Remarks on Islamic history, from an unfinished history of the world. The polyglot Persian Empire had been conquered early in the expansion of Islam, and the traditional Persian advantage of serving as a complex cultural bridge between east and west was inherited by Islam. There is a very disproportionate number of Persians among the great figures in Islamic thought. Al-Khwarizimi, Al-Kindi, Al Razi, Al-Farabi, Avicenna, Al-Ghazali, Al-Tusi and many other Persian Moslems were eminent scholars.

Mikes LITMUS TEST (below) is an Imaginary historical fact pattern. Hypothetically, if the government were to announce that it intends to round up all _________ (insert some group of people) and then exterminate these people as quickly and completely as practically possible, not for anything specific that they have individually done but for who they are in general, MY QUESTION FOR PHILOSOPHERS IS THIS: Can you think of any moral reason why our government should refrain from doing this?

Great Postcolonial Epics: Africa Latin America Derek Walcott Omeros, searching for a way to “enter that light beyond metaphor”[1] Compare Che with American Teddy Roosevelt. Both were born into wealthy well connected families which had the resources to fund higher education, Che at the University of Buenos Aires, TR at Harvard college. Both were sickly boys who struggled with debilitating asthma, but embraced an active life nonetheless. TR was interested in animals as a boy, Che was very fond of poetry.

CERVANTES, DQ I. 1605 II. 1615 1547-1616 1571 WOUNDED AT LEPANTO CAPTIVE 1575-1580 FIRST GREAT NOVEL = COMIC MOCK EPIC WINDMILLS, ATTACK ON FLOCK SHEEP, VIGIL 10 COURTYARD OF INN, BARBER BASIN = MAGIC HELMET MADMAN AS HERO, NOBLE, ENTHUSIASTIC, DELUDED ALTER EGO, SIMPLE, PROSAIC, REALISTIC ANTI HERO CERVANTES : SANCHO :: SPANISH CULTURE : DQ I. AUTHOR’S PREFACE DIFFICULT -> FRIEND SAYS INSERT RANDOM LATIN PHRASES + FOOTNOTE + BIBLE “PURE NATURE YOUR BUSINESS”… -> DESTROY ROMANCES CHAP I ALONZO QUIXANO -> CRAZY BECAUSE OF CHIVALRIC ROMANCES BECOMES KNIGHT ERRANT CREATES IMAGINARY WORLD ROSINANTE, DULCINEA=DQ CHAP II MYTHIC INFLATION, INN=CASTLE, SALT FISH/MOLDY BREAD=GREAT FOOD, PROSTITUTES WAIT ON HIM = GREAT NOBLE LADIES CHAP 4 INNKEEPER AGREES TO DUB DQ, VIGIL = 2HRS DQ BATTLES MEN WATERING MULES, NEWLY DUBBED DQ COMES UPON MAN BEATING APPRENTICE SHEPHERDS DQ RESCUES, LEAVES, BOY BEATEN MORE DEMANDS MERCHANTS RECOGNIZE DULCINEA’S BEAUTY, ASKED FOR PIC, HE CHARGES, FALLS, AND IS BEATEN AND LEFT IN ROAD CHAP 8 TILTING AT WINDMILLS, MAGICIAN TURNS GIANTS INTO WINDMILLS, DQ IS THROWN, SANCHO HELPS UP NEXT DAY DQ MISTAKES MONKS FOR NECROMANCERS, SANCHO DESPOILS MONK + IS BEATEN, DQ PRESENTS HIMSELF TO LADY IN CARRIAGE, HER GENTLEMAN FIGHTS SYMBOLISM: OUTDATED INSTITUTIONS, IDEAS, TRADITIONS II.

