A Professor Came to Class Dressed in a Formal Shirt

question 84

Essay

A professor came to class dressed in a formal shirt and tie. He stated that he would like to explain the concept of self. He took off his tie and shirt. Underneath he had on a t-shirt with a picture of a handsome tennis player on the front. Then the professor turned around to show a picture of a cartoon clown on the back. "All of these express who I am," he said. What point was the professor trying to make? What did his choice of varying dress forms and associated iconic symbols most likely represent?

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Definitions:

Diffusion of Innovation

A theory that explains how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures or social structures.

Saddle Point

In mathematical optimization, a saddle point is a point on the surface of the graph of a function where the slopes (derivatives) in orthogonal directions are all zero, but which is not a local extremum (minimum or maximum) of the function.

Soren Kierkegaard

A Danish philosopher and theologian considered the first existentialist philosopher, known for his critiques of Hegel and the Danish church and his exploration of the complexities of human existence.

Movers and Drifters

Individuals who are actively seeking opportunities for advancement and change (movers) compared to those who lack direction and goals (drifters).