HW #2 Assigment: Blog comments 1

To Neville F:
Nice first post! I liked how you began your post by relating to the reader using a very common example. The question you asked Do you just think to yourself, why is that person so happy? Or why is that person so sad? at the beginning of your post made me want to continue reading. And this is because I have asked myself that question and I share a similar answer.

In your post you mention that your idea of the train relates to Banach's idea on the Ethics of Absolute Freedom. By not knowing what other individuals are feeling we see them objectively, regardless of how hard we may try not to. I understand that as human beings we learn to become "individuals" in this society. And it is indeed impossible to know exactly what other person is feeling or thinking. However, we are able to relate to another person based on what they are feeling. Because as human beings under the same society we share similar aspects, and it is highly possible that someone experienced a very similar situation like us. Therefore that someone will be able to understand at some extent our feelings and thoughts by relating to them. Causing that person not to see others objectively but subjectively.

I can relate myself to what you are saying. In my response to this text I shared a very similar idea. I do not agree with Banach's idea entirely. I too think that it is possible to understand another person and feel what they are feeling because they have experienced it before. Although we are different individuals we are able to connect and not live alone unlike Banach states. This also reminds me of how families, specially siblings claim to know each other. This includes what they are thinking or feeling. And most of the times it is very easy for families to understand each other after living together, and experiencing the same situation together. Although their perspectives may be different, they are able to connect with one another and share the same idea. How could this example support Banach's idea on seeing other people objectively, when there are people out there who can see through other people?

To help you develop your ideas on this topic, I recommend you to be more organized and make a draft of what you want to write. List all your ideas and explain each one of them by using examples or outside information to support them. Clearly explain what your opinion is on Banach's idea and explain why you agree/disagree with him by using quotes from his text. You could also discuss how there are people who agree with him and write why do you think they do. That would make your post very interesting to read. Also you could ask more interesting questions regarding this topic that would make the reader think more about your point. This will also cause the reader to reconsider his/her point and expand their knowledge on this topic.

After reading your post, I became to disagree even more with Banach's specific idea on seeing others objectively. After I became aware that there are others who think similarly I was able to think about it more and consider other factors. Such as, if most of my classmates disagree with this idea because society has somehow made us believe in such way, then what made Banach think oppositely? His life experiences must have been very different from ours, and if they were what could they have been? I realized that people obtain answers based on self experiences rather than learnt knowledge from previous generations.

Thank you so much for writing this post, because although it was short it made me think about other possibilities. I really became more interested on learning what other people around me have to say about this text. I hope you add more to your post.

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To Aja:
Great first post! I liked how you summarized Banach's idea at the beginning. It is very clear and helpful for me. Although it is a summary I can identify what your point of view is on this idea by briefly explaining and restating his point. Then you continued by explaining your thoughts which makes your post very organized overall.

On your post you discuss your idea regarding the definition of an Absolute individual. I understand that you agree with Banach at some extend. It is indeed true that "we only feel our pains, our pleasures, our hopes, and our fears" However it is possible to relate to other people who have experienced similar emotions. This contradicts Banachs idea of us, as absolute individuals, "being trapped within ourselves." It is not impossible to be able to know what other people is feeling or thinking after getting to know that person and spending a fair amount of time with him or her in order to do so.

This is similar to what Neville wrote on his post. Similar to you, he did not entirely agree with Banach's idea on only seeing people objectively and not being able to know what they were feeling. Neville said: "As humans some of us share some general aspects. And since their are so many people on this earth, their at least has to be someone that went through the same thing as you did. Although that person felt emotions in their own way, if its closely similar then there could be reason why some people say its the same". In other words, as previously mentioned, there are other people out there with a very similar situation like ours. By the simple fact that we live under the a very similar culture. And those people will be able to connect with us in some way and understand our emotions.

In order to develop your work and your knowledge on this topic I recommend you to write down all your ideas or arguments. Then you can find evidence from the text to support your ideas and explain why it supports it. By doing so you will be able to have a deeper understanding of this complex topic. The question of what is being an absolute individual? has no right or wrong answer therefore you have to show the reader how your own answer to this question will impact his. You are already organized so you could only add more of your opinion with more evidence.

I personally agree with your definition of an absolute individual. I do think that people are capable of knowing what other people are feeling based on their own experiences. After reading your post I realized even more that in fact there are other people who think similarly to me. So, I continue to wonder what made Banach think differently. I think that our own society teaches us to connect to other people in a way, but it could also be our own nature to do so.

Thank you for writing this post. It made me think more about my own ideas and arguments regarding this text. I appreciate your work and I am glad we share a similar point of view.