Jump to content

baccalaureat


Recommended Posts

The baccalaureat, often known in France familiarly as the bac, is the exams that students must pass at the end of the lycee (secondary school).

In order to get their baccalaureat diploma (a kind of British A-Levels or American high school diplomas), all students must take the philosophy exam, regardless of their field of study.

Yesterday, one of the philosophy exam questions was : "Do we have to prefer happiness to the truth ?".

If you were a french student, what would you have answered ?

:wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am little biased towards things French because I have spent so many years living in a french speaking environment, but the Bac is truly a great system. Interestingly, many of the top English private schools are moving or considering moving towards the Bac and away from A-levels. This is partly because of continual meddling by the British government but, also, because they are beginning to recognize the real limitations of A-levels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would have answered that I prefer happiness above truth.

Truth is something very relative, that can often change.

What was true yesterday might be wrong today, so why living after a "virtue" that never really is one ?

Happiness is a state of the mind that "is", whatever it is, it "is".

It "is" in different level, but it "is" always and makes you feel good.

Truth is often seen as something reassuring since it seems to give your life stability, but it's a fake stability.

Look, some people marry 10 years, are happy, and they often divorce for ?...some truth ? what do you think ?

Truth is good though, but only if you can be sure to stand it and if it makes you happy :wink:

And if you're after the truth, the only certain truth that has been ever found, is the famous "cogito ergo sum" ( I think so I am ) from the french philosoph Descartes.

One single truth...poor life ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bertrand Russell was a famous English philosopher. One day at breakfast he decided to tell his wife the truth. He told her he did not love her any more. He was not a very happy man - nor was his wife made happy.

But is does depend on what you mean by the truth. The truth is that we are created to love and not to hurt and this will give us true happiness which consists in joy and peace.

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems to me that the real question behind was if you would lie in order to make you or the other happy, or do you prefer to stick to the truth, even if that makes you or the other unhappy?

I guess most people (and that includes certainly yours truly) would prefer to be happy, even at the expense of a lie. But that does not include a lie that makes the other miserable.

Do Thai people call that a "white" lie?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...