Lacking in more than Posts
My apologize to anyone who's checked Divergent World in the past week. True, I have wasted your time by not posting anything new, but trust me, you would not care to read the topics that have been occupying every spare neuron of my brain this week.
That's because it's my Spring Break. But no, my thoughts haven't been of beaches or hot co-eds or even a peaceful week at home playing with my parents' dogs. Nope, my Spring Break has been comprised of studying, literally, every waking moment (cept, of course, this one) for my Comprehensive Exams. Of course, I'm not technically studying during the waking moments in which I am actually taking the exams, but I trust you'll forgive me that generalization. Comprehensive exams are like finals for an entire program. For my Master's program in philosophy, that means I have four comprehensive exams; each over the entirety of an area of philosophy. And, though the following have subdisciplines that are considered "areas of philosophy", those subdisciplines are incorporated and tested over in their respective primary area. These primary areas, then, are Logic, Metaphysics and Epistemology, Ethics, and History.
The logic comp is special, because it's held right after the logic course in the Fall. I already got my results on that, and I passed (luckily, they're pass/fail by nature). I took the M&E comp Wednesday morning, and I felt really confident coming out of that one. Took a lot of studying, but as I had an epistemology course in the Fall and am currently in a Philosophy of Mind course (a subdiscipline of Metaphysics), I had a good background.
What I don't have a background in, though, is Ethics and History. The jury is still out of what extent I'll even make a dint for the History comp, but the Ethics comp is this morning in 4 and a half hours. And, honestly, I'd done some reading this past weekend, but when I pulled out the old tests (given to us so we actually have a chance), none of that really mattered. Luckily, I had some assistance in finding out where to look, so I've made a lot of progress. I feel like I've gone from 0 to 60 in my understanding of ethics in the past 15 hours. True, not the best performance off the line, but at least I'm in the race now. Hopefully, with another 3 hours of studying (and a short nap to consolidate), I might just have a chance at passing this one, too.
Oh, a side note, it's true that we have to pass these tests, but we're given up to three tries on each. It is very rare for anyone to pass all four their first go around. Most people, including myself up until a couple weeks ago, just focus on one of the tests for their first round. But, since they have a habit of placing these on Spring Break, I'd just as well get most, if not all, out of the way before next year.
Anyways, that's why you haven't heard much from me. But I'm still alive (kinda). And the good news, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. After the History comp Monday, and after completing my take home mid-term for 20th century analytic due Friday (but to be done by Wednesday afternoon), I'm driving down to NOLA! Going to stop Wednesday night in Cape G., then Strain and I are driving the rest of the way down Thursday afternoon. So, thankfully, I'll have my own short Spring Break, because I really need to get away from both the corn field and the currently suffocating, arid nature of philosophy right now. God, I really do love this stuff and have, as perverse as this is, enjoyed the depths I've gotten to in it this past week. But I think I'm going to reach critical mass if I don't kill off a few brain cells and have a few good, relaxing conversations with best friends soon.
Anyways, give me a week and a half and I'll be back to posting about...well...whatever it is I post about.
That's because it's my Spring Break. But no, my thoughts haven't been of beaches or hot co-eds or even a peaceful week at home playing with my parents' dogs. Nope, my Spring Break has been comprised of studying, literally, every waking moment (cept, of course, this one) for my Comprehensive Exams. Of course, I'm not technically studying during the waking moments in which I am actually taking the exams, but I trust you'll forgive me that generalization. Comprehensive exams are like finals for an entire program. For my Master's program in philosophy, that means I have four comprehensive exams; each over the entirety of an area of philosophy. And, though the following have subdisciplines that are considered "areas of philosophy", those subdisciplines are incorporated and tested over in their respective primary area. These primary areas, then, are Logic, Metaphysics and Epistemology, Ethics, and History.
The logic comp is special, because it's held right after the logic course in the Fall. I already got my results on that, and I passed (luckily, they're pass/fail by nature). I took the M&E comp Wednesday morning, and I felt really confident coming out of that one. Took a lot of studying, but as I had an epistemology course in the Fall and am currently in a Philosophy of Mind course (a subdiscipline of Metaphysics), I had a good background.
What I don't have a background in, though, is Ethics and History. The jury is still out of what extent I'll even make a dint for the History comp, but the Ethics comp is this morning in 4 and a half hours. And, honestly, I'd done some reading this past weekend, but when I pulled out the old tests (given to us so we actually have a chance), none of that really mattered. Luckily, I had some assistance in finding out where to look, so I've made a lot of progress. I feel like I've gone from 0 to 60 in my understanding of ethics in the past 15 hours. True, not the best performance off the line, but at least I'm in the race now. Hopefully, with another 3 hours of studying (and a short nap to consolidate), I might just have a chance at passing this one, too.
Oh, a side note, it's true that we have to pass these tests, but we're given up to three tries on each. It is very rare for anyone to pass all four their first go around. Most people, including myself up until a couple weeks ago, just focus on one of the tests for their first round. But, since they have a habit of placing these on Spring Break, I'd just as well get most, if not all, out of the way before next year.
Anyways, that's why you haven't heard much from me. But I'm still alive (kinda). And the good news, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. After the History comp Monday, and after completing my take home mid-term for 20th century analytic due Friday (but to be done by Wednesday afternoon), I'm driving down to NOLA! Going to stop Wednesday night in Cape G., then Strain and I are driving the rest of the way down Thursday afternoon. So, thankfully, I'll have my own short Spring Break, because I really need to get away from both the corn field and the currently suffocating, arid nature of philosophy right now. God, I really do love this stuff and have, as perverse as this is, enjoyed the depths I've gotten to in it this past week. But I think I'm going to reach critical mass if I don't kill off a few brain cells and have a few good, relaxing conversations with best friends soon.
Anyways, give me a week and a half and I'll be back to posting about...well...whatever it is I post about.
posted by J.B.P. at 1:42 AM
1 Comments:
it would be great if you could stop in springpatch for a cup of tea and a camel. just for 10 minutes, thats all i ask. just enough for a much needed hug. ;)
AW
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