Molly Brothers
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
13 August 2013
My Philosophical Experience
Before reading this book, I had never read anything about philosophy. I did not even know what to
expect before reading this. As I read about each of the philosophers, it opened up my eyes to a world
I did not know. I have learned so many new things about the world, some that I agree and some that
I do not agree with.
I really liked Kant's idea that you have to use sense and reason to find the truth. I always knew that
things existed even if they were not visible to the eye but had never thought how it could be
possible. I also liked Socrates for his boldness. I liked how he would get others to think out of the
box. While others thought he was pushy, I thought it was just what the people needed.
The one philosopher I did not enjoy was Aristotle. Although he was very smart and a highly
respected philosopher, I just can not get over his views on women. I think his views on women make
him look arrogant and sexist. After reading his take on women, I lost respect for the man.
All in all, I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I think it was good for me to
see other people's views on some of life's biggest questions. Before reading this book, I did not
have much interest in philosophy. I was deep down in the rabbit's fur. But now after reading Sophie's
World, I am heading to the top for more.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Prompt #3 The Aquinas Bridge
Molly Brothers
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
11 August 2013
The Aquinas Bridge
St. Augustine introduced scientific thinking in the churches. He did
this by showing that Greek and Christian philosophies were compatible. Without St. Augustine
christianizing Plato, Aquinas would not have christianized Aristotle. Aquinas christianizing
Aristotle introduced the beginning of modern science. For example, before Aristotle, people thought
that everything was random, but he believed in cause and effect. The belief in cause and effect is
necessary to form scientific thought. The churches are stronger now because the bible goes with
science, making Christianity the number one religion today.
All of these philosophers were stair steps in showing how science and religion are linked
together; from Plato to St. Augustine to Aristotle to Aquinas. They were key in bringing
together science and religion.
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
11 August 2013
The Aquinas Bridge
St. Augustine introduced scientific thinking in the churches. He did
this by showing that Greek and Christian philosophies were compatible. Without St. Augustine
christianizing Plato, Aquinas would not have christianized Aristotle. Aquinas christianizing
Aristotle introduced the beginning of modern science. For example, before Aristotle, people thought
that everything was random, but he believed in cause and effect. The belief in cause and effect is
necessary to form scientific thought. The churches are stronger now because the bible goes with
science, making Christianity the number one religion today.
All of these philosophers were stair steps in showing how science and religion are linked
together; from Plato to St. Augustine to Aristotle to Aquinas. They were key in bringing
together science and religion.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Prompt #4: It Kant Be True
Molly Brothers
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
10 August 2013
It Kant Be True
Kant introduces the idea that sense and reason are the way to get to the truth. Sense
alone will not get you to it nor reason alone.
In the Kant chapter, Alberto Knox told Sophie to put on a pair of red glasses. The
red glasses made everything around her red even though she knew that everything around
her was not red. The red glasses symbolized the limit of human perception. Kant believed in both
sensing and reason. He believed that we are limited in what we can see but our reason tells us
that there are things that we can not see like canned air. You can see the can and feel the air but
reason tells us that there is a propellant pushing the air out.
I believe like Kant that you have to use experience and reason to find the truth. For
example, my perspective on texting and driving is that you should not do it, but other people think
that it is okay. Other people's experience has taught them that they have never gotten hurt or
killed by texting and driving, so therefore it is okay. That is their tinted glasses, limited perception. I
have seen pictures of people who have gotten hurt or even died by texting and driving and I use
my reason to decide that the truth is that I should not text and drive. Kant's point was that you can
only get to the truth through experience AND reason.
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
10 August 2013
It Kant Be True
Kant introduces the idea that sense and reason are the way to get to the truth. Sense
alone will not get you to it nor reason alone.
In the Kant chapter, Alberto Knox told Sophie to put on a pair of red glasses. The
red glasses made everything around her red even though she knew that everything around
her was not red. The red glasses symbolized the limit of human perception. Kant believed in both
sensing and reason. He believed that we are limited in what we can see but our reason tells us
that there are things that we can not see like canned air. You can see the can and feel the air but
reason tells us that there is a propellant pushing the air out.
I believe like Kant that you have to use experience and reason to find the truth. For
example, my perspective on texting and driving is that you should not do it, but other people think
that it is okay. Other people's experience has taught them that they have never gotten hurt or
killed by texting and driving, so therefore it is okay. That is their tinted glasses, limited perception. I
have seen pictures of people who have gotten hurt or even died by texting and driving and I use
my reason to decide that the truth is that I should not text and drive. Kant's point was that you can
only get to the truth through experience AND reason.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Prompt #2 Women Vs. The World
Molly Brothers
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
7 August 2013
Many men were favored philosophers in history. Aristotle was one of the highly
respected philosophers of his time. He was very intelligent but even some of his views were
a little bias. Aristotle thought that men were superior not only in philosophy but in life and
viewed women as "unfinished men."
