Philosophy

"Talk about one concrete example of how you experience duhkha. What sort of tanha is this rooted in? What sort of habits, actions, and thoughts keep you within this cycle of suffering? How is this suffering part of a bigger culture of suffering and violence?"

Answer these questions on your journal (small size cattleya filler as shown in class). I advise that you handwrite it, and feel free to embellish it (with emoticons, colors, etc.), if it helps you express yourself. If you print the entry, make sure you cut it to fit on each sheet of the filler, and PASTE it. I will subtract 1 whole point for stapled, folded up print-outs.

This requirement is for a weight of three, and is due on Tuesday, July 1, during class time. Please make sure you drop by, even just to pass your journal. You can give it to someone to pass to me (during your section's class time) but that does run the risk of your journal being read, so I don't advise that.

If you have any questions, you may ask them here.

[Tips]
- Don't forget to pay attention to the Buddhist usage of duhkha and tanha.
- Do use a concrete example, within your own experience.
- Don't get so carried away complaining that you fail to look into the origin of your anguish.
- Do write legibly.

Dear Students,

The full set of readings (sans the Berdyaev book) are now available for photocopying at the photocopy booths in ISO, SOM and Filipiniana. Just ask for "Sevilla's Ph104 readings." Please get a copy ASAP.

For sections L and Z, we shall be discussing the first three sutras (Fire Sermon, Discourse on Not-Self, Setting Rolling the Wheel of Truth) on Tuesday so please read ahead. You may also want to start on the article by S.N. Goenka because it is a bit long.

We're scheduled to watch "Princess Mononoke" this Friday from 1:20-3:30pm, at Ching Tan Room (SOM111). I'll be checking attendance of course.

It's 2h 14m so, how do you advise we finish that up? I'll try to check if we can extend a bit, a bit tight getting reservations now.

Another thing, I'm having trouble getting my DVD to work, would anyone happen to have a copy that we can use for class? If you have a copy of Princess Mononoke you can lend for one showing, please let me know, I'll be forever grateful.

Dear Students,

For those of you who are still interested in taking Japanese Philosophy, the class has been opened by the Japanese Studies Program as JSP162 "Intellectuals and Society in Japan."

For those of you who are working on a Japanese minor, this arrangement would be particularly well suited, if this is your cup of tea. All you have to do is confer with the Japanese Studies Program (2nd floor Leong) as per the Load Revision Progress (to Add the JSP162 course).

The schedule remains the same: MWF 1330-1430h SOM203.

If you or your friends are interested in sitting-in, as long as you participate and observe proper decorum in class, please feel free! =)

Dear Not-so-kids,

For those who are planning to take Japanese Philosophy as a graduate course (MA/MS), please be aware that the new course number is Ph285. The old list had me teaching Ph283 Spinoza, the hell?!?!

I've cooked up the reading list already, and we'll be having readings from:

- The Record of Rinzai ("When you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha.")
- The Record of Bankei ("Abide in the Unborn")
- The Tannisho of Shin Buddhism ("I am absolutely incapable of any religious practice, hell is my only home.")

And so forth. It's really shaping up to look pretty exciting. I freely welcome sit-in students, so if you know anyone who's interested, feel free to drop by, whenever you want. We'll also be going through the basics of zen meditation if you're interested in that stuff.

Hey guys,

I got a great sched for Japanese Philo! MWF1330-1430h! No more 6-9 like the DaoZen last year (sorry kids)! =P I put up the flyers in my multiply, ( http://antonsevilla.multiply.com ) go check them out. They're cute, Cathie helped me make them. And she's cute, so you know. Must be osmosis or something. But they're also pa-cute, that's osmosis from me. ;)

To my kids who have graduated, and to those who may become my kids, and to anyone who would want to help me out with teaching my next batch of kids:

I'm thinking of questions that can help me keep ethics real and relevant for what seniors are going through. Somehow I feel, my memories of college life are fading fast, and I wanna make sure I can bring my students something that matters.

So could you let me know what you think about the following questions (if they're relevant, particularly relevant, not really)? I also included some possibly relevant issues -- do/should these matter to graduating students? Anything else one might add?

Buddhism:
1) How can I live my life in peace with the truth of reality?
a. (issue) dealing w/ change/breakups/death

Confucianism:
2) How can I live out this peace in relationships?
a. trust
b. interdependence, needy relationships
c. expectations and betrayal
d. family/society and traditions

Kant:
3) Can duty be fulfilling?
a. duty vs mere expectation
b. selfish service

Berdyaev:
4) How can I be true to myself? (issue: parents desires versus my desires)
a. doing my own thing
b. life after college: costs of freedom
c. "Useless" vocations: art, personal expression and society


Thanks for all the help!

