PHILOSOPHIC INQUIRIES

Is there anything better? Nej, friends, Nej. We are now two classes into the jurisprudence portion of “Comparative legal history and Contemporary jurisprudence”. Jurisprudence is just a big word that means philosophy of law. Philosophy, as you may or may not know, is one of my two loves. So I am well in my element in this class

The readings are much as I remember my readings from college. One of the last articles there was about how ‘natural law’ had its origins from the Greek philosophers. I got to read Plato for class. Joy! Anywho, I worry a bit. The rest of my classmates don’t seem to share my enthusiasm. I worry about talking too much in class. But today, for seminar #2 my friend Peter (Sweden) was back and me, him, and two Aussie’s got into a nice debate about whether legal positivists necessarily include moral considerations into their definition of ‘law’. We started yelling back and forth so much the prof. had to cut us off because the non native English speakers couldn’t follow. It was great. After class, Peter joined me for coffee at Värmlands and we continued our debate. (I love continuing debates!) Peter went to undergrad in the states, so he 1) speaks excellent English and 2) understands America and American law very well. Our talk drifted into other subjects. We compared the pedagogical differences between American and Swedish schools. We talked about current events and politics. We spoke of how we got where we are, and where we might go next. Good talk.

(By the way mom, this is the fellow I told you I knew from Gothenburg. He’ll give me the inside scoop, no worries). My mother is coming to visit me here in a month, and we’re going to Gothenburg.

FOOD

Saturday I was invited to a crepe lunch hosted by a French girl from class. It was a small affair, about 15 people, all told, and I knew a good half before I got there. 3 quarters were native French speakers, 1 quarter was Italian, and then there was me and one Swede.

Crepes can be eaten many ways, but the ‘offical’ French way (which I followed) was banana, melted chocolate, and ice cream rolled up in a crepe. It was decadent. I must have eaten four of them, plus some Belgian cake. My mouth waters now just thinking about it.

Afterward we sang Karaoke. We then split up, boys and girls, to go sauna. The student dorms in Flugsta (where we were) each have their own saunas on the roof. Pretty sweet. Who was I to say no? So me and three Italians sat naked in a 90 degree (Celsius) box for some 30 odd minutes. Much more enjoyable perhaps than it sounds.


The weather here is warming. The snow has all but melted from the sidewalks, revealing the since forgotten large piles of cat litter scattered about. Have yet to see the cat-lords.

-The Wandering Norseman-