Philosophy. --- .This section is about various other thoughts on philosophy. Topics include: ( ) Anti-intellectualism. ( ) Development of individual philosophy. ( ) Endgames. ( ) Hypotheticals. ( ) Objective and subjective. ( ) Order and chaos. ( ) Postmodernism. ( ) Survey. ( ) Theory and practice. --- 1/24/2006
Philosophy. --- "I used to see x" vs. "now I see y". (1) I used to see life as lots of problems. Now I see life as lots of problems waiting to be solved. Health is the goal, and it is not automatic. (2) I used to see myself as not being able to make a difference. Now I seem myself as being able to make a difference. (3) I used to see my life as hopeless. Now I see my life as hopeful. (4) I used to see people as ones who suck, and I can't change or help them. Now I see people as ones who suck, but I can help them through my writing. (5) I used to see leisure as time to be enjoyed hedonistically. Now I see leisure time as time to explore, think, write, and thus survive, get healthy, and grow. Save your self and save the world. (6) I used to see work as an endless drudge. Now I see work as tolerable, and it can leave you time to write. (7) I used to think my mind is something to just let run. Now I think my mind is something to take care of. Work it out by thinking and writing. (8) I used to think my body is something to just let run. Now I see my body as something to take care of. (9) I used to think love is impossible to achieve. Now I think it is possible. (10) Sex. (11) Family. Now I think you are with them by accident. You don't owe your parents anything, especially if it is a bad situation (unhealthy). (12) Jerks. Now I think don't take any shit from anyone, because it is unhealthy to do so. --- 10/25/1997
Philosophy. --- "Patience" is a word we use to describe waiting for something to happen. However, what if something is never going to happen? What word do we use to describe it then? For example, the feeling one sometimes get working at menial jobs in small towns. "Perseverance" means to continue doing something. However, what if you are not doing anything? Perhaps the phrase is "stubborn living". --- 5/2/2000
Philosophy. --- (1) A knowledge system is composed of philosophy, science and art. (2) A philosophical system is composed of metaphysics, epistemology and ethics. (3) An ethics system is composed of a meaning system, a value system, etc. --- 11/15/2001
Philosophy. --- (1) Changing yourself and your life is tough. Improving yourself and your life is tougher. (2) Changing the world is tough. Improving the world is tougher. (3) Areas ripe for change: (A) New technologies, (B) Politically unstable areas. (4) Tactics. (A) Discover and create the ideas or technologies that the powerholders use or that the masses adopt. Be a popularizer or preacher. (B) Get power by using money to gain assets and position. I.e. Take over totally, then get your way. --- 10/25/1994
Philosophy. --- (1) Curiosity is a form of bravery. Scientists, journalists, philosophers and inventors are all curious. These are some of the few who confront trouble and confront problems. (2) The many others suffer from a chronic unconscious fear that leads them to apathy. The many others suffer from a chronic, unconscious greed that leads them to drone away. --- 11/10/2004
Philosophy. --- (1) I do not know who I am. I do not have a name. I do not have a home. (2) Nobody knows who I am. Nobody knows how I feel. Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. (3) Nobody knows who they really are. Nobody knows anyone else. Lots of uncertainty in life. Lots of guesswork in life. --- 9/1/2000
Philosophy. --- (1) Individualism (do your own thing) vs. conformity. (2) Let it all hang out vs. repressed tight ass. --- 08/30/1996
Philosophy. --- (1) Logical vs. illogical. (2) True vs. false. (3) Important vs. unimportant. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- (1) Philosophy and science: know. (2) Art and communication: say. (3) Technology: do. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- (1) Practicals vs. idealists. (2) Zombies vs. free thinkers. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- (1) Some give up a life of freedom and creativity because (A) They have nothing to create, (B) They gave up their talents to slave for security or ease/leisure. (2) Some take a life of freedom, but waste it and do not create (me?). --- 11/27/1993
Philosophy. --- (1) The fundamental questions and answers (views and arguments) so far. In order of oldest to newest (historical), best to worst (importance), and logical organization (logically). Regarding what a thing is (inclusive definition.), and what is it not (exclusive definition.). Descriptive definitions (what), and explanatory definitions (why). Are the concepts that you use the best concepts to describe what is going on? If so, are they the most important concepts? (2) Questions. (A) What is the nature of reality? Natural world, and man made world (technology). (B) What is the nature of humans? Individuals, society, government. (3) Answers. (A) Human as separate from animals vs. evolved from animals. Mind: intention, self-reflexivity, semiotic ability (language and symbols), emotion, reason, memory. Body: walks upright, opposable thumb. (B) Society. Social nature of man. At least as far as a child's needs go. Families, clans, kings, nations, beaureacratic organizations. Wild boy of averon vs. hermits. Structure and dynamic. (C) Government. Dictatorship vs. democracy. Equality, freedom, justice. What type and degree of government interference or control in what areas. Regulations, agencies. --- 11/25/1993
