Montaigne, Descartes, & Pascal, LH 11-12; FL 23-24.
Also recommended: (How to Live, ch1); LISTEN Sarah Bakewell on Michel de Montaigne (PB); A.C. Grayling on Descartes' Cogito (PB); WATCH Montaigne(SoL); Descartes (HI)
1. What state of mind, belief, or knowledge was Descartes' Method of Doubt supposed to establish? OR, What did Descartes seek that Pyrrho spurned?
2. Did Descartes claim to know (at the outset of his "meditations") that he was not dreaming?
3. What strange and mythic specter did Gilbert Ryle compare to Descartes' dualism of mind and body? ("The ____ in the ______.")
4. Pascal's best-known book is _____.
5. Pascal's argument for believing in God is called ________.
6. Pascal thought if you gamble on God and lose, "you lose ______."
7. (T/F) By limiting his "wager" to a choice between either Christian theism or atheism, says Nigel Warburton, Pascal excludes too many other possible bets.
7. (T/F) By limiting his "wager" to a choice between either Christian theism or atheism, says Nigel Warburton, Pascal excludes too many other possible bets.
8. What was the "takeaway" for '60s academics who turned away from reason and rationalism?
9. How did UCLA psychologist Charles Tart get tenure?
10. Tom Wolfe said the Jesus People of the '60s were what?
11. What bestselling "nonfiction" book by Hal Lindsey predicted the looming apocalypse?
12. Even though his basic religious beliefs were not much different from Pat Robertson's and Jerry Falwell's, _____ seemed moderate by comparison.
BONUS QUESTIONS (See "recommended" above)
BONUS QUESTIONS (See "recommended" above)
- Sarah Bakewell says Montaigne's first answer to the question "How to live?" is: "Don't worry about _____."
- What was Montaigne's "near death experience," and what did it teach him?
- Montaigne said "my mind will not budge unless _____."
- What pragmatic American philosopher was Descartes' "most practical critic"?
- (T/F) A.C. Grayling thinks that, because Descartes was so wrong about consciousness and the mind-body problem, he cannot be considered a historically-important philosopher.
- What skeptical slogan did Montaigne inscribe on the ceiling of his study?
Discussion Questions
- Add your DQs
- What does Cogito, ergo sum mean to you? Does it overrate thinking, and underrate (say) toothaches?
- What do you think of Montaigne's variety of skepticism, compared to Descartes' methodological doubt-and-certainty?
- Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
- How do you define "knowledge"?
- Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
- Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
- What do you think of the academic tenure system? What's its rationale?
- Are "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
- Who are the comparatively moderate and mainstream public evangelicals these days?
- How do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"? (And again: "Inception" - ?!)
- Are you essentially identical with or distinct from your body (which includes your brain)? If distinct, who/what/where are you? How do you know? Can you prove it? OR, Do you believe in immaterial spirits? Can you explain how it is possible for your (or anyone's) material senses to perceive them?
- At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
- Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
- What have you learned, so far, about "how to live"? Have you formulated any life-lessons based on personal experience, inscribed any slogans, written down any "rules"?
- Do you agree that, contrary to Pascal, most nonreligious people would consider it a huge sacrifice to devote their lives to religion? Why?
- Is the choice between God and no-god 50/50, like a coin toss? How would you calculate the odds? At what point in the calculation do you think it becomes prudent to bet on God? Or do you reject this entire approach? Why?
- Is there anything you know or believe that you could not possibly be mistaken about, or cannot reasonably doubt? If so, what? How do you know it? If not, is that a problem for you?
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDelete#H-03 // I hope by the age 40-45 I can retire. Instead of putting the physical hours in at work, I plan on spending time with my family and continuing to experience new things. I plan to continue spending time thinking after I retire, as often as I do now. There are always things to think about and occupy your mind. I plan to stay up to date with important things going on in the world. I plan to continue reading and researching things and conversing about them with the people around me. I plan to travel and admire new cultures after I retire. I plan to enjoy art, nature, poetry, music, a few good football games and all holidays.
Amber, I actually am hoping to retire by the age of 40 as well, or maybe even sooner. I definitely plan on using the time to spend with family and doing things that I wasn't able to before. I agree that there always is something to think about, but it's interesting knowing how you would like to spend your time.
DeletePersonally, it depends on what you want to do. I'm not sure I will ever feel the need to retire, I like what I do. I derive some sense of satisfaction in helping the world with it, and it motivated me to get into the research field and I think it'll help keep me busy too.
DeleteI have no doubt I may reduce the amount I spend on it as I age and find more things to do with my time, but most people don't think of that as a real retirement.
I wish to never retire until about 75-80 years old. I have a hard time sitting around and would much rather spend my time working.
DeleteDo you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDelete#H-03 // Yes. We as a society have to have a common set of facts that we believe in as a whole, to have any sort of systematic standards or regulations. If no one believes in common things, then laws wouldn't be followed, justice would be corrupt, the world would be dangerous and society would be disadvantaged by the disillusions of contradicting “facts”.
“How do you define knowledge?”
DeleteKnowledge consists of acquiring new information, analyzing the information, and then applying it. The acquisition of knowledge is a powerful process. At the root of what we know is knowledge. Knowledge is gained and then after application more knowledge can branch off and form through experiences and trials. The knowledge one may have of history is an accumulation of what they’ve heard from others over time as well as what information they’ve sought out themselves. Knowledge can be passed from person to person and when people come together to share knowledge, new and fresher perspectives and understandings can be achieved.
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDelete#H-03 // I am the type of person to fill in a daily planner and to do list. I like for things to be planned and be as certain as possible. but actually living life has shown me not everything is certain, things will not go as planned, and it will still work out and somehow be okay. Do I desire certainty in life, yes. Do I know things are not for certain, yes. I like to look at things with the "cups half full, better than empty" kind of attitude.
Kevin Hernandez Ovalle HO2
DeleteI agree with you Amber. Although we all like having that certainty in our everyday lives; not every plan goes according to how it was planned. It’s just life and things will occur in our lives that we didn’t expect and we just have to learn how to adjust to does uncertainties. Unlike you I don’t have a daily planner,but instead I just keep mental notes and go on with how my life is going in the moment. I know that’s a bad habit, but sometimes like you things work out for me.
Section 9
DeleteI think I've grown more accustomed to accepting uncertainty with many things. That's life - so much is out of our control. It seems the two options are accept it and move on, or freak out. I'll pick the former.
I can agree that some things in life can happen much differently than you expect, but I believe that all you can do about that is know that it does work itself out in ways you wouldn't think. I think that you can learn from all the experiences, and the outcomes from it.
DeleteSection 12
DeleteI really agreed with your answer and could not have worded it better myself. I almost find certainty in knowing that certain things are unknown. And if you can't settle with the fact that some things are just unknown then it always seems to make things more stressful to me.
B. Mitchell H03 - How do you define knowledge?
ReplyDeleteWhile we have all been gaining knowledge our whole life, I can't say that knowledge and truth are the same. Many would argue that knowledge is knowing the truth, but what I believe is knowledge doesn't have to be true for it to be knowledge to you. Knowledge can be anything from life lessons from your parents, readings from your history textbook, or juicy gossip you heard from your best friend. In any way, these three all share something in common; they don't prove that the information is necessarily true. Although, this knowledge you have gained may all in all be true to you it may not be true to the universe. Knowledge to me is subjective. If one wants and accepts this knowledge then it will add to their truths or their wisdom. I like to be careful when gaining knowledge because so much of the information we see or hear on a daily basis has no real meaning without a truthful backing. To me, the underlining fact or the matter is knowledge needs no backing or reasoning to be true. So if Sandy tells me Johnny and Kim are going to break up next week because that's what Johnny said, that knowledge is then left up to me to decide whether to use it as truth or think about the reasoning as to why Sandy would say that to me. Knowledge is not always helpful or true, which is the scariest part about to knowledge in our world.
Weekly Essay 250+:
ReplyDelete"What have you learned, so far, about "how to live"? Have you formulated any life-lessons based on personal experience, inscribed any slogans, written down any "rules"?"
In my short 19 years of life I’ve learned a few lessons on how to live. I believe one of the most important things in life is to learn how to work hard but also to know when to quit. A job may bring in a stable source of income but if you are beyond miserable and the stress is literally making you sick its time to leave. I learned this lesson the hard way but the experience was a big motivator for me to choose a degree that aligns with my interests and not the path to a job I know is not for me.
I’ve also learned that time heals all wounds. I’ve known this for awhile but of course when you’re younger you don’t quite know just how hard life can hit you. Sometimes you can feel so so low but now I take comfort in the fact that despite everything that has happened to me I feel happy and I feel my future looks bright. My past has its own darkness’s just as everyone else does but I am happy to say I can still find the light.
One of my favorite lessons is that loving yourself is so important. It took me a very long time to finally realize this but now that I do actually like who I am I realize just how happy it makes life.
Of course, I know I will learn many more lessons in my life but I feel like I know the basics to be happy and live a fulfilling life.
What does Cogito, ergo sum mean to you? Does it overrate thinking, and underrate (say) toothaches?
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder what one could categorize as thinking. In this generation, how many of us don't really exist? For someone not to exist, they must not think. How many of us go about our day without thinking? I mean deep thinking, not having opinions about Instagram posts. In this sense, one could be physically alive but truthfully non-existent. H2
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs certainty in their life whether he believes it or not. There have been periods of my life where I have been uncertain. I like the feeling of uncertainty probably as much as you like the taste of morning breath. REMEMBER TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH! H2
I agree that everyone needs certainty in their life. I don't think there is a way to live without some things being certain. although not everything is and there are times of uncertainty.
