The Life Of Daniel

 

Wedding preperations are in full speed.

 

After we have signed the marraige contract on feb 7, the next step will be the wedding party. In China often there is some space between these 2 things. Cos usually they believe that the couple will be too busy to do that on the actual weddingday. So they do it earlier, but as I have learned last feb, sometimes also later or much later. Obviously the weddingparty is what counts in China, while here in NL, what matters most is the actual registration. Im happy that I have experienced a few weddings now so that I know what to expect. Ot better say, in which direction that I have to think. And both weddings were very different I must say. And Im sure that our will be very different also. Especially because we had this idea to marry in traditional style. So that means we will be dressed traditionally, there will be opera and most importantly, it will be held in a very traditional restaurant. So last time I was in China I already sized a thangzhuan and soon my wife also will start her hunt for something. The only bad thing is that Im here and she is there, so we cannot prepare the entire wedding together. What means that the entire thing will fall on her shoulders, even while her parants are helping her tremendoulsly. Im very thankfull to them for that. So Im really curious how eventually everything will get together. So we are deciding on wedding invitations and who will get one and who will not. What cards we want etc. Very much things that have to be decided. But now we know where, when, and how, the details will come to us soon. We already founded a host, Sophia has a bridesmaid and I have a best man. Gosh if it only was time I could fly to China.....................

 

This time it will be extra special because for the first time I will take my parants, sister and her BF, to China. For me that is really really quite something. Most important because they will be on our wedding ofcourse. I mean without them I would feel that our wedding is not complete and Sophia is feeling the same. But also because they can meet Sophia's parants and there rest of her family and see where she is coming from, her culture and the country that I love most of all. So after the wedding we will have to do some extensive sighseeing. Most of the things will all be things that Sophia and I are very familiar with, so we really go back there for them. Or lets say for most things. So after the wedding, Jinhua and the area we will take them to HZ, to see the Westlake, Ling temple, to eat Westlake fish and some other dishes. Then on to Shang Hai, see the Bond, and perhaps to some shopping, or the SH museum. After that we fly to Beijing to see some real historical things and then it already will be time to go home. Im afraid that it will be too short. But if my parants long for more then I will be very happy. And I would love to take them myself. I have always said I wanted to take my father to the Tiger Leaping Gorge for example. But so many other things to see. And foods to try. Especially that................running mouth again....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Classical Greek and Hellenistic Philosophy

 

The last weeks I begin to re-discover something that I felt I had lost a very long time ago and that is, my love for Ancient Greek Philosophy. This was something that I alreasy have for as long as I can remember, and turned me into the rationalist-stoic that I am now. This was ofcourse mainly due the reading of Plato, the Godly Plato as Schopenhauer calls him. Already before I started my HBO I enjoyed many many hours reading one of Plato's works. In fact his complete works was something that I brought as one of the first real philosophical works in my life. He is still as I believe now seldom surpassed in writingstyle. This was something many of my fellow students on HBO were surprised about and my love for Plato was often the subject of mocking and teasing me. But as my teacher Nico Lettinck said to me several times 'If you can say you understand Plato, and indeed can explain all his work, you have achieved enough in one life.' Already soon this came to a argument when I thought he explained Plato in the wrong way. 'If you can do better, than go ahead'he said. So my first lecture, was indeed about Plato. I got 10 minutes and talked for 47 ones. From Plato I began to collect many other Greek Authors, but never really really got very enthousiastic about thier work. Maybe because so much dissapeared over time. And therefor so many are so hard to understand. So I layed Greek Philosophy beside me for a very long time. Not even when I took Classical Greek Philosophy in the university in 2004, I re-rouse my interest in it, and neither I felt very curious when my teacher Lodi Nauta once stated about Aristotle that there was not much that was more impressive than the way Aristotle was practicing philosophy. I answered him 'He could never arouse my attention'. This all began to change in the last few weeks. Mainly due 2 reasons. The first because I started a course about the Sophists, in which so many classical philosophers are passing bye. And in the second place because I read the Rethorics of Aristotle which I thought would be a nice way to end way to end a class, an article and a BG scription on rethorics. It was as finally Aristotle took my attention. So I decide to read more. And in that I came in touch with the translations of Ben Schomaker. Especially his translation of the Metaphysica id really phenomenal. Now because he, but also Aristotle himself is refering so much to other Greek Philosopers, apart from Plato I re-read certain parts of thier fragments again. And I must say the deeper I dive the more interesting it gets. Where I first only read Plato, I now learn more about the envoirement, the ideas in which Plato was working.  

