FORMALISM

&
PHILOSOPHICAL
THOUGHT AND
CURRICULAR Ben Gabriel G. Maghuyop

ACTIVITIES
FORMALISM
› The term formalism describes an emphasis on form
over content or meaning in the arts, literature,
or philosophy. A practitioner of formalism is called
a formalist. A formalist, with respect to some
discipline, holds that there is no transcendent
meaning to that discipline other than the literal
content created by a practitioner. For example,
formalists within mathematics claim that
mathematics is no more than the symbols written
down by the mathematician, which is based on
logic and a few elementary rules alone.
FORMALISM
› This is as opposed to non-formalists, within
that field, who hold that there are some
things inherently true, and are not,
necessarily, dependent on the symbols
within mathematics so much as a greater
truth. Formalists within a discipline are
completely concerned with "the rules of
the game," as there is no other external
truth that can be achieved beyond those
given rules.
FORMALISM
› Generally speaking, formalism is the
concept which everything necessary in a
work of art is contained within it. The
context for the work, including the reason
for its creation, the historical background,
and the life of the artist, is not considered
to be significant. Examples of formalist
aestheticians are Clive Bell, Jerome
Stolnitz, and Edward Bullough.
FORMALISM in MUSIC
› In music theory and especially in the
branch of study called the aesthetics of
music, formalism is the concept that
a composition's meaning is entirely
determined by its form.
COMMON MUSICAL FORMS
› Strophic - AAA, etc.
› Binary - AB
› Ternary - ABA
› Rondo - ABACA, or ABACADA
› Arch - ABCBA
› Sonata Form - Exposition: (Theme Group 1 -
Theme Group 2) --- Development ---
Recapitulation: (Theme Group 1 - Theme
Group 2)
› Sonata Rondo - ABA - C - ABA
Formalism
 Philosophical Thought
› Rögnvaldur Ingthorsson, PhD Philosophy, Umeå University (2002)
› “I am inclined to say there is no special philosophical thinking, there is
just thinking. But being philosophical is perhaps to be more persistent
and more critical in your thinking than usual; and perhaps to think
and question stuff that others accept as face value. Is it
systematical? I am not sure it essentially is (although I try to be). Some
philosophers show great persistence in trying to build systems in the
way other answers in this thread have suggested. But then again
other philosophers contribute more by disrupting and criticising those
systems. The early Wittgenstein was a system builder, the older was
more of a system breaker (but, arguably, he thought something
constructive would come of that too). Perhaps there is a division of
labour. Some build systems while others try to break it down.”
› Caleb Beers, guy who once owned a book on philosophy, but lost it.
› Answered Mar 11 2017 · Author has 1.4k answers and 4.7m answer views
Philosophical thinking has a very distinct structure. An ordinary conversation flows
like a stream, meandering and wandering in whatever direction has the least
resistance to the flow of water.
Philosophical thinking, by contrast, is systematic, like architecture. Everything must
be in place; not only must the measurements be precise, but every pillar, every
buttress, and every brick, must be carefully placed into the complicated
framework created by the rest of the building. Changing one piece changes the
whole, like pulling on a spider web and seeing the whole thing change shape. For
example, you can’t put too large of a window into a thick wall, because the
weight of the wall pressing down will crush the window. So, you need to make
room in the design for a flying buttress, an external support, that will allow for
thinner walls and larger windows. But then you need to make room for those
external supports outside of the cathedral. The simple desire for windows in the
walls leads to a need for space outside, which effects the design of surrounding
buildings. And so on.
Moreover, you must be precise in all this. You cannot allow for too many
miscalculations, or the whole thing comes crashing down.
I would give a concrete example, but there’s no such thing as a brief example of
architectonic thinking in action; one does not appreciate the complex
architecture of a cathedral from a close-up picture of part of one brick. The only
way to see it in action is to do philosophy.
Thought Experiment
How to think like a philosopher
Curricular Activities
› CURRICULAR
› adjective
› relating to the subjects comprising a course of
study in a school or college.
› "a curricular revision is introducing new courses"
› ACTIVITIES
› something that is done for enjoyment,
especially an organized event: His spare-
time activities include cooking, tennis, and
windsurfing. We offer our guests a wide range
of outdoor/sporting activities.
 Curricular Activities
› refers to activities, programs, and learning experiences that
complement, in some way, what students are learning in school—
i.e., experiences that are connected to or mirror the
academic curriculum.
› Co-curricular activities are typically, but not always, defined by their
separation from academic courses. For example, they are
ungraded, they do not allow students to earn academic credit,
they may take place outside of school or after regular school hours,
and they may be operated by outside organizations. That said,
these traditional distinctions between academic and co-curricular
programs are being eroded in some schools—see learning
pathways for a more detailed discussion.
› A few examples of common educational opportunities that may be
considered co-curricular include student newspapers, musical
performances, art shows, mock trials, debate competitions, and
mathematics, robotics, and engineering teams and contests. But
given the differing interpretations of the term, as well as its many
potential applications, it’s best to determine precisely how co-
curricular is being used in a particular educational context.
› Co-curricular vs. Extracurricular
› Generally speaking, co-curricular activities are an
extension of the formal learning experiences in a
course or academic program,
while extracurricular activities may be offered or
coordinated by a school, but may not be explicitly
connected to academic learning. This distinction is
extremely fuzzy in practice, however, and the terms are
often used interchangeably. Athletics, for example, are
typically considered to be extracurricular activities,
while a science fair would more likely be considered a
co-curricular activity, given that students are learning
science, participation may be required by the school,
students may be graded on their entries, or a science
teacher may coordinate the fair. Still, in some schools
certain athletics activities might be considered “co-
curricular,” while in other schools a science fair may be
labeled “extracurricular.”
Allan Watts’s
Philosophy of Thinking
“Life is like music for its own sake. We
are living in an eternal now, and
when we listen to music we are not
listening to the past, we are not
listening to the future, we are
listening to an expanded present.”

― Alan Watts