DeleteMichael DeLay #5
I believe that people need some certainty in their lives in order to feel like they are somewhat in control of their actions and the world around them, however, nothing is truly certain in this world.
DeleteIs certainly really necessary to live life? To what degree do we need it? Certainty is an illusion that we seem to “need”. However, I think we come to accept a certain level of “certainty” as acceptable for us as individuals, but we still aren’t certain. #11
DeleteHow do you define "knowledge"?
ReplyDeleteMinerals in the earth are composed of different compounds and combinations of atoms. The earth is filled with ALOT of different minerals. The earth is analogous with ones brain. Each letter of the alphabet is an atom and words are compounds. Ideas are minerals. Knowledge to me is the amount and variety of minerals one has in his head. H2
Kevin Hernandez Ovalle HO2
DeleteI get you Shawn. Our minds are very complicated and we have yet to understand the brain completely. Knowledge is very available and according to the internet knowledge is gained through experience or education. I wouldn’t say all my knowledge has been through education; instead a good handful has been through personal experience and I hoesntly think that is what knowledge. The ability to learn from our past experiences and improve on them.
That's a decent analogy, it follows very logically that letters build words, which build ideas. It also follows that since there are 100+ atoms, there are exponentially (Factorially, maybe?) more compounds and minerals.
DeleteIt's a fun (Read: mostly pointless) thought experiment; what do cells (Living things, I guess. Bacteria and our new viral friend corona, too) map to? After all, a cell is literally (very loosely) a self-replicating blob of compounds, while a mineral has set periodic structure. In the same way, ideas don't change you really just make a new idea. So could cells be analogous to emotion (-al state)? Emotion is arguably an idea, and one's emotional state is always in flux (No one has the same emotions all the time, even if they are typically one style) so maybe that works.
Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
ReplyDeleteYes because it's fun. Whenever I catch myself sitting around doing nothing, I usually daydream. Sometimes I dream that I'm Goku with the power to do all kinds of things. If going Super-Sayin counts as magic then just call me a wizard. H2
I remembered daydreaming was a thing back then, but now we have this thing called "electronic devices" that ruined everything. Now, it is very rare to have magical thinking because we are so addicted to our "electronic devices".
DeleteDo you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteI believe everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not their own facts. Facts are things that actually exist, things you can see, hear, feel. Facts are truth while opinions tend to stretch the truth. You can call your opinions fact if you so please. I can say your facts are opinions. Who's to say who's right and who's wrong? Right? H2
Hi Shawn, I agree that everyone really is entitled to what their opinions are, but facts are a different story. As you say, facts are things that exist, and some people may think of something as a fact but in actuality, it isn't.
DeleteI agree with you too, facts wouldn't be facts if we just picked them.
DeleteThis country was built upon the principle of freedom of expression, speech, and religion, so people should be able to believe whatever they want, despite it being a fact or an opinion. Ignorance is bliss sometimes.
DeleteAre "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
ReplyDeleteI feel like we have passed the stage of wide-spread hallucinogenic experiences. With that being said, I'm what most might call a "Jesus person" and I've taken a 'good' amount of psychedelics in my time. I have brothers who fall in the same category. I wouldn't say believing in Jesus makes one more likely to take hallucinogenic drugs but it is an interesting thought. H2
I definitely feel like the use of psychedelics can influence religious and spiritual beliefs in certain individuals. When looking at psychedelic experiences, one’s self image is often a factor in what thoughts and ideas occur when tripping. That very same self image can play a role in the interpretation of religion and spirituality.
DeleteHow do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, this question got me stumped. I'm looking around as I type this, trying to prove that I am awake. There's really no way to prove it. I thought about walking up to someone to ask some reality-based questions but if I was dreaming, aren't these people just projections? And if they are just projections, wouldn't they be my projections? Following the same logic, wouldn't the answers they give me be answers I gave them? Pretty trippy. H2
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI hope to retire at age 60. By this time ill be a trillionaire. I'd spend most of my time on one of my cruise ships. When I'm not there id be traveling the globe ingesting indigenous concoctions to further my sense of perspective. I'll be one crazy old man. H2
https://www.crfb.org/blogs/yes-actually-raising-retirement-age-good-idea
Deleteanswering DQ "How do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"?
ReplyDeletewell personally I can determine if I am awake or not by a couple of steps, one step is while dreaming you have no sense of time so look for clocks, hence ill check my watch. Another way is when your in a dream your in the middle of the event right, never at the beginning or the end, so trace your thoughts back a few minutes. Personally I have a style of dreaming that is not In line with reality either. so that's how I know.
I know that I am not dreaming because I am able to do whatever I want at any moment. I can think of whatever I want to do and immediately do it.
Deleteanswering DQ "What do you think of the academic tenure system? What's its rationale? "
ReplyDeleteI think the academic tenure system is a massive injustice for students and teachers. almost every other job market in the world and in a free market system dictates If your job performance is not up to par, you need to improve or lose your job. so the tenure system can cause an instructor to stop working to get better, not everyone obviously. For example medical doctors have to get recertified constantly throughout their career, this keeps them sharp and up on new information. why should people training the youth of America not be held to the same standard.
answering the DQ "Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?"
ReplyDeleteNo, I prefer a standard of evidence for nearly anything unless it comes down to my religious preference which is based on faith not evidence. But specifically magically thinking, I am not a subscriber of that in anyway shape or form for example cosmology in my opinion is bullsh!t, however I understand people like to use it as a explanation for human personalities and that is good for them, what ever works for people as long as they don't harm me. I just personally do not subscribe to that and similar beliefs.
I agree with you. I do not use magical thinking as well. However, I still believe in the existence of God and the supernaturals around that.
DeleteIn my opinion, belief in a deity counts as magical thinking.
Deleteanswering DQ "At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?"
ReplyDeleteI have no clue when I will get to retire. I can answer that I hope to farm, hike, read, train physically. I will absolutely spend more time thinking and debating. After living and working X amount of years I would love to help and mentor younger men and women and that involves thinking and debating.
What does Cogito, ergo sum mean to you? Does it overrate thinking, and underrate (say) toothaches?
ReplyDelete- I compare it to mind over matter. If you get your mind off something, you typically will start to forget about it and this is also true with pain.
What do you think of Montaigne's variety of skepticism, compared to Descartes' methodological doubt-and-certainty
- I would tend to lean more towards Descartes' method as I don't think skepticism leads to a healthy life.
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
- I'm ok with not knowing. The only things I know for certain is that which is right in front of me.
How do you define "knowledge"?
-Something that is thought of through theory fact or hypothesis, even if wrong.
Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
-In some ways. I'm not very religious but I am superstitious.
Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
-No one can have "their own" facts. Facts are true and cannot be tailored. A fact can be true for one person and not another. But a fact cannot be argued.
What do you think of the academic tenure system? What's its rationale?
-They want to protect people from getting fired for no reason. I am not a fan and think there should be a board to decide these things.
Are "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
-more.
How do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"?
- In a way, there is no way to know. I tend to treat what's in front of me as real all the time. Even if dreaming.
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
-I plan to retire whenever I can retire comfortably so that I have more time to relax and do what I want, including thinking.
Do you agree that, contrary to Pascal, most nonreligious people would consider it a huge sacrifice to devote their lives to religion? Why?
- Yes, with religion you give up much of your time and life to complete the requirements and live by the guidelines of a religion.
Is there anything you know or believe that you could not possibly be mistaken about, or cannot reasonably doubt? If so, what? How do you know it? If not, is that a problem for you?
Delete- What is right in front of me and what I can touch. Even if a dream it is real to me in this moment. and to me, my perceptions is all that matters.
https://evolutionnews.org/2014/08/evolutionary_st/
Delete(H02) Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeleteI would say personally I like knowing things for certain because it gives me a degree of reliability. Life, however, is a constant labyrinth of circumstance and inconvenience. As such, very few things in life are guaranteed to be certain. Because of the ever changing world we live in, I have come to adapt and accept that I can be certain of things to some degree, but never fully rely on them.
I am okay with not knowing things for certain. Life is about trying to find information, and we should be okay with that. Researching definitely gives life a purpose.
Delete(H01) Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. While everyone may have their own opinions, beliefs, or perspectives on a subject, the facts or truth about the subject is undeniable.
edit: (H02)
DeleteI agree! Opinions are things we choose to take a stance on. However, facts are things that we know for use and cannot argue against.
DeleteSection 12
DeleteI also agree with this! You cannot argue a fact once it has been proven, hence making is an undeniable fact.
People abuse things. It's very, very easy to abuse (spread) opinions.
DeleteI'm not too sure everyone is entitled to an opinion about everything, because I'm an idiot. I'm not advocating to force people to not have opinions, but just advocating for people to have the self awareness to manage their opinions. An opinion on opinions, in a way.
I've tried to notice/catch and stop myself forming opinions about things I know I don't know a lot about. One thing I've gotten better at is removing some of my opinions about art, and it's the only example that springs to mind
I'm not trying to avoid liking or disliking something, but trying to avoid opinions like how hard something is. I'm a math/sci person, I can't art to save my life. People say the things I do are hard because they fear Calculus, but will quickly say that some piece of art is easy and they could of done it.
