ISSUE 3

Bandersnatch VIRTUAL SINCE 2023

SINCE 1971

Valentine Edition

2 contents 1. Student Life

p.4-5

with Jessy Kelada

2. news

p.6-7

with Samathar Senso

3. Arts & Music

p.8-9

with Noémie English-Moreau

4. Entertainment

p.10-11

with Stéphanie Zhang

5. Sustainability with Elizabeth Gratton

p.12-13

contents 3 p.14-15

6. Opinions with Léa Gennaro

p.16-17

7. Science & tech with Rachel Braunstein

p.18-19

8. mindfulness with Yugi Reyes

p.20-21

9. Procrastinator with Iman Chaudhry

4 Student Life

edited by Jessy Kelada

SUJAC Update: Plans and a Warm Winter Break Wish Patricia Chlystek Vice President of External Affairs

Hello JAC, First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude to the students who attended our various activities.

Thanks to the students, the De-Stress event was a success.

Regarding the dogs, the massages, the painting station, the hot chocolate, and especially the fuzzy socks and pop-its, we received a lot of positive feedback.

A big hit was the various Oval promotions, such as the $1 off smoothies and bagels.

Another big success was our food contribution incentive, which brought in a tonne of non-perishable goods for the food bank. Several families benefit from this around the holidays when finances are tight.

For the strike, we will keep in contact with the administration and make sure that the students are fairly represented.

We want you to know that we are always there if you need to talk or need advice. We understand that this uncertain period can cause anxiety and tension.

Source: https://www.sujac.com/

Lastly, we are putting a lot of effort into addressing our goals, which include note-sharing and student space. We will speak with interior designers and architects to build an additional place for students on campus. We think there must be enough space on campus for students to interact with one another and have a place to study. We can't wait to share this new initiative with you and hear your thoughts.

We are also collaborating with other anglophone colleges on the notesharing initiative, with the goal of either building a website where students can browse notes that have been peerreviewed or adding a tab to the alreadyexisting Omnivox website. Several students will profit from this notesharing scheme, but those who are impacted by Bill 96 will gain the most.

These notes will give you an understanding of the material in English even though the course will be taught in French.

So, from all of the executives at SUJAC, we hope you have a wonderful winter break and a lot of rest!

5 Sixteen Books, Two Months, and Nine Passionate edited by Jessy Kelada

Student Life

Students!

By Andrea Sanchez Benitez Staff Writer During mid-September, nine John Abbott students, including myself, embarked on an adventure. This year, John Abbott was the only school in North America selected to participate in the Goncourt des Lycéens. This commitment entailed reading sixteen French books within two months, followed by a deliberation alongside other French schools as well as three international schools to decide which of the sixteen books deserved to win the Goncourt des Lycéens prize. From November 18 to November 25, after juggling school work and the sixteen books all at once, Alexa Bowers, Jeremy Plante, Nahid Nowrozi, Kamila Michelle Contreras Zarate, Anna Molins, Magali Shimotakahara, Sophia Qiu, Stefaniya Pilicheva and I, along with French teachers Ariane Bessette and Daniel Rondeau, went on a transatlantic trip to Paris.

In the last meeting before heading off to France, the group elected Kamila to be our representative during the regional deliberations held on Monday, November 20th in Paris. Seeing as all our books were in PDF format, Kamila had written her notes electronically; however, when the day of the regional deliberation came, she was told on the spot that she was only allowed handwritten notes. Nevertheless, even without her notes during the event, skilled as she is, Kamila was still elected by the participants of the regional deliberation to represent all the international schools at the final deliberation at Rennes. Kamila represented us well, and it's no surprise that the book we collectively chose at John Abbott was announced as the winner in Rennes. The book that won this event was Triste Tigre by Neige Sinno, which is a compelling and perfectly crafted autobiographical story about the author’s trauma as a child in which she was sexually abused by her stepfather: a circumstance that affected and shaped her life in numerous ways. For some of us, the announcement of the winner was the highlight of this experience. This would notably be the case for Alexa: “The best part of the experience for me was when we were in Renne, and we watched Kamila walk across the stage because everything we worked for led up to that point. It was a lot of work and a lot of pressure on us, but to have our girl up there representing us and doing an amazing job. I just couldn’t believe we had all done it!”

