Monday, March 26, 2007

Reaction paper: LOVE is a Fallacy...

FALLACY… Fallacy is a statement which is proven to be untrue. You just need common sense to recognize it and realize that that statement is a fallacy. I could not actually tell what a fallacy really is. I never heard such word since I read the story, LOVE is a fallacy. Lies, dishonest statements, fake situations, unforgivable mistakes, not genuine emotions, are they also considered fallacies? I don’t know. But one thing is for sure: LOVE is not a fallacy.

Love is an unexplained phenomenon in which a human being feels as light as a feather, as happy as a clown and the feeling like you were brought to heaven—for quite sometime, of course! Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection or profound oneness. In ordinary use, love usually refers to interpersonal love, an experience felt by a person for another person. Love often involves caring for or identifying with a person or thing, including oneself. So why do people consider love as a fallacy. I really could not figure it out at first but now, I think it is time to react on this issue.

Love, sometimes, could be considered as a fallacy depending on a situation a person maybe situated in. For example, if you only loved a girl or a guy because of his or her wealth, even though she is not as pretty as Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba or he is not as handsome as Brad Pitt, Orlando Blooms or me (just kidding), then love in that situation is proven as a fallacy. Why? It is because you do not love that exact person but his or her wealth, jewelry and other luxurious things. You can also tell that love is a fallacy if you are just forced to love that person. Maybe out of pity because that person loves you so much and he or she is willing to die for you, or maybe because that person threatened you that he or she would commit suicide if you can not accept him or her. See what love can do?

But what if you love that person for who she or he is right now, would you still consider love as a fallacy? Of course not! Loving can sometimes be the hardest thing you will ever learn yet the most wonderful and exciting thing that happened to your life. I really can’t tell if LOVE is true. But I can do tell that LOVE actually exists but people loved so much that they are ready to hurt someone and kill for their loved ones. Sometimes you will never wish to love because of the pain it might have caused you. But always keep this I mind that the heart would feel tired but will never stop loving. You will still love and hurt at the same time because pain is part of loving. And the heart will never stop to love until you find that person you have always dreamed of.

Summary: Love is a fallacy

It is not often that one so young has such a giant intellect. Take, for example, Petey Bellows, my roommate at the university. Same age, same background, but dumb as an ok.
"Raccoon," he mumbled thickly.
"Raccoon?" I said, pausing in my flight.
"I want a raccoon coat," he wailed.
"Can you mean," I said incredulously, "that people are actually wearing raccoon coats again?"
"All the Big Men on Campus are wearing them. "I've got to have a raccoon coat," he said passionately. "I've got to!"
"Petey, why? Look at it rationally. Raccoon coats are unsanitary. They shed. They smell bad. They weigh too much. They're unsightly. They—-"
"You don't understand," he interrupted impatiently. "It's the thing to do. Don't you want to be in the swim?"
"No," I said truthfully.
"Well, I do," he declared. "I'd give anything for a raccoon coat. Anything!"
My brain, that precision instrument, slipped into high gear. "Anything?"
. I refer to his girl, Polly Espy.
Beautiful she was. She was not yet of pin-up proportions, but I felt sure that time would supply the lack. Gracious she was. By gracious I mean full of graces. She had an erectness of carriage.
Intelligent she was not. In fact, she veered in the opposite direction. But I believed that under my guidance she would smarten up. It is, after all, easier to make a beautiful dumb girl smart than to make an ugly smart girl beautiful.
"Where are you going?" asked Petey.
"Home for the weekend."
"Look," I said to Petey when I got back Monday morning. "Holy Toledo!" he repeated fifteen or twenty times.
"Would you like it?" I asked.
"Oh yes!" he cried, clutching the greasy pelt to him. "What do you want for it?"
“I want your girl”
"Polly?" he asked in a horrified whisper.
"Try on the coat," said I.
He complied.. "Fits fine," he said happily.
"Is it a deal?" I asked, extending my hand.
I took her first to dinner. "Gee, that was a delish dinner," she said as we left the restaurant. Then I took her to a movie. "Gee, that was a marvy movie," she said as we left the theater. And then I took her home. "Gee, I had a sensaysh time," she said as she bade me goodnight.
We went to the Knoll, the campus trysting place, and we sat down under an oak, and she looked at me expectantly: "What are we going to talk about?" she asked.
I winced, but went bravely on. "First let us examine the fallacy called Dicto Simpliciter."
"Then tell me some more fallacies."
"All right. Let's try Contradictory Premises."
"Yes, let's," she chirped, blinking her eyes happily. The evening passed and we spend the next evening discussing fallacies.
Seated under the oak the next evening I said, "Our first fallacy tonight is called Ad Misericordiam."
"The next fallacy is called Poisoning the Well."
"How cute!" she gurgled.
"Fire away," she said with an airy wave of her hand.
Heartened by the knowledge that Polly was not altogether a cretin, I began a long, patient review of all I had told her.
"Polly," I said when we next sat beneath our oak, "tonight we will not discuss fallacies."