Its like ever since Sophia arrived, but also since she went back I hardly take the time to write my blog. Certainly when she was here I had other things to do, or better say she was quite busy with writing hers, to keep all her friends updated that were following her events here in Europe and were eagerly waiting for a new update. Even now she still keeps on updating new pictures and stories about NL on her blog. And there still is so much that she has not yet posted. However now that all our pictures, of NL, Lux, Paris and our previous times are all updated on our Flickr account I think it will go faster and faster, simply  because now its its more easy for her. Im trying to create a link from my blog to our account there, but for now I still have not worked it out. It appears that we first have invite certain people for that or something. However Im quite the oposite of her and should write here, alot more often.

 

I just ended the third week of my new studyyear and I think I can say that Im all the way in it again by now. I definatly was out for 2 long mouths, in which I was very far away from school and study (really have not been in Gr for 2 mounths) so I think I had enough time to reload and go for it again, all the way. And that what I do now. And perhaps its more intense that ever, but I have to say more interesting too. Although I still spend most of my time reading. Reading for exams, to prepare already but also to to read more and find your way through certain literature and try to see if we can find a way to forumulate a research question on atleast 2 subjects. One has to be related to the period of Hellinism, and there I must say Im still shaping myself more, but I think something with education of kings, philosophers where they sought inspiration, the building of libraries, something like this. For exotism, by far my favorite class that I follow now I think its a very easy subject. Since its about how the west was always seeing the west, I think a essay about how the west saw China is only logical. And I think for my master Im going to try to write about how China saw the west. Howver this is a cultural history class so its possible Im not allowed to do that since I graduate in political history. For me both subjects are amazingly interesting and worth researching. So I should find out if I can find some specific literature about it. And if possible for both subjects.

 

The rest of the classes are merely obligated for me, and especially Logic and Sophists are not so much drawing my attention than it should be. The class on Sopjists is too much focussing on philosophical ideas, while Im more interested in thier rethorics, and what they indeed were teaching to the Greeks. Rethorics already has drewn my attention ever since I began to read Greek philopsophy. I recently read the famous Rethorics of Aristotle and what a fabulous book. And really opened up my way to read more of Aristotle, and as you can read on one of my other entried Im really really touched by the Metaphysics and the translations of Ben Schomaker. Only too bad that he only translated 3 of his books. He really should do more. But as I understood the translating of the Metaphysics already costed him 15 years, so I think I have to read Aristotle in other translations. Really would like to see the Organon (his works on Logic) translated in Dutch. I have his complete works in English but that is not always so easy to follow. And in Dutch its so much better.

 

In the meantime Sophia will finally make her debute as a teacher, so she will be Shao Lao Shi soon. My father already joked 'So now my son,  my daughter and my daughter in alw will be a teacher.' And I know that he really has a secret wish to be a teacher too. He is even qualified tutor in his field. So he is licensesed to train people in his work, that come for practice from a school or something. And I always have the feeling He liked to do this most of all. So even as a securityguide he is taking care of the new ones and train them and guide them to get used to every possible situation and instruct them what to do. However I dont know if I ever will be a teacher, its indeed something that I think about more and more, but perhaps there are other options too. But I do believe that Sophia is a natural talent as a teacher. I never saw her teach, but if she can score so high in a competition. But even more from the way she is talking about it, I really feel she is feeling what a real teacher should feel. Where she really wants to help a student to become better in a certain field, I want to teach them moral, make them understand themself better, the place they live in and more I want to contribute to create civilized people. So we teach with different purpuse, but perhaps the fields I am qualified to teach are also more suitable for shaping people, to think about thier own self, thier own culture and identity. Anyway I have no doubt that she will do really good and will get a fantastic teacher. I was however very very surprised to hear that she will have to teach for about 200 persons. I think I will feel very nervous, but to me great surprise she almost only lifted her shoulders, and said 'I already expected that'.

