Something from Philosophy lecture today (the text in italics are my own inserted comments, the rest come from the slides)

Source: http://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/phihjc/PH1101EGEM1004/index.html


A parable from “The Simpsons”: an episode entitled, “Homer Defined”.

The Springfield Nuclear Power Plant is melting down and (as Professor Frink explains) everyone will die.

Only one man can save the situation: Homer Simpson (who works in the control room of the plant)

Luckily, he is a man with a method. “Eenie, meenie, miney. . . . Moe!”

Homer hits the right button, and everyone is saved.

Homer is then invited to be an inspirational speaker about Virtue - whether it is innate, or teachable, or something you practice.

During the session, Aristotle asks, ‘Do you even know what button you pushed?’

Homer: ‘Sure. Moe.’




And so Napoleon is now inclined to comment:
‘Do not show me a nuclear technician who is knowledgeable. What I want is Homer Simpson.’



Note: the quotes of Napoleon are a running gag throughout this lecture.

Napoleon’s original quote:
Do not show me a general who is good. I want one who is lucky.

So what will Napoleon likely think of scientists?
Do not show me a scientist who is good. I want one who is lucky.

So now you see where the Homer Simpson quote adds up?


Back to Homer Simpson – how do we define Homer?

Homer
/noun/
1. American bonehead
2. ‘to pull a homer’; to succeed despite idiocy.


Synonyms…

Stupid
\adj\ [L stupidus]
1. Slow of mind.
2. Unintelligent.
3. Homer Simpson.

Lucky \adj\
1. Prone to good fortune.
2. Succeeding through chance.
3. Homer Simpson.

Fraud \noun\
1. Imposter.
2. Fake.
3. Homer Simpson.



View episode synopsis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Defined


Adapted from Lecture 8: From Plato to Descartes, by Assistant Professor John Holbo, Philosophy Department, National University of Singapore