Who the hell is still watching this LJ? (Post a comment if you are.)

First things first, congratulations to all my students who graduated last March!!! I really wanted to be there, but I was in Japan, which is kinda far. How are you all doing? Hope you're doing great.

Anyway, the 1st semester of SY2008-09 is just around the corner, and I'm back on LJ. As usual my classes will be using this journal, so if you want to follow what's going on in my class (because you're my student, or you have other [strange] reasons for doing so) feel free to add this LJ to your friends list!

Coming Soon for 1st Semester:

Ph104: Ethics

I have fallen in love with this subject, and yes I am teaching it again. The course will be a modified version of last year's course, but I'm tightening it up and lessening the amount of readings (sorry for my ex-kids) in order to make room for a much deeper perusal of that which will remain (sorry for my incoming kids).

This semester, I will devote my full focus to the question of duty versus freedom. What is goodness--doing what is expected of me, or doing what I want to do? Concretely, what happens when the world disagrees with what I want to be doing?

I'll be wrestling with this question through 5 themes.

1) Buddhism - Inner Peace
2) Confucianism - True Relationship
3) Kant - Duty
4) Berdyaev - Freedom
5) Shosan & Zisi - Service & Selfless Freedom.

The issues that I will focus very heavily on are: dealing with change, conflicts of desires and perceptions, relationships, moral community, goodness as creativity, and so on, with a focus on life after college and the whole gamut that comes with that.

If any of these questions or themes ring true for you, sign up for my bloody class! If you're not sure, post a comment and we can talk it over.


Ph176/283: Japanese Philosophy
Thoughts without a thinker.
Celebrating brokenness.

This is a new course for the Ateneo. Japanese Philosophy is borne from a completely different line of tradition, with influences primarily from Indian and Chinese thought. But more importantly, Japanese Philosophy has a unique character of its own, borne from various peculiarities in the history of Japanese Thought. So many paradoxes abound in Japanese Philosophy -- between self and no-self, between good and evil, between now and infinity -- that can be completely perplexing for one unaccustomed to this field.

What I will attempt to do in this course is to take students through a survey of the history of Japanese thought, while probing very deeply into the wellsprings from which the unique character of Japanese Philosophy emerges.

But the approach of this course will not (and cannot) be merely academic. The question that drives this course is, "If thinking is not sufficient for unravelling the truths of existence, how are we to do Philosophy?" Put more personally, "If the standpoint of the self cannot penetrate into reality, how are we to find the meaning of our existence?"

The themes of this course will be arranged chronologically: Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Contemporary Thought. We will be delving deeply into the philosophies of Zen Buddhism (Dogen), Pure Land Buddhism (Shinran), and the Kyoto School of Philosophy (Nishida, Tanabe, Nishitani, Watsuji).

If you are beginning to doubt the standpoint of the self and thinking, or if you have an academic interest in Eastern thought, please feel free to inquire.

** There's a chance this class may be credited as a JSP subject for Japanese Studies minors. I'll let you know how this works out, nothing certain yet.

This grade is 2/3 of your grade. 1/3 of your grade is the oral exam. Final grades are rounded down. Cut-off for A has been set by 3.70 at my prerogative.

The final grades have been submitted to the registrars office. As per student handbook & faculty manual, no requests for change of grade will be entertained outside of computational errors. You may, however, discuss your grades with me over e-mail (as I will be in Japan soon).

Ph104H
ID Num. CS
40194 2.43
40242 2.74
40247 3.16
43543 2.41
40390 3.23
40433 2.34
40544 3.35
40617 2.82
40643 3.25
40813 3.25
40828 2.56
40847 2.75
40886 3.53
40968 2.97
41028 2.50
41157 3.26
41415 2.71
41442 3.06
43623 2.90
41908 2.58
42370 2.98
32344 3.45
42545 2.51
42712 2.77
42750 2.82
42765 2.95
42867 2.67
43703 2.45
42966 3.09
43007 2.73
43084 3.48
43160 2.76
43280 2.68
43785 2.62
43501 2.74
43503 2.34

