Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Introductions

We begin with an invitation: tell us who you are, and why you're here. We'll introduce ourselves in class and online (hit "comments" below). I'll start.

I'm the prof for this course, PHIL 3345, Bioethics. I hold degrees from the University of Missouri and Vanderbilt, and I'm here because the ethics of life and death is at the very heart of what philosophy, defined as the love of (and quest for) wisdom, is about. I'm still here in middle Tennessee, after relocating for Grad School, because I met my wife here and decided to stay.

I also teach courses on Atheism, Environmental Ethics, and Happiness, among others.

Enough about me.

Who are you? Why are you here? (Bear in mind, as you reply, that this is an open site. There's nothing preventing the world from reading what we post here, except of course the world's own distraction.)

22 comments:

  1. My name is Vincent Lehman, I am a father of two, musician, and lover of science. I enjoy school...well, most times, at least when time is available to satisfy my curiosity and I'm not spending hours forcing knowledge into my brain! My end-goal is to apply to medical school, but I think research may be a lot of fun to, so I suppose I'm undecided in a way.
    Anyways, I'm looking forward to class on Friday!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello Everyone,

    My name is Ana and I am very excited and blessed to be here. I am a Junior and majoring in Liberal Studies with a minor in Biology and Chemistry, which equals to Pre-Med. I'd love to get into surgery or plastic surgery, but we will see where my journey takes me. Right now, it's all about the journey and prepping for the destination which will only commence a whole new journey.

    I'm taking this course to expand my world vision and critical thinking -- sure it's on the MCAT but the MCAT is only part of the journey and not the destination.

    I have 4 fantastic kids (or young adults) ages 18, 20, 20 and 23 (yes twins), a supportive family and am blessed with a loving boyfriend. I've raised my kids and now I'm writing a new chapter in my book.

    Happy Snow Days everyone and see you soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Ana! Those are some awesome ambitions, and truly you'll be presented with some difficult challenges ahead. Have you thought about what medical school you want to apply for? Have you shadowed any surgeons and/or plastic surgeons?
      Good luck to you!

      Delete
    2. Hi Vincent,

      Thank you for the message. They are really big ambitions, but, I believe, all do able with lots of hard work and a healthy dose of disciplined time management. :)

      I'm actually in contact with a plastic surgeon who has agreed to let me shadow him. We just need to select a date so perhaps over Spring Break. I'm very excited!

      As for med schools, I'd like to stay in TN to stay near family and take advantage of in-state tuition. It's amazing the difference between that one word (in or out of state). Therefore, I'm looking at ETSU or UTSM.

      What about you?

      See you in class!

      Ana

      Delete
  4. Hello,
    My name is Ilija. I am currently a junior studying Biochemistry with a plan of going into medicine to treat people of their cardiac diseases. I plan on challenging my mind with difficult questions about ethics in medicine and biology.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello,
    my name is Iman, I am a junior and a biochemistry major. I'm taking this course to help me learn more about the ethics in medicine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Biochemistry major as well. What other classes are you taking Iman?
      Also are you going to be attending a graduate school after?

      Delete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I study philosophy at MTSU, and I'm excited to learn about bioethics with you all. I look forward to thinking about the topics we'll cover. The modern world is loaded with ethical issues that revolve around biology from medicine to warfare, so I'm anxious to see what all we'll get into and where I'll stand before and after on some of the issues that I've probably never formally thought about. Safe travels everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello,

    My name is Chelsea Able. My major is philosophy and I graduate in May. I am currently unsure of what I wish to do after my bachelor's degree. I am sure I want to go to graduate school to learn more, but I am unsure of which area of study I wish to pursue.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I play bass for After Apollo and the West Wind, and I'm currently enrolled in mostly Philosophy and Psychology classes. I originally chose Philosophy as my major because I didn't want to be Undecided and wasn't sure how long I would last, but as I enter my fourth semester at MTSU, it seems as though I'll continue to work my way towards a Philosophy degree.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello,

    I'm Joseph, and I am a junior enrolled at MTSU with a major in Biochemistry. I'm looking forward to this class and meeting all of you. I feel I have a unique take on the world due to having a Chinese mother and an American father, both with almost opposite views on how the world works and how to solve problems. Yet somehow they get along perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello! I'm Cameron, a pre-med biology major taking the MCAT in May. My ultimate goal is to become a general pediatric surgeon. Despite the fact that most of my coursework is objective, I love subjective classes I get to take such as this one. I look forward to having discussions with everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey guys! I'm Clorissa Campbell and I am a biology major on the pre-med track. One day, I hope to become a General Pediatrician. I am in this class to become more open minded about the viewpoints of others. I am excited to learn more about you guys through listening to you express your stance on certain subjects, and by your expression you are making me a better person. Thanks in advance!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hiya, everyone.

    I’m Kimberly. I just transferred to MTSU this semester. I’m a Psych major minoring in Neuroscience and Philosophy. I would eventually like to become a researcher focusing on the causes of conditions such as autism, as well as psychopharmacology and the long-term effects treatments have on children.

    I’m taking this class (as well as minoring in Philosophy) more for self-improvement than for my studies. I’m not an abstract thinker in the slightest, and I believe that challenging myself to look at things from a different perspective will help me grow as an individual.

    Here’s to a great semester!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hello all, My name is Jonathan Cannon. I am a biochemist major and my goal is to go to medical school and eventually work somewhere in the field of internal medicine. I am taking this class as an elective it is the only credit this semester that is not math/science. I chose bioethics because it has always been a subject that I have found to be intriguing.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello Everyone
    My name is Yazan Musleh. Im a junior at MTSU seeking a Biochemistry degree, my final goal is to be a dentist one day. I am taking this class cause i was interested to learn about Bioethics. This will be my first philosophy class so its exciting.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Howdy!
    I'm Kyle Jameson, majoring in English and minoring in Philosophy. I've always found the subject interesting, including this subject. I plan to write novels including a lot of Sci-Fi, so this'll probably give me a lot of interesting philosophical stuff to write about!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hello all,
    My name is Katelyne Tatum. I am a biology major in the pre-med program. I hope to go to med school for anesthesiology after I earn my bachelors degree at MTSU. Last semester I took my first philosophy class, introductory philosophy, which was interesting. I chose bioethics this semester because I think it will help me with ethical issues based around human life in the medical field.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hiya,

    I am Shay Linell, an Integrated Studies student with an emphasis in environmental sustainability and technology. I think there are so many complex questions encompassed by bioethics and I am interested in the different perspectives that inevitably come with multifaceted topics like genetic manipulation, assisted suicide, or regenerative medicines. I believe that technology is moving at such a rate that I need to learn more about issues that could potentially affect me in my lifetime and practice being able to think critically as well as form educated opinions on these controversial questions of life.

    ReplyDelete