 

Last week finally the new film of Paul Verhoeven was released. So for mounths already the tension was very high here since its his first Dutch film in about 20 years or so. And the fact is that the results are no less than stunning. As  one of my colleages said too, you hardly feel its Dutch movie. So a very potential Oscar Candidate I must say, and a sure winner if the subject was not so daring and controversial. It covers one of our lesser known, lesser proud parts of history and the way the Dutch adapted to Germans. I must say a way that we should really not be proud off. And the movie is really showing the effects of these things on people that tried to do good. A big 2 thumbs up.   

My reflections on Paris

 

Today it is exactly 2 mounths ago that I took the bus with Sophia to Paris. Therefor I think its fair to publish some thoughts to that. I think now after such a time its really a right time to do that. However I already wanted to write something on Paris already for quite some time, but I think the impressions the trip left in my mind are too overwelming and if I think of a highlight, I have no idea where to begin. Ofcourse the whole trips impression is mainly clowded by that moment I asked Sophia to marry me on the Eifel Tower on 14/07 (Bastille day), but there were so much other amazing moments as we'll. The start was how to say a bit unsure and when we left we felt a bit, unprepared, although it appears that eventually everything came right on its feet and did we indeed had a great time. The bus trip was very good, the hotel was very good too, especially the second room we had there. We could cook our own food and so we indeed were very lucky.

 

First I'd I like to say something about Paris's reputation. I still try to find out if I find that this reputation is indeed we'll deserved or not. You see I have seen alot more places that can be called a city for lovers. As Venice for example, but I keep on wondering why Paris got the credit and others are not. Since I still dont know if its justified or not. The over all impression would be to state that it indeed was very romantic, but I think no matter where you go its always romantic as long as you are travelling with your lover. Since Sophia with me and we were on our engagementtrip no doubt that our mood and our views where much more romantically colored as they normally would be. But its true that Paris is a famous place, a place that is known for this preticulair atmosphere and perhaps it indeed made our romantic mood more strong. Fact it that the time I had there was indeed extremely romantic. I cannot think of one moment when we did not feel this very strongly. It was a city where we kissed and hugged a great deal. Simply because our moods were asking for it. And there is something extremely lovely on kissing your darling at the riverbank of the Seine or on top of the Eifel Tower. I think its the kind of thing all lovers are longing for and should I think. So in that way I can greatly recomend any couple to go there. Atleast if left an amazingly deep impression on both of us, and the way we felt while we were in Paris. Truly as if we were in paradise.

 

The second impression that is still present in my mind is Paris as a historical place. Is it indeed as packed with history as they say. I think I can only confirm that it is. However not from different periods of time, as Istanbul or Rome but only as a Baroque city I think this city is splendid, and indeed shows why it has been an example to so many other cities in Europe. And the list of things is too long to give. But of all the things the thing that kept on going through my mind is the specific places that are linked to the French Revolution of 1789 (Cos there are more revolutions  that took place there). And unfortunatly much has already been destroyed by the Revolutionaries or others. So the Bastille, The Manege are all gone. But the Tulleries, Concorde Square, Versailles and so on are still all there. And I think that is something I have to say about Versailles, indeed it has a remarkable history if you speak of the French Revolution and in Versailles a glimpse of this is still visible. I greatly apreciated that. For the rest most buildings you see are mainly from the age of Baroque and that gets a bit boring after a while, cos its like there just no end. Louvre, Versailles, Hotel De Ville, Hotel des Armes, Grand Palais, and so many other buildings are all built in this same style. And fact is that they were a bit too free with the goldpaint in that era, and that is not really contributing to the beauty of the buildings most of the time. Certainly not the inside. However it did left some great great specimens behind. For us THE highlight was problably The Louvre. A place so packed with history that you can only can get an idea if you have been inside yourself. The list is endless, although it leaves you also with a bitter aftertaste if you reallize how the French came in posession of all these beautifull things that were never thiers to take in the first place. That is regretfull but atleast they are safe here and for the history of menkind and for the preservation of these things I think that is what really matters. Now the problem with the Louvre is this. Its not only the collection that baffles you, but also its the inside of the building itself that is astounding you over and over. So in a way you have 2 things you have to look at. This 2 things together indeed will take you more than one day to see. I know that for sure. We really really rushed after a while and both have the idea that we perhaps should not have done that. We also regret that we did not take an audioguide with us. But then it will indeed have taken us 2 days. Next time we will book 2 days for it, no doubt. I want to see the rest, study the things and hear about it as much as I can. For now, we simply skipped too much. However mainly paintings so thank god we say all the Ancient Historical things.

