What is up with the huge crows in Japan? They are everywhere and slightly creepy. I heard this story about how in the past the crow problem was so terrible that they were so used to human contact that they would attack them? And steal people’s food in the street?
I went shopping for books today and I realized that I bought the wrong version of Kant’s Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View. I got the Dowdell (first and old one) translation instead of the Cambridge edition one. Anyway… I’m going to keep it because I am too lazy and I’m not presenting on it (or anything). I was reading the introduction by Van De Pitte, where he gives a brief overview of Kant’s whole project.
I reject German Idealism on a whole, because I am interested in the Materialism that comes as a reaction to it. However, I was reminded in a discussion on Tuesday night at the bar that we shouldn’t caricaturize these theories into well cut squares. I’m constantly reminded of this when considering Nietzsche, but sometimes you can’t help it when making a point. It’s a hard line to follow.
So, I was reading the introduction and Van De Pitte puts it well when he says
“…he will set forth the method by which man must be studied, not in the varying forms in which his accidental circumstances have molded him, or in the distorted form in which even philosophers have almost always misconstrued him, but that which is enduring in human nature, and the proper place of man in creation… Kant realized that man’s rational capacity alone is not sufficient to constitute his dignity, and elevate him above the brutes… However, reason is man’s most essential attribute, because it is the means by which a truly distinctive dimention is made possible for him… Because man can consider an array of possibilities, and which among them is the most desirable, he can strive to make himself and his world into a realization of his ideals.”
This, I thought was a great way of summerizing Kant’s intentions and something always keep in mind when you become lost in talking about human faculties, such as percieving beauty, sublimity, and agreeableness (via Kant’s third critique).
Also, I like to remind myself that Kant considered himself an empiricist and successor to Hume.
look familiar? my photos.
I’m feeling idle, which isn’t good. The one thing about being here in Japan is that I feel tied by my family members. Well, Tokyo isn’t so bad, and surprisingly no one cares about what little ol’ me is doing. On the other hand, in Kagoshima, they wonder about where I am off to, which isn’t weird… because… what the fuck does the foreigner really have to do? I always feel like my life is on pause here. I feel the pressure of things I need to get done when I get back.
I haven’t decided which class to drop. I haven’t finished any of the reading I was suppose to (and yesterday in Shibuya, I bought Haruki Murakami’s new collection of short stories) and I haven’t emailed my thesis advisor yet. Sigh. I need to plan my mother’s eye surgury and cornea mapping appointments. I need to do this and that… and I just feel idle, here.
Life is going on without me.
I spoke to Sophea a bit and Dan… and Dan… (I know one too many Dans!) I made plans with few people to go out and get some drinks. I will probably see Dan (classmate) on the Friday I return, and we can go back to being bitter emo fucks together. Sophea and Gen are both out of town until Sunday…
I wrote to Lohr, which I need to send out.
AhhHhHHH. I haven’t bought any omiyage. Shit.
What really cracked me up is that on this Japanese news program, they interviewed Astrologers to ask them about the relevance of this decision, you know, for their trade. HA HA HA. One of them said something along the lines of since Pluto usually symbolizes death (pluto / hades) and darker aspects, the world is hopefully changing it’s “worldview” to a more peaceful one.
I actually thought that was really cute. I liked this characterization of astrology as symbols and metaphors for interpretation, not truth.
But… yes, this decision is also another reason why astrology is all pretty arbitrary…
Also in this segment about the non-planet, following this astrologer, was a shot of the dog pluto from Disney… wtf? ;;;
But in the end, I can’t help feeling sorry for little Pluto… and it’s pet, Charon. Boooo.
I went to Ofuro (hot springs) and grape (Kyohou) picking. Had dinner… shouchu… biru… etc.
Now, I am going to return to grandmother’s place, the land of no internet. Hopefully I won’t get eaten by wolves.
She drove for the first time (after getting her license), and we were her first passengers. Jesse saying “Ahhh, you’re too far right. You’re too far right!” wasn’t all that reassuring, but we got to where we were going in one piece.
We just sort of lounged about on the lawn in front of the library after getting some icecream from “the town.” (a small strip of two blocks that totals all the amount of excitement going on here. Yeah.
We had dinner at Cara Mia’s and Eli procured two cakes (one banana something something cake and the other one was a strawberry cheesecake).
Then we went to The Park at the meatpacking district. It was a pretty space with lots of outdoor seating, terrace, DJ dance floor, lounge, and staple music on other floors.
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