Philosophy. --- (1) Work, school, and sex. They have power and control over your experience and mind. Reduced freedom and humanity. (2) What, when, and how long you "mind", do, and experience, shapes your head for better or worse. Reduced freedom and humanity. Depending on where you are, it can lift you up or drag you down, down, down. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- 90% of everything is garbage. 90% of the jobs out there are retard jobs. 90% of the people you meet are morons, jerks, or nuts. 90% of works of art created, and books written, are trash. 90% of your time is spent on either sleep or mediocre trivial bullshit. 90% of your life is spent in horrible states of being a minor (under 18) or old age. 5% of everything is ok. 4% is good. 1% is great. --- 01/22/1994
Philosophy. --- 95% of everything is garbage. The other 5% is hidden, tough to find, or worse, evading being found. --- 10/27/1993
Philosophy. --- A thing is considered good if it makes money. If not, then not. Mediocrity makes money because it appeals to the masses. Nothing succeeds like mediocrity. --- 12/2/2002
Philosophy. --- Action, two definitions of. (1) Action defined as physical movement. (2) Action defined as anything an agent can decide to do, including mental phenomena. Humans can think. You can decide to think. Therefore, thinking is an action. (3) Much conceptual confusion results from the conflation of the above two definitions of the word action. Some people make the mistake of thinking all action is physical movement. --- 2/22/2007
Philosophy. --- Active: behaving (doing), and teaching. Passive: experiencing (being done to), and learning. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Adversity. Setbacks are bound to occur, whether they are caused by yourself, others, or nature. Don't let them stop you. Keep thinking. Constantly evaluate your situation. Keep acting. Sustained effort toward latest goals is best. --- 12/30/1995
Philosophy. --- After awhile (1) We will start repeating ourselves. (2) Something great will be forgotten. (3) Something great will go unrecorded. (4) Some bullshit idea and the argument against it will go unrecorded. (5) People will make the same mistake twice. (6) Bullshit will pile up. (7) My goal is to meld folk, popular, and academic philosophy. Record it, sort it out (historical, logical, and importance), condense it. --- 09/15/1993
Philosophy. --- Another sunset, another cigarette, one more chance to see clearly. So much is going on that I can't see. Get new experiences. --- 08/02/1993
Philosophy. --- Anti-intellectualism, types of. Attitudes of anti-intellectuals. (1) "We don't have to listen to a bunch of eggheaded intellectual experts. We don't like anyone telling us what to do. They are not always right, so why bother listening to them." (2) "The eggheads have too much power. We want the power. We want to rule the eggheads." (3) "We don't like thinking because its too much like hard work. And we're not that good at it." --- 11/12/2003
Philosophy. --- Anti-intellectualism. Associating intellectuals with homosexuality is bad because people begin to believe heterosexuality and stupidity go together. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Anti-intellectualism. Attitudes of anti-intellectuals. (1) The results of theory is only to produce more ideas, which leads to confusion. (2) The results of science and technology have been inventions that produce as much harm as good. --- 11/20/2003
Philosophy. --- Anti-intellectualism. Slogans used to attempt to devalue words, ideas and thinking. (1) "Money talks and bullshit walks", the person who utters this often thinks that things without monetary value are worthless. (2) "Actions speak louder than words." The person who utters this often thinks that thinking and words are worthless. --- 11/18/2003
Philosophy. --- Anti-intellectualism. When people express the anti-intellectual view, "Get rid of the smart people.", it is not because they don't like smart people. It is because they want to be the smartest people. --- 5/21/2000
Philosophy. --- Anti-intellectualism. Why are many Americans anti-intellectual? Many Americans are anti-intellectual because they do not want to think about the ethical implications of the actions in American history such as the American Indian genocide and Afro-American slavery. As a result, Americans engage in mindless hyper-religiosity in order to cope with both the unconscious guilt caused by these actions and the unconscious guilt caused by refusing to look at these actions. The mass repression and avoidance of thinking about the unethical events in American history can cause almost as much negative emotions, like guilt, as the events themselves cause negative emotions. --- 11/12/2004
Philosophy. --- Anti-intellectuals. Some anti-intellectuals are put off by ideas. It bothers some people that words on a page should interfere with their life. It bothers some people that ideas should interfere with their life. It bothers some people that thinking should interfere with their life. It bothers some people that principles should interfere with their life. Anti-intellectuals are affronted by ideas. --- 7/16/2006
Philosophy. --- Appearance vs. substance. Surface vs. content. Form vs. function. Up till now I viewed function as more important than form. On the other hand, it does not matter if what they see in me is, in fact, an illusion, just so long as the vision I build in their minds is new and useful. I allude to something greater than myself. I can see it even if I cannot be it. I am not lying, I am hinting. --- 10/25/2001