 

Another higlight was the Notre Dame. Ever since I saw that church I keep on wondering if I will ever see any place that is so impressive as this one. I think now only the St. Peter can maybe compete with this place. Also THE example of how to build a massively impressive church this place is packed with history, and if not the building then the place where it has been built. Sophia agreed quite right that this is the most impressive Church we have seen till now. This church leaves you speachless and it did so to us.

 

The other really deep impression that I still keep in my mind is the view from the Eifel Tower. If its a good day, the view is totally amazing. If you follow over the Seine, or see all the other buildings and the Ark Of Triumph, so amazing. I always thought the Eifel Tower is nothing more than a tower of metal, but when you climb the stairs and have a close look around you, I think that is exactly why this tower is indeed so impressive. And I think its one of the view towers that is completely made of Iron that I know off. However I think most people go up for the view and I think that they should. Its only too bad that the first time we aproached it from the back. Later on we say it at night, but also from the front and that is indeed a much much more impressive view. From the Eifeltower we went to see the Arc Of Triumph. Another greatly impressive place. And a place much more impressive than I expected. I always thought its an arc, what is the big deal ? But there is a big deal cos if you look underneath and around you will feel why its so impressive because it blew me away. Only too bad that that we could not take longer to observe it more carefully.    

 

All in all I think I can speak for both if I say that we really want to go back to Paris and continue our discovery there. I really really long for that. I always had a somewhat bad idea about Paris, but I truly went to see that perhaps I was not entirely right. But then I was with such lovely company that one can wonder how it could have been otherwise.

 

Day one :

We took the bus : Utrecht, Antwerpen, Brussel, Mons, Lille, Paris. We searched for the hotel, checked in and did some shopping and cooked our own meal. After that we went to see the Notre Dame and Hotel De Ville by night. Very impressive.

 

Day two :

We looked around on the island. Over Ponte Neuf to the Concierge. From there to the Notre Damme, The Saint Chappel and the second Island.

 

Day three :

Saw the louvre.

 

Day four :

Started with the Eifeltower, then the Ark Of Triumph and walked over de de Camps Elisee to Concorde Square and then all the way down to the Louvre, where we took alot of pictures from the outside.

 

Day five :

We went to see Moulin Rouge, Santa Cour, Opera house, La Fayette, And from there back to the Eifel Tower. This time to see it from the front.

 

Day six :

Versailles and Eiffeltower and ark Of Triumph at night.

 

Day seven :

Hotel des Invallides, Napoleons tomb, and to the Camp Elisee to meet Yan & Richard, and do some shopping.

 

Day eight :

Some last shopping and then back home over the same route as we came.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that the first week of class has come to an end I can fairly say that it has been a hectical, busy and a hectical week. This had mainly to do with the statting up of the new year and all the things that go along with this. Ouf of this there is one thing that really killed me and that was the endless confusion that is present in almost everything you do. But perhaps that is what one of my teachers called 'The Logic of the bureaucratic system'. But when you become a victim of this logic yourself its really not so funny anymore. Apart from that I think that life on the acadeny is really more interesting as a master student. Finally it appears that I get for what I came to university in the first place and can I give my opinion, do I have to comment on other historians and give my own opinion. In how far this counts is something Im willing to find out. So this mainly means that classes are superinteresting, because the aproach is lesser educational and more active. I wanted to do a class in the influence of the press in early modern history but it was already booked full. So I had to pick another class. This is how I ended up with out professor in Ancient History that gave a course about the Citystates (Poleis) in the time Hellenism (323 BC till 31 BC). At first I did not realize that Hellenism was the subject, since the title has a somewhat misleading character. Not untill he told me I began to realize that I should have chosen this course right away. The time of Hellenism is amongst my most favourable subjects in the entire history of mankind. And will remind me to one of the courses of one of my most beloved teachers in HBO that gave a class on Hellism in the 4th year of our study, and to which I still refer as one of the highlights of the entire 4 years. This course was from time to time contineud in a private atmosphere in which he and me chatted in some more detail and about specific subjects that were interesting the both of us. The personality Alexander The Great (one of my personal greatest heroes) is constantly present on the background. I picked up this interest in this age again for my BG scription for Philosophy because many of the origins of scepticism are abble to be traced back to this period. So I read very substantial parts of 'The Cambridge History Of Philosophy'. So all in all Im very willing to learn some more about this period of time and Im curious where this course will go. I already agreed to do something on philosophy here so Im very very curious indeed. Especially cos the extreme enthousiasm of my professor Onno Van Laaf.

