Monday, October 5, 2009

A Reflection noitcelfer A

Thus far, class has been quite a treat. I've always enjoyed watching films and later discussing them, and Philosophy of Documentary Film allows me to do just that. However, I'm a very shy person, and have luckily found the environment to be a very welcoming and encouraging one. Out of all classes I am currently enrolled in, I find myself participating the most in this one, and it's very interesting to also hear the countless opinions others have about the films we watch or the philosophical principles we discuss. In no other class have I experienced such a diverse array of beliefs and ideals, and for this reason, I feel a sense of closeness to the other students. When I was in Philosophy of Film Noir, I sort of felt as if there lacked a strong connection between the philosophy and the movies we watched, but I don't get that feeling this year; there is definitely a stronger link between the art of documentary film and important philosophies. If I had to make a suggestion, though, it would be to include more writing exercises akin to the one implemented last week. Even if we don't turn them in, it seems to be a good opportunity to allow all the students to think critically about a certain topic and express it. I myself have been guilty of either not thinking too much about what we were discussing, or being afraid to vocally present my opinions, so a simple writing assignment could help with that. Bear in mind, though, that I still greatly appreciate the discussions we have.

2 comments:

  1. Great idea, Eric, to include more short writing activities, which often allow us to think through our beliefs to get them more coherent, instead of being forced to say them on the spot.

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  2. I do agree, and while I cannot relate to the whole Film Noir class (obviously I did not take), I can relate to how I participate more in the class more than any other. It could be due to the tiny conference room or relaxed atmosphere of other people in Allen. I'm not sure exactly, but it works. For a class such as this one which essentially watches documentary movies and gain some deeper understanding about them and about philosophical ideas, this is really the only way it could work, and it has.

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