This experience was rewarding for all of us in so many ways. For Anna, it was incredible for her to improve her French: “I found the trip to Paris as well as the meetings to be beneficial. I only speak French in very specific settings either at work or at my summer camp and don’t venture outside of those times. I found it was a challenge to vocalize what I was thinking, as while in English I have an extensive vocabulary when it comes to literature and literary techniques, I had to think hard and put a lot of effort into translating that fluidity into French. I learned some new skills and some new phrases to integrate into my working spoken French”. Nahid also claims to have acquired new skills throughout this journey: “This experience broadened my knowledge, exposed me to diverse perspectives, and enhanced my analysis and critical thinking skills. Overall, this reading marathon was an intellectually enriching journey”. “It's empowering to learn that this is something we can all do. That euphoric feeling of “Oh my god we did this”,” said Alexa.

On a more personal note, I certainly felt like I was having my Rory Gilmore moment; however, sometimes between the workload and the books, it felt stressful and overwhelming. Despite the lows, I have no regrets partaking in this, and I even dare to say that I would do it all over again. This feeling was shared by everyone, “I would do it again. From a purely social standpoint, it was a personal challenge, an experience I found immensely fulfilling.

Additionally, it was an amazing opportunity to meet like-minded people and form new friendships. This was the highlight of my semester, and I would do it over and over again if I could”, said Anna. Likewise, Stefaniya said she would redo the experience and added “Ça m'a redonné le goût de lire”.

Finally, collectively we would all like to immensely thank Daniel Rondeau and Ariane Bessette for this unforgettable experience. This wouldn't have been possible without them, and we will be eternally grateful for it.

6

NEWS

edited by Samathar Senso

LIVE LIVE LIVE

DROP IN OUT-OF-PROVINCE APPLICATIONS IN ANGLOPHONE QUEBEC

By Samathar Senso News Editor With university application deadlines

instead of the previous $8,992, which

rolling around the corner, McGill and

represent nearly double the original tuition

Concordia, both of Montreal’s English

fees.

universities, have reported a significant

government, these tuition increases are

drop

Canadian

meant to reduce the rise of English in

students residing outside the province. As

Montreal by reducing overall enrollment in

of February 1st, which marks the end of

English universities and to allocate more

the McGill application period for out-of-

funding to Francophone universities. On

province students, the university reported a

December 14th, Pascale Déry announced

reduction

of

that rather than rising to $17,000, out-of-

applications of nearly 22% compared to

province tuition fees would instead leap to

2023.

$12,000

in

applications

in

the

Similarly,

from

overall

number

Concordia,

who’s

According

to

the

provincial

at

McGill

and

application period ends in March, has

Conversely,

Bishop’s,

Quebec’s

already seen the number of applicants

English university located in Estrie, would

plummet by 27% so far. This stark

be allowed to keep their tuition fees at

reduction in applications can be attributed

$8,992 but would need to cap the amount

to the government’s recent measures

of

targeting English universities which are

Quebec at 825 students. While partially

aimed at combating the decline of French

rescinding the rise in the cost of tuition,

across Quebec.

the Quebec government announced new

Canadian

students

Concordia.

from

third

outside

language measures that would require Last fall, in a press-conference held on

that all three English institutions have 80%

October 13th, the province’s minister of the

of

French language, Jean-François Roberge,

students reach a level 5 on the Quebec

and the minister of higher education,

language proficiency scale by the end of

Pascale Déry, announced that student’s

their studies.

coming from the rest of Canada would need to spend nearly $17,000 in tuition

out-of-province

and

international

LIVE LIVE LIVE

edited by Samathar Senso

NEWS

IMAGE: PRESSE CANADIENNE / RYAN REMIORZ

This represents an intermediate level of

In response to the CAQ’s set 80%

French, as in the ability to maintain a

language goal, Graham Carr, rector and

basic

vice-chancellor of Concordia, released a

conversation.