I was very disappointed in Aristotle's beliefs. He was sexist and had no respect for
women. Even in reproduction he believed that the woman were only good for receiving and
delivering the baby, whereas the child got all of the male's traits. To bad his views were more
accepted than his teacher's, Plato.
Plato had a more positive view on women, which I really admire. He viewed men and women as
equals. He believed that women could use reason and logic just as capably as men making them just
as good of leaders as men. He also believed that a government that does not utilize their women is
only half as strong.
The fact that many of the authorities in the novel were men does not surprise me one
bit. Women's rights have always been controversial up until today. It is sad that people have
and some people still have these ideas due to writer's like Plato, but I am glad that it is not a
problem today. I have great expectations for women today and for the future.
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
7 August 2013
Women Vs. The World
Many men were favored philosophers in history. Aristotle was one of the highly
respected philosophers of his time. He was very intelligent but even some of his views were
a little bias. Aristotle thought that men were superior not only in philosophy but in life and
viewed women as "unfinished men."
I was very disappointed in Aristotle's beliefs. He was sexist and had no respect for
women. Even in reproduction he believed that the woman were only good for receiving and
delivering the baby, whereas the child got all of the male's traits. To bad his views were more
accepted than his teacher's, Plato.
Plato had a more positive view on women, which I really admire. He viewed men and women as
equals. He believed that women could use reason and logic just as capably as men making them just
as good of leaders as men. He also believed that a government that does not utilize their women is
only half as strong.
The fact that many of the authorities in the novel were men does not surprise me one
bit. Women's rights have always been controversial up until today. It is sad that people have
and some people still have these ideas due to writer's like Plato, but I am glad that it is not a
problem today. I have great expectations for women today and for the future.
Prompt #1 Easy Answers to Hard Questions
Molly Brothers
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
7 August 2013
Easy Answers to Hard Questions
For a lot of people some of life's toughest questions are, "Who are you?" and, "Where does the
world come from?" I guess I have been to busy being me to think about who I am. I would first
say that my name is Molly Renli Brothers. I was named after the "unsinkable" Molly Brown. Renli
is the English translation of my Chinese name. But who is Molly Renli Brothers? I was chosen by
Jim and Marcia Brothers to be their daughter while I was in China. I was adopted when I was two and
a half and brought to the United States and joined my older brother John. I have danced since I was
three years old and I love to cheer. I am little for my age but that does not stop me from having big
dreams. I have always wanted to be a healer and make a good living, that is why I want to be a
doctor. I get along with almost everyone I meet and choose to be a happy person. I am driven to be
the best that I can be. I can go on and on with facts as they are, but the truth is that I am still growing.
I know who I am now and I can hardly wait to see who I am in the future.
Now the next question is a tougher one. Where does the world come from? Being raised in a
church, I have always believed in God. I believe that God made the whole world and it's entirety. I
think that the people who believe in other things such as Darwinism are just against God. They lack
faith and have to search for other ways the world could have been created when really I think that we
are to intricate for the answer to be anything but God. I still have questions about how God can do
certain things but I think that there are some things God does not want us to know and that is fine
with me.
Mrs. Wilhelmus
English 11AP
7 August 2013
Easy Answers to Hard Questions
For a lot of people some of life's toughest questions are, "Who are you?" and, "Where does the
world come from?" I guess I have been to busy being me to think about who I am. I would first
say that my name is Molly Renli Brothers. I was named after the "unsinkable" Molly Brown. Renli
is the English translation of my Chinese name. But who is Molly Renli Brothers? I was chosen by
Jim and Marcia Brothers to be their daughter while I was in China. I was adopted when I was two and
a half and brought to the United States and joined my older brother John. I have danced since I was
three years old and I love to cheer. I am little for my age but that does not stop me from having big
dreams. I have always wanted to be a healer and make a good living, that is why I want to be a
doctor. I get along with almost everyone I meet and choose to be a happy person. I am driven to be
the best that I can be. I can go on and on with facts as they are, but the truth is that I am still growing.
I know who I am now and I can hardly wait to see who I am in the future.
Now the next question is a tougher one. Where does the world come from? Being raised in a
church, I have always believed in God. I believe that God made the whole world and it's entirety. I
think that the people who believe in other things such as Darwinism are just against God. They lack
faith and have to search for other ways the world could have been created when really I think that we
are to intricate for the answer to be anything but God. I still have questions about how God can do
certain things but I think that there are some things God does not want us to know and that is fine
with me.
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