While the chance exists, they didn't draw/sculpt/whatever it and in most cases don't know how much effort it takes. I know I have no idea how hard it is to produce that piece of art, since days of effort and learning can disappear (Failures dissapear) or become invisible after a slight revision in my field and I just assume I'm not special, and in my opinion it's disrespectful (for lack of a better word, maybe ignorance fits better).
Like, I'm so trash at art but try not to think about how easy a particular piece could be since often their is a lot more to it than meets the eye. To illustrate the "Failures disappear" thing I mentioned, the early lightbulb was pretty simple once you saw someone else do it, but it still took Edison a ton of work to get to and so paradoxically, it's my opinion that I shouldn't have an opinion without more research or trying it myself beyond a 10 second observation.
(H02) Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeleteI think certainty is something almost everyone desires because certainty implies a sense of control. But as I get older and become less naive to life, I have realized that complete certainty is not possible. Uncertainty has become much more comfortable to me as I have lived in more uncertain situations.
(H01)
DeleteAre "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
I feel like the Church would condemn drug use in excess or in some cases at all. Therefore, I wouldn’t say Christians are more likely to ingest hallucinogens.
(H02) At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not know when I might retire given I plan on becoming a college professor. I would hope that at whatever time I do so, I will be sufficiently well of both monetarily and sociably. Given I am not limited by my age, I hope to spend my time traveling perhaps or working on hobbies. I will definitely have plenty of time to think then and perhaps even enjoy a few nice walks.
I plan to retire at age 60. I will probably be traveling after retirement. I would love to go around the world. On my exploration, I would probably devote some time for thinking.
DeleteWhat have you learned, so far, about "how to live"? Have you formulated any life-lessons based on personal experience, inscribed any slogans, written down any "rules"?
ReplyDelete- I believe to focus on what I can change and roll with what I can't
Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
- I was in a bad car wreck. It made me appreciate the days I'm given and realize that I'm not wholly I charge of my life.
(H02) Are "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
ReplyDeleteHonestly this is a difficult question to answer. I know that the so called "Jesus people" are quite liberal and so might be more inclined to ingest hallucinogens. On the other hand, given the religious fervency of Christianity today, it is also possible that they would be less inclined to do so given the continual status of illegal drugs. Given the overall liberal nature of this branch of Christianity, I think it is possible that they still indulge in such "religious" activities.
H01
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
If I don't know something for sure, I go insane. Whether it's an answer to a question or someones feelings towards me, if I'm not at least 90% of the answer, it can drive me mad trying to figure it out.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-gift-maybe/201604/why-are-we-always-looking-certainty-in-our-lives
DeleteH01
ReplyDeleteDo you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
Not necessarily. Everyone is always entitled to their opinions (something people don't seem to understand anymore), but there are also facts about myself that I'm entitled to as well. However, just because something is fact for me doesn't mean that it's fact for someone else.
Sky Strube H01 - Make up report
ReplyDeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
This is an especially tricky question for me particularly. My dream isn’t quite to be a doctor or a lawyer or wake up and put on a smile and head to an office every day. I honestly have no clue what I’d like to do as a career because for a large portion of my life, I’ve been set in the mindset that I don’t want a career. I’m a double major in English and Business and I get asked all the time what I want to do with that combination of skills. The answer I tell people most often: “I want to be a housewife.” I really, really, really just want to be a housewife. I love writing, don’t get me wrong; that’s what I’m pursuing a degree in. At the end of the day though, I want to pester my kids about their homework and teach them to read and cheer them on at their sporting events. I don’t want much else that to raise beautiful, happy, kind, and healthy children into even better adults. Theoretically, let’s imagine that I have to work. Seeing as I plan on marrying rich or at least a man with a career with sufficient income this isn’t all too likely in my plans. However, I understand that stuff happens. If I have to work, I really have no clue what I would do. No idea AT ALL. So we’ll step away from that. The job that I DO want, you don’t get to retire from. People never stop needing parents. Once I have a child, being a parent will be my full-time job for the rest of my life. I’ve wanted to be a mother my entire life and now that I’m an adult in college I’ll be the first to admit it’s very hard to convince myself to not drop out and start my life already. Of course I won’t do that, I’m just saying the temptation is there. For the purposes of this question, we’ll compare retirement to becoming a grandmother. I understand that my children will still need me, but I think this signifies where the bulk of my job raising them is complete. I imagine myself being in my 50s around this time. I’d like to see myself with some nice little hobbies, some cute little friends like my sorority sisters or something, chilling with my pets, honestly just relaxing and having a good time. I’m someone who doesn’t think I’ll be bored during retirement because if I’m bored now, I find something to do and I imagine I’ll still have that capability when I retire. Imagine all the movies that will have come out by then. And with some cats? My own personal heaven. So, to conclude and actually answer the question, I’ll never really retire but see myself being in my 50s and being a happy little grandma with lots of little hobbies and I’m sure I will spend a lot more of my time thinking, I’m an English major after all.
DQ: Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeleteI definitely need certainty. It is hard to change or do things without knowing the outcome because I have done it before. Certainty, though impossible at its fullest, is absolutely something I desire.
DQ: Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
I most likely do, although I try to avoid doing so.
DQ: Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
I do agree with this assumption. I do not believe everyone is entitled to act on those beliefs. Beliefs of hatred must not be acted upon as they cause death or other evils. But people should be free to have opinions.
DQ: Are "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
To me, it seems as if "Jesus people" are less likely than other groups of people to ingest hallucinogens. Drugs are evils in a lot of these communities and it seems to be a black and white subject in my experience.
DQ: Who are the comparatively moderate and mainstream public evangelicals these days?
It most definitely remains Christians and seems to be those who grew out of Billy Graham and Pat Robertson-esque movements. If you examine powerful evangelical churches like Passion or Hillsong, these are very similar movements with just a little bit more money. Very little has changed between these two eras besides the clothes people wear and the form of worship music they listen to.
DQ: How do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"? (And again: "Inception" - ?!)
I honestly cannot know that I am not currently dreaming. I cannot think of a verifiable definitive proof.
Alternative quiz questions:
ReplyDelete1: According to Andersen, who, "while high on nitrous oxide and peyote, had brilliant, poetic insights?"
A: William James
2: Who said "reality has a well-known liberal bias?"
A: Stephen Colbert
3: What magazine famously released an issue with a black cover with red letters asking, "Is God Dead?"
A: "Time"
4: What form of Christianity made "by Americans in America" had "remained a fringe religion" until the 1960s?
A: Pentacostalism
El Jo 006
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
I do not need for certainty in my life. I am okay with not being certain with certain things. For wanting certainty for everything in your life, I will always get anxiety. If I'm okay with letting things be, there is no need for me to stretch myself to be 100% certain of things.
How do you define "knowledge"?
I define knowledge as the acquisition of information that was previously unknown. In this way, knowledge is as broad and specific as need be. I can see knowledge through texts or through experience.
Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
I agree. Facts are set in stone. For example, we live on Earth. That is a fact. People should not be allowed to change the fact, because they want to. It's proven. However, they can have the opinion that we do not live on Earth.
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
I hope to retire around the age of 60. I believe I would like to go to the countryside and simply spend my time in my memories and think of my life. I would also like that time to come to terms with some bad decisions that I have made throughout my life. I also would like to ready myself for the next stage of my life.
DQ Questions:
Delete1) Do you think that the basis of questioning everything from LH is the basis of the scientific method? We question everything that we know in order to get to the more solid truth.
2) Are "Jesus People" particularly harmful? Can they be?
3) What skeptical quote would you have on your ceiling?
4) If we are living in a dream, do you think we could ever wake up?
Phil-10
Delete1. I think asking questions of why of something became the basis of the scientific method... Hell yeah I do!
2. I don't know if Jesus people have a record of being harmful, but since religion is skeptical to beliefs it caused a lot of wars throughout history.
4. Not a chance, we're batteries for the machines we created long ago, but in all seriousness, I don't know if I can if I am dreaming.
PHIL 1030-009
ReplyDeleteDiscussion Questions:
1. Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
- I do have a strong desire to have certainty in my life. I like when things are planned out, so I know exactly what is going to happen. However, I understand that not everything can be certain and that things change.
2. How do you define "knowledge"?
- I think knowledge is anything that someone can learn. People can learn things through hearing them, reading them, seeing them, comprehending them, etc. So, knowledge to me is really everything surrounding humans.
3. Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
- Yes, I do agree with the statement that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but now their own facts. Everyone can have an opinion, but that does not mean that opinion is fact. I feel like a lot of people think that their opinion is fact, which causes a lot of provocation and aggression in other people.
4. At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
- I plan on retiring around age 60-65. I would like to work a lot, but I do not want to work myself to death. After I retire, I will probably spend a lot of time on small hobbies. I will probably spend time walking outside and reading, as well as drawing or writing. I will spend more time thinking, because I will have more time to contemplate things.
5. Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
- I have a family friend who had a somewhat near-death experience, or at least a death scare. She was told that she had cancer, but then the doctor retracted the statement and said that her tumor was benign. For a while, however, everyone was very worried for her. We were scared that we would lose a loved one. It really made me think about how short life is. I probably think about how we are all always one misstep from death once a week.
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeletePhil-10
I desire certainty if anything is possible to explain. It wouldn't be okay to not know things for certain, unless that subject is too complex to be explained. Asking is pretty important to continue philosophy, hence the love of wisdom.
I agree that everyone is entitled to their own opinions and facts. I believe this because people can believe what ever they want to believe.