If

McGill

and

Concordia fail to reach this milestone,

statement

the amount of provincial funding they

universities and stated they’ve instead

receive would be jeopardised unlike

set a plan to teach French to 40% of

Bishop’s, who will not be penalised if it

their undergraduates which according to

falls short of this figure since the

their projections, seems like a more

government deems its small student

viable figure. He added that the minister

population and distance from Montreal

of higher education must be aware that

makes it less of a threat to the French

these measures not only have direct

language. While Déry considers this “a

consequences by causing a significant

win for Quebec”, officials from all three

drop in applications but they also have

English establishments in the province

an impact on Quebec’s overall image

have announced that these measures

outside the province.

would be catastrophic for their budgets and the livelihood of their respective institutions.

on

behalf

of

the

three

7

8

edited by Noémie English-Moreau

Arts & Music

Photography

by Rameez Zafar Lodhi Staff Writer

by Noémie English-Moreau Arts & Music Editor

edited by Noémie English-Moreau

Arts & Music

9

Singing; Just a Little Bit of Self-Love

by Noémie English-Moreau Arts & Music Editor As I cook, I sing. As I do my homework, I sing. In the shower, in the car, as I walk outside, I keep singing and the list goes on and on. For me, singing is a form of self-love and it could be for you too.

Art and music can be a relief to life’s problems. When you’re mad, you can sing and scream to Pat Benatar or even Olivia Rodrigo. When you’re happy, there’s always Edith Piaf or ABBA for a blast from the past. However, you will never have to sing just like them. At first, that was difficult for me to understand and accept because I wanted to sound like the artist. I thought that this was how I could tell if I was a good singer or not, but the truth is … singing is all about being yourself and letting go.

Singing can be seen as a talent but I think of it as a pastime. It instantly brings me joy and confidence. During those few moments when the melody takes hold of my body, I am the star and everything else disappears. I can finally transcend into a new and unique world that is as crazy as my imagination wants it to be. Singing brings lightness to my heart and it helps me feel alive. So, what’s the downside of trying it out?

Everyone can sing and no one can tell me otherwise. Even if you’re off-key, you are singing for yourself and no one can judge you. Here’s a little tip; if you don’t like the sound of your voice, it’ll sound 10 times better in the shower! So just turn that water on and sing baby! Singing is the easiest way to take care of yourself, so what are you waiting for?

10 entertainment edited by Stephanie Zhang

A Sort of Small Recap of the 2024 GRAMMYs

by Stephanie Zhang Entertainment Editor The GRAMMYs, also dubbed as “Music’s Biggest Night”, officially took place this last February 4th at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.

Hosted by Trevor Noah, the evening filled with musical talent, big stars and emerging artists saw many noteworthy moments. To begin with, it comes with no surprise that Taylor Swift shook history again by winning Album Of The Year with Midnights, rightly making her the first and only artist with four wins in that category.

Next on the list, Miley Cirus won her first ever Grammy Awards, grabbing not one, but two wins: Record Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for her song Flowers. Meanwhile the artist who took home the most wins this year is none other than Phoebe Bridgers, who took home four wins, three of which she shares with her fellow Boygenius bandmates. SZA held the most nominations, with nine in total and winning three, including Best R&B Song with Snooze.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

The Song Of The Year went to Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas for their song What Was I Made For? , while The Best New Artist Award was given to Victoria Monét. The Beatles won Best Music Video for their song I’m Only Sleeping (that consists of 1,300 frames of hand painted oil paintings may I add!!). Much history-making happens at the GRAMMYs…And phew! That was a lot to cover in a brief hundred words! Obviously what’s mentioned here doesn’t even cover half of all the incredible artists who were part of the awards ceremony…There’s Gracie Abrams, Coco Jones, Laufey, Paramore, Olivia Rodrigo and so many more nominees and winners…The full list is available on the Grammy Awards’ website!

entertainment

The 2024 “Big Five” Oscars Nominees

11

edited by Stephanie Zhang

by Stephanie Zhang Entertainment Editor

Best Picture Barbie Oppenheimer Poor Things Past Lives Anatomy of a Fall

Source: IMDb

Maestro Killers of the Flower Moon The Holdovers American Fiction The Zone of Interest

