Executive Summary on Hollowchak. M (2009)

Education as training for life: Stoic teachers as physicians of the soul
The followingsummary is based on Holowchak’s chapterEducation as training for life: Stoic teachers as physicians of the soulin the journalEducational Philosophy and Theory’.In the text, the main focus is how colleges and universities have adapted to the educational changes,and the theories used in education.In the chapter, Holowchak goes into depthabout the following aspects: “education as self-awareness and logicforjudgmentsand learning asgroundworkfor life”.The summary summariesStoics and education as integration and preparation for life.

Tertiarylearning institutions across the globe havemission statements that are usedto upholdtheir primary aims and obligationsof that institution.Of course these endlessmission statements includestudentdevelopmentandprogress,communication, creativity,technicaladvances andcommunity service within local communities,or even globally. While profuse educationtends to be multicultural and relativistic about values,Stoic liberal education ismonumentaland universalistic’.The Stoic model goes beyond tertiary institutions by means of offering a guide for sculpting a personal identity and nationality. In short, one without any sort of wisdom is considered to have a black soul to Stoic.As a result, a Stoic educational institution can be seen as an ethical hospital.Nussbaum. M states in her book, CultivatingHumanity’, “Thenew emphasis on diversity in tertiary institutions is a way ofcontendingwith the alterednecessitiesof citizenship, in an attempt toharvestadults who can function as citizensof a complex world”. For starters, Stoic cosmopolitanism entails critical reflection on oneself, secondly ones connections byrecognition. Thirdly, narrative imagination and lastly, logical understanding.Logic teaches individuals to make decisions and judgements with the acquired intellect from their experiences.Life is not only based on acquiring knowledge but also the assimilation of knowledge. Hence going through experiences to gain knowledge is seen as practical knowledge.As humans, weare eager to learn more each day, hence one being fluent and fiery in schooland able to overcome little problems that may occur. But remove one from that environment and have them apply themselves practically, it is another problem of its own.Stoic education can be seen as life trainingand it would be wise to be both street and book smart. Education can only prepare one for so much everyday-life situations. Patience is another important aspect that is required for virtue.Furthermore, Stoic, encourages individuals to live life to the fullest as one does not know what tomorrow holds. Stay true to oneself, journeys that life throws at one and acknowledge the difficulties that life has one facing on a daily.

In conclusion,it is evident that Stoic theories are a good preparation for what the future holds and all is evident with the different theories stated in the summary. The Stoicism is agood educational tool that universities have adapted intotheir learningsystem, which inreturnwill be beneficial to one whena situation was to arise and one is able to make a critical decision.
Mini Essay:All about Universities
Parents encourage their children to go to university, as it holds the key to their future. Teachers in middle school suggest that going to university is almost like living in a foreign country. In all honesty, I agree with parents but disagree with my teachers. I will attempt to discuss key elements that one would need to survive in the university environment. First on my list would have to be reasoning, followed by openness and honesty. Followed by my final thoughts about university.

Universities have been operating way before you and I were born. Though some have changed over the passing years, they still manage to uphold the value and history that come with it. Though the main purpose of going to university was for grooming young men for the real world, that all seems to be a thing of the past. In the 21stcentury, universities have become a vital tool in one’s society. The idea of gathering knowledge through personal experiences at university is something that is highly promoted within the learning environment. I, for one can second that one is able to arrange the conception of knowledge. This is partly explained by a desire for reasoning, openness, honesty and tolerance. The role that universities provide as a powerhouse of knowledge is fairly recent. Despite complexity of human abilities, one is often put to the test to measure quantitative and verbal aptitudes. Reasoning being one of the key aspects perceived as important for graduate success. With help from acute incidents related to reasoning that causes students to raise or lower estimate of a student’s logical ability. Using reasoning limits knowledge to items that can be tested, explained, perceived through logical arguments. Intuition and faith can only take one so far when it comes working things out. But in an academic argument, one would have to present valid evidence.

More recently, universities propose a model of personal development, in which one is able to determine their strengths and weaknesses in detailed depth. During this model, one is able to work on their weaknesses at their own pace, in order to move from a negative equilibrium to a healthy equilibrium states Ades (1994). Contrary to belief, the more one engages with different elements of the outside world and other individuals, one is least likely to have boundaries or “walls” as we like to call it. The more one engages with the rest of the world, various ethnic groups and religions the less likely one is bound from expressing themselves. After the first semester at university, one is able to see themselves expressing more often and without the fear of what others might think. You are free and find yourself socialising with different groups of people on a daily. If individuals were more open to vulnerable “culture shock” and were willing to being open to learning a new culture, it would diminished half the problems that our country still faces to date. Openness appears to be a positive factor to reasoning in the university environment.
I for one think honesty is crucial and can help avoid a lot of trouble. Our entire culture is, in various ways insane, and insanity is gradually taking over the world. One of the primary human stress causer is stress. Stress is caused by the mind and not by circumstances. Most often suffer from mistaken identity and tend to make criticisms and judgements of ourselves. Once an individual is able to rid themselves from the imprudent notion, past lies and get up to date by telling the truth, one is able to find their footing again. Most teachers would feel that their role and duty in school is to be educating children on how to behave and to be conscience in everything they do. The infection of moralism in the adult mind is pigeonholed by means of frantic faith. But illogically, our survival mechanism has proved to be a fail mechanism: suicidal. One has to be willing to accept and be able to take in new evidence. Acknowledgement of other student’s discoveries should be given credit. This in return will give your arguments better believability. In addition to daily activities to keep one constantly busy and rid their mind of negative thoughts. The human mind is like a teething puppy; it needs a toy to chew on.

In conclusion, there are no contradictions that the listed aspects that a vital in the grooming of one in university do not go hand in hand. These aspects including universities help one find a proper employment and encourage one to be a thinker. These skills are important and can be seen as training for the real world.