True Freedom

Here's a scenario based upon a real-life event that occurred a few years ago in the UK.A man entered a gunshop and pointed a gun to the owner's head, he then told the assistant to load a pistol and shot him dead - if she did not, he would kill the owner.Would you have done?Edited by CK, : typos and gender.

Nathaniel Fick is smart. He learned how to market and exploit.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Well, I've read a couple of philosphers, and I can't remember where I put my credentials, such as they are. But this thread reminds me of a comment by one of my favorite philosophers. I especially like him because he did not try to denature the messy ambiguity of life into abstractions. Of course, your mileage may vary.Edited by Omnivorous, : added quote

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God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees. God said, ”Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It’s yours.’
--Ann Coulter, Fox-TV: Hannity & Colmes, 20 Jun 01 Save lives! Click here!
Join the World Community Grid with Team EvC!
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That would depend on the boss. The option would remain open.

I certainly would not have to load a pistol. Edited by jar, : ao->oa

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Hey, here's another lyric I thought of that is appropriate.Warning: adult languageU-Mass, by The Pixies

quote:

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You must hold the ability to read minds because you do not know him personally.

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Er, so must prophex claim that ability, since he knows none of us personally and still feels comfotable telling all of us how to live and how to think.

quote:

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Mark Twain writes:

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When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.

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How true! I might have to nick that for a signature - when I was young, I was shocked how dumb my father was. Now I'm older, I hope that one day, I'll be half as clever and decent as him (and I feel the same way about my older brother).

messenjah: Then I still have my youth, and I live my dream.How did you lose both so early?

Take away love and our earth is a tomb.

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- Robert Browning

Edited by Archer Opterix, : Quote.

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ArcherAll species are transitional.

I was showing my dad, and my dad's girlfriend some videos on youtube. Videos of music, I showed them "Soul to Squeeze", by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, then I showed them elvis, which they loved too. Then a song on iTunes that a friend of mine covered in the studio, she has the most awesome singing voice, my dad really loves the song she did. On iTunes, it keeps playing songs, and the next song in line was a song that I had never listened to before. My sister really likes "Cat Power", they seem pretty good. The song was called "The Greatest". So on the front it read something like "The Greatest" and Cat Power underneath it.As I stepped back and listened with them, I watched them look at the screen in amazement, they tried to read the screen. My dad had his huge glasses on, and they were just totally into the names and the list, trying to comprehend what was going on. They were really happy, and eager, curious, like little kids. Just to be there and listening and figuring out this wierd new technology.It was at that moment that my dad said "The greatest cat power", all lumped together, he probably didn't know that it was seperate, a band name and a title name. He probably didn't care, and at that moment the two (in-their-late-40s) started laughing like little kids. They looked like children there. I saw them both like little kids, they were so great, it really hit me when that happened. It moved me, it made me weep.And then all of a sudden I realized that they have both been inside the system with full acknowledgement of it's meaninglessness, of it's focus on money, of it's tyranny, and the way it has been accepted as a necessary thing. They knew all of what I knew. Especially my dad. But they stayed. They did it. They went through it all, all for one reason. My dad knew it all man, but he stuck with it. He threw everything away, all of his dreams. Greatest man who ever lived.For me. For my brother. For his parents, my grandparents. He loved all of us too much. He had to do it. He did it for my mom. He did it for my brother, and my sister. He did it for everyone. And it's so damn sad.Edited by prophex, : No reason given.