Best Director Justine Triet - Anatomy of a Fall Martin Scorsese - Killers of the Flower Moon Yorgos Lanthimos - Poor Things Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer Jonathan Glazer - The Zone of Interest

Best Actress

Source: IMDb

Source: IMDb

Emma Stone Lily Gladstone Annette Bening Carey Mulligan Sandra Hüller

Best Actor Paul Giamatti Bradley Cooper Colman Domingo Cillian Murphy Jeffrey Wright

Source: IMDb

Best Screenplay Original The Holdovers May December Past Lives Anatomy of a Fall Maestro

Adapted American Fiction The Zone of Interest Barbie Oppenheimer Poor Things

Source: IMDb

Source: IMDb

Source: TIFF Source: Wikipedia

Source: IMDb

Source: TMDB

12 Sustainability edited by Elizabeth Gratton

The Revolutionary Darwin Bridges

By Sonia Hussain Staff Writer

With the completion of the twin Darwin bridges in 2021, Montreal began to accelerate its ecological transition and established itself as a model of sustainable mobility for North America.

Located on Boulevard de l’Ile-des-Soeurs in Verdun, the bridges are the first in the world to have been built using concrete that contains 10% finely-ground glass. The project, which was a collaboration between the Université de Sherbrooke and the city of Montreal, is the result of seventeen years of research on the integration of ground glass into civic infrastructures. When we think about greenhouse gas emissions, cement production does not typically come to mind.

However, the industry is the third largest source of pollution. By replacing 10% of the cement with recycled finely-ground glass powder, the architects managed to extricate 40,000 kg of cement from the project as well as reduce the CO2 emissions by approximately 40 tonnes

The glass powder used to replace part of the cement, recycling the equivalent of 70,000 wine bottles, makes the concrete more impermeable, resistant, and durable. Combined with the corrosion-resistant stainless-steel rebar, the glass powder/concrete mixture increases the predicted lifespan of the two bridges from 75 years to 125 years. This project has shattered the traditional beliefs behind infrastructure and materials, paving the way for a more environmentally conscious effort in the construction/architecture sector. The American Concrete Institution (ACI) recognized their innovations in the field and the project won the 2021 Award of Excellence in the infrastructure category. If you are interested in the world of sustainable architecture, this is an amazing feat that is located very close to home!

Source: Building, taken by Stéphane Brügger

Sustainability edited by Elizabeth Gratton

13

How To Celebrate an Eco-Friendly Valentine’s Day

By Elizabeth Gratton Sustainability Editor

Valentine's Day ranks as the second most common occasion for exchanging cards— surpassed only by Christmas—with an astonishing one billion cards exchanged annually. The environmental impact of Valentine’s Day is extremely severe, as cards and gifts are often decorated with non-recyclable materials like plastic lamination, glitter, and other harmful materials. Further, we often gift chocolate to our loved ones, and while this sentiment is sweet, unfortunately it often involves purchasing products made from cheap and unethically sourced cocoa. Luckily, we can still celebrate Valentine’s Day, exchange gifts, and spread the love this February! There are many ways to find eco-friendly alternatives to the traditional unsustainable gifts. If you love the planet as much as your Valentine, take the time to consider the following green ideas for Valentine's Day gestures.

1. Buy Ethically Sourced Chocolate While shopping for chocolate this month, keep your eyes peeled for the “Fair Trade” logo to avoid harming the environment with what might seem like just one small purchase. Also, it is always a good idea to shop at your local markets or small businesses to avoid supporting large food companies that emit substantial CO2 emissions.

3. Immaterial Gifts If you have a talent for the Arts, think about writing a poem or writing a song for your friends, family, or partner. Otherwise, you could also set aside the time to watch their favorite movie with them, or, choose another activity that avoids unnecessary consumerism.

2. Show Off Your Baking Skills Make use of ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen and bake your loved one something sweet. Not only is this an environmentally friendly gift, but it is much more thoughtful than buying something pre-made.

4. Reusable Tote Bag with Goodies Combine practicality and affection by gifting a reusable tote filled with locally sourced goodies, encouraging sustainable shopping habits.

