Nothing, doting, blindness

2003-10-27T20:50:00.000Z

If anyone knows anything about postmodern ceramics, please do get in touch. I'm plotting an exhibition, and having difficulty getting my head round some of the finer points....

2003-10-07T16:17:00.000Z

Hello stranger
Ok, so that was a massively long absence, but once again I find myself with time on my hands when I ought to be doing something more useful, so here I am again.
I'm now busy on a new course, studying Gallery Studies at Essex, which is great so far. Getting the hang of the library system and being pleased by how little reading there is to do, compared with Oxford... Looks like things will get pretty manic next term though, as the exhibitions get going.
Trying to lead something of a cultural life in my spare moments. The University Gallery is lovely, and has an exhibition by Carlos Cruz-Diez at the moment - fantastic kinetic art. Have also signed up to volunteer with the University collection of Latin American art, which could be interesting.

2003-06-19T18:56:00.000Z

So, goodbye then, Oxford.....
Peculiar to be leaving; I can't quite believe I really am going to move out of college the day after tomorrow. It's not even sad, it's just unreal. Soon maybe it will hit me and then I'll be upset by it. I hope not. Maybe if I don't feel too sad that means it's time to move on.

2003-06-12T12:11:00.000Z

Hurray! All done! A decentish psychology paper yesterday - Emotion - and then an indecent amount of alcohol consumed in an unwisely short period of time...
And here, for your edification, is everything I needed to know in order to get an Oxford degree (I hope):
'An idea can be like nothing but an idea.' (Berkeley). Discuss.
Does Hume hold a regularity theory of causation?
Does Hume's account of how one forms the erroneous belief in an enduring self presuppose the existence of an enduring self?
Can a name have meaning even though it does not refer?
Does the meaning a speaker expresses depend on the intentions of the speaker?
What is the meaning of a metaphor?
'Although you may be able to conceive of a creature that is physically identical to you but which lacks consciousness, it does not follow that such a creature is metaphysically possible.' Discuss.
'Even if we concede that a functionalist theory may be unable to account adequately for conscious mental events, we should accept that it offers the best account of our standing attitudes, such as our beliefs, desires and intentions.' Do you agree?
In what respects, if any, is hallucination akin to false belief?
How important is resemblance to an understanding of representation?
Should we be trying to analyse the concept of musical expression?
Could an installation of five gigantic lead cubes represent the antithesis of spirituality and materiality?
'Science aims to give us theories which are empirically adequate; and acceptance of a theory involves as belief only that it is empirically adequate.' (Van Fraassen). Is empirical adequacy all we demand of a scientific theory?
How should we explain the systematicity of representation?
How would you determine whether a particular cognitive capacity is modular?
Why do the results of psychophysiological studies of autonomic differentiation not support popular perceptions about emotional bodily changes?
What is basic about basic emotions?
Is there more to emotion concepts than prototypes?

2003-06-04T17:00:00.000Z

Well, about the best that can be said about today's paper (Philosophy of Science and Psychology) is that it's over. Least said, soonest mended.

2003-06-02T19:51:00.000Z

Had Aesthetics today, which was I think the best so far (will probably have to take that back when I get my results). I also learned a wonderful new definition from ISIHAC: feckless - an unsuccessful Irish lothario. So overall a very good day. And only two papers left to take.

2003-05-31T17:51:00.000Z

Alright, so I'm half way through now, which is good. Didn't acquit myself marvellously today (Philosophy of Mind), but it wasn't too bad. The gorgeous weather isn't helping me to concentrate :-(

2003-05-29T17:30:00.000Z

Two down, four to go. Hey ho. Wasn't too bad today (Philosophy of Logic and Language) - three decent essays, although none of the questions were very interesting and I had to poach some material I'd been taught for a different paper. There were only 2 people from my course taking this exam, so we got a whole row to ourselves in the Exam Schools, which was exciting. Briefly. Spent the whole afternoon sitting in the sun, giving myself a headache - next paper isn't till Saturday afternoon, so I thought I'd give myself a break.

2003-05-27T20:43:00.000Z

Well, one exam down, five to go. Feeling much better now it's started - a sort of release of tension. I no longer feel guilty or edgy about spending time sitting around doing nothing. Didn't exactly surpass myself this morning (History of Philosophy from Descartes to Kant), but at least I answered three questions; and two of the essays seemed okayish. No point doing post-mortems, though. On to the next - which is on Thursday morning, giving me all day tomorrow to wander about aimlessly.

2003-05-26T16:21:00.000Z

Today I learned a useful new word (from Paul Bremer on BBC Radio 4): deBa'athificiation. Use this word in a sentence, children...

2003-05-23T16:43:00.000Z

Hurrah! A whole new source of happy timewasting! I've been missing Mil Millington since his column finished in the Grauniad, but now I've discovered The Weekly (see link) and am content once more :-)

2003-05-22T16:18:00.000Z

Today I have been gradually realising how little I remember about the history of philosophy, on which I will be examined on Tuesday. Ah well. Perhaps by Tuesday I will remember some more about it. I guess the adrenaline will help; can't wait to get started now, all this sitting around is so frustrating.
I've also been reading lots of e e cummings, which is cheering me up a little. And have ordered a print by Sarah Young, which is very cool and will hopefully arrive shortly after the exams finish, as a sort of reward to myself.

2003-05-19T11:12:00.000Z

I think my head is too full of information; I seem to have become incapable of all but the simplest tasks. I can manage washing up and sewing, and can just about sit and take notes in a revision class, but reading anything harder than a novel is beyond me. It just creates a sort of overload. And when I meet people I can feel myself drifting away with nothing to say to them. I'm checking the Timetable of Doom like you'd check a wordcount on a particularly dull essay - it's more absorbing than what it's supposed to be counting.

2003-05-17T14:41:00.000Z

The Tiger Lillies were amazing, they suited Gorey so well. Especially liked the MC, the divine Mr Julian Bleach... Mmmmm.... We also got Alan Rickman thrown in for free, which was cool, although he is rather selfconsciously Alan Rickman-esque.
Am reading Bas van Fraassen at the moment, mainly because he's in college this term and it seemed a good idea to try to remember what he was about. I can't quite understand why I was so keen on antirealism the first time I read about it - it all seems pretty loony stuff now.

2003-05-16T12:20:00.000Z

I finished Psychosemantics; it was even funnier second time around... Maybe soon I'll return to normality and stop finding philosophy so amusing. Off home soon to see the Tiger Lillies doing Edward Gorey's verse, which promises to be interesting. Just looked at the Timetable of Doom and realised I start exams in 10 days; am feeling slightly pale and shaky as a result.

2003-05-15T15:47:00.000Z

This is a new blog, so I guess I'll start with a sort of statement of intent: I'm keeping this for myself as much as anyone else, to keep track of what I'm seeing and listening to and thinking and liking. The final exams for my degree start in a week and a half, so in the short term it's also a good way to not revise, and to distract myself from impending doom.
Today, I've been reading Fodor's Psychosemantics, and Henry Green's Living, and introducing my tutor to Edward Gorey. So a good day book-wise. And I've been thinking about the implications of a Gricean theory of meaning. It'll be good to stop all this intellectualising after exams and get down to some design and painting again.