Philosophy. --- Aristotle: The unexamined life is not worth living. Paul: The unlived life is not worth examining. --- 04/24/1997
Philosophy. --- At what price do we neglect philosophy? --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Attacks on philosophy. (1) Attacks on reason. (2) Attacks on ethics. Ethical relativism. (3) Attacks on knowledge. --- 7/1/2006
Philosophy. --- Backwater. The further you are from the cutting-edge, the more the resistance to new truthful ideas increases, and the greater are the number and degree of wrong contrary views held, and the harder and longer you have to argue and fight to persuade them. --- 12/26/1997
Philosophy. --- Bringing up the rear (masses) vs. forcing the intelligentsia ahead (point guard). --- 07/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Combo approach to life. There is no one question, rather a plurality of questions, thus there is no one answer, rather a plurality of answers. Many things we need to do. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Confronting directly and totally the silence, the stillness, the aloneness, myself, my life, the being ebb, the deprivation. --- 06/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Contrary. A contrary is in conflict with everything. "Whatever it is, I'm against it", as Groucho Marx said. A contrary lives by rebellion, opposition, and struggle. They can be argumentative and litigious. They may be idealists who are pissed off that the world is not perfect. Contraries are the opposite of people who are more accepting of others. (Those who work with others to change others and the world). Which way is better in general, and which way is better for me? --- 12/03/1997
Philosophy. --- Criticism of camp. Let me first say, in the defense of the camp camp, that those who enjoy camp (ex. Susan Sontag) do tend to have a good sense of humor. This is a trait that should not be made light of. Now let me say, in criticism of camp, that camp appears to me to be ineffectual, light weight, self obsessed, vapid, sheltered, faux world weary, vain, smug, selfish and willfully ignorant. --- 6/15/1999
Philosophy. --- Cycles of enchantment and disenchantment with people, jobs, society, life, etc. --- 3/2/2002
Philosophy. --- Development of an individual philosophy of life. Two frames of reference. (1) Me, here and now. My needs, urges, desires, etc. As narrow as it gets. (2) Beyond the here and now. Often this view does not occur to many people until they have kids (and they think of the future), or until someone they know dies (and they develop a sense of history), or until they travel (and they see other places). --- 2/21/2000
Philosophy. --- Development of individual philosophy. (1) Evolution, stagnation, and devolution. (2) Speed of development, and directions of development. (3) Momentary vs. permanent change. (4) Birth, rise, fall and death of ideas in individual and society. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Development of individual philosophy. Change in philosophy. Causes: environment, experience, psychology, effort in thought, economic class. Effects: behavior. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Development of individual philosophy. Everyone creates their philosophy. Simple vs. complex. True vs. false (better or worse ones). Figure out vs. find out. Struggled or not for it (time, emotion, effort). Metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics. For all 26 subject areas. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Development of individual philosophy. What leads an individual to philosophize? Types and levels of philosophical development: (1) Unconscious vs. conscious. (2) Questions, and/or answers, and/or reasons. (3) Thinkers, talkers, and writers. (4) Depends on what you read and remember. How you think, and how well you think. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Development of philosophy. (1) Of human race. (2) Of an society: of the powerholders, and of the masses. Whose ideas are accepted and rejected and why? (3) Of an individual. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Dogmatic traditionalism blocks change and progress. Attitudes of dogmatic traditionalism include: "That's the way we've always done it." "If it was good enough for Australopithecus then its good enough for us." "Everything is fine the way it is." (status quo) (often said by power holders). --- 10/26/2003
Philosophy. --- East meets West. Everything is connected. If everything is connected then all is one. If all is one then there is no separate you. (Examples, the Gaia hypothesis; the Web of life; Ecology). --- 8/29/2000
Philosophy. --- East meets West. Subjective perceptions are illusions. Yet all we have is subjective perceptions. Thus we live in a world of illusion. --- 8/29/2000
Philosophy. --- East meets West. Two ways to be. (1) Using the mind as a tool to observe phenomena. Sensory. Phenomenology. 100% body. John Locke. Perceptions. Forgetting all ideas. No thought. (2) Using the mind as a tool of ideas. Forgetting all immediate sensations. Living in your head. Living in the idea world. 100% mind, no body. Sensory deprivation. (3) Develop the ability to enter each state at will. Use both states often. (4) Advanced exercises: (A) Try doing both at the same time. (B) Try doing neither at once. --- 8/29/2000
Philosophy. --- Endgames. (1) What good is it for the human race to survive billions of years if those years are spent in misery, oppression, pain, injustice, etc.? (2) Would it not be better for the human race to survive a shorter time, perhaps a million years, if those years are spent happy, productive, etc.? (3) Another option is a long and happy existence. (4) Another option is a short, miserable existence. --- 2/24/2002