ReplyDeletePhil-10
ReplyDeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
I would like to retire at 70 because I am looking forward t work, in hopes that I actually get a job that I enjoy. I would want to travel to all sorts of place and keep asking questions, probably still work, but remember these times I had with college, this class, my past, my friends, but most importantly my brothers and parents. I want to spend most of my time thinking of anything. We will see.
Im okay without knowing all things for certain. Its the same with faith.
ReplyDeleteSection 6:
ReplyDeleteHave you had a near death experience?
I've actually had two, and they were both really scary. The first one, I had passed out in the shower and hit my head on the faucet. I remember "coming-to" and having this weird out of body experience. The second time, my car was leaking carbon monoxide into the cabin, and I passed out and almost drove into two lanes of traffic. Both of these events have changed the way I look at life and gave me a deeper appreciation for the life I'm currently living. I'm more careful and take better overall care of my body, and I learned how to not be afraid of death because it is an everyday occurrence!
Is the choice between God and no-god 50/50, like a coin toss? How would you calculate the odds? At what point in the calculation do you think it becomes prudent to bet on God? Or do you reject this entire approach? Why?
I always thought it was silly to "bet on God" or to believe in God just on the off-chance there is some form of afterlife. The way I have always seen God and "Heaven" is "if it's there, great. If it's not, that's cool too." It's impossible for us to know for sure currently, so why should we waste our entire lives trying to live right by someone/something that may not even care or exist? Personally, I believe in a form of reincarnation, so the "afterlife" as I see it is really all around me. I think it takes away too much time from our lives to focus on such trivial things. Just live your life as a good person according to your own morals, and be happy with the decisions you make.
Section 006:
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
For many years of my life, I felt like I needed certainty in every aspect of my life. From relationships, education, and myself, I always felt like I needed certainty in the things I was doing and was around. Everything I did, I expected a certain outcome and when that outcome did not happen, it would wreck me mentally. I have come to realize that there are so many things in life that are out of our control. I had to let go of needed certainty in all aspects of my life. I have grown much happier just going with the flow and not always knowing the outcome.
How do you define "knowledge"?
I define knowledge as the never ending source of information a person can gain from experience, education, or awareness.
Are you essentially identical with or distinct from your body (which includes your brain)? If distinct, who/what/where are you? How do you know? Can you prove it? OR, Do you believe in immaterial spirits? Can you explain how it is possible for your (or anyone's) material senses to perceive them?
I believe in immaterial spirits. I think there are so many things in our material world we can not see or explain, and just because something isn't physical doesn't mean it's not all around us. I believe our bodies are vessels and our souls are just taking place in these bodies for a short period of time. I can't convince anyone that we have souls and spirits. People have to feel it within themselves, like I do. That's why I am not scared to die. My physical body might be inactive but my soul is forever free.
PHIL 1030-010
ReplyDelete"Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing?"
I personally prefer to have certainty whenever possible; however, there are some situations or circumstances in which I am more-comfortable with a sense of uncertainty or lack of clarity.
One of the better examples of these scenarios - albeit a more or less extreme one - is my connection with religion or religious groups. I haven't ever felt a need to be compelled one way or the other, but I do believe that there is a greater force; I'm perfectly okay with not having every question I have regarding religion or my personal beliefs answered, because I don't feel like I need a religion or a set of beliefs to satisfy my own moral alignments - I know what I believe (mostly), and I don't need to follow a religion to justify it!
What does Cogito, ergo sum mean to you? Does it overrate thinking, and underrate (say) toothaches?
ReplyDeleteIt means to mean what it actually says, "I think, therefore I am." I exist because i am able to think, and that in itself is a marvelous wonder. It doesn't overrate thinking... Thinking may seem insignificant, but really it is something we will never truly grasp and because we are able to produce thought through unknown forces or reasons, all the more exaggerates they utter astonishment of thought.
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeleteI believe it is better to be certain about things as much as you can, however if i'm not certain about something that is fine, because in that, i am certain that i am not certain about something, therefore there is closure through that. Not only that, but we are also human, we tend to make mistakes and lack wisdom, therefore it is nothing to be worried about. Everyone is uncertain about something so there is no need to be desirous of ultimate certainty.
How do you define "knowledge"?
ReplyDeleteKnowledge to me is all the stuff you understand and perceive. Knowledge is knowing I am human, or at least that is what I am lead to believe from the collective notion of our race. Knowledge is all base on personal belief and experience. For example, Person A likes this, Person B hates that. Yet, Person A has the knowledge that it tastes good, sounds good, etc. However, Person B hates the taste, the sound, etc. Irregardless, they both hold the same object in mind, yet have different perceived knowledge of those objects... that is what knowledge is to me. It is all based on personal experiences and perceived understandings and perspectives.
Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
ReplyDeleteYes, because they are somethings no matter what, we won't be able to explain or at least in this current time... Therefore, at the very least we would have a kind of explanation rather than perceive it with no understanding at all. In addition, through that superstitious explaining leads us to produce better thought patterns and philosophical perspectives. We will gain individualism and uniqueness, and even though we don't have concrete evidence for it, if we think it is so, it is so until lead to believe truly otherwise.
Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteYes, their "own" facts is presumptuous. They can have their own opinions and perspectives. But it will stay that way, however when you say you opinions are now your facts, that is when you are wrong. Facts are concrete public knowledge that people can replicate over and over. Therefore it can't be your own "personal" fact about something. If only you perceive it that way, it is not a fact, it is therefore a opinion masked behind perceived observations.
How do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"? (And again: "Inception" - ?!)
ReplyDeleteI know I am awake because I wholly feel my being, my thoughts, my emotions, etc. In a dream, there is certain "feeling" to it. In a dream, you don't have complete control of your senses and your surroundings, something will always feel off. The senses in your dreams fail to work together to provide life-like sensation replication. It can't capture the true essence of reality. I know I am awake, because all my senses tell me so. For example, in a dream i perceive a desk, am i really sensing everything of the desk at the same time in union with my other senses? I may be able to taste, touch, smell, see, and/or hear the desk, but there is that ulterior feeling of a dream that inhibits the potential of dreams to be like life. Your mind may be producing all sorts of things in your dream or you can control your dreams. IF i imagine in real life that I want this desk to explode it wont. That's how i know I'm awake, because in my dream i hold ultimate the power of my mind. I may not realize that in my dream like state, yet it is true, i have limitless possibilities in my dreams to do anything i want. I am awake because i hold no special power, i have only the perceived reality to do what i want, with what i got. In some cases, it is meaningful to say life is but a dream, because in dreams you are a bystander to your wild imagination. So maybe life is so crazy and random, that to you it IS a dream. Things may be so wack, so crazy, unexpected that it may be a dream. A person may not want to believe their life is actually real. It is not desired to be real, therefore they believe they are in a dream to escape their reality. Or maybe there is just something that feels "off" in life. Something you could never put your finger on. Because of that you are lead to believe life is a dream, your life or perceived reality is a slave to the mind of being, whether you or a exterior being.
Are you essentially identical with or distinct from your body (which includes your brain)? If distinct, who/what/where are you? How do you know? Can you prove it? OR, Do you believe in immaterial spirits? Can you explain how it is possible for your (or anyone's) material senses to perceive them?
ReplyDeleteI am identical to my body, I believe we aren't spirits. Why? Because this, "Ghost in the machine" notion is from us disassociating our thought from our body. Yet, thought comes from the brain, the neurons and electrical signals in our brain, yet our brain is a part of our body. Our brain, is where our personalities are located, where our individualism and memories lie. We perceive a spirit because we think of the body as a separate entity from our brain. Really that spirit is the self-consciousness of our brain. Or maybe in the sense of "Ghost in the machine", the ghost is the brain, not a spirit or soul. Yet if that notion considers the machine to be our body... isn't our brain a part of our body? The brain has nerves and neurons spreading throughout our whole body, connecting us with this "machine"... If we are therefore integrated with this body through biological wires and fibers, are we not identical to the body, not a separate entity residing in this machine? We are not piloting a vehicle... We are the vehicle, or at least become one with the vehicle. That is how we sense. We ARE the body, when this machine hurts or moves, we are moving, we are hurting. Those biological wires are receiving signals from the environment's stimuli, that's how we perceive those senses or feelings, through our neurons which are ultimately connected to our brain, the ghost or the control center.
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteAt 60 or 70? I will probably just teach medical class, or chemistry or something instead of actually retiring... I like socializing, especially more so with eager underclass men. The feeling of helping out people feels great. OR maybe if i am loaded, i will just relax the rest of my life, and just wait until my gentle passing. And yes, i will always continue to think, i will never cease to until i die, but even then if there is something out there after death, I will continue to think and ponder until the end of eons.
010
ReplyDeleteDQ: I find myself becoming mess okay with uncertainty as I enter more into the adult world. When I was younger I felt that things would always work out but as I grow up I realize that isn't the case and so I prefer everything to be set in stone.
Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
ReplyDeleteIt taught me to be more careful and be kinder in life because we dont know when it will end. When my brother was driving, someone left a gate out when we were driving, it went through our windshield and right next to my face all the way to the back seat. That pole gate almost decapitated me. Even if i was young, it opened my eyes. Even if being kind, being more empathetic, being more giving, etc can give relief, happiness, or bliss for even just a moment it is worth it, because we don't know when we will die. I believe we need to have as many good times as possible before die. Or at least feel a form of kindness or satisfaction in life as one day we will die, and we won't feel anything anymore, so better to experience positives things before death, although i guess you wouldn't even exist or have knowledge after death, or at least as far as we know.