5. Charitable Donation in Their Name Demonstrate your love by making a charitable donation in your Valentine's name to a cause they are passionate about, spreading love beyond your relationship and contributing to positive change.

14 opinions

Edited by Léa Gennaro

By Rhiannon Davies If Halloween can Staff writer Start in July, Perhaps I would be more lighthearted, more ‘in the Christmas Then Christmas spirit’, if it were not for the fact that both in person and online, there are can Start in people who start celebrating Halloween in the summer months.

November.

There are many times where I have I would like to preface this opinion with the fact that I am not a Halloween hater. I find it somewhat enjoyable.

However, I have a great love for Christmas, which I tend to get flack for, which I think is just silly.

In recent years, I find myself at the butt of many jokes centered around my adoration of Christmas, particularly about how early I start celebrating it. In spirit, I start November 1st, but in practice, I wait until November 12th. I don’t find that starting the celebration fifty-five days beforehand is especially egregious, but nonetheless, the jokes persist.

woken up on a thirty-degree August morning to texts similar too “It’s spooky season!” or “I’m gonna go buy the Home Depot twelve-foot tallskeleton.”. Friends of mine often want to watch ‘Halloween movies’ no matter the time of year, but it’s still strange for me to watch a Christmas movie before American Thanksgiving or listen to some Christmas music before snow hits the ground.

Clearly, I am passionate about Christmas, maybe… too much. Still, I’m saying that if it’s fine to do Halloween things whenever you want, I should be able to decorate my house halfway through November with less judgement.

Either way, happy Holidays.

Edited by Léa Gennaro

MINIMALISM: bad taste & bad activism?

opinions

15

By George Hofton Staff writer

Imagine this: You walk into someone’s living room, maybe it’s your aunt’s or your friend’s, and the first thing you see is a white leather couch with the flare of a whiteboard, gray vinyl flooring that brings nothing to the décor and a cream shag carpet to top off the ghastly ensemble. The whole place looks like a landlord has gone over it with a white paintbrush, indiscriminate of the character he might be covering. Finally, you look up slowly to the wall, the words “LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH” are written on a plaque above you. You let out a single tear for the stylistic graveyard this room represents.

Minimalism, in reference to interior design, can be defined as something... simple. One word: Yuck. It’s probably the first time in human history where less decoration and colour can be considered stylish. Seriously, have you ever heard of someone saying: “Do you know what would make this look better? A white faux fur carpet and less stuff!” Honestly, there are better ways to tell someone you’re the human equivalent of white bread than redecorating your entire house to look like an office cubicle. And it’s not like that’s the only option, there are better alternatives. Maximalism décor hinges on being bright, colourful and keeping the eyes interested, Mid-century has interesting shapes and lots of earth tones to keep things cohesive and fluid. Even brutalism brings a unique utilitarian vibe that can contrast well with dark furniture or soft, rounded shapes. What does Minimalism bring?

A black coffee table with the personality of an accountant? The vibe of a calculus class? The answer is nothing! No interesting shapes, no colour and no style!

It's not just that though, it’s also a trend where people live with only the essentials in the name of the environment. We can see this trend through videos of entire families living in camper vans or seeing posts of people traveling across beautiful countries with their modified minivan.

The problem is that most people can’t afford to go live like that. The real cost of setting yourself up for that and driving around the country is way more expensive than many can afford, not to mention you need a job that fits that lifestyle.

Not the friendliest environmental trend when only the upper class can access it. Not to mention, most of us don’t want to be stuck sharing nine hundred square feet and a communal toilet with our entire family. Some of us can barely stand each other in full sized homes, let alone something smaller.

There’s just no point worsening your own living conditions for the environment when some company is going to let out tons of CO2 into the air and dump garbage in a river. Not to mention the controversy around raising your kids without personal space. If you really wanted to help the environment, you would be in crowds lobbying and protesting for change, not living your neohippie influencer lifestyle.

16

edited by Rachel Braunstein

Restless Nights:

Decoding the Mysteries of Insomnia

By Rachel Braunstein

Science and Tech Editor

Struggling to sleep, tossing and turning in bed? You're not the only one.

You might be one of the ⅓ adults worldwide who deal with insomnia.