Ph104I
ID Num. CS
40202 3.50
40257 2.53
40266 2.16
40388 2.83
43551 2.36
40479 3.71
40581 3.59
43570 2.81
40734 2.24
40755 2.35
40797 2.75
40918 2.76
41100 1.89
41120 2.75
41654 2.47
41765 3.50
41864 1.94
41985 2.36
41998 2.34
42023 2.58
43647 1.86
42175 3.01
32385 2.41
42708 2.42
42720 3.00
32729 2.45
42901 2.95
43778 2.52
33437 1.61
43093 3.11
43099 2.61
43175 3.30
43288 2.15
43340 3.20
43371 2.07

Ph104J
ID Num. CS
40067 2.28
40074 2.90
45024 2.99
20633 3.17
40741 3.16
40833 2.05
40843 2.99
43726 3.25
40863 3.05
41027 2.67
41094 3.16
41193 3.44
41210 3.56
41222 2.74
43601 3.22
41307 3.18
41329 3.92
41388 3.25
41435 3.24
43756 3.31
43757 2.18
43619 3.03
41553 3.80
41623 2.64
41637 2.68
41660 2.86
41800 3.20
41874 3.86
41881 3.19
41931 3.26
41973 3.79
42029 2.02
42053 3.48
42071 2.35
42341 3.25
42982 3.53
43114 2.88

Ph104K
ID Num. CS
40001 2.51
43536 2.59
40284 2.89
40306 2.86
40355 2.22
40513 2.92
40559 3.07
40682 2.41
40703 3.09
40751 2.77
40763 2.63
40765 2.48
40867 3.27
40951 2.57
41067 3.64
41270 2.72
41325 2.55
41411 2.82
41581 2.70
41611 1.98
41788 3.20
41970 2.61
42098 3.41
42138 2.72
43652 2.66
42220 2.27
42309 2.32
42317 2.70
32366 2.67
42514 2.57
42706 1.66
42711 2.48
43687 2.84
45018 2.86
42762 2.57
42769 2.77
42826 2.98
43715 2.82
43396 2.66

Ph104R
ID Num. CS
40082 3.76
43546 3.24
40411 2.70
40453 3.07
43563 2.68
40679 2.43
41003 2.82
41098 2.59
41251 3.13
41280 3.61
41300 3.19
41423 3.59
41459 3.30
43613 2.64
41673 2.75
31512 2.57
41729 3.15
41780 2.65
32009 3.96
42179 2.71
42307 2.86
42343 3.69
42395 2.88
42398 2.16
43668 2.67
42440 2.46
42508 3.05
42724 3.20
42911 3.20
43047 2.76
43140 3.06
43210 2.57
43252 2.90
43263 2.75

Ph104S
ID Num. CS
40050 3.27
43534 2.80
40225 2.77
40375 2.52
40538 2.55
40640 2.32
40739 2.89
40768 2.44
43571 1.94
40835 2.88
40846 2.80
40871 3.39
43747 2.33
41057 2.72
31031 2.41
43600 2.70
41474 2.41
43616 2.47
41669 2.59
43761 2.52
42025 2.30
42107 3.03
42134 2.85
43654 2.41
43677 2.59
42629 2.95
42667 2.81
42741 3.01
22764 1.91
43183 2.82
43204 2.87
43315 2.59
43719 3.00
43350 3.04

Dear students,

The journals of all sections except I & S are already available for pick-up. Section I can pick theirs up starting about 12nn tomorrow. Section S can pick theirs up starting about 3pm tomorrow. The grades for the class standing should be out by around 4pm tomorrow.

I will be around all day for consultations.

I do not entertain questions about your grades over e-mail or text. If you wish to speak with me about your grades, please come to the dept or call on Monday. I should be around most of the day.

Ph104 H

40194 2.0
40242 3.0
40247 2.5
43543 2.5
40390 3.5
40433 3.0
40544 3.5
40617 2.5
40643 3.0
40813 2.5
40828 3.0
40847 3.5
40886 3.0
40968 4.0
41028 3.0
41157 3.5
41415 3.5
41442 3.0
43623 3.0
41908 2.5
42370 3.5
32344 3.0
42545 2.0
42712 2.5
42750 3.0
42765 3.5
42867 2.0
43703 2.5
42966 3.0
43007 3.0
43084 3.5
43160 3.0
43280 3.0
43785 2.5
43501 3.0
43503 2.5