010
ReplyDeleteDQ: I think that Jesus people are less likely to consume hallucinogens. Most people I have encountered who use these type of drugs are at the minimum skeptical of christianity.
010
ReplyDeleteDQ: I would like to retire by 60 and I hope that I think just as much then as I do now.
010
ReplyDeleteDQ: I think that everyone is entitled to their own opinion until that opinion steps on others human rights.
1030-10
ReplyDelete1) Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
Yes, I need certainty. I stress and get really nervous without it. It’s scary to not know things for certain.
2) How do you define "knowledge"?
Knowledge is understanding gained overtime. It is recognizing that understanding and remembering.
3) Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
I agree everyone can have their own opinions, because that’s just what they are, opinions. Not everyone can have their own facts, I don’t think anyway, I mean facts are facts they are absolutely true and there is proof. You can dislike a fact, but I don’t really think you can have an opinion on it.
Here is a link explaining the difference between fact and opinion, it is as simple as this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnFnWWAnlkw
Fact vs. Opinion
www.youtube.com
Watch this video to learn the difference between facts and opinions.-- Created using PowToon -- Free sign up at http://www.powtoon.com/ . Make your own animated videos and animated presentations for free. PowToon is a free tool that allows you to develop cool animated clips and animated presentations for your website, office meeting, sales ...
4) At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
I would love to retire before I even start and be good forever. But realistically I would like to retire late 50’s early 60’s and travel, spend time with my kids and grandkids, and maybe live wildly. Or just sleep.
1030-10
ReplyDelete5) Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
I was in a car accident I totaled my car after hydroplaning into a ditch and spinning on the roof of the car. This showed me that life is short and every moment, every word, every person you love is important and all you know, and love can be taken from you in an instant. For me, it depends on the day. Sometimes I never think of death. Other days I’m so stressed out I borrow worry and stress about everything.
6) Is there anything you know or believe that you could not possibly be mistaken about, or cannot reasonably doubt? If so, what? How do you know it? If not, is that a problem for you?
I believe/know there is a God. I cannot doubt this. I have faith and the bible and the world around me and church and my parents that is how I know it is true.
7) What have you learned, so far, about "how to live"? Have you formulated any life-lessons based on personal experience, inscribed any slogans, written down any "rules"?
I learn about how to live as I go. I make rules and my experiences help me make these rules and slogans. As we grow, we earn the dos and don’ts and we make our rules so that we are respectful people in society.
8) Are "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
I believe that this is not something that God would want so I wouldn’t say that Christians are more likely to do this.
9) Do you agree that, contrary to Pascal, most nonreligious people would consider it a huge sacrifice to devote their lives to religion? Why?
I think they would. Because they don’t exactly know what that all entails. A lot of times they think we are giving up all the good in life and that there are rules. Plus, it would be so different and hard at first.
10)How do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"?
I guess we don’t really know. I choose to think that what I experience as my life is real and everything, I see is real all the time until I shut my eyes and sleep at night. Even when I am dreaming It is still real life because I am happening in real life/dreaming in real life whether the dream is a true story or not.
Quiz Questions:
1) Who developed the Method of Doubt?
2) Who wrote the ‘Essays’?
3) Who did Montaigne find “more than a little boring”?
4) Who wrote “How to Live: Or a Life Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer”?
5) Anthony Grayling is an author of a recent biography of who?
6) Who said, “I think, therefore I am”?
7) Who was the philosopher, religious thinker, and mathematician?
8) If man were wise, he would gauge the true worth of anything by its what?
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
It depends on what the subject is. I need certainty to things that are in my control, but I have accepted that there are things that are not in my control and therefore I must accept not being certain of those.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteHow do you define "knowledge"?
Knowledge to me is understanding how things work and function. One must know how, why, and what to have knowledge in something.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteDo you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
I try to avoid that, but things that aren’t explainable by science tend to bring on magical thoughts.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think of the academic tenure system? What's its rationale?
I think our current academic system is very flawed. Many are left knowing impractical knowledge, but don’t understand how many basic systems operate on Earth.
Sect.10
ReplyDeleteAre "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
I think they are less likley to participate in drugs, because that is against their religious practice. Drug users who ingest hallucinogens are probably more likely to visualize something other than the conservatively viewed Jesus.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteHow do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"
When I am awake, I know fully that I am consciencess, When I dream, I do not know I am dreaming. Life is more sense provoking than a dream and much more intense.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
Ideally, 60 would be great. I would devote more time to my family and hobbies.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteAre you essentially identical with or distinct from your body (which includes your brain)? If distinct, who/what/where are you? How do you know? Can you prove it? OR, Do you believe in immaterial spirits? Can you explain how it is possible for your (or anyone's) material senses to perceive them?
I find myself more as with one with my mind. However, I am aware that if my body is no longer functional, my mind will still be the same. Therefore, I place great emphasis on being one with the mind and body and to cherish both and try to have both to maximum health.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteHave you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
I have not experienced one, but I have heard other’s experiences. Many times I have heard that it was made people cherish life more, try to be a better human, but also to not fear death.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteWhat does Cogito, ergo sum mean to you? Does it overrate thinking, and underrate (say) toothaches?
This phrase means to me that the mind is very powerful, and it can achieve what it can perceive. The mindset can drastically affect how one experiences their body and the World.
Sect. 10
ReplyDeleteWho are the comparatively moderate and mainstream public evangelicals these days?
I think current day religous Southerners are the current and mainstream evangelicals.
9
ReplyDeleteHow do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"?
I am narcoleptic, and because of this I always get REM cycle sleep (where you have dreams). Over the years, I have become good at lucid dreaming and do it mostly every time I am asleep. In my dreams I can move things with my eyes and open doors and stuff by just looking at them.
One time I was at a music festival on the beach watching one of my favorite artists perform. Fireworks were going off, and everything seemed to be a dream. I had depersonalization for a minute, and couldn't tell if it was real or not. It sounds weird, but to convince myself it was real life, I tried to move something with my eyes and couldn't. So that's how I was able to tell that it was real life.
9
ReplyDeleteWhat have you learned, so far, about "how to live"? Have you formulated any life-lessons based on personal experience, inscribed any slogans, written down any "rules"?
I feel like I have been wise about life since a young age. I have learned many lessons throughout the years, but for the most part, I have always just understood things. One thing I am big on is living in the moment. It is the only thing that actually exists.
Stepping out of your comfort zone is also important. I get told a lot that I am a free spirit, I never really worry about anything. I kind of just think life will happen and everything will work out for me.
One of my favorite quotes from a movie is "It's all happening". It goes along with the live in the moment thing. People tend to focus so much of end goals, rather than enjoy the process leading up to them. It is important to enjoy it all.
Lesley Walker
ReplyDeleteSection 10
I feel like I need a little bit of both, but for the most part I like having certainty. The unknown can be pretty scary, especially when it’s about the “big” and important things in our lives. But on the same note, I feel as though a lot of times when we are doing those big and important things in our lives, we are going into them with a lot of uncertainty. Will it work out, will it be a complete disaster, will I enjoy doing this? The list of questions I usually ask myself goes on and on. Sometimes you just have to jump right in and have a little faith that things will work out, and if they don’t, you at least come out knowing something you didn’t before and can use that new knowledge to better make choices in the future. I think when we at least feel like we have some certainty, things are a lot less scary and we feel like we have more control. As humans, I think we tend to like to have control and feel like we have the option of deciding how things happen. We can be control freaks at times, and this can be a good and bad thing. Sometimes just going with the flow, not knowing what’s going to happen, can lead to some pretty great experiences in life. So in all, I would say I enjoy having certainty for keeping my sanity, but overall I think not knowing can be just as much fun.
How do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say "life is but a dream"? (And again: "Inception" - ?!)
ReplyDeleteI have no idea if I am asleep or awake, but I would like to think that I am awake. Life is but a dream is full of important meanings for me because I always ask what is possible and what I can achieve.
1030-10
ReplyDelete500 word blogpost for being absent
Michel de Montaigne is widely appreciated as one of the most important figures in the late French Renaissance, both for his literary innovations as well as for his contributions to philosophy. As a writer, he is credited with having developed a new form of literary expression, the essay, a brief and admittedly incomplete treatment of a topic germane to human life that blends philosophical insights with historical anecdotes and autobiographical details, all unapologetically presented from the author’s own personal perspective. As a philosopher, he is best known for his skepticism, which profoundly influenced major figures in the history of philosophy such as Descartes and Pascal. All of his literary and philosophical work is contained in his Essays, which he began to write in 1572 and first published in 1580 in the form of two books. Over the next twelve years leading up to his death, he made additions to the first two books and completed a third, bringing the work to a length of about one thousand pages. While Montaigne made numerous additions to the books over the years, he never deleted or removed any material previously published, in an effort to represent accurately the changes that he underwent both as a thinker and as a person over the twenty years during which he wrote.