Insomnia, a widespread sleep disorder, is influenced by complex neurobiological, physiological, and psychological mechanisms that impact a person's ability to fall asleep or stay asleep. By delving into the deeper scientific understanding of insomnia, we can uncover some of its most common causes. One of the key factors in insomnia is the disruption of the body's internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep-wake cycles. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain's hypothalamus is the master regulator of the circadian rhythm, synchronizing our sleep-wake cycle with our environmental cues like light and darkness.

When this delicate balance is disturbed, such as through irregular sleep schedules, exposure to artificial light at night, your phone being too bright at night, or working night shifts, it can disregulate the circadian rhythm.

This very disturbance affects the release of hormones like melatonin, which disrupts our readiness for sleep and leads to difficulties in falling or staying asleep, which are characteristic symptoms of insomnia.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that influence our sleep-wake cycle. GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, promotes relaxation and sleep by reducing brain activity.

Serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels are known to affect wakefulness, mood regulation, and the sleep-wake cycle.

Imbalances or dysfunctions in these neurotransmitter systems can contribute to insomnia. For example, decreased GABA activity can make it difficult to switch off the active brain processes necessary for sleep initiation. Similarly, disruptions in serotonin or other wakepromoting neurotransmitters can affect sleep patterns and overall sleep quality.

Stress and insomnia have a two-way relationship. Chronic stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels can disrupt sleep function, impairing the ability to achieve deep, restorative sleep stages like REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.

edited by Rachel Braunstein

Science & tech

17

This prolonged activation of the stress response can lead to insomnia, creating a cycle where stress leads to sleep disturbances, and poor sleep quality furthers stress levels. This cycle amplifies insomnia symptoms. Genetic factors can also contribute to an individual's susceptibility to insomnia.

Variations in genes associated with circadian rhythm regulation, neurotransmitter function, or stress response mechanisms can increase the risk of developing insomnia.

Furthermore, environmental factors such as early life experiences, traumas, your socioeconomic status, and lifestyle choices can shape vulnerability to insomnia. These environmental influences interact with genetic predispositions, impacting the development and persistence of sleep disturbances.

All in all, the science behind insomnia is intricate and multifaceted, involving an interplay of neurobiological, hormonal, genetic, and environmental factors. Understanding these deeper mechanisms provides insights into the complexity of insomnia and highlights the importance of comprehensive approaches that target multiple facets of its causes. Ongoing research exploring these intricate pathways offers hope for the development of more targeted and effective interventions to address the underlying mechanisms of insomnia and improve sleep health.

18 Mindfulness edited by Yugi Reyes

Featuring Anisa Hashemi

What are qualia?

by Anisa Hashemi

Qualia (quale for singular) is a complex topic in the philosophy of mind.

Qualia are phenomenal* properties of experience in a specific moment and circumstance. *”Phenomena are whatever we are conscious of: objects and events around us, other people, ourselves, even (in reflection) our sun conscious experiences, as we experience these […] mental phenomena are acts of consciousness (or their contents), and physical phenomena are objects of external perception starting with colors and shapes" (Stanford Encyc.).

Qualia explains the different sensations one may feel when seeing a red flower and a yellow one.

They are the distinct characteristics of each conscious experience and explain the varying feelings of a human towards those situations. The first appearance of this idea was in 1866, when Charles Sanders Pierce first introduced the term quale, and in 1929, C. 1. Lewis used "qualia" by the general definition known today. Not all experiences have qualia: those who do are *phenomenally conscious.

Quale characterizes our mental lives. When feeling immense anger, being tickled, or seeing a flashy neon yellow, you experience qualia. Each of these cases "feel" a distinctive way, and philosophers have defined them as subjective (personal) qualities of consciousness. *Phenomenal Consciousness describes the individual's memories, thoughts, internal biological processes, and personal experiences. It describes a person's point of view. When you are phenomenally conscious, you are aware of your being, your thoughts, and reactions.

