Topics discussed include: anatman, evil, relevant novelty, death, the ontological argument for the existence of God and its discontents, and other such matters.
The critique of philosophy, the ruminating upon ideas, established and considered, is like the ruminant, chewing the cud of the grasses grown. While true philosophy is the Shepherd, who anticipates the patterns of growth and the movements necessary to maintain such. She guides the herd with skill and the precision that only comes from a unification with Nature. (This is why you might perhaps, as I have, learn more about modern philosophy from studying holistic management than critiques) The endogenous ecology that i speak of is the "organicist science" that Mae-Wan Ho called for. She was perhaps the greatest philosopher of our time, and a Whiteheadian too, because she interpreted the ideas in such a way that she could then speak conclusively about the actions we can (and should) take that would improve our lives and the viability of life for future generations. You guys are brilliant, no doubt. But all the conversations leave me wondering if you have and/or will see the profound implications that lay before us. I pray that they do. Love and reverence for all humanity, and the continuation of life of embodied vitality.
Optimism is cowardice... "We are born into this time and must bravely follow the path to the destined end. There is no other way. Our duty is to hold on to the lost position, without hope, without rescue, like that Roman soldier whose bones were found in front of a door in Pompeii, who, during the eruption of Vesuvius, died at his post because they forgot to relieve him. That is greatness. That is what it means to be a thoroughbred. The honorable end is the one thing that can not be taken from a man." O.S.
What I really needed to hear & what therefore stands out for me in this discussion is a deeper understanding of evil. I say this because of the extensive spread & deepening of corruption in all our social institutions that makes me feel that evil is winning, & that it is striving to close off any alternatives that we as citizens could use as a resource to withstand it. Perhaps the challenge for us is to become more resourceful than evil, & more courageous as a people. Thanks for your philosophical work. It helps me to have courage to seek out the good in our time & serve it.
@@pot-8-o564 Here are a few reasons why optimism can be seen as cowardice: 1. Denial of reality: Optimism can sometimes cause individuals to overlook or downplay the problems and challenges they face. By avoiding or denying harsh realities, they may fail to take necessary actions or make critical decisions. 2. Lack of preparedness: Optimism often focuses on the best-case scenarios, potentially blinding individuals to potential risks and uncertainties. By not adequately considering potential obstacles or failures, they may lack the necessary preparation or contingency plans. 3. Avoiding responsibility: Optimism can sometimes be used as a coping mechanism to avoid taking responsibility. By nurturing an overly positive outlook, individuals may absolve themselves of any guilt or accountability for their actions or decisions. 4. Vagueness and lack of critical thinking: Optimism can often lead to vague and superficial thinking. By always expecting the best outcomes, individuals may fail to critically analyze situations, make nuanced judgments, or consider alternative perspectives. 5. Passive acceptance: Excessive optimism can lead to accepting the status quo or current circumstances without question. It may discourage individuals from challenging or questioning existing systems, leading to complacency.
@17:30 on whether Descarte invented egoic subjectivity. This is the second time I've heard this recently. It seems like there plenty of evidence for individual subjectivity in ancient psychology even in Plato. Certainly Porphyry's ideas on cognition are influenced by Aristotle. Am I misunderstanding something?
@16:00 Matt raised the point about metaphysics as the common sense cultural assumptions; where Hegel was looking to the past, Marx wanted to change things for a better future. It seems that Gramsci's views on cultural hegemony were put to use by folks like the Mont Pelerin Society to create a common sense political morality dominated by liberal market relations. They were able to do that only after stabilizing the economy after both the crash of 1929 and subsequent WW2. It took 35-40 years for the causes of the war to be forgotten before market ideology could be reestablished as a political morality. My generation (born in late 60s) was inundated with neoliberal subjectivity. My parents' generation was raised to believe that the government was separate from work and business, even as their entire lives were subsidised in many ways. I'm rereading Jessica Whyte's book The Morals of the Market, where she describes the deliberate project to create (new)liberal subjects that would understand and conflate capitalist property as synonymous with human rights. The framed a rationale for political interventions when/if private property was threatened as '3rd world' countries tried to decolonize.
The relative permanence of social infrastructure (pyramids of Egypt), inherited language, and the cosmic gods of space, earth, sun, moon, validate our intuitions that we are participating in a hierarchy of non-eternal durations of phenomena within an eternal non-temporal context. 😂
Just after "If creativity is just infinite possibility, there's no distinction between or way of differentiating between that possibility and this possibility." ( 42:24 ) With "God's role..." notice the entry of light through the window mediated by the clouds, wind blowing the branches on the trees reflecting on Roman's head as he reacts unconsciously to your (brilliant) interpretation of Whiteheads treatise on God. The invocation becomes a character in your exchanges. @0thouartthat0 Is this light a "differentiating" factor?
Enjoyed this Matt, thanks!