René Descartes is often credited with being the “Father of Modern Philosophy.” This title is justified due both to his break with the traditional Scholastic-Aristotelian philosophy prevalent at his time and to his development and promotion of the new, mechanistic sciences. His fundamental break with Scholastic philosophy was twofold. First, Descartes thought that the Scholastics’ method was prone to doubt given their reliance on sensation as the source for all knowledge. Second, he wanted to replace their final causal model of scientific explanation with the more modern, mechanistic model. Descartes attempted to address the former issue via his method of doubt. His basic strategy was to consider false any belief that falls prey to even the slightest doubt. This “hyperbolic doubt” then serves to clear the way for what Descartes considers to be an unprejudiced search for the truth. This clearing of his previously held beliefs then puts him at an epistemological ground-zero. From here Descartes sets out to find something that lies beyond all doubt. He eventually discovers that “I exist” is impossible to doubt and is, therefore, absolutely certain. It is from this point that Descartes proceeds to demonstrate God’s existence and that God cannot be a deceiver. This, in turn, serves to fix the certainty of everything that is clearly and distinctly understood and provides the epistemological foundation Descartes set out to find. Once this conclusion is reached, Descartes can proceed to rebuild his system of previously dubious beliefs on this absolutely certain foundation.
Blaise Pascal was a French philosopher, mathematician, scientist, inventor, and theologian. In mathematics, he was an early pioneer in the fields of game theory and probability theory. In philosophy he was an early pioneer in existentialism. As a writer on theology and religion he was a defender of Christianity. Despite chronic ill health, Pascal made historic contributions to mathematics and to physical science, including both experimental and theoretical work on hydraulics, atmospheric pressure, and the existence and nature of the vacuum. As a scientist and philosopher of science, Pascal championed strict empirical observation and the use of controlled experiments; he opposed the rationalism and logico-deductive method of the Cartesians; and he opposed the metaphysical speculations and reverence for authority of the theologians of the Middle Ages.
Section 13
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
- I consider myself a pretty "go with the flow" type of person, but depending on the situation, I absolutely need certainty. In some cases, not having any would really stress me out.
Do you agree that everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
- I agree everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but if they try to speak about things that are absolutely bogus I don't think I'd be able to take them seriously.
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
- I hope to retire around my early to mid 60s. At that time I would think I would have grandchildren so I would spend time with them. I will be living in my forever home hopefully and will be able to do as I please.
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteHonestly I do not ever want to retire. I feel like I function and think better when I have a lot to do.
13
Is the choice between God and no-god 50/50, like a coin toss? How would you calculate the odds? At what point in the calculation do you think it becomes prudent to bet on God? Or do you reject this entire approach? Why?
ReplyDeleteI do not think it is a 50/50 question at all. To be truly fair we need to add all the other religious and spiritual beliefs in there as well... After a quick google, and I still think this is conservative, lets go with 1/4,200.
13
What does Cogito, ergo sum mean to you? Does it overrate thinking, and underrate (say) toothaches?
ReplyDeleteI just see it as I have a functioning brain, therefore i'm alive. I don't think it overrates thinking at all for the fact that even toothaches and pain are felt because your brain is doing it's job and telling you about it.
13
Daniel Dupuy Section 12
ReplyDeleteHow do you define "knowledge"?
In my opinion, knowledge is anything stored in an individual's brain. It is incorrect and correct knowledge one acquired through learning.
Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
I do not. I have a pragmatic point of view most of the time. My family on the other side, they focus a lot on mystical thinking instead on evidence- even when facts revolve around them.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/religious-people-beliefs-cling-contradict-evidence-facts-moral-compass-research-athiests-analytical-a7863446.html
Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this statement. People have the right to feel any different way about a certain topic and that is completely fine. However, when people create their own facts about how the world works that is different from what everyone else says, they can often end up harming themselves and other people around them. For example, your opinion on vaccines can be that they do or do not harm people, which is fine. Consequentially, if you take this as fact and start trying to push this on other people as a fact, then you run the risk of killing people that need the vaccine in order to fight off deadly diseases.
Alt Quiz
What was the name of Michel de Montaigne's "great masterpiece"?
According to Montaigne, what does everyone's life consist of?
Section 11
ReplyDeleteHow do you define "knowledge"?
Knowledge to me is simply the presence of information in the mind. You gain knowledge by learning, either through experiences or being told.
Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
I don't believe in magic and superstition, but I really want that stuff to be real. In the absence of evidence I take the stance that there is a logical explanation that is just unknown.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehttps://theexistentialterrorofconvenience.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteSection 11
Section 13
ReplyDeleteDQ: How do you define "knowledge"?
Knowledge is the collection of lessons learned through experience or by building upon previous experiences. That experience can be your own or through others shared lesson of their experience.
DQ: Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
I’m fine with uncertainty when it comes to things I cannot control, like an afterlife or if there is life in universe. However, I am definitely not ok with uncertainty in my everyday life with things I can control. I like having a plan and actually hate things like surprise parties or jump scares.
DQ: Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
Yes, I do agree with that. Values, morals, beliefs, ethics, are all based on our perception of the world. Two people can see the exact same event and have it explained to them in detail, but that doesn’t mean they will still come to exact same conclusions or process the information the same way. For example, if a tree falls down in a storm, there is no denying the tree has fallen, but there can be different views on why it fell. Was it the strong winds and weak timber? Or was it divine intervention that created the storm? Etc. etc. etc.
Section 12
ReplyDeleteHave you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
I've known people who have come to near death experiences by car accidents and others (some actually resulting in death), but even hearing them talk about it made me realize how fragile our lives are. We are always one second away from potentially making a minuscule step that leads us to our last breath. Losing your keys before you leave, taking a glance down at your phone, or the neighbor's dog keeping you up all night can create a domino effect. Situations such as that made me realize how quickly a life can be taken.
12
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
I am a very free flowing individual. I don't need a great deal of certainty in my life, but I do enjoy a some amount of certainty. For example, I am very secure in the idea that I will have a meal to eat tonight.
How do you define "knowledge"?
Knowledge is relative to the accurate information a person has access to. Many individuals think they are more knowledgable than they are because they are not in a position to assimilate appropriate knowledge effectively.
Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
This may be more part of my personal coping strategies than superstition, but I tend to talk to and pray for my dead relatives. There is certainly no evidence that I am having any true interaction with them at all, but thats not going to stop me.
DQ:
ReplyDelete"How do you define knowledge"
Broadly, there are three kinds of knowledge:
Ability: knowledge how – e.g. “I know how to ride a bike”
Acquaintance: knowledge of – e.g. “I know Fred well”
Propositional: knowledge that – e.g. “I know that London is the capital of England”
"Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?"
I like to believe that I have a strong desire of certainty in my life. I follow through this desire by writing down my short, middle ,and long term goals in my life. This way I feel like I have some sense of control of my life, but realistically I realize events will occur in my life where my plans will either change marginally or dramatically.
"Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?"
Yes everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but this does not mean that "their" truth is right.They can give their justifications for their opinion but that doesn't mean that their "truths" are verified by proven societal methods etc
I agree with your definition of knowledge. It shows you how complex the word knowledge really is
DeleteSection 12
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
- Yes I need to have full on certainty about mostly everything in my life, specially when knowing where my career life will be going. I like to know i am not wasting my time in doing something, that what i am doing is for a purpose that has a very big chance of happening.
How do you define "knowledge"?
- Knowledge is information and skills you acquire through out time that make you more qualified for many different things in life.
DQ: What does Cogito, ergo sum mean to you? Does it overrate thinking, and underrate (say) toothaches?
ReplyDeleteI find that in my interpretation, this explanation of being does not suffice to show us the true nature of things. I believe that it is a correct statement to be made, but that science compels us to see other truths in being. I believe much more than the simple fact of thinking proves our being.
DQ: How do you define "knowledge"?
ReplyDeleteI define knowledge as a sense of understanding something based on responsibly gathered information or personal experience. It is easy to assume one "knows" something without ever having actually thought through the subject. Socrates was a master at challenging what people assumed they knew for certain, and help pave a clearer path to truth in knowledge.
DQ: Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeleteI do not need certainty in my life for some things. Other things, some level of certainty is necessity, or life would not be livable without it. I do not share Descartes avid search for certainty in all things, but am comfortable being uncertain about things that are not always immediately practical. I view certainty as an organized way to see the world, nonetheless, but some uncertainty is always indelible.
Section 12
ReplyDeleteHow do you define "knowledge"?
I define knowledge as understanding something by acquiring information from a source. Whether that was a teacher, training, personal experience, etc. I think its close to impossible to not obtain knowledge of some sort.
Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
This may not be an extremely near-death experience but it was the closest thing I have experienced. I was in another state at a conference and I took an elevator up to my room with a friend. I remember her clicking the button to the floor and all of a sudden the elevator stopped. It was in the middle of July so it was already hot. I freaked out and I had my first ever panic attack and I could not breathe. My friend was really calm, she tried calming me down but was also trying to assess the situation and figuring out what to do. The elevator began working in the next few minutes. I always think about that situation when I pass an elevator. It is crazy how sometimes I am just a step away from death. I could be walking on the sidewalk and accidentally fall into the road and a car could run over me and kill me. It's crazy to think about.
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
I plan on retiring when I am at 60. I plan on moving to Florida if I am not there already. I will probably just watch TV all day and go shopping.
I found this video that has a meme, but explains in detail what it means and even throws in some philosophical ideas. Take some time and watch this, it might help if you are feeling like nothing matters.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aaz4jdlqhSk
Section 13
ReplyDelete-How do you define "knowledge"?
Knowledge is information you need to know in order to understand something.
-At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
I definitely want to retire early and travel the world. I want to travel to different places where I can think more freely. I usually get the best thinking time when I’m traveling.
-Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
Yes, when I was in middle school, on sunny days, me and my friend used to walk home. One day as we were walking home one of the stores on our way had construction going on so we couldn't walk on the sidewalk. My friend and I were talking and all of a sudden I heard some guys yelling at us; I wasn’t sure why they were yelling so I completely ignored them, when I turned to my friend to continue our conversation she grabbed my arm and pulled me to her side, then I heard a car stopping right behind me. It was so close that I could feel the heat coming out of it. I learned that accidents can happen any second but that shouldn't keep me away from my daily activities, I just have to be more careful.
Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteI agree. I believe people too often try to find facts in their own opinions and are unwilling to recognize the evidence that is to the contrary.
- Cody Maness Section 11
I agree, people should have their own opinions but be open to learning others opinions before judging.
DeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI do not think I will ever retire until I am forced to. I may reduce how much I work and enjoy more of life, but I feel that I would be bored without some job. If I do retire, I would probably travel and spend more time enjoying things like books, thinking, and events.
- Cody Maness Section 11
Section 12
ReplyDeleteDQ: Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
I desire certainty, and where I can find certainty, I will. But, I am okay with accepting that there are certain things in life that I do not know and may never understand.
DQ: Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
Yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I think that should be respected. However, having an opinion does not mean it is a correct one. Opinions and facts should be viewed as different because they are. They have different standards in terms of accuracy.
DQ: At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
I don’t know what age I desire to be, but when I retire I want to focus on traveling, reading, writing, art, etc. However, I would like to explore those things throughout my working years as well. Retiring will just give me more freedom and time to do those things without worrying about making money. I would definitely plan to spend more time “thinking,” especially because doing so will fuel certain activities such as reading and writing.
Section 12:
ReplyDeleteCameron Ghalami
1. Do you think that superheroes would be beneficial for society or do you think someone that powerful would be dangerous?
2. https://youtu.be/joxLLRi5yfo
3. https://youtu.be/EFtbwP4UuFM
I believe that, if superheroes exit in real life, they can be both beneficial and dangerous to our society. If they abuse their power, no one will be able to stop them from becoming too powerful.
DeleteSection 12; Daniel Dupuy
ReplyDeleteAre "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
I think not, however it depends on how serious they take their religion- if they claim to be religious but don't practice the religion, they probably will consume drugs.
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
I'd rather be uncertain because if we knew what's going to happen- the bad- we would be stressed or the joys of good things happening in our days would be sucked out of us if we were certain about everything in our lives.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/look-around-and-look-within/201004/the-certainty-uncertainty
Are "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
ReplyDeleteI believe less likely because it says in the bible to treat your body like a temple and that includes drug intake.
section 5
DeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI plan to retire at a very old age after I can't work anymore. After that I will have a more direct relationship with my community and my family and maybe open up my own restaurant. i will spend a lot more time thinking
section 5
DeleteFor me personally i don't ever want to retire unless i have to because of some medical condition. I can't see myself not working.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDo you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteYes I agree, but just because they are entitled to their own opinion does not mean that their opinion outweighs that of someone else's. There is much argument in today's society about many different opinions people have and how others should just blindly accept them even if they are against their religion or personal beliefs. So just because you believe in an opinion does not make it fact and you cannot get "heated" over someone arguing or disagreeing with your opinion.
section 5
1. “Which is more plausible, that God exists but is not more powerful than Satan, or that neither God nor Satan exists? Why?
DeleteI believe that God is an omnipotent being and Satan is less powerful than him but still tried to take control (and failed).” Mar 24, comment in “Quiz 24”
2. “I agree. Where there is light there will always be shadows. Where there is good there will always be evil.” Mar 24, reply to anonymous in “Quiz 24”
3. “I agree. I believe that God gave us the freedom of choice and it is our choice that decides what kind of lives we lead through our suffering.” Mar 24, reply to Kirolos in “Quiz 24”
4. “I agree. Anytime anyone feels forced to do something they are more reluctant and will want to do the opposite. The only thing to do in this instance is to gather as much information as possible and make your own decision.” Mar 24, reply to anonymous in “Quiz 24”
1. “Are "Jesus people" nowadays more or less likely than the general populace to ingest hallucinogens?
I believe less likely because it says in the bible to treat your body like a temple and that includes drug intake.” Mar 26, comment in “Quiz 26”
2. “At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
I plan to retire at a very old age after I can't work anymore. After that I will have a more direct relationship with my community and my family and maybe open up my own restaurant. i will spend a lot more time thinking” Mar 26, comment in “Quiz 26”
3. “Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
Yes I agree, but just because they are entitled to their own opinion does not mean that their opinion outweighs that of someone else's. There is much argument in today's society about many different opinions people have and how others should just blindly accept them even if they are against their religion or personal beliefs. So just because you believe in an opinion does not make it fact and you cannot get "heated" over someone arguing or disagreeing with your opinion.” Mar 26, comment in “Quiz 26”
4. “I agree, people should have their own opinions but be open to learning others opinions before judging.” Mar 26, reply to Cody Maness in “Quiz 26”
Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteI agree with this statement. I think people are entitled to their own opinion, but they can't force that on other people as facts. It becomes a problem when people see their opinion as facts.
Michael DeLay #5
I agree, I think everyone has the right to believe what they wish, that is as long as it's not causing anyone else harm. When people's opinions begin to override or interfere with objective and established facts, then it becomes a problem and potentially destructive.
DeleteSection #6
-At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteNot too sure, it feels like that is so far away from me right now. hopefully not too old, but I would like to stay active after I retire. Continue to do things instead of just sitting around. Maybe travel and think/reflect about things I've done.
Michael DeLay #5
What have you learned, so far, about "how to live"? Have you formulated any life-lessons based on personal experience, inscribed any slogans, written down any "rules"?
ReplyDeleteDon't let the past drag you down and do your best to put your foot in front of the other and keep on moving forward. There's always something you can do about the present and future, nothing about the past. Learn from it and move on.
Michael DeLay #5
I agree! I've learned that you can't change the past, and its much better to move on! Great advice!
Delete#6
#5
ReplyDelete"How do you define "knowledge"?"
I don't think of knowledge as how smart one can be, but how much stuff you know. Whether it be something extremely useful or not so useful.
I agree with you, I also connect knowledge with how many other ideas you are willing to take in or consider hearing out.
Delete#5
Delete#5
ReplyDelete"At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking? "
I wouldn't mind being able to retire when I'm 40, but that's not exactly realistic haha. I'd probably retire at the age of 65. Since I'm majoring in Psychology and my dream is to become a Forensic Psychologist, I'm hoping to make a difference in the world. I want to be apart of changing the world for the better. That may be giving credible facts or testifying against someone who has caused a great amount of harm. In a way, I think all of that includes a deep level of thinking. Whether we know it or not, we do a lot of philosophical thinking every day.
How do you define "knowledge"?
ReplyDeleteTo me knowledge is much more than knowing facts. Although this is an aspect, having a complete set of knowledge is being aware of facts and your surroundings. Your surroundings include what to say and when to say things. It also includes being empathetic and understanding other people's circumstances.
#6
DeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI hope to one day be a doctor, and because I am so passionate about that career choice, I do not mind retiring at the age of 65. At that time, ill probably read a lot of books and get a lot of pets to occupy my time. I will spend more time thinking and reflect on my life, while spending time with my family and spreading these things.
#6
Delete#5
ReplyDelete"Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?"
A few years ago, someone had ran a red light and almost smacked the driver side of my car. I'm not sure how close I could've been to death, but I could have been badly injured. Luckily they swerved and I stopped in time. I was terrified to drive for a few weeks after that. It showed me how fast and easy something like that could happen or come close to happening and there is absolutely nothing you can do to avoid it.
This is crazy, I had an experience like that, however I was the driver who had ran a red light. I didn't even realize it, since I was driving will in a bad state of mind. I realized how fast things can change, and even though I'm not sure how close to death I was, it's crazy to think we are often closer than we think.u
Delete#5
DeleteDo you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteCompletely! Facts are things that can be proven. Opinions are things that can be proven in someone's mind. These two things while similar, are completely different.
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeleteI personally do not desire certainty in life, although at times I think about having it. I believe it's better not to know some stuff, and I also think their are thinks we aren't meant to understand. Of course even though it would be nice, it would definitely change our way of living.
#5
DeleteI agree. If a person were to need certainty in every aspect of their life, I believe they would go mad.
DeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI hope to retire around my 60's. I hope by then I am healthy enough because I plan to spend time doing things I enjoyed doing in my earlier life. Most of my hobbies tend to do with extending my thinking, so I plan on doing that.
#5
DeleteDo you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteI agree, opinions are things that we strongly agree with even though sometimes it is not based on facts.
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI hope to retire at my 60s. I want to try to develop new hobbies that I did not have the time for, and of course spend more time thinking. Reflect about my life choices.
Have you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend in October was hit by a semi truck, and it was terrible. I was the first to arrive and saw how destroyed her car was. That accident could have easily taken her life away, but it did not. It taught me that life can end at any time, death does not care about age. One at the moment stresses about completing their work, or makes plans 8 years into the future, but life is not guaranteed within those 8 years. I learned to appreciate life and to always enjoy it.
How do you define "knowledge"?
ReplyDeleteI define knowledge as how much you on a particular subject. As opposed to wisdom as I define that as life experiences
section 5
DeleteHave you had a near-death experience, or known someone who did? What did it teach you/them? How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
ReplyDeleteYes I have, it taught me that I need to make this life count because I won't get another chance. That thought occurs to me everyday.
section 5
DeleteWhat have you learned, so far, about "how to live"? Have you formulated any life-lessons based on personal experience, inscribed any slogans, written down any "rules"?