For some reason, I really liked Persing. Author of Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintence. Haven't read the follow up though--perhaps I can change that now.Kant was good too--I really liked the categorical imperitave, but I feel he doesn't have it quite right--so long as I understand what he says correctly. My objection has to deal with right and morality being linked inseparably--as in the case of the murdurer at the door.As far as politics goes, Locke is pretty good. For the empiricist movement, Hume, the last of the three and perhaps the best of them, is interesting to say the least. Sad I don't remember enough of him, or any of those I read. The consequences of a 7am class.This here is to messenjah:
I know you're inactive, but you're probably reading this still.
You lamented the criticism of your brother(?)'s credentials. So I gave you a list of who I've read to give you a little bit of background. I was somewhat hoping for you or your brother to give a list of those you've read.
Now that you mention Satre (existensialist dude) I recall not liking his philosophy at all. Don't remember why, but a quick read of his stuff will most likely remind me of the reason.
I am an emiricist--my signature is a paraphrase of something Locke said. As such, I'm in disagreement with Descarte's rationalism, even if he did create a whole geometry (or almost) of his own--analytical, I think it is.
As to the augustine--that paranthesis was me stating I didn't remember the name of the dude, but I knew certain things about him. If you read a bunch of my posts, you'll see that I use paranthesis for two things--questioning what I've called something, because I don't know if it's right, or as a clarification of something else. Both ways are used even in this post. It's not an insult at you.
As to the whining--how else am I to take your complaining of the criticism your brother(?) has recieved? And your posts in this thread, for the most part, haven't been filled with much. As someone said "what substance". And lately they've taken to lamenting just how idiotic everyone on this board is, and I can perfectly imagine a voice whining--"don't you see, it's so simple. Damn it people, can't you see!" with a high pitch. And I don't find whining funny, unless I ask you if you want some cheese with it. Your whining has been pointless, the worst kind.sorry for the aside, Archer.

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All a man's knowledge comes from his experiences

prophex wrote: Good man.Don't be sad about your dad. Sounds like he made a shrewd bargain with the universe. He traded some things that didn't matter to him so much and got the things that were priceless. That's a smart contract in anybody's book.He sounds too smart to have let all his dreams go. My guess is that having his family around him and seeing everyone have a good time was always the best dream. And now it's true.That's the thing about dreams come true. When they come true, they stop looking like dreams. They look like real life. For this reason people tend to overlook them. But when it's your dream, you notice.I know trading a fantasy for a reality feels scary to you right now. Real life has a complex taste with salt and bitters in it, and you're used to tasting dreams that are sweet and simple and pure and unreal. But I'll share something with you that may give you comfort.The real dreams are better.It's an acquired taste, like wine. You'll get the hang of it.

For life is quite absurd, and death's the final word.
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin--give the audience a grin!
Enjoy it, it's your last chance anyhow!

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Always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the bright side of life

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ArcherAll species are transitional.

kuresu writes: I like Locke. He tries to take human beings as they are rather than how he thinks they ought to be. And he sees people as distinct individuals rather than groups. He didn't bother himself much with consistency, so his epistomology isn't very helpful. But I think that's one reason for the success of his political ideas. He was practical.You read neoplatonic philosophers with their perfect systems, everything accounted for, and it's beautiful. But it's not so easy after you set the book down to figure out how to make the thing touch the ground.I really do believe the social contract (Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke) was one of the great insights into human behavior. Yes--one of those guys everybody gets mad at. But never boring!Hume did everyone a favor, but they didn't like it. He was like a good astringent. It stings, but it cleans things up. And he sent Kant to the drawing board. We're all better off for that. Aiya. Kant's a tough nut to crack. Especially at 7:00 am!Thanks for sharing.Edited by Archer Opterix, : No reason given.

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ArcherAll species are transitional.

I don't agree with Hobbes too much (he's the one who thought that mankind was inherently bad, right?)I guess I have too optimistic a view of humanity to say that we're all dirt--or rather, jeez.I don't know how to put it. umm,
oh yeah--that no one can be trusted, and that we are all inherently, well, not evil, but not good. closer to evil than good.I just don't agree with that. yeah . . .maybe I can do more sharing after next semester--all depends on if I do decide to do a triple major, and get the plan approved.
In case you want to know
History (modern)
International Affairs (no clue which area to specialize in)
Philosophyif I do those three--well, I may be dead by the time I graduate.

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All a man's knowledge comes from his experiences

I really respect the fact that you opened up and shared this story.It touches my soul.