Starter 1.13
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
— Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5, lines 17-28)
- What does Macbeth mean? INTERPRET the passage.
- Do you agree with Macbeth? Why or why not?
Macbeth may have been an early existentialist...
He suffered from an “existential attitude”, defined by Robert C. Solomon as “a sense of disorientation, confusion, or dread in the face of an apparently meaningless or absurd world.”
4 Corners
- Everything happens for a reason.
- Humans are at the center of the great cosmic mystery.
Literature as philosophical material?
TOGETHER: Read "Mold of the Earth" by Boleslaw Prus
IN PAIRS: Discuss this story and “Shades.” (Same author!)
- Compare “Mold of the Earth” and "Shades.” What might be the theme or message of each story?
- What do you think Prus might believe about the place of humans in the great cosmic mystery?
Key terms
Ontology: (simply) the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality
Deity: God, goddess or divine being
Transcript, if you want to follow along or review....
During the TALK: Takes notes on the following in your comp book....
- What different explanations does Holt mention that humans use to explain why the universe exists?
- Which explanation does he arrive at?
JOURNAL 1.13 Why Does the Universe Exist?
REACT! Review the transcript if you need to. Which pieces of his discussion do you agree with? Which do you reject? What do you personally believe about the universe and its existence? If you don't really know yet (as many don't), use this journal entry to wonder in words...