Ph104 I

40202 3.5
40257 2.5
40266 2.0
40388 2.5
43551 2.5
40479 3.8
40581 2.5
43570 2.5
40734 1.5
40755 3.0
40797 3.0
40918 3.0
41100 3.0
41120 3.0
41654 2.5
41765 3.5
41864 3.0
41985 2.5
41998 2.0
42023 3.0
43647 1.5
42175 3.0
32385 3.0
42708 2.5
42720 3.5
32729 2.0
42901 3.0
43778 2.5
33437 1.0
43093 3.0
43099 2.5
43175 2.5
43288 3.0
43340 3.5
43371 2.5


Ph104 J

40067 1.5
40074 2.5
45024 3.0
20633 2.5
40741 2.5
40833 2.5
40843 3.5
43726 3.0
40863 3.0
41027 2.5
41094 3.5
41193 3.5
41210 0.0
41222 2.5
43601 3.0
41307 2.5
41329 4.0
41388 4.0
41435 3.5
43756 3.0
43757 2.0
43619 3.0
41553 3.5
41623 3.0
41637 3.5
41660 3.0
41800 3.0
41874 4.0
41881 3.0
41931 3.0
41973 3.5
42029 3.5
42053 3.0
42071 2.5
42341 3.5
42982 4.0
43114 2.5


Ph104 K

40001 2.0
43536 3.0
40284 3.8
40306 3.5
40355 3.0
40513 2.0
40559 3.0
40682 2.5
40703 3.0
40751 1.5
40763 1.5
40765 3.0
40867 3.0
40951 3.0
41067 3.0
41270 1.5
41325 3.0
41411 3.0
41581 2.5
41611 2.5
41788 3.0
41970 2.5
42098 3.0
42138 3.0
43652 3.0
42220 3.0
42309 2.5
42317 2.0
32366 3.5
42514 2.5
42706 2.5
42711 3.0
43687 2.5
45018 2.5
42762 2.5
42769 2.0
42826 3.0
43715 3.0
43396 3.0


Ph104 R

40082 4.0
43546 3.5
40411 3.5
40453 3.0
43563 3.0
40679 2.5
41003 3.0
41098 3.0
41251 3.5
41280 2.5
41300 3.0
41423 4.0
41459 3.5
43613 3.0
41673 2.5
31512 2.0
41729 3.5
41780 3.0
32009 3.0
42179 2.5
42307 2.5
42343 3.5
42395 2.0
42398 2.0
43668 2.5
42440 3.0
42508 3.5
42724 3.0
42911 3.0
43047 3.0
43140 3.0
43210 3.0
43252 2.0
43263 2.5


Ph104 S

40050 3.5
43534 3.5
40225 3.0
40375 2.5
40538 3.0
40640 3.0
40739 3.0
40768 1.0
43571 3.0
40835 3.0
40846 3.0
40871 3.0
43747 2.0
41057 2.5
31031 3.0
43600 2.5
41474 1.5
43616 2.5
41669 2.5
43761 1.0
42025 2.0
42107 3.0
42134 3.0
43654 2.5
43677 3.0
42629 3.0
42667 3.0
42741 4.0
22764 3.0
43183 1.0
43204 3.5
43315 1.5
43719 2.5
43350 3.0

Dear Ph104 Students,

The journals of students from Ph104H & R will be released by 2:30 pm today (Thursday). Please come to the department to claim them yourself. I still have some unclaimed journals from section K as well. Unclaimed journals will be shredded and disposed of, for privacy's sake.

The journals of students from Ph104I & S will be released probably on Monday. I will also be releasing the class standings on Monday, but the final oral exam grades I will release at around 6pm on Saturday. The grades shall be posted by student number on this blog.

This Monday, Sept. 17, I will not be holding class for my 0730-0830 and 0830-0930h classes. I will be having a meeting with the Japanese Embassy. Please inform anyone who you know is in those classes.

My other classes shall meet as usual.

This new optional book is now on reserve, please note.

Also, please check this blog as for classes on monday, I may be giving free-cut to certain sections due to my Japan Embassy interview.

Dear students from Ph104H & K,

Tomorrow at 8:30-1:30 we won't be holding class. I have to go to this meeting for my Japan thing, I apologize terribly. We'll be able to catch up naman though.

To the other classes (0730, 1530h) I'll meet you as usual. Sorry for the free cut!

I am adding another option, for those who have yet to start: Man and Boy by Tony Parsons. You'll have to secure your own copy though. It's not a philo book, but it's a very good book on the ethics of care. Please be aware that I will be asking very severely philosophical questions about it though. But it's a great read. :)

The make-up class tonight will have to end by around 8 because of some OAS issues. We shall be proceeding at a brisk pace and shall not be having a break, please have a snack before the class.

