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Thu 21 Aug, 2008 09:25 am
The Philosophical Dialog
A long time ago, I heard about a book that was written chapter by chapter by many authors. Each author had no idea what the other writers wanted to do with the theme or the character. The only thing they had to go on was the previous author's story so far.
I wanted to see if we could pull something off like that here on philosophyforum. I thought the best format would be a Socratic dialog. But anything goes, as long as it follows from the previous post. The dialog can be taken anywhere, as long as it includes the main character, Philoforus (get it? Philoforus = philosophyforum). You can speak in someone else's character, introduce a new one, kill one off (except Philosforus), anything can go.
REMEMBER!!! ANYONE CAN CHIME IN ON AND AS ANYONES CHARACTER OR AS A NEW CHARACTER THEMSELVES! JUST CARRY ON THE STORY LINE FROM THE LAST POST!
Here are a few rules to make the dialog approachable to others.
RULE 1: EACH POST OF DIALOG CAN ONLY BE THREE SENTENCES LONG Each addition to the story can only be 3 sentences long per post. Now within these three sentences it is up to you what to include. You can include a small bit of conversation between two, three, etc. people as long as it is only 3 sentences long. You can have a little more or a little less, just don't go overboard. It wouldn't be fair to the others.
RULE 2: YOU CAN ALSO HAVE THREE SENTENCES DESCRIBING SETTING AND ACTION IN ITALICS
On top of the actual dialog, you can also have three sentences describing the characters actions and settings.
RULE 3: YOU CAN WRITE AN EXTENDED POST OF 10 SENTENCES IF THE PREVIOUS POSTER WANTS ELABORATION ON YOUR THOUGHTS.
If the previous poster wants elaboration on your thoughts, you can write a reply post of 10 sentences. But no more than that. But the previous poster must expressly state that he/she wants that elaboration.
RULE 4: YOU CAN REPOST DIRECTLY AFTER YOUR PREVIOUS POST ONLY TO RESURRECT THE THREAD
Other than keeping the thread going, you should not post directly after your comment unless it is for the survival of the thread.
Also, you can add any short notes at the bottom in light blue at the end of your post.
@VideCorSpoon,
I like the idea immensely, and the name
, perfect.
But can it take place in a modern time. It just seems easier to incorporate a setting that everyone here would be familiar with, not one with a potential existent mainly hundreds of years ago. That way we get more people to participate. And we should start it on a new thread, let this one go for a while giving suggestions to how this would work. But I'll definitely be in this one.
Also, I think we should limit the characters too, otherwise it defies the point when each person invents their own character to develop. That would probably happen without a rule for that.:a-ok:
And what if two people respond/post at the same time?
@Holiday20310401,
"It is I, Philoforus," the fool gamboled upon the scence, an obvious fool. "Holiday90210 - pretending support while compromising the suggestion on every conceivable level."
Philoforus groaned inwardly, but couldn't help but smile as bells on the fools hat and toes tinkled to the rythm of his mad prancing...
"I'm Holiday - 9 0 2 1 0 - and I shall have music wherever I go..."
@VideCorSpoon,
Philoforus: Would you have music everywhere you go? Prey tell what music makes you dance so?
Holidaius: It is the melody of change, the tempo of the universe, the rhythm of the celestial bodies that move these corporeal limbs!
Philoforus: I must know more about this music, for it would surely enlighten the world. What is this music you speak of?
@VideCorSpoon,
"Do you not hear it? Ah that's so sad. Maybe only I hear it because I am mad."
[And with that Holiday90210, or Holidaius to his friends, danced off down the street. Whereupon 'A person emerges from the confines of the forum and approaches Philoforus.']
Philoforus: I wonder who that is?
"It is I, Philoforus..."
@iconoclast,
Philoforus: "Ah, Musonicus, just the togaed person I wanted to see."
Musonicus takes a seat next to Philoforus.
Musonicus: "What fortune I happened to walk by, the gods must favor you today."
Pilosoforus: "I was sitting here wondering about the Sun, when a man strolled by making what he called music, but what I thought was noise. Perhaps you can explain to me how noise can be thought of as music?"
@de Silentio,
Musonicus: Not at all Philosoforus. You see, the eastern tribes of Persia have a special dance that involves five people, three tambourines, and a large blunt instrument. Now when the King of the Persians gives the word, the group beats each other senseless in an attempt to make a sweet tune the King will like. It is truly a sweet and terrible melody. And on special occasions, such as the kings birthday, they include a burlap bag full of cats to provide a wonderful higher pitch to the song!
Philosoforus: But is that sound music?
Musonicus: Could a drum beat or a guitar song encapsulate the sheer thrill, terror, and pain as that Persian dance could?
@VideCorSpoon,
Philosophorus: What caught me up was this
(air quotes) blunt instrument you speak of. You see, I have never heard a "blunt instrument", so what grounds do I have to believe that it can make music and not only noise."
Musonicus: "Philosophorus, my friend, you have my word that it makes music, that must count for something"
Philosoforus: "Your name
is Musonicus"
@de Silentio,
I am afraid a really great idea has turned into something foolish and lame, but I'll put in my bit for this post to count.
