Prepare for Prelim!

I looked at my alarm clock and so that it was 7:05 AM, but I did not hear the alarm. Apparently it was set for 7 PM instead. Fortunately, my body is now accustomed to waking up this early so my routine was not  drastically altered. Instead of the expected rain showers this morning, the humidity encompassed the air and the sunlight reappeared. Perhaps bringing my umbrella and wind breaker was unnecessary for today, but at least I was prepared for the weather either way.

Professor Kramnick began class by briefly discussing how we should prepare for tomorrow's preliminary exam. It is necessary that we review all the material from The New Testament up to John Locke, since that is what the test will be covering. He advised us to acquire a good night's rest and eat a nutritious breakfast so our bodies will be fully alert for the duration of the test. Afterward, he introduced Western culture's negative view of women during the 18th century. Women were characterized as weak, passive, irrational, and evil creatures only made for the pleasure of men, who were associated as being strong, active, and rational. Unfortunately, citizens have these assumptions about men and women because they are taught to them at an early age. 

During discussion, we continued talking about Lockean liberalism and the citizen's right to revolution. If the government does not uphold their duty to preserve the natural rights of men, then the people have the supreme power to replace the current legislature with new officials. In addition, we talked about Locke's assertion that no one should act prejudicial against others for their religion, the reason being that all men are allowed to pursue a religion that satisfies their civil interests. Before we departed for lunch, Nolan provided preparation tips for the prelim; the most important was to manage our time wisely so we finish both sections completely. 

The third guest speaker was Ithaca city judge and Tompkins county judge Judith Rossiter. She described two murder trials that she presided, one for attempted murder of a police officer and another for robbery in the first degree. In both cases, the question of a juror's capability to judge a case without the assumption that there is the burden of proof for the defendant was an issue in determining the verdicts. The previous speakers  spoke more about the ideals of the criminal justice system so it was interesting to hear a judge's perspective on the court's juror system. 

Judge Rossiter and Professor Kramnick talking before she began her lecture

After class, Tamilyn and I met with Mr. Chan-Law to get our sweatshirts at the Cornell store. Fortunately, we reached our dorm rooms before another downpour of rain occurred. I went to Nolan's office hours to get just a few more study tips regarding the forty-minute essay and how to effectively answer the prompt. 

Princeton readers, lecture notes, and discussion summations are now being studied by Freedom and Justice students for tomorrow's preliminary exam. After hearing all the advice from Professor Kramnick and Nolan, I feel better about how to proceed with my studying. My evening will definitely be dedicated to reviewing my notes and working with my cohort so we could all properly prepare.