Best Classrooms on Campus

Second floor Classics, originally uploaded by Nat Hansen.

I would like to document the best classrooms on campus. This is a start: I like this seminar room, on the second floor of classics. It looks out on the quad, it has a solid seminar table, and antique maps on the walls.

I was the TA for Ted's J.L. Austin class in here in fall of 2005.

Do I Believe P? Do I want X?

Philosophy Department Seminar Room. On the board as we came in for today's placement meeting.

The Seminar

I took this picture in Josef's Semantics and Pragmatics seminar last February. I posted it to Flickr and forgot about it. A couple of weeks ago, I got a message from someone who was interested in using the picture. The message read:

"Dear Nat Hansen,

I was searching the Internet for photos, when I found your picture of five people breaking up after what looks like a serious discussion.

I am layouting a book about project collaboration within the Danish construction business. And the intensity of your photo is just what I am looking for regarding the chapter about consulting seminars. I am aware of the differences between philosophy and project collaboration, however you have captured a moment we can all recognize in my office.

I therefore ask for your permission to print a copy of the photo in my book. There is a commercial purpose with the book. But since I am juist part of a small, local based company, I hope for your approval.

My alternative is hiring a professional photographer for the exact same setup.

Best regards..."

I granted him permission, but now I kind of regret doing so. Why? Look at his last sentence: "My alternative is hiring a professional photographer for the exact same setup". That sounds like something Jeff Wall would do. I would have loved to have seen a recreation of the exact same setup.

Office Hours

Mondays, 9am-11am.

You have to leave the A/C on, even in the wintertime, because the radiator is broken and is on full-blast.

Battle of the Academic Bookstores

What is the best academic bookstore in the English speaking world? Is it Blackwells in Oxford, or the Seminary Co-op in Hyde Park?

Blackwells.

The Seminary Co-op.

I've considered this question before, without coming to any decision. I just spent about a week hanging around Blackwells, and now I'm back in Chicago so I feel like I'm in a good position to settle this once and for all.

Reasons in favor of each in the next entry.

Defending the Gown from the Town

More of these.

Defending the Ivory Tower

Oxford might succeed in seeming less exclusive if it weren't defended like a medieval fortress.

Merton Street.

Oriel Street.

Magpie Lane.

Jowett Walk.