Our experiences are far too rich and complex to be defined solely by our senses (hearing, smelling, seeing, touching, tasting). Think of the transcendental feeling you encounter when you listen to a specific song, when you watch that one scene of a movie, or when you see someone you love. Our 5 senses are not enough to explain those intense emotions and experiences. The thoughts, memories, relations to our past and dreams, as well as situations we are in influence all the phenomena we encounter and how we feel when living through those intense conscious moments. This proves that consciousness is not limited to physical aspects. "Many philosophers pressed the case that sensory qualia -what it is like to feel pain, to see red, etc.- are not addressed or explained by a physical account of either brain structure or brain function" (Stanford Encyc.). Thus, consciousness cannot be entirely explained through physical theory and has properties of its own we have yet to theorize, although we may understand them intuitively.

edited by Yugi Reyes

Mindfulness

19

For instance, the feeling of purpose, stress and fear of not communicating all the thousands of ideas I have at the same time, the passion and excitement to write that makes my heart beat fast, the epic music playing, the confusion I have, and the doubt; do I even know what I'm writing, do I make any sense…these are all things I feel while writing this and they all shape my current reality. Yet, they cannot all be emotions created by the chemicals of the brain. There is something more to it.

Something almost divine. That is quale, consciousness, and soul.

Consciousness and technology

Qualia is a human aspect that clearly separates us from machines. Although it is hard to know the extent of consciousness of animals or to evaluate their qualia, it is certain that machines, robots, and Artificial Intelligence do not have qualia. They do not have distinct properties of conscious mental states like humans do. They do not have subjective feelings from experiences, because consciousness can not be programmed, and humans lack the high understanding of qualia needed to replicate it. As such, it is certain that AI simply will not catch up to humans in the sense of having qualia.

The Knowledge Argument or Mary’s room In 1982, Frank Jackson created a thought experiment to prove the existence of qualia. It went as told: Mary is a scientist who lives inside a strictly black and white room, and who has learned everything there is to learn about color but has never actually experienced it for herself. When she is released from her monochrome world to finally see nature's colors, will she learn anything new?

This explanation led to confusion and so many clarifications were made. Here is what Amy Kind, a Professor of Philosophy at Claremont McKenna College, proposes as a summary of the thought experiment, also stating her opinion: While in the room, Mary has acquired all the physical facts there are about color sensations, including the sensation of seeing red; When Mary exits the room and sees a ripe red tomato, she learns a new fact about the sensation of seeing red, namely its subjective character; Therefore, there are non-physical facts about color sensations; If there are non-physical facts about color sensations, then color sensations are non-physical events; Therefore, color sensations are non-physical events; If color sensations are non-physical events, then physicalism is false; Therefore, physicalism is false. However, even Jackson himself who, upon creating the question believed in qualia, changed his mind, and no longer believes in his previous argument that Mary would gain new knowledge. Instead of arguing against them, he calls himself a physicist in 2023.

Agreeing that Mary will be surprised upon leaving her room proves that qualia exists and discredits physicalism*, by claiming there is something more that comes with the experience of seeing color, even if the whole process is detailed, described and understood. Refusing the argument, thus, produces the opposite effect. *Physicalism is a view claiming that every aspect of the universe is entirely physical, even the mind.

My objective in mentioning these cases is to show the disagreement between people attempting to answer this question. Now, I will get subjective and express my own opinion. I am certain Mary learns something new: she learns what it feels like to see a bright red or a dull grey. Knowing how something looks like and studying what emotions it is supposed to produce is nowhere near seeing that same thing for yourself. You cannot compare personal experience with scientific descriptions of a phenomena. As stated before, our consciousness and reaction to experience is far too complex to be reduced to sensations. In Mary's case, she may know on paper how the eyes and brain react to seeing a red flower, but she will not feel qualia nor understand the experience until she sees color for herself. Qualia are our personal qualities of experience.

The specific way something may feel, regardless of the 5 senses. It is an obscure idea to define, and many questions rise on the subject. However, it is almost impossible to answer all these questions on qualia until humanity reflects more on the nature of consciousness and barriers between the conscious and the subconscious. Without a better understanding of consciousness, questions on qualia will remain a mystery.

20 procrastinator

edited by Iman Chaudhry

The Generals

By Adam Cikvashvili Staff Writer

Sergeant Herring ran through the muddy aisles of the camp. He ran straight for the biggest tent: General McClennan’s tent. He blew in, exhausted, wet, and out of breath.

