Historical Moment You'd Like to Witness

Stanford's spring quarter is in full swing. The start of classes usually means a series of icebreakers and get-to-know-you questions. The professor for my first-year writing seminar asked us what historical moment or specific event we would like to have witnessed. I found this icebreaker question particularly interesting and decided to sit with it for a bit after class.

As a potential philosophy major, I thought trying to discover the exact genesis for philosopher Musonius Rufus’s lecture “That Exile is Not an Evil” would be pretty fascinating. During his exile on Gyaros in 65 AD, what event or circumstances on this island devoid of community interactions caused him to rationalize his unjust banishment at the hands of Nero? I'll definitely be digging deeper into this niche topic in my free time. If I find something worthy of sharing, I'll make sure to follow up.