"My dear," I said, "we have now spent five evenings together. We have gotten along splendidly. It is clear that we are well matched."
"Hasty Generalization," said Polly brightly.
"I beg your pardon," said I.
"Hasty Generalization," she repeated. I chuckled with amusement. The dear child had learned her lessons well. "My dear," I said, patting her head in a tolerant manner, "five dates is plenty. After all, you don't have to eat a whole cake to know that it's good."
"Ad Misericordiam," said Polly.
"Well, Polly," I said, forcing a smile, "you certainly have learned your fallacies."
"You did."
"That's right. So you do owe me something, don't you, my dear? If I hadn't come along you would never have learned about fallacies."
"Hypothesis Contrary to Fact," she said instantly.
"Dicto Simpliciter," she said, wagging her finger at me playfully.
That did it. I leaped to my feet, bellowing like a bull. "Will you or will you not go steady with me?"
"I will not," she replied.
"Why not?" I demanded.
"Because this afternoon I promised Petey Bellows that I would go steady with him."
"Poisoning the Well," said Polly, "and stop shouting.” “I’ll be going steady with Petey Bellows." I think shouting must be a fallacy too."
With an immense effort of will, I modulated my voice. "All right," I said. How could you choose Petey Bellows over me? Can you give me one logical reason why you should go steady with Petey Bellows?"
"I certainly can," declared Polly. "He's got a raccoon coat."

What a UP student is not…

“University of the Philippines”. Sounds intellectual, isn’t it? As we all know, this school molds its students in a civilized way. And being one of the students of this distinguished and well-known university makes me really proud. When I first set foot on this school, I thought it was time to put away my bad traits, to end my happy days and become more focus, more mature and more serious about my studies. The thought of me being surrounded with students who are intelligent and have sharp minds could drive me crazy. Sometimes I feel that I don’t belong here. But like what others say: Expect the Unexpected. I realized that what I actually think was totally wrong. Do you want to know why? It is because I never expected that my classmates are actually jamming, exhilarating and fun to be with.
When somebody asked you to define a UP student, what will you say? “Oh! Students from UP or those who are called Iskolar ng Bayan? They are tremendously and extremely responsible and smart!” You should expect this kind of replies and responses from the people. Notice that they usually say ‘positive’ and encouraging comments from them. But do they actually know what UP students are really like? Defining students positively is already very frequent and universal. Why don’t they define as in the other way or the negative sides of UP students? You’re kind of shocked, right? But anyway, below are some of the negative sides of a UP student:

