Andy (my husband) said I have to limit this to 300 words, so here goes nothing (if you can't already guess, I'm bad at limiting myself to small space -- I'm on the wordy side... just a bit):
In class, we've been covering Aristotle, who -- in essence -- argues that man's τέλος, his purpose, is wrapped up in the idea of happiness. Of course, one's 'soul'/purpose is to live, and thus his idea of happiness is linked to the Greek notion of εὐδαιμονία or "human flourishing." We flourish in moving toward perfection, 'actuality' he calls it, and so our desire should be focused around truly seeking out the use of our whole capacities (nutritive, appetitive, locomotive, and contemplative) to their fullest.
While I know we can't function without our body (our 'meat' as I've been calling it in class!) I still think he's right in the sense that thought is something we don't become fully human without. But, because I'm a Huxley scholar, and a perennialist (more on this as the year goes on, looking forward to Point Counter Point!), I really want to call importance not just to thought, but full awareness. Because this has become so much a formation of who I am personally, I really want to help translate this in a way that is accessible to my students. I don't think there is a better way to live -- for me, to be aware of everything around me, of the fullness of my experiences, the depth of my learning, full attention to my interactions with others, and as clear an understanding of the world around me and myself is absolutely central. Hopefully, through the way I teach, and the primacy I put on treating students as PERSONS first, students second, they'll truly come to embrace the idea of awareness in their lives. That, for me, would be success as an educator.
(278 HA!)
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