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 Mr. Le's Philosophy Course Links

 WELCOME TO THE SUMMER!

 
  DVC PHILOSOPHY 130, SPRING 2009
 

 What is Philosophy?

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 Epicurus on Happiness (Part 1/3)

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 Carpe Diem!

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 What is Your Purpose in Life?

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 Schopenhauer on Love (1 of 3)

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DE ANZA Phil 003 / 004 Spring Course Outlines & Readings
 
DVC Phil 120 Summer Course Outlines & Readings
                                                                              
 
 
 Noteworthy Articles
 
 
On Happiness

Practicing Gratitude Can Increase Happiness by 25% (PsyBlog)
 
Psychological research finds that people's happiness levels are remarkably stable over the long-term. Whether you win the lottery or are paralysed from the neck down, after about three to six months you'll have returned to your usual level of happiness. While these findings are deeply counter-intuitive, they also raise a serious problem for those wanting to increase levels of happiness permanently.
 
(view complete article)
 
The Science of Happiness (BBC News)
 
A new six-part BBC series, starting this week, looks at the newest research from around the world to find out what could it be that makes us happy.
 
(view complete article)
 
Hedonist Philosopher Epicurus Was Right About Happiness (Mostly) (PsyBlog)
 
Philosophers down the ages have been keen to tell the rest of us how to live and how to be happy. Certainly their advice comes to us with the lustre of intellectual achievement; it is both high-brow and high-powered, but can we understand any of it and how does it fare against modern psychological research?
 
(view compete article)
 
 
Ethics and Society

Proportianality, Gaza and Israel (blog.TalkingPhilosophy.com, Jan. 5, 2009)
 
As Israel continues ground operations in Gaza, the casualties continue to grow. Not surprisingly, the civilians are suffering the most. As Thucydides wrote, “The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.” Of course, the suffering is not all on one side. Hamas continues to launch random rocket attacks into Israel and there will no doubt be more deaths among Israeli forces.

(view complete article)

 
The Faith Based Economy (blog.TalkingPhilosophy.com, Oct. 25, 2008)
 
While some complain about a lack of faith in the world today, they ignore the largest faith based system of them all: the economy. While this might seem to be an odd claim, the case for it is absurdly easy to make.

(view complete article)

 
 
On Education

Tips for Students to Achieve Academic and Long-term Success (Academic-Services.com)

Many students dread college because they see it as only a means to help them achieve a future career, and therefore they will not see an immediate return in their investment at the present time. Other concerns for many college students are that many do not know what they should major in, what four-year university they should attend, and how to motivate themselves to achieve academic excellence during their college years to help them achieve success in their future careers and in life. This article offers three fundamental and important tips for college students to help them achieve academic success and to enjoy their academic career while preparing while preparing them for their future careers.

(view complete article)

In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Life Examined (New York Times)
 
When a fellow student at Rutgers University urged Didi Onejeme to try Philosophy 101 two years ago, Ms. Onejeme, who was a pre-med sophomore, dismissed it as “frou-frou.”
 
“People sitting under trees and talking about stupid stuff — I mean, who cares?” Ms. Onejeme recalled thinking at the time.
 
But Ms. Onejeme, now a senior applying to law school, ended up changing her major to philosophy, which she thinks has armed her with the skills to be successful. “My mother was like, what are you going to do with that?” said Ms. Onejeme, 22. “She wanted me to be a pharmacy major, but I persuaded her with my argumentative skills.”
 
(view complete article)
 
 
 
 Recent Student Testimonial
 

   

Darija Walker, St. Mary's College of California, Class of 2007

"I entered into Philosophy 130 (Diablo Valley College, Spring 2007) simply seeking to fulfill a transfer requirement. I did not realize that I would leave at the end of the semester with my scholastic, social, and professional goals changed forever."

View testimonials here

 

  
 
 Current and Former Students in the News
 
 
Thomas Midanek Attends Summer Session at the University of California at Berkeley, May 2009

Thomas Midanek, under the recommendation of Mr. Le, is now attending summer session to build up his academic resume at the University of California at Berkeley. He is enrolled in a course entitled Russia after Communism and is studying under the same Professor as Mr. Le had done so three years ago.
 
Ryan Berg Accepted to the University of California at Berkeley and University of California at Los Angeles, May 2009

Former student Ryan Berg has decided to attend the University of California at Berkeley in the Fall of 2009 after being accepted to both universities. He plans to major in Rhetoric.
 
 
Mar Cainglet to Attend University of California at Davis, May 2009

Mar Cainglet, a former student of Prof. Le, gains admission into UC-Davis, UC-San Diego, and other Universities that are part of the University of California system through the transfer agreement between Diablo Valley College and the University for the Fall of 2009. He has decided to attend UC-Davis and plans to major in philosophy.
 
Both universities are among the nation's top 50 as ranked by the U.S. News. Both are leading research universities in many areas including philosophy and political science.
 
 
Thomas Midanek Establishes a Political Science Journal, January 2009

Prof. Le helps Thomas Midanek, a student at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA establish the American Future, a journal devoted to government, economy, and culture. Information about the journal including submission information can be found at www.American-Future.com.
 
Prof. Le is working with Thomas for two years to help him build up his academic, leadership, and extra-curricular background to increase his chances of gaining admission into a prestigious university. His current goal is to major in philosophy and political science and then attend Law School. Gaining admission into a prestigious university requires strategic planning, implementation, and years of work.
 

 

 
 
 Recent Articles by Mr. Le
 
The Earning Power of College Degrees and Majors, Academic-Services.com (view article)
 
Tips for Students to Achieve Academic and Long-term Success, Academic-Services.com (view article)
   
 

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