 

This cointineus on wednesday with the least interesting class of the week on political scandals. The idea is to learn how to debate and defend your own standpoints. Have I not taken enough classes in rhetorics, debating, argumenting, Logic and the philosophy of language already I wonder. I guess not. So every week I have to comment on an article so Im curious what they are going to find of my first comment in which I fiercely attack te author on his standpoints, but also the way the article is written. Lets say that I directly have pushed my own ideas right to the limit and that I do a fierce attemt to find out to which content we indeed can give our own opinion. Therefor I mainly used a philosophers argument and not a historical argument. I found out that the more I read I find out that I see the world covered in rethorical tricks and attemts to to persway others from someones right. As Habermas would say 'Every utterance is defacto a claim on the truth. The only problem is that not attemts provide a proper foundation'. When you see the word through this sentence you begin to see a very different world. And most of all, it makes you yourself a very carefull person. So the debate teusday can becom to get really really great fun indeed.

 

Then I have a class on thursdaymorning from which Im still not 100 % sure accepted. The problem was that you have to register in 2 ways and that I only knew that you must register in one way. So through that this class was already booked full. That is quite bad since its a class on Exotism. And the book that we use for that is that one of Edward Said's Orientalism. One of the most interesting and daring books I read in the last couple of years and with whom ideas I sympathise in a great great deal. The book Orientalism is a straight pageturner and that is rare for a philosophy book. The idea is to take a closer look to the way that westerns took over Oriental ideas and what influences this had. When I read about it I realized this is my class. And the program looks extremely promising for sure. Now I only hope that i will be accepted into the class. So I mailed the teacher in the hope that if another student cancel his subscription I will be the first one that can take his place. Cos I think that the course can be a nice next step in my search for learning more about these kind of ideas. And especially if I want to publish something on Chinese history I think its fair to know a bit more about this, so that I will not fall into the same trap as Said thought so many other academics stepped. Another book of him that is high on my reading agenda is his book 'Imperial Culture'. It was mainly about this book that Judith Vega was introducing me too before the study year ended.  

 

Then we continue with a class that is truly my kind. Since its about the philosophies on beauty of Kant & Schopenhauer. Both wrote very very important books on this theme. Kant in the Critique Of Judgement and Schopenhauer in The Will As Will And Imagination. Especially Kants book is concidered as one of his toughest books, or even one of the tougest books in the entire history of western philosophy. But amazingly influential since from here Schopenhauer took it over and from there in entered the 20th Century with Adorno, Gadamer and so on. As always is the book of Schopenhauer extremely we'll written and a book of rare beauty inwithin philosophy. I already read a few of his passages and some other things of Schopehauer years ago, so I really need a firm refreshment. Of all the philosophers I think no-one wrote more about music and art than he did and therefor it was by no surprise that a composer as Wagner loved him so much and raved about his works so often. What I understood now is that he tried to Link Plato and Kant together or show that they use different words but actually mean the same thing. My studyfriend Rudy Diekstra reminded me once more in our first class to the fact that I should read the part of Schopenhauer on Kant, in The World.... there is a chapter called 'Critique On Kant'. Now I indeed wanted to read it already for so long, but over and over it slipped my mind.  