Due to some repairs due for the Escaler Hall, our make-up class shall be moved to Ching Tan Room, on Saturday, 25th of August, from 6-9pm. Please be informed.

Please check the blog tonight, to see if there were any problems with my last minute reservation.

We shall be having make-up class this Saturday, 25th of August, from 5-8pm at the Escaler Hall. I shall not be checking attendance, but we shall be having a week worth of coverage. You are responsible for any material you miss.

Please inform all those who are my Ph104 students, thank you!

If you have any questions or comments, please ask me in person.

[Ph104H]

ID Num. Mids
40194 2.5
40242 3.0
40247 3.5
43543 3.0
40390 3.5
40433 2.0
40544 3.5
40617 3.0
40643 3.5
40813 3.0
40828 3.0
40847 3.0
40886 3.5
40968 2.5
41028 3.0
41157 3.5
41415 2.5
41442 3.5
43623 2.5
41908 3.0
42370
32344 3.5
42545 3.0
42712 3.0
42750 2.5
42765 2.5
42867 3.0
43703 3.0
42966 3.0
43007 3.0
43084 4.0
43160 3.0
43280 3.0
43785 2.5
43501 2.5
43503 2.5

[Ph104I]

ID Num. Mids
40202 4.0
40257 3.0
40266 2.5
40388 3.0
43551 2.5
40479 4.0
40581 4.0
43570 3.0
40734 2.0
40755 3.0
40797 2.5
40918 3.0
41100 1.5
41120 3.0
41654 3.0
41765 4.0
41864 2.5
41985 2.5
41998 1.5
42023 3.0
43647 2.0
42175 3.5
32385 2.5
42708 2.5
42720 3.0
32729 2.5
42901 3.0
43778 2.5
33437 2.0
43093
43099 3.5
43175 3.5
43288 2.5
43340 3.5
43371 2.0

[Ph104J]
ID Num. Mids
40067 2.0
40074
45024 2.5
20633 3.5
40741 3.0
40833 2.0
40843 3.0
43726 3.0
40863 3.5
41027 2.5
41094 3.5
41193 3.5
41210 4.0
41222 2.5
43601 3.5
41307 3.0
41329 4.0
41388 3.5
41435 3.0
43756 3.0
43757 2.0
43619 3.0
41553 4.0
41623 2.5
41637 2.5
41660 2.5
41800 3.0
41874 4.0
41881 3.0
41931 3.0
41973 3.5
42029 2.5
42053 3.5
42071 3.0
42341 3.5
42982 3.5
43114 2.5

[Ph104K]

ID Num. Mids
40001 2.5
43536 3.0
40284 3.0
40306 3.0
40355 2.5
40513 3.0
40559 3.0
40682 2.5
40703 3.0
40751 2.5
40763 3.0
40765 2.5
40867 3.5
40951 2.5
41067 3.5
41270 3.0
41325 2.5
41411 2.5
41581 2.5
41611 2.5
41788 3.0
41970 2.0
42098 3.0
42138 3.0
43652 3.0
42220 2.0
42309 2.5
42317 2.5
32366 3.0
42514 2.0
42706 2.0
42711 2.5
43687 3.0
45018 3.0
42762 2.5
42769 2.5
42826 3.0
43715 2.0
43396 3.0

[Ph104R]

ID Num. Mids
40082 3.5
43546 3.5
40411 2.0
40453 3.0
43563 3.0
40679 2.5
41003 2.5
41098 2.0
41251 3.0
41280 3.5
41300 3.5
41423 3.5
41459 3.5
43613 3.5
41673 2.5
31512 2.5
41729 3.0
41780
32009 4.0
42179 3.0
42307
42343 3.5
42395 2.5
42398 2.0
43668 3.0
42440 3.0
42508
42724 3.0
42911 3.0
43047 2.5
43140 2.5
43210 2.5
43252 2.5
43263 2.5

[Ph104S]

ID Num. Mids
40050 3.5
43534 3.0
40225 3.0
40375 2.5
40538 2.0
40640 2.0
40739 3.0
40768 2.0
43571 2.0
40835 3.5
40846 2.5
40871 3.5
43747 2.5
41057 2.5
31031 2.0
43600 2.5
41474 2.5
43616 2.0
41669 3.0
43761 2.5
42025 2.0
42107 3.0
42134 2.5
43654 2.0
43677 2.5
42629 3.0
42667 2.5
42741 3.0
22764 2.0
43183 3.0
43204 2.5
43315 2.0
43719 3.0
43350 3.0