Shimeriana

Books for the fall: With reflections on the academic vocation

Adam Kotsko:

This fall, I’m scheduled to teach one course, Social Sciences I (and audit a course for training purposes).

When we’re in grad school, there’s this pressure to somehow know everything already or at least appear to — but there’s no substitute for just steadily reading over the course of your life, adding new books to your repertoire and returning to old ones. It seems so obvious when I say it, but it’s only in the last couple years that I was able to step outside the grad student “panic mode” and reflect on the magnitude of having an entire life to study this stuff.

Shimer College internships: KC Stresak draws connections between math and urban farming

This week at Growing Power has been a crazy one, but as I was forewarned, every week is crazy on the farm. A hectic schedule can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Whenever I start to feel the pressure, I always remind myself of middle school math. As I first learned a new formula, I always struggled through the exercises. I didn’t think I would ever understand the process. But as one day folded into another, another formula was presented and to my ever-renewing surprise, I understood the past day’s work as it built upon the present. The same can be said for most every new task I learn as Growing Power.

Philosophy Stories: Philosophy Stories #8 - The 'Madness' of Nietzsche

philosophystories:

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher who made a profound impact on the European continent. To this day he remains a key Western philosopher in continental philosophy. An eccentric and original writer, his works of philosophy can also be seen as remarkable pieces of…

Shimer College internships: "A summer among the books"

Shimer has been quite the roller coaster ride since then, the best of my life, in fact.

    Before coming to Shimer, my career plans bounced around frequently: at some point I have wanted to be everything from a computer technician to a tattoo artist to a journalist.  However, one of the things I have gotten out of Shimer has been somewhat of a cementing of my career ambitions, or at least of what degree I will be obtaining in grad school.  I have more or less decided I will be getting a Masters of Library Science degree, but I am still switching between wishing to be an archivist, or some breed of librarian.  The internship I’ve secured is aimed to help me decide between the two by giving me  real-world experience in both.

Philosophy Stories: Philosophy Stories #7 - Rousseau and his interest in BDSM

philosophystories:

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-78) was a Genevan philosopher who declared that: ‘Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.’ His writings made a real influence on the political thought of the day, despite their extreme divergence from contemporary European politics in the 18th century. His…