{"id":435,"date":"2015-08-10T13:01:00","date_gmt":"2015-08-10T13:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jessicaeblack.wordpress.com\/?p=435"},"modified":"2020-01-26T08:32:11","modified_gmt":"2020-01-26T16:32:11","slug":"on-becoming-an-elf-and-the-difference-between-philosophy-and-psychology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jessicaeblack.org\/everythingelse\/2015\/08\/10\/on-becoming-an-elf-and-the-difference-between-philosophy-and-psychology\/","title":{"rendered":"On becoming an elf and the difference between philosophy & psychology, with music"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I am giving serious thought to becoming an elf. \u00a0“Go not to the Elves for counsel<\/em>, for they will say both no and yes.<\/em>” \u00a0So responds Frodo when Gildor tells him that it is said “do not meddle in the affairs of wizards…” \u00a0This is shortly after the hobbits’ first encounter with the Black Riders.\u00a0 Gildor replies:\u00a0“Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advice is an opinion on what someone else should do or believe. Opinions are only\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>opinions, not hard fact, and yet may be interpreted as such, against the intent of the opinionator<\/a><\/del>\u00a0one who offers the advice or opinion. \u00a0 Opinions, even if spoken in jest, are open to gross misconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philosophy:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kn481KcjvMo\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the University of Oklahoma<\/a> (and probably most universities), faculty meet to discuss the department’s graduate students at the end of each year (and after the first semester for first year students, and probably any problem cases). \u00a0At some point over the summer, every graduate student gets an envelop stuck in his or her cubbyhole with the results. \u00a0I remembered to pick mine up a few days ago. \u00a0It was pretty standard, no glowing praise nor harsh criticism. It felt pretty much like a form letter, just as the past year’s did. \u00a0That is, until I read this Sentence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Faculty members did want to encourage you to work on ensuring that the opinions you offer in class and other interactions are supported by scientific evidence<\/strong>.”<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Uh huh. \u00a0Everyone needs to work on this one, so why me, now? \u00a0Whom have I offended? \u00a0Because it’s hard to believe that this sentence would appear if I had\u00a0not<\/em> at some point given offense. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me admit right away that this is not entirely surprising, as I have an evil-me that has a hard time resisting irony, sarcasm, puns,\u00a0double entendre,\u00a0<\/em>and other things that may be occasionally misinterpreted. \u00a0The evil-me emerges with more frequency when I\u00a0am bored in class. \u00a0It happened when I was 6, and it’s still happening decades later. \u00a0As an adult, I have tried not to do this with people who, shall we say, are very\u00a0literal-minded, less fond of verbal challenge, or\u00a0sensitive about teasing\u00a0(or all of the above). \u00a0But there are times when I just cannot resist the perfect quip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psychology:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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