ReplyDeleteI have learned one very important rule that governs my choices, "Treat others how you would like to be treated". No matter what I always try to give respect to all those around me.
The older I get the more I find that the cliches and sayings hold true. I think this rule is one of the most important ones out there, and following and valuing it really can work wonders. Despite how simple it is, there are many people who never really learn how to do this.
DeleteSection #6
Answering these two DQs because I see them as fitting to be answered together:
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain? & How do you define "knowledge"?
I desire certainty, but understand certainty is something one must work towards. Certainty comes through knowledge which I tie to wisdom. Knowledge is knowing something either through education but mainly experience, because if found through experience you did it yourself and I think you learn more when you do something yourself. And I see wisdom simply as extended and vast knowledge. No young adult or even adult is ever wise, I think wisdom comes with age because you experience and overcome so much. However, not every older person is wise, but most are in some way. So I desire certainty through knowledge and wisdom but understand that wisdom isn't a goal you set for yourself it's something you simply stumbleupon after living a fruitful and reflective life.
Do you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
ReplyDeleteyes i agree with this statement because i believe everyone is free to think whatever they want over a topic but people need to accept the facts over that topic. if we dont establish facts which are measurable and provable then we can not have an effective discussion amongst ourselves and we would never come to a conclusion because everyone would believe something different. (section #6)
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeletea certain amount of certainty i think is necessary. for example knowing if youre gonna be able to eat or where youre gonna sleep the next day is important. basic life essentials you would want to be certain about but beyond that in terms of maybe like the meaning of life and why things happen or if there is a god i dont feel a need for certainty over that. i dont believe i could come to a conclusion over those topics so i choose not to stress about it. ( section #6)
At what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeletethe specific age of retirement is 66 years old but i hope to not base that as my age that i want to retire. i would want to live a life where i dont see myself retiring until i cant physically do anything anymore because i would have a life that i enjoy doing the work that i do. when i do retire though i would definitely spend more time thinking and reminiscing over the life that i lived. i hope to not have any regrets or hold any grudges and come to peace with things. (section #6)
How often does the thought occur to you that you're always one misstep (or fall, or driving mistake) away from death?
ReplyDeletei think about this a decent amount. its fascinating to me that all it takes is one second to drastically change or end your life. life is a fleeting moment and i feel that we have to take advantage of it to the fullest because there is nothing else. you never know when your life could come to an end so do everything in the present that you can so you dont have any regrets. (section #6)
Section 5-
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
I definitely rely on certainty in my life to feel safe and secure. Without things happening for certain, I would not be able to feel sane.
Section 5-
ReplyDeleteHow do you define "knowledge"?
Knowledge is when you understand concepts and are able to express those concepts.
Section 5-
ReplyDeleteDo you agree that everyone's entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts?
Yes. Facts are absolute and opinions are able to be changed.
Section 36
ReplyDeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then?
Will you spend more of your time thinking?
-I plan on retiring sometime in my early 60's. Once I do retire, I will probably spend my time with my family and do some traveling if I have that luxury. I might even pick up on new hobbies to pass the down time. I would say that I would spend more time thinking even though I already do a lot of thinking throughout the day. At that age and with that experience, I would have more to contemplate and communicate about with throughout the years.
* section 6
DeleteWhat does Cogito, ergo sum mean to you? Does it overrate thinking, and underrate (say) toothaches?
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the Decartes chapter in "Little History," I was intrigued as to how he arrived at the famous saying that has resonated through the ages. While his skepticism showed him there was very little he could be absolutely sure of, the one thing that he knew without doubt was that he thought. Just thinking about thought shows it to be true. It's really a wonder.
Years ago, there was a brief period in my life where I was concerned that I was living inside of a simulation. As I walked across campus and engaged with others, a skeptical voice inside my head asked if any of this was actually "real" or if it was only an illusion. While I don't entertain that idea anymore, let's assume that everything we perceive actually is an illusion—a simulation of life. Nothing that we can engage in with our senses is real. However, there's one thing that is real. It's our stream of thought. It belongs to us and as long as we can think, we can know that we exist. I'll never be able to fully prove that anyone else exists but me—the idea of solipsism—but I can be sure that I do. That gives me enough peace of mind to continue existing.
Do you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or are you okay with not knowing things for certain?
ReplyDeleteI need a balance between the two. Certainty for the bigger things in life but I’m fine with uncertainty in how I will get there.
I feel the same way in that there needs to be a balance of the two. Being certain about every single thing would take away from the spontaneity and exciting elements in life, so I definitely believe that uncertainty is essential. However, being uncertain about some things can drive you crazy, specifically relationships. I have a strong desire and need to know where I stand in my relationships and being left in the dark at all is an awful feeling.
DeleteSection #6
Section #6
ReplyDelete-How do you know you're awake and not dreaming? Is it meaningful to say " life is but a dream"?
-Honestly I don't think any of us can truly know whether or not we are dreaming. This question makes me think of the movie Vanilla Sky, where the main character puts himself in a simulation of a dream to be with the love of his life that he cannot be with in reality. By the end of the movie the main character realizes that he is in a simulation and has the option of staying and living a false life in his dream or returning to reality. When he is asked " What is happiness to you?" he responds with " I want a real life," and takes the leap to actually live again. This makes me think, if people had the option between living in a fantasy and reality, which one would they chose? I honestly believe it depends on the person. Whether or not the phrase " life is but a dream " is meaningful depends on what you make of it. The meaningfulness doesn't have to be seen through the eyes of other people, but rather if you see it as fulfilled. If life is a dream then it would be a lucid dream in which we can make our own choices.
Section #6
ReplyDeleteDo you strongly desire or need certainty in your life, or you okay with not knowing things for certain/
- I would be content with uncertainty. I do not not see certainty as something that really affects my life, because I believe life is what you make it, even if your fate is predetermined.
section 6
ReplyDeleteDo you agree that everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not their won facts.
- Yes because people can have their own opinions about anything, but that does not necessarily mean they are true. If everyone was entitled to their own facts without any evidence then it would be noting more than an opinion.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to retire at the age of 50-60. I wanted to have the most enjoyable life that i've ever dream of after I retire. And obviously I will be thinking about things that I've always been curious about ever since I was young.
How do you define "knowledge"?
ReplyDeleteI define knowledge as a certain type of skills that we have based on our experience. We might be able to learn things but if we don't have the experience, it is not knowledge. Because thinking and experience are two different things.
i agree
DeleteAt what age do you hope to retire? What will you do with yourself then? Will you plan to spend more time thinking?
ReplyDeleteI hope that I'll eventually be working a job that gives me fulfillment and stimulation, so if that's the case, then I want to work for as long as I can. I know that it's really important to occupy your life with things that give you a sense of purpose for studies have shown that it actually prolongs your life, so I think I want to put off retirement for as long as possible. Once I do retire, I can see myself doing a lot reading, painting, and guitar playing; definitely hobbies related to the humanities. Naturally, I think at this point in my life I will surely be doing a lot of contemplation and reflection.
Section #6
What have you learned, so far, about "how to live"? Have you formulated any life-lessons based on personal experience, inscribed any slogans, written down any "rules"?
ReplyDeleteI have written down some guidelines on how to live. Number one is that you have to be okay with and authentic to yourself. Trying to find validation elsewhere never works, because the psyche must and will be heard eventually. Another one is that expectation is the primary cause of heartbreak and pain. The more we expect from others and the more anticipation we pit onto others, the more we let ourselves down in the end. You must try to appreciate who you have when you have them and let them go when you do not, and in order to do that you have to be able to heal your own wounds. At the root of expectation is need. The need for acceptance and the knowledge that you're worthy of love, but if you're able to do this on your own the burden of expectation subsides.
Section #6
I had a good time researching these 3 Philosophers for the research project before we were all required to stay home until the unforeseen future. I found Montaigne the most interesting out of the three, mostly his philosophy on education! I was fascinated that he rejects what we would today call Gen-Eds and stresses to only pursue what you're interested in.
ReplyDeletehow would i define knowledge ?
ReplyDeletei thing a good definition is Experience. The more experience you have about something the more knowledge you have.
i would love to retire at the age of 40 i would have som much time to do what ever i want now a days time just flys
ReplyDeleteI think everyone should be able to have an opinion as long as it is fact driven. And those facts are not made up by the individual or other. They are actually tested and proven.
ReplyDelete6
The stream comic made me giggle for some odd reason.
ReplyDelete6
Tuesday 3/31/20
DeleteCritical thinking is always a good way to keep the world moving forward.
6. 3:18 AM CDT
That is an awesome positive idea.
6. 3:20 AM CDT
It is an idea that makes logical sense. Practice your way into becoming excellent at something.
6. 3:25 AM CDT
That is a very interesting concept. Hard to believe.
63:28 AM CDT
Thursday 4/2/20
A positive perspective goes a long way in life. Especially when it comes to being around others
6. 10:16 AM CDT
Its always like writing a paper. One needs more than one legitimate source of information.
6. 10:25 AM CDT
I think everyone should be able to have an opinion as long as it is fact driven. And those facts are not made up by the individual or other. They are actually tested and proven.
6 10:27 AM CDT
The stream comic made me giggle for some odd reason.
6 10:28 AM CDT
Do you engage in "magical thinking" and indulge superstitious beliefs in the absence of evidence?
ReplyDeleteI do. But I also think most people do too. Isn't that kind of one of the core practices of philosophy? You explore certain thought paths even if they don't seem justified, because you never know where it will lead.