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Thursday, October 26, 2006

Meet Mr. Philosophy!

As I may or may not have mentioned, I enrolled in a class in idéa history this semester, just for the hell of it (which, after three years of studying for a degree in science, is kinda like visiting the Twilight Zone).

Our professor this semester, is a philosopher and a bit of an oddball. A very clever oddball, but an oddball nevertheless. He's... *insert drumroll here*... Mr. Philosophy.

Mr. Philosophy has managed the feat that it undoubtedly is to combine the look of a somewhat posh, upper westside (why are the fancy places always up and westwards?) professor with that of an old, english sheepdog. His head and shoulders always enter the room before the rest of him does, because he bends forwards a bit when he walks, as if he's contemplating charging through a wall like a mad rhino, or something. At least that's what he'd look like if he didn't always have the smily-little-boy-on-christmas-eve-expression in his face.

When he's made his way into an auditorium, however, the posture changes. Now, the pelvis is tilted forwards, while the torso sort of slumps backwards. The smily-christmas-face is constant, though, and, as he gets excited about what he's lecturing, his arms start to move around in circles, and he begins to jump in place, as if he had little springs in his knees. Then he actually looks a bit like a skiing-instructor I saw on TV once upon a time.

And that pretty much sums up what I got out of my class today.

10 comments:

Jazz said...

Bwah! Kudos to him for actually being able to get excited about this stuff.

ticknart said...

So, does he actually teach well, or does he only have some inexplicable enthusiasm?

choochoo said...

Jazz - very, very, very excited. There are times when I think he's going to take off and go through the roof...

Ticknart - both:)

Irene said...

Haha! Philosophy was one of my favorite subjects in college, even if my teacher was not half as enthusiastic as yours! c",)

choochoo said...

There aren't that many teachers who are really enthusiastic about what they do, so it's great when you come across one that is

Tim Rice said...

I think philosophy professors often are a bit of an oddball. I had a philosophy professor once who upon my asking him how he was jumped into a wastepaper can. That he said was how he was feeling at that moment. One never quite knew what to expect from him.

But I also had another philosophy professor who knew his stuff but he always talked in a dry monotone all class long. It was good that I enjoyed the subject matter most of the time.

Out Of Jersey said...

Idea History? uhhhh

choochoo said...

Tim - Jumped into a wastepaper can? LOL. You win.

The cubicle reverend - yeah, I've been getting that alot lately:)

Hageltoast said...

these sorts of lecturers are a rare and treasured thing!! good for you for taking the course and yay for eccentric lecturers!!!

choochoo said...

normality is highly overrated, anyway