Dillon Mulherin Blog 5

Dillon Mulherin

Mrs. Wilhelmus

AP English Lang

9 August 2013

Sophie’s World

            “Sophie’s World” has been a philosophical book of high praise since it was released in nineteen ninety one. Jostien Gaarder, the author of “Sophie’s World” says “that he loved writing a book that could get teenagers engaged in philosophy.” He certainly did.

            I could connect to St. Augustine’s belief system very well. I completely agree with how he Christianized Plato’s beliefs. He does philosophy right. Most Christians felt threatened when philosophy was brought up, but when St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas Christianized it, it opened up the door to a whole new world of philosophers and thinkers.

            I did not agree with Aristotle’s views on women. Women are a vital part in any community and should be respected. Women have come a long way since Aristotle lived, and for the better. I feel that if Aristotle were alive today his beliefs would be quite different.

            The rabbit’s fur is put into a perspective that the average person is on the flesh of the rabbit, when philosophers are climbing to the top of the fur everyday trying to learn all there is to learn about the world. As a student in high school, I feel like I am right in the middle. I am making the climb, learning something new every day, but I am not trying as hard as philosophers do.

Dillon Mulherin Blog 4

Dillon Mulherin

Ms. Wilhelmus

AP English Lang

1 August 2013

Blog 1

            “The Garden of Eden” which is the name of the first chapter in “Sophie’s World” is also a very popular Biblical passage. “The Conflict of Adam and Eve,” the story of the first humans to inhabit “The Garden of Eden,” is told in the first book of the bible, Genesis. Genesis literally translates to “the origin of formation,” which is very fitting for the first chapter of a book, especially this one.

            In the first chapter, Sophie receives a couple of letters in the mail that are addressed to her. When she opens them, what is written inside catches her attention and eventually swallows her mind in thought. What was written inside were two questions, the first one being, “Who are you?” and the second being, “Where does the world come from?” Sophie could answer neither.

            These two questions immediately captured my attention and I could relate to the book. It took me a few days to really think about who I was.  Turns out, my name is Dillon Mulherin; I am a sixteen year old junior that attends Evansville North High School. I am very family based for a kid my age. I may not live up to my full potential because I am lazy and I procrastinate, but somehow things work out for me. I am a very honest person because I am a terrible liar. I believe in the Big Bang Theory, but I believe that God made it happen, I believe God created the world and everything that inhabits it.

Dillon Mulherin Blog 3

Dillon Mulherin

Mrs. Wilhelmus

AP English Lang

6 August 2013

Blog 3

Philosophy is often thought to be a threat to Christianity. Until this chapter I felt very uncomfortable reading this book, almost as though I was being forced to rethink my belief in Christianity. Many people think of the Middle Ages as a decline in humanity and in a lot of ways, it is, but philosophy is at a rise during this time period. A few characters transformed philosophy in a way that it seemed more appetizing to many people of the Middle Ages. 

“Aquinas Christianized Aristotle in the same way that St. Augustine Christianized Plato” stated Alberto. The result of St. Augustine and St. Thomas the Aquinas helped Christians feel less threatened to the idea of philosophy because they applied Christianity to Philosophy.

I find this chapter taking place in a church very ironic.

            The world would not be where it is today with out philosophy, along with Christianity. Those are two major parts of history. The fact that two men were smart enough to combine them lit a fire into a new era of philosophers. Looking back Philosophy owes a lot of its success to St. Augustine and St. Thomas the Aquinas.

Dillon Mulherin Blog 2

Dillon Mulherin

Mrs. Wilhelmus

AP English Lang

5 August 2013

Blog 2

            In “Sophie’s World” Sophie learns about Aristotle, who was an ancient Greek philosopher, and his views on all topics including women. Aristotle’s views on women don’t really surprise me, especially for his time period. Aristotle’s views on women were that women are lower than men, and were considered an “unfinished man.” This was a bold statement for a man of this time period because most men saw women equal to slaves.

            Plato definitely answered the questions about gender the most admirably. He said women have owned rights in society, and significant ones. Their roles were much different than men but they still should be huge contributors in society. Although he believed that women were still lesser than their counterpart, he thought that women could work.

            “Sophie’s World” was written in 1991, and even though women were gaining more power than they ever had women still were second to men when it came to getting jobs. The fact that most figures of authority in this book were held by men does not surprise me. Women that hold a position of high authority is still rare to this day.

Dillon Mulhering Blog 1

Dillon Mulherin

Ms. Wilhelmus

AP English Lang

1 August 2013

Blog 1

            “The Garden of Eden” which is the name of the first chapter in “Sophie’s World” is also a very popular Biblical passage. “The Conflict of Adam and Eve,” the story of the first humans to inhabit “The Garden of Eden,” is told in the first book of the bible, Genesis. Genesis literally translates to “the origin of formation,” which is very fitting for the first chapter of a book, especially this one.

            In the first chapter, Sophie receives a couple of letters in the mail that are addressed to her. When she opens them, what is written inside catches her attention and eventually swallows her mind in thought. What was written inside were two questions, the first one being, “Who are you?” and the second being, “Where does the world come from?” Sophie could answer neither.

            These two questions immediately captured my attention and I could relate to the book. It took me a few days to really think about who I was.  Turns out, my name is Dillon Mulherin; I am a sixteen year old junior that attends Evansville North High School. I am very family based for a kid my age. I may not live up to my full potential because I am lazy and I procrastinate, but somehow things work out for me. I am a very honest person because I am a terrible liar. I believe in the Big Bang Theory, but I believe that God made it happen, I believe God created the world and everything that inhabits it.