A Public-Space Justice Site
MIRROR SITES: Dear Habermas at UWP - Dear Habermas at CSUDH
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Created: December 13, 2009
Latest Update: December 13, 2009
takata@uwp.edu
jeannecurran@habermas.org
Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers)
Is there an index?
Yes. Link on Site Index under the Blue Angel , right next to the Home link.. The file link is "siteindxaj.htm". From that page you can link to all index letters, a - z. The aj is attached to the file name because we split the index into 2 files for ease of loading. We're in the process of updating the index now. jeanne
- Where do I find what's NEW on the site?
Link to the New icon in the upper right hand corner of every page. This will take you to "newstuff.htm". If you want to follow the changes and addition to all the files on the site, link on the Blue Angel icon in the upper left-hand corner of each page on the site.
Link to jeanne's world myworldjlatest.htm for her most recent letter to the community of what's happening in our world.
Link to Susan's world for her most recent message to students.
- If I asked jeanne to fix a link or put up something that's missing, how can I tell if she's done it yet?
Link on the Blue Angel icon and see if jeanne has worked on that file recently. If not, send her another message. She might have just had too much on her plate. It's OK to nag her. She won't get anything done if you don't.
- Is there a counter for hits on Dear Habermas?
There was, but when Microsoft took it over, I gave up. We were already over 200,000 hits, and it didn't really seem to matter anymore.
Who maintains the site?
Jeanne Curran, Prof. Emeritus, Department of Sociology, Californai State University, Dominguez Hills.
- What if you "fuss at me"? What would that mean for my grade?
Absolutely nothing. The fussing would be a reminder that we must respect each other, or that you have confused fact and opinion, or that you have mis-stated a fact, or that you have made the arguable presumption that there is a "right" answer, whatever. Susan and I would like you to acknowledge that you understand what we are fussing about, so that we are assured your skills in discourse are growing. That's important to help you develop the skills of critical consciousness dialog, which is one plausible foundation of governance discourse in a democracy. Critical consciusness is essential to freedom and justice for all.
This is the feedback that is poorly accomplished through testing. We find it more effective as tiny course corrections in an on-going critical consciousness dialog.
- Sometimes discussions get pretty heated. What if we say something we don't mean, and then later re-think it and want to change what we said?
Post that. Tell us that after thinking about it, you want to change your conclusion. That's what illocutionary discourse is about. That's precisely why we need and have these discussions.
- What are "frozen words?"
Rabelais' story of "frozen words" - words we've said and can't unsay. Lots easier to say "I've changed my mind" if you didn't just call someone an idiot for having disagreed with you. That's why we don't permit name calling. Sometimes you'll be surprised that what seemed like a stupid idea fifteen minutes ago suddenly looks quite reasonable.
- Do I get a good grade by posting the "right" answer?
No. As far as Susan and I are concerned there are no "right" answers. You get a good grade for participating effectively in critical consciousness raising. That is, thinking deeply and seriously about what you believe and why, and paying equal good faith attention to what others believe and why. In order to participate in good faith in our dialogs you must have read the basic essay on the topic of the week. It would be pretty near impossible to ask intelligent questions or contribute to the dialog if you hadn't done that.
- Do I get a good grade for changing my mind about an issue?
No. Our purpose is not to get you to choose one perspective over another. Our purpose is to get you to think critically and be aware of the many perspectives. Your conclusion is yours. Consensus is an unlikely state of affairs. We are trying to understand one another, not agree on everything.
- Suppose I'm not sure about why I think a given position is "right." Can I ask someone outside class to help me figure that out? Could I post what I figure out with someone else?
Yes, of course you can. Remember plagiarism is taking someone else's ideas and presenting them as your own. So it's important when you post an answer in which another participated that you acknowledge that other as having contributed.
- Could I post a question or a plausible answer that I found on the Internet?
Absolutely. Remember plagiarism is taking someone else's ideas and presenting them as your own. So it's important when you post an answer you've come across on the Internet that you give credit to the site and identify its URL so others can check it, too, if they wish.
- What if I want to say something in the forum, something that I think is right, but I don't have any source to back it up?
Post that this is what you feel or think, and the group will help you figure out the critical consciousness component of why you think that. The process is called "tiotoling," after Lyotard, talking in order to listen." (from a Postmodernist Therapist''s list-serv.) One of the wonderful things about discourse is that as we ask and answer little questions we come to get an outline of the thinking that produces the answers. Then when you have a plausible answer for why you think what you do (It may not be the "right" answer; it's just a possibility that should remain open to later tiotoling.) you have completed critical consciousness on that subject. For that task, you have an A, collaboratively earned with others.
- What does it take to get an A in jeanne's class?
You have to be sure that jeanne knows how you have used critical consciousness to help support your own local community.
- What if I prefer to lurk and listen instead of writing?
Welcome to it. Sometimes that's a good way to learn. You should let jeanne know that you are lurking, if not writing.You can communicate your use of critical consciousness to jeanne by putting together messages in plain English, sharing them with others, and making sure that jeanne has a written record of your experiences.
- Why do I have to make boxes, or cards, or bookmarks, whatever?
Because jeanne is an artist and wants you to learn the importance of the visual in communication. Also, a small, inexpensive token of the dialog you have with others reminds them of the experience and keeps it alive in their minds long enough for them to mull it over. That's how we build community-based dialog.
- Can I use music to enhance communication?
You bet. But you're on your own. jeanne is tone deaf.
- Why aren't there any tests?
Tests focus on banked education, and this is a course in process. A test can't measure your experience of community-building.
For jeanne's horror of testing in general, see Rescuing Our Schools from "Tougher Standards".
- How does somebody that I never see in class get an A?
The same way you do. By participating in theory and praxis discussion in our forum, by engaging others in community-building, and by making sure that the teacher has a record of what they've done. Lectures are posted on the Dear Habermas website so that you can stay current in your reading. You do need to interact with classmates, either at CSUDH and/or at UWP. This is a class in communication and community building, so you must work collaboratively with others. That's how we build communities.
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