Answers back his or her teachers. It is not really bad to answer back but sometimes whenever a student exceeds in his or her limitation as a student, then it becomes a bad habit for us. Whenever our teachers commit mistakes, don’t shout or make noise. Just approach him or her calmly with respect and talk to him or her about his or her mistakes. Of course, we are known to respect our teachers.
Some UP students take for granted the opportunity given to them. This is super true. Teachers sometimes say that some students who are not trying hard to be successful are not worthy to become as UP students. Why would we waste people’s taxes if we weren’t trying hard to achieve the standards here in this university? We should be doing our best even though you do not qualify in the honor’s list, at least you know that you’ve done your part as a student.
Some students don’t have the initiative to do his or her part in school works. I mean, making assignments in school isn’t really bad. If you can’t understand the assignment, you can make it the next day with the help of other people. Help in here doesn’t mean that you would copy the answers of your classmates. As in, everything. It is just like disrespecting your classmate because come to think of it: they made that assignment late at night. They made it their selves and they worked hard for it, then you’ll just copy it?
See? You’ll be shocked when you see this facts about ourselves. But there is always a place for a change. If you want to change your bad habits, then you may do so…=)

Saturday, March 24, 2007

On being taught by students

We have many reasons why we should go to school: to do well in our academics and studies, to interact with our own social group and to listen to our cool and jamming teachers. Speaking of teachers, do you know that without the help of teachers or educators, our country would not have professional doctors, nurses, businessmen or women, engineers and fellow teachers? Teachers have a great and major role in our society nowadays. They mold students to become better people and to serve our country. Without teachers, how would we know how to write, read and use numbers? We should consider everybody our teachers. For instance, I consider my friends as my teachers because when I have difficulties in my lessons, they are always there to help me. You don’t have to be a college graduate and pass the board exams to become a teacher. As young as today, we can become teachers.

But do you actually experience seeing one of your classmates standing in front of you and teach you a lesson about that certain subject? KYSD or Know Your School Day is actually an event in the University of the Philippines high school in which we give our teachers our mark of respect. On that same day, the students are also free to indulge and get a hold of their dream position in our school. Many of my classmates were auspicious enough to get hold of their favorite position. When my classmates taught us something about a lesson on a particular subject, it feels good enough to see them master the lesson and perk up with their difficulties in the English medium.

It is so amazing to see students teaching their fellow classmates. I think it serves as training for them so that they will appreciate the efforts our teachers exert when they initiate a new lecture. I know it is so tiring to be a teacher. You apply much pressure on it and can be very stressful. Even if I don’t have the chance to grab a teaching position during the Know Your School Day, I know the feeling of tension because I can see it on my classmates’ faces: nervousness, tension, the fear that the students might no like the way h or she teaches. There are a lot of reasons. But usually, when a student takes over the class, the noise from my classmates can be earsplitting! I admit, we usually make noise and pay little attention when a student substitutes a teacher.

But I really learn much from them. It feels good to be taught by students. At least, they experience being a teacher for quit sometime. But sometimes, noise can be a big challenge for them. But somehow, we got a change. I also think that it is effective for them because they experience the profession that makes use of utmost effort. Imagine the world without teachers? It could drive the world crazy, for sure. That is why I’m really proud of our teachers.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Jesus Christ:"Have you heard this name?"

When I was just a kid I have already heard the name "Jesus". Eventhough I have already heard the name "Jesus", I do not know HIM still. As time passes ang I am already grown up, I always keep on asking myself if who is "Jesus"?What is HIS purpose?
The first time I have heard about HIM was from my family. They have told me things about HIM. Then I have learned lots of things about HIM in school. The best place where I have learned and knew HIM more was in the temple of GOD, the church. During Sunday schools, fellowship and masses I have learned and knew him better.
Getting to know more about HIM?
We may not go to church often but we can still learn about HIM by reading the BIBLE. As what Jesus have said:
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through ME."
John 14: 6
GOD loves us so much that is why HE gave HIS one and only son to save us from our sins.
"For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS one and only Son, that whoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3: 16
JESUS' purpose here on earth is to reclaim us from evil and make us closer to GOD. If we do not believe him still, we will suffer the consequences.
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for GOD's wrath remains on him."
John 3:36
This is the question now, "Are we going to believe and accept JESUS as our Savior?"
What did JESUS do to my life?
JESUS saved me from my sins. He changed me into a better person. I have learned from HIM to do good.He gave me a chance to get even more closer to GOD. HE has done so many things in my life. Now, I want to thank GOD for giving HIS one and only Son to save us from our sins. God really loves us so much.