Further Academic Pursuits
Sep. 2nd, 2022 09:29 amA couple of weeks ago I received a bound copy of my Master's of Higher Education thesis from the University of Otago which is available online. I must confess that it really could have been done with a more thorough edit, but I really wanted to just get it done and move on, especially due to some rather distressing personal events. Still, a Credit grade, especially when it is completed a year early, is "just good enough" in my books. I still have plans to get to Dunedin in December for the graduation ceremony, a little city which I miss a great deal. The thesis itself does look rather nice on the bookshelf, and for reasons of pure vanity, it does make me think I should consider getting my other theses bound as well (i.e., Honours, Master's in Science theses).
As for my current academic studies, the Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology, I've finished editing the current assignment under the prickly question: "When do you consider a person to be an adult?" Using formal pragmatics (as I invariably do) I have differentiated between the domains of biology, neurology, behaviour, law, morality, agency, and etymology, along with recognising individual variation. I think one of the biggest issues is effectively domain confusion and I find myself drawn to Wittgenstein's pithy comment which, whilst based in philosophy, can apply to almost any subject (everything comes back to philosophy) i.e., "Most of the propositions and questions of philosophers arise from our failure to understand the logic of our language." The next assignment, which I have made a start on, is just as curly: "What do you think helps make a successful transition into old age?"
With all this in mind, I have also been giving consideration for next year's studies, because I am not quite ready to stop yet. I have half a Graduate Diploma in Economics finished from the University of London, LSE, but the administration of that place is so bad I just cannot continue. As a result, I have made initial inquiries for Massey University which also runs that subject. The other option, at Victoria University in Wellington, is a Master's in Climate Science and Policy, which would really suit the business project I am involved in. Knowing me, it is not implausible that I will do both.
As for my current academic studies, the Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology, I've finished editing the current assignment under the prickly question: "When do you consider a person to be an adult?" Using formal pragmatics (as I invariably do) I have differentiated between the domains of biology, neurology, behaviour, law, morality, agency, and etymology, along with recognising individual variation. I think one of the biggest issues is effectively domain confusion and I find myself drawn to Wittgenstein's pithy comment which, whilst based in philosophy, can apply to almost any subject (everything comes back to philosophy) i.e., "Most of the propositions and questions of philosophers arise from our failure to understand the logic of our language." The next assignment, which I have made a start on, is just as curly: "What do you think helps make a successful transition into old age?"
With all this in mind, I have also been giving consideration for next year's studies, because I am not quite ready to stop yet. I have half a Graduate Diploma in Economics finished from the University of London, LSE, but the administration of that place is so bad I just cannot continue. As a result, I have made initial inquiries for Massey University which also runs that subject. The other option, at Victoria University in Wellington, is a Master's in Climate Science and Policy, which would really suit the business project I am involved in. Knowing me, it is not implausible that I will do both.