Musonicus: I am not Musiconicus though, so music to be is just defined as expression in a creative manner. If you want appeal, through formal and actual significance, in which ideas and emotion are expressed without force, then a blunt instrument is not your kind of music. Musiconicus is just sitting over there reviewing a composition, and is happy to share a real view of music. Have a good day! *he runs off to a satanist meeting*.
Philosoforus: Ah, probably for the better.
:a-thought:
@Holiday20310401,
Holiday,
Musonicus reappears several minutes later, badly bruised and dirty.
Musonicus: Durring my run to my local Satanist meeting, I suddenly became infused with the ideals of the Gods and then slipped on a blunt instrument lying on the ground. I believe it was a Persian club of some kind. But in that moment, I realized that I may have a purer sense of music than
Musiconicus, the accomplished musician.
Philosoforus: How do you figure that?
Musonicus: Well, for one thing, Musiconicus is well versed in all music. But though he is versed in all manners of musicality, he has no sense to avail himself to music beyond the narrow confines of what he considers music. He is in a way trapped in his own ideas of "real" music.
@VideCorSpoon,
Sure, we might say that about philosophy, but "lame and foolish" can have more than just positive effects. In this instance, it is degrading to a potentially great conversation, but still funny I guess.
Philosoforus: Well I would plainly say music is a form of expression. With it being expressed through sound it is rationally lulling, in that there is no way to make moral sense of it. No thinking, no logic, lulling to the mind, sane in all aspects, human's way of creative, irrational, spiritual-in-a-way expression. That which is pure is simpler at heart but not necessarily narrowed in mind.
Musonicus: So... music should be expression like I said, and the difference here is I believe expression constitutes any form and is therefore music. But when Musiconicus puts the term music into the picture there must be sorm limit displaying a difference between the words music and expression.
Lord Wiki: I couldn't help but overhere your predicament. If I may clear things up, I believe music is this. Music - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Hope that helps you two out.
*Musonicus was murdered later that night by the fellow satanists he betrayed, through benevolent insight of God*.
@VideCorSpoon,
Philosoforus arrived the next day to speak with Musconicus, but found him dead. Philosoforus called the police constable Darkonicus over.
Philosoforus: Poor, poor Musonicus; I don't feel much like talking about music now.
Darkonicus: I'll get whoever is responsible and punish them, I promise you that Philosoforus.
Philosoforus: Ah but how are you going to punish them? Will it be in within your rights as law enforcement or will you bend those rules in order to deliver your "punishment"?
@Holiday20310401,
Philosoforus: You want me to choose and elaborate on this do you? I hope your not going to end up like Chief Wiggumus. Well since you mentioned about the wars, which I've totally forgotten about, let me say this. If whoever's done this dreadful murder gets away with this, it will be total anarchy! People can start killing each other, and the police would be powerless to stop them, bound by blasted morality and due process. We cannot and must not give in to these people! I say, I believe I will petition the Praetor to invoke the War Measurums Act and give you policemen more power to find the killer!
Darkonicus: My God; martial law?! Suspension of civil liberties? You can't be serious!
Philosoforus: Just watch me.
@Victor Eremita,
[Darkonius wailed pitifully and beat upon the breast of his corduroy toga.]
Darkonius: ‘And while lennon read a book of marx, the quartet practiced in the park, and we sang dirges in the dark, the day Musonicus died.’
Philoforus: You wail and cry for civil liberties Darkonius, but there is blood on the hem of your toga, and your scabbard is empty…
Darkonius: Very well, you have me Philoforus, I'm a Nietzchian/Satanist in the guise of a wishy-washy liberal, arguing for civil liberties to give me the freedom to own land and capital until other people are forced by penuary into submission to my WILL TO POWER....
@iconoclast,
It's interesting how potential Socratic dialog (at the time involving music) turned into;
a) the murder of musonicus
b) the introduction (and interest to convey) of a purely vengeful character on terms with the enlightened philosoforus.
c) Political power
d) the mentioning of Satan four times as the
Does that seem counter philosophical??? But still, Good stuff!!!
Philosoforus: But besides all that... the evilest thing you could come up with for your costume is corduroy?
Darkonius: Yes.
Philosoforus: So you would portray the fact that a fearful character such as yourself does not take the position seriously? That corduroy is in fact a symbol that you are a staunch pacifist???
@VideCorSpoon,
Darkonicus: It's what all the top pseudo-liberal, Nietzchian-Satanist capitalist murdering b*stards are wearing these days. Where have you been living - in the dark ages?
Philsoforus: But the dark ages haven't happened yet.
Darkonius: I..I...I meant the Neolitihic. But if we're so enlightened what causes the dark ages?
@iconoclast,
Philosoforus: Perhaps Azacus could be of some help in our conversation. Azacus, what are your thoughts on the style of Darkonius related to his particular beliefs?
Azacus: Does there need to be a particular style for a particular set of beliefs? If he wore pure white, would that make him any less dark?
Darkonius: As a "Nietzschian-Satanist liberal" I would say that the clothes define the person.
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