“This is a supply list.”

“A sup–” “A supply list.”

“General McClennan, it’s an emergency!” he cried.

“How many times have I told you to keep your muddy boots out of my tent, Sergeant?”

General McClennan was a clean man. The soldiers called him General McClean behind his back. He wore pristine gloves, and his face always looked like it had just been washed, or maybe it was his sweat. He hated when soldiers walked into his tent and made a mess because he would have to go through the effort of calling someone else to come clean it up.

"Sorry, sir, but it’s an emergency—a letter from General Mezyenski in North Dakota.”

General McClennan, being from South Dakota, hated North Dakota. He hated it for no other reason than that it was above South Dakota on the map. If he were president, his first order would be to switch South Dakota with North Dakota. General McClennan beckoned Sergeant Herring towards him and snatched the letter from his hands.

General McClennan’s face displayed a bizarre confusion that slowly morphed into a stifled rage.

“Sergeant Herring.”

“Yes sir?”

“This is a supply list.”

“Sorry sir?”

Sergeant Herring’s heart skipped a beat. He had lost the letter from General Mezyenski. The letter detailed an emergency of the highest order.

Sergeant Herring didn’t read the letter, so he didn’t know what type of emergency it was, but he assumed that it was of the highest order. The original letter was nowhere to be found.

“Get me General Mezyenski on the phone immediately,” ordered General McClennan.

Sergeant Herring got General Mezyenski on the phone immediately. It was Staff Sergeant Lepinance who answered the phone. General Mezyenski was an old man, and so he hated phones. He always made Staff Sergeant Lepinance answer in his stead. Staff Sergeant Lepinance told General McClennan what he always told people who were trying to reach General Mezyenski: “General Mezyenski is busy with an urgent matter at the moment and can’t reach the phone,” and promptly hung up.

This worsened General McClennan’s worry.

General McClennan decided he couldn’t sit still and ignore the emergency, so he decided to alert the other officers in South Dakota.

“Get me Brigadier General Major on the phone immediately,” requested General McClennan.

edited by Iman Chaudhry

21

procrastinator

He wanted to inform other officers simply because he was hoping someone else would take care of the problem. Sergeant Herring got Brigadier General Major on the phone immediately.

“North Dakota... is it the Canadians?”

“I’ve been promoted to Major General.”

General Simmons despised the Canadians. When he was a young soldier, he went on a tour around Canada. He particularly appreciated Saskatchewan, as there was nothing interesting ever worth doing, and he didn’t really like doing much of anything. Then he met a woman who wanted to do everything. And they did everything together. But then she took everything from him. He also couldn’t stand that they were above him on the map. If he were president—

“Major General Major, there’s an emergency.”

"I'm not sure.”

“Who issued the emergency?”

General McClennan tried not to let his apparently universal suspicion of Canadians paint his response. He thought that the Canadians were just too nice, which made them suspicious.

“Brigadier General Major, there’s an emergency."

“Major General Major.”

“Pardon?”

“General Mezyenski from North Dakota.”

“Is it the Canadians?”

Major General Major hated Canada. He hated it for no other reason than that it was above the States on the map. If he were president, his first order would be to switch the two countries. In fact, he wasn’t sure why the current president hadn’t done it already.

“I don’t know.”

“Then what is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then why did you call me?”

“Best keep an eye on the border, though.”

The game of telephone continued throughout the day, and soon an emergency state was adopted in the whole country. Everyone was terrified, though nobody was sure of what.

General Mezyenski was upset. He was moved to oversee the northern border when the news of the emergency reached headquarters. But he wasn’t upset about that. He was upset that he never got his emergency supplies of bullets for the game of skeet his platoon was playing. They ran out, so he had tried contacting the closest camp, but he never heard anything back. He spent the rest of his night muttering to himself.

“Because it’s an emergency.”

Major General Major couldn’t argue with that logic.

General McClennan then contacted General Simmons.

“General Simmons, there’s an emergency alert from General Mezyenski in North Dakota.”

“That damn McClennan... He’s untrustworthy as the Canadians.”

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