 

The week is ending with a course about the Sophists. A class that I get from Job Van Eck. Now was I not really in for taking this class, but because I graduate in 'The History Of Philosophy' I have to take one class in Ancient Philosophy. I thought U could compensate it with another class, but appears that I cannot. So in other words Im obliged. Now did I had class of Van Eck before and I cannot really say that I always liked his way of teaching or his ideas. Maybe I understood him wrong the then, but I did not have the idea he was really apreciating Plato. That hurts me. However I must say that this introduction class of last week was quite quite good. And he created a interesting field and drew a nice line in which we will continue this course. Im very curious where this will end. Although I must say that I think one of my studymates was right when he said 'It will be extremely tough for you and you are going to get a hard time'. With that he was refering to my ideas on philosophy and in within that the pre-postmodern ideas of the Sophists do not really fit. I do not like philosophers that only criticise but give nothing in return. Already with Language & Power of Vega I got introduced to some philosophers that were giving me the creeps as Rorty or Derrida. So since the fact I cannot digest this philosophers I indeed seem to be known as a modernist. And its defenetly true that I enjoy the reading of Kant, descartes, Spinoza, Hobbes or Schopenhauer much much more. These people had thier agenda too, but atleast after they broke everything down they gave the world something in return. Im happy that trugh the Franforter Schulle and these days Jurgen Habermas there still are philosophers that are expanding and continuing the modern ideas, rather than the post-modern. Although I must say that of these post-modern thinkers I have a great interest for Michel Foucault as we'll. But that is as far as my post modern respect goes.

 

In the last days of my holiday I used my time to read the 'Rethoric' of Aristotle. Now was I never really a fan of Aristotle, but I must say that I truly begin to change my mind. I remember in class on 'Historical Methods' Lodi Nauta made the remark on Aristotle that he was a unique one in his kind. So I told him that I tried but could not really digest the dry writings and that I did not see where the fuss was all about. While reading the Rethoric I began to realize that actually its not dry but just plainly systematic and so clearly marked. Also the book is a very very vaulable course in how to use certain tools to persway or to convince people, to give them exactly that feeling you want and so on, and so I must say that its quite impressive. So when I finnished it I decide to take the step (finally) and begin to read one of the most important books ever written. Namely his 'Metafysica'. The first part of this book has recently been translated in Dutch and the second part will be released this year. The translater Ben Schomaker had made quite something of it. It starts with a introduction on Aristotle, his life and his thoughts and ofcourse more detailed explenations on how to interpret the Metafysica. That is the first book. The second and the third are the actual Metafysica. Every chapter is introduced first by a lengthly guide, before you can begin to read and understand what you read. The fourth is a extra book with all kinds of essays that will go deeper in on certain apects of the book, and a dictionary in which you can look up certain words. Al in all 4 books and a total 22/2300 pages. So I think indeed the most detailed and we'll done version that is ever been written on the Metafysica. And if there are Dutch that do want to read it, no doubt they should read this book. What I read till now is fabulous for sure. The way aristotle is reasoning is really really sceintific. I would almost say, if you want an example on how to write a scientific book, read this book. He so clearly is working in a way that we still now, that it would be fait to make him the father of modern Science. First discussing all the thoeries that went before him, comment on them and then out of that filters his own thought, brilliant. A way and a strategy that I should keep in mind. I think only for that its already worth to read the book.

 

But then come the inevitable moments that Im not reading, working, following class or travel. The moments that Im alone and that I can put my mind at ease. Soon already these are the moments that my mind of floating away to my darling and the time that we had the last 2 mounths. It was indeed extremely beautifull, thats all I can say. And thinking about it is therefor painfull, cos you long back so much to something you cannot return to, yes. We so much have to be patient. As Sophia also mentioned, its a very lovely thing to look through all the pictures and recall certain memories. And I must say that I indeed like to do that very much. Especially the beginning of her arrival here, the first week, before we left for Paris is really something that keeps on going through my mind. That first thursday of her arrival, whenm I picked her up. The big flag that was welcoming her. And our one year anniversary. The first dinner in the Chinese restaurant. Too many things to name here. All in all I think more and more that we indeed had quite a busy program. Maybe a little bit too busy. We both had the idea to take it more easy this time, and indeed even while it was not so busy as it was in the Chinese newyear I think we still did alot and alot of things. But from the other side Im very glad, cos now atleast I gave her a solid and fair impression of the country. I showed her several cities that were of historical significance and she atleast has a much better idea now how it is to live in NL. When she told me in Den Haag 'I have much for faith and confidence now for my future life in NL', I knew that I did a good job. I really cant wait to wecome her again on the airport the next time. Still so many things that we talked about that did not doo or went too. Perhaps I should make a list with things.