The critique of philosophy, the ruminating upon ideas, established and considered, is like the ruminant, chewing the cud of the grasses grown. While true philosophy is the Shepherd, who anticipates the patterns of growth and the movements necessary to maintain such. She guides the herd with skill and the precision that only comes from a unification with Nature. (This is why you might perhaps, as I have, learn more about modern philosophy from studying holistic management than critiques) The endogenous ecology that i speak of is the "organicist science" that Mae-Wan Ho called for. She was perhaps the greatest philosopher of our time, and a Whiteheadian too, because she interpreted the ideas in such a way that she could then speak conclusively about the actions we can (and should) take that would improve our lives and the viability of life for future generations.
You guys are brilliant, no doubt. But all the conversations leave me wondering if you have and/or will see the profound implications that lay before us. I pray that they do. Love and reverence for all humanity, and the continuation of life of embodied vitality.
Optimism is cowardice... "We are born into this time and must bravely follow the path to the destined end. There is no other way. Our duty is to hold on to the lost position, without hope, without rescue, like that Roman soldier whose bones were found in front of a door in Pompeii, who, during the eruption of Vesuvius, died at his post because they forgot to relieve him. That is greatness. That is what it means to be a thoroughbred. The honorable end is the one thing that can not be taken from a man." O.S.
What I really needed to hear & what therefore stands out for me in this discussion is a deeper understanding of evil. I say this because of the extensive spread & deepening of corruption in all our social institutions that makes me feel that evil is winning, & that it is striving to close off any alternatives that we as citizens could use as a resource to withstand it. Perhaps the challenge for us is to become more resourceful than evil, & more courageous as a people. Thanks for your philosophical work. It helps me to have courage to seek out the good in our time & serve it.
@@pot-8-o564 Read it again. and then once more.
@@batfly could you explain to me why optimism is cowardice?
@@pot-8-o564
Here are a few reasons why optimism can be seen as cowardice:
1. Denial of reality: Optimism can sometimes cause individuals to overlook or downplay the problems and challenges they face. By avoiding or denying harsh realities, they may fail to take necessary actions or make critical decisions.
2. Lack of preparedness: Optimism often focuses on the best-case scenarios, potentially blinding individuals to potential risks and uncertainties. By not adequately considering potential obstacles or failures, they may lack the necessary preparation or contingency plans.
3. Avoiding responsibility: Optimism can sometimes be used as a coping mechanism to avoid taking responsibility. By nurturing an overly positive outlook, individuals may absolve themselves of any guilt or accountability for their actions or decisions.
4. Vagueness and lack of critical thinking: Optimism can often lead to vague and superficial thinking. By always expecting the best outcomes, individuals may fail to critically analyze situations, make nuanced judgments, or consider alternative perspectives.
5. Passive acceptance: Excessive optimism can lead to accepting the status quo or current circumstances without question. It may discourage individuals from challenging or questioning existing systems, leading to complacency.
@@pot-8-o564 Linear History and Vulgar Optimism
watch
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@17:30 on whether Descarte invented egoic subjectivity. This is the second time I've heard this recently. It seems like there plenty of evidence for individual subjectivity in ancient psychology even in Plato. Certainly Porphyry's ideas on cognition are influenced by Aristotle. Am I misunderstanding something?
@16:00 Matt raised the point about metaphysics as the common sense cultural assumptions; where Hegel was looking to the past, Marx wanted to change things for a better future. It seems that Gramsci's views on cultural hegemony were put to use by folks like the Mont Pelerin Society to create a common sense political morality dominated by liberal market relations. They were able to do that only after stabilizing the economy after both the crash of 1929 and subsequent WW2. It took 35-40 years for the causes of the war to be forgotten before market ideology could be reestablished as a political morality.
My generation (born in late 60s) was inundated with neoliberal subjectivity. My parents' generation was raised to believe that the government was separate from work and business, even as their entire lives were subsidised in many ways.
I'm rereading Jessica Whyte's book The Morals of the Market, where she describes the deliberate project to create (new)liberal subjects that would understand and conflate capitalist property as synonymous with human rights. The framed a rationale for political interventions when/if private property was threatened as '3rd world' countries tried to decolonize.
Is the impermanence of subjectivity begeted by the impermanence of objectivity?
The relative permanence of social infrastructure (pyramids of Egypt), inherited language, and the cosmic gods of space, earth, sun, moon, validate our intuitions that we are participating in a hierarchy of non-eternal durations of phenomena within an eternal non-temporal context. 😂
Many thanks for this. Lots of interesting stuff here.
Just after "If creativity is just infinite possibility, there's no distinction between or way of differentiating between that possibility and this possibility." ( 42:24 ) With "God's role..." notice the entry of light through the window mediated by the clouds, wind blowing the branches on the trees reflecting on Roman's head as he reacts unconsciously to your (brilliant) interpretation of Whiteheads treatise on God. The invocation becomes a character in your exchanges. @0thouartthat0 Is this light a "differentiating" factor?
This was great…Roman has the unbounded energy and curiosities of a child and the cranium of a Professor.