whenever an opinion is
asked of the class, don’t let the

 

PGs Aw

people with the big voices be the only
ones heard. The over-talkers so eager
to express their opinions to the world
are actually good for philosophy
classes. These people break the ice,
and it enables others to feel more
comfortable about speaking up in class.
As a previous philosophy
teacher of mine once said, “I am not
a screen!” You’re allowed to interject
in a classroom. Hey, if you’re paying

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PINTO

interest, but you shouldn’t do that in
philosophy because it is one of the
most important classes you can take.
What’s so great about philosophy is
that it attempts to answer life’s bigger
questions. Why are we here, what is
the purpose? I find it refreshing to
have a course in figuring out what
the big picture is because it offers

a break from the regular detail-
oriented courses that take up so much

“The over-talkers so eager to express their opinions to the
world are actually good for philosophy classes. These people
break the ice, and it enables others to feel more comfortable

about speaking up in class.”

to be there, you might as well make
it worth your while. Come to think
of it, this goes for all classes too. The
more you contribute, the more likely
that the professor will know who you
are. By making yourself known to
them, you become more than just a
student number.

I really have to mention attitude
in philosophy classes too. It’s so
easy to slip into the old habit of
tuning out whenever you lose

of a college timetable. Not only
will philosophy instill some useful
knowledge about our world in you,
but that knowledge may affect the
way you live the rest of your life.
So there you go, my thoughts
on philosophy. I realize my word
is not law, so if you disagree with
anything I just said, you can feel free
to come say it to my face, instead of
sniggering behind my back. I’d be
very happy to debate it with you.

 

The demise of professionalism, rise of texting

By Allie Davison, Staff Writer

little surprised. She was asking me to pick up a shift, which
I didn’t mind doing, but through text message? Really?
Whatever happened to the good ol’ fashioned phone call?

Over the next few years I got used to receiving texts from
her, and I must admit, I sent some of my own. However, it didn’t
matter how many texts we sent back and forth regarding picking
up shifts or being late, I was not prepared to be fired via one.

I had sent my boss a text asking if I had left my uniform
at work, as I was due in later that day and couldn’t find it. She
replied, saying that I hadn’t and that she wouldn’t need me to
work anymore come the end of the month. I was shocked. I had
cut my hours down since the beginning of school and was only
working two days a week, but I have six classes and that was all
I felt I could manage. I know my boss wasn’t happy with it, but I
thought she understood. Apparently not.

I felt this was wrong on a few different levels. Firstly, I
had worked there for several years and had had a pretty good
relationship with my boss. We joked around, and chatted about
stuff that wasn’t related to work. I may have even gone as far as
to call her a friend. This was not friendly behaviour. Secondly,
this was probably the most unprofessional way of being fired ever.
Maybe she didn’t want to do it in person (the most professional
way to let someone go, in my opinion) but I thought I at least
deserved a phone call.

I told her exactly that when I stormed into work a few hours
later. Now it was her turn to be surprised. She had honestly
thought that I would be happy to be unemployed. She thought
that my complaining about classes and homework had been a
cry for help—or rather a cry for dismissal. She had even already
hired someone new to fill my spot! Someone who had practically
unlimited availability and would work all weekend (two things I
could not do).

I’m sure I could have put up a fight, but I decided that I didn’t
really want to work for someone who wouldn’t even grace me with
a phone call before letting me go, even if they had good intentions.

Te first time I got a text message from my boss, I was a