DESCARTES, DISCOURSE ON METHOD 1637 IN FRENCH OPTICS, METEORS, ANALYTIC GEOMETRY 1 SKEPTICISM AS A METHOD OF CERTAINTY 2 RULES OF METHOD ONLY ACCEPT CLEAR + DISTINCT IDEAS MAXIMUM DIVISION OF PARTS (ANALYSIS) SIMPLEST TO MOST COMPLEX COMPLETE ENUMERATIONS 3 MORALS + MAXIMS WHILE CONDUCTING METHOD MODERATION, NEVER QUESTION FAITH GALILEO TO BE AVOIDED HELIOCENTRISM CONDEMNED 4 PROOF OF SELF, GOD, REASON -> FINITE FALLIBLE IMPERFECT JE PENSE DONC JE SUIS NON VACUOUS CONTRAST

CAMUS 1913-1960 ?NOT EXISTENTIALIST EMBRACES ABSURDITY, REJECTS NIHILISM ANARCHISM, PACIFISM, ANTI-COLONIALISM (ALGERIA) OXYMORONIC MEANING OF THE MEANINGLESS (DEATH) ETHIC OF “AUTHENTICITY” [KIERKEGAARD + NIETZSCHE] AESTHETE -> CONTRA CAPITAL PUNISHMENT THE PLAGUE 1947 HEROIC COMMITTMENT THE REBEL 1951 SOURCE OF HUMAN SOLIDARITY = METAPHYSICAL ADOLESCENT REJECTION OF AUTHORITY PROMETHEUS REJECTS SARTRE + STALIN HEROIC DEFIANCE OF “OPPRESSION” BY VIOLENCE THE STRANGER 1942 “MOTHER DIED TODAY. DR MAYBE YESTERDAY. I CANT BE SURE.

HOBBES 1588-1679 LEVIATHAN 1651 TRANSLATES THUCYDIDES KING OF THE PROUD ENGLISH CIVIL WAR SENSE->REASON/SPEECH DESIRING MACHINES 1 HUMAN NATURE = MATERIALISM/MECHANISM MAN = PARTICLES IN MOTION AUTOMATA WITH SELF DEFEATING, SELF CONTRADICTORY PROGRAMMING LIFE = MOTION, DESIRES INFINITE TO DEATH HUMANS DRIVEN BY PRIDE + FEAR REASON = MANIPULATION OF NAMES NO METAPHOR TRUTH = CORRECT ORDERING OF NAMES ALL PURSUE HONOR/SUPERIORITY -> ENVY/ WAR 2 THE COMMONWEALTH = ARTIFICIAL MORTAL GOD

AESCHYLUS (534-456) DISTINGUISHED AT MARATHON ORESTEIN (458) FIRST PRIZE DIONYSIA -> CHORUS MUSIC+SONG+DANCE CURSE ON HOUSE OF ATREUS PIETY TOWARD HOMERIC GODS CASSANDRA STORY COUNCIL OF AREOPAGUS STRIPPED OF ALL POWERS EXCEPT HOMICIDE COURT PROBLEM INSOLUBLE BY TRADITIONAL VENDETTA AGAMEMNON ->WATCHMAN AG+CASSANDRA MURDERED BY CLYTEMNESTRA AEGISTHUS GETS REVENGE DAD, THESTES ATE 2 SONS TRICKED BY BROTHER ATREUS (AG FATHER) RED CARPET -> FOR GODS, NOT HUMANS CASSANDRA THROWS DOWN STAFF/WREATH

ARISTOTLE, POLITICS PICKS UP FROM N.C. BERKER SECTION NUMBERS TELOS = VIRTUOUS CITIZENS EUDAIMONIA 1 POLIS = HIGHEST FORM OF COMMUNITY, ≠ VILLAGE, = NATURAL NATURAL SLAVERY, LIVING TOOLS WOMEN SUBORDINATE ≠ HOUSEHOLDERS, CHILDREN SUBORDINATE TO PARENTS TELOS OF HOUSEHOLD = VIRTUE OF WIFE/CHILDREN 2 BEST REGIME CRITICIZES REPUBLIC + LAWS, PROPERTY? EXAMINES: SPARTAN, CRETAN, CATHIGINIAN VIRTUES: INTELLECTUAL + MORAL TAUGHT HABIT 3 CITIZENSHIP = ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ADMINISTRATION