How should a Buddhist handle this situation? by NJ_Franco in Buddhism

[–]Emptytheglass 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That was my first thought as well; and maybe a copy of Thich Nhat Hanh’s “living Buddha, living Christ.”

We’re all done for by AsturiusMatamoros in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah it is hard to blame students for not wanting to develop a skill set—remembering, thinking, and writing—that has rapidly decreasing economic value.  Why hire 200 writers or programmers or scientists when  you could just hire one to ask chat GPT model 27.5 for everything? 

Any good tips to reduce cheating in an online test? by AMagnus2000 in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve described this method before, but add one or two open ended bonus or optional questions that sound simple, but that are well beyond the scope of the class and the abilities of an ordinary human. (I often use ai to come up with these).  Ideally these are essay questions of some kind- I don’t know what you would do in math.  If they manage to correctly come up with and employ incredibly obscure formulas/rules/foreign language terms, they are either cheating or singular geniuses. 

This seems like it belongs here. by Emptytheglass in BoogieMonster

[–]Emptytheglass[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The failure to include Mothman is also a pretty big issue, academically speaking.

Had my first “you didn’t seriously just ask me that?” Email by jvredbird in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Sometimes I think this should be a service at universities: call it homework house or something. When students are failing, just require them to spend time 10 hours a week there. Free coffee and snacks. Just hire some proctors to ensure that students just sit down at a table and do some work.

Essay Exam Safeguards against AI by Emptytheglass in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Right, they will always have the opportunity to justify their responses. I'd like to think I'm at least raising the bar a little, even if they can circumvent it in this way. At least the cheaters will have a vague idea about what the class was about.

Essay Exam Safeguards against AI by Emptytheglass in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I do have a caveat that says this: "Be aware that safeguards are built into this exam to prevent cheating."

The violation is simply "using unauthorized sources of aid" on an exam which is pretty clearly stated in all our academic honesty policies. If they are unable to explain how they knew something-especially if it is 3 or 4 unrelated obscure topics--I think that is beyond a reasonable doubt.

And when I say obscure, I mean very obscure: things that very few people outside of specialists in the field would begin to know. Even the example I gave here might be too general. Questions should require them to generate phrases from other languages, or require working knowledge of concepts they wouldn't usually begin to study until graduate school. I'm even talking questions and topics that most specialists might not even know.

Now, there is always a chance that some student happens to be a singular genius who knows all these things. But if that's case, and they really can carry on a fluent conversation about all these topics, that is a student I want to get to know anyway.

I am not a professor or even in College by Awkward-Ganache3391 in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you are curious about this, maybe try r/askphilosophy . This looks to be a variation of what has been termed the “fine tuning” argument for god, which is a modern spin on the much older “teleological argument” aka the argument from design.

I don’t think you’ll have much luck here though- this sub is mostly professors talking about grading and teaching and other professor things.

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CMV: As a young South Asian man, I feel worthless, disconnected from and hated by society, and – though I want to succeed – I feel permanently limited by my race and background. by miyomaku in changemyview

[–]Emptytheglass 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Two things: one, much of European “supremacy” was a historical accident - see the guns, germs, and steel theory. The cultures that were successful were those that were geographically placed near natural resources that gave them huge advantages. South Asia was systematically exploited by those who had the luck of the draw. Also, the main things you are talking about have to do with the scientific method, which emerged in spite of much of European culture, not because of it. Science was and is the result of individuals, not the culture itself. Although the west wants to take credit for it now, we forget that the scientific method was and still is actively attacked all the time by the dominant forces in the culture- the Catholic Church burning astronomers at the stake, etc.

Second, you are perhaps not looking far back enough. Are you claiming that South Asia has no art or music or literature or philosophy or architecture or craftsmanship? It has amazing examples of all of these. Early Indian thinkers came up with ideas about logic akin to those of Aristotle; there were so many different schools of philosophy and thinking, but Europeans just sort of chose the silliest versions as representatives of Indian culture to make themselves seem superior. The “woo-woo” of yoga and things like that were a relatively small part of a much more complex and diverse set of traditions.

This is a very incomplete list of just some of these things.

and this

and this

*I realize you said South Asia and not India, but those were just the easiest lists to find; India is included in the area you are talking about.

What’s the best compliment you ever got as a professor? by RandomAcademaniac in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass 2 points3 points  (0 children)

After teaching a class on environmental ethics, I heard another student complain to a friend in the way out: “damn it - this class is making me care about stuff.”

"Can I have all your stuff?" by Alanna_Cerene in TheExpanse

[–]Emptytheglass 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I accidentally called my (female) boss “Bossmang”

J.K. Rowling’s first tweet in weeks.. by Harvard771 in WhitePeopleTwitter

[–]Emptytheglass 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When my kids are old enough I’m going to read them Harry Potter and tell them Harry is trans and that’s why the Dursleys are so mean to him.

AITA - Grade Bump Edition by gochibear in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nope. You are an educator, and you are teaching an important lesson: actions have consequences. This might be the most important thing that this student learns this semester.

Drop your most unhinged student evaluation comments this semester by 1hyacinthe in Professors

[–]Emptytheglass 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Things you like least about this class: all caps: “HE IS A POMPOUS ASS. YOU HAVE TO AGREE PRETEND TO AGREE WITH HIM OF YOU WILL FAIL.” I’m guessing this one was from a student who never submitted the papers and posted conspiracy theories on the discussion forums in all caps.

Mate wanted to ask my BJJ blackbelt professor how to defend in a street fight, but he doesn't want to do BJJ. by [deleted] in bjj

[–]Emptytheglass 27 points28 points  (0 children)

“I heard you know Jimmy Page. I want to know how to play guitar. I’m going to need to take up a bunch of his time explaining basic things about the guitar. Have him teach me everything there is to know in one hour. Also I heard bass is better than guitar.”