Philosophy. --- Endgames. (1) Is my life more pain than joy? (2) In the entire world now, is there more pain or joy? And is there more good or bad? (A) When will we hit a 50/50 average? When the human race (or an individual) reaches 49% pain and 51% joy, is that when life becomes worth living presently? (B) In the future can we get it to 100% joy? Will 100% joy, or some other amount of joy, cancel out all the pain of the past? If so, then the history of earth was worth it (!). (C) Can we look at it the same way using injustice rather than pain? (2) Maybe we need to breed more resilient people, less sensitive to pain (and injustice), more happy. (3)(A) So if we escape the sun's death, but not the end of the universe, then what was it all for? Nothing? What good can we accomplish in the future? (B) Was it all worth it? Yes, if total goodness exceeds total badness? (4) What is the alternative? (A) Kill everyone? All people? (B) What if the animals and plants need us? (C) Should we endeavor to save other worlds or universes? --- 3/30/1998
Philosophy. --- Endgames. A few geniuses surviving in a recyclable system till the sun burns out. That is one possibility. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Entropy: things fall apart, things wear out. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Epistemology. Justification for ideas. Reasons for making statements. --- 8/16/2006
Philosophy. --- Every day a certain amount of decay and loss occurs, simply by you getting one day older. So, therefore, everyday some progress must be made in order to just break even. --- 8/6/2001
Philosophy. --- Everyday start from the beginning. Go over it again. Build from the ground up. --- 4/15/2005
Philosophy. --- Existence = conflict causing frustration, loneliness, anger, boredom, and sadness. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Four types of lifestyles. (1) Live for an object. (2) Live for the pursuit of an object. (3) Live for an idea. (4) Live for the pursuit of an idea. These first two categories are a type of materialistic consumerism. The second two categories are a type of idea consumption or attitudinal consumption. PART ONE. Some people live for an object. The object has a significant meaning for the person. The object gives their life purpose. Often the object is symbolic to the person in a way the person is not fully conscious of. The object can be an art object or a non-art object. The point is that even some mass produced objects are beautiful and have deep symbolic meaning for their owners. For example, anything from a Hello Kitty bag to a Lamborghini race car. Another point is that once the object is obtained the person is happy and content. PART TWO. Some people live for the pursuit of a physical object. However, having obtained the object, the person is not happy and content because it was the pursuit that the person was actually living for. PART THREE. Some people live for an idea, or a set of ideas (an "ism"), or an attitude (idea + emotion), or some other psychological state. To live for a fixed idea or a fixed set of ideas is often to be a fanatic or a dogmatist. PART FOUR. Some people live for the pursuit of an idea, or set of ideas, or attitudes, or some other psychological state. These are your scientists and philosophers. PART FIVE. Other things that people live for: (A) Other people live for a physical state (for example, health, sex, drugs). (B) Other people live for events, actions and experiences. (C) Other people live for other people (for example, group-oriented people). PART SIX. (A) The psychology. Another point is that some people attempt to build their lives around a collection of beautiful, meaningful objects. They don't get off on (enjoy) ideas. They can't get off on (enjoy) ideas. Just like some people who enjoy ideas don't enjoy and perhaps can't enjoy objects. The question is whether these four types of lifestyles are learned (nurture) or genetic (nature). (B) The sociology. A society that teaches object fetishization to its members is doomed in a world of scarce resources. A species that has object fetishization wired into it is perhaps doomed in a world of scarce resources (?). (C) Examples of non-materialist individuals and societies: Diogenes, Thoureau, John Muir, Ascetics, Amish. --- 5/29/2000
Philosophy. --- Good weather, philosophy, love, health, youth. I am happy. --- 05/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Graceful degradation in computer systems, the aged, and those who oppose an unjust system. --- 3/31/2006
Philosophy. --- Home repair, car repair and sports for men. Interior decorating, cooking and crafts for women. All comforting as a short-term quick-fix, yet ultimately unsatisfying as a long-term solution to the problem of existence. --- 4/4/2001
Philosophy. --- How many physical possessions does one need? Not that many. How much money does one need? Not that much. How much information and knowledge does one need? The more the better. --- 8/24/2004
Philosophy. --- How much does it cost to live? Food, clothing and shelter are cheap at about $10,000 a year. Much more important for psychological health are love and knowledge. Raising kids involves love and information. Education should involve love and information. Adults also need love and information. --- 3/10/1999
Philosophy. --- How much time have I got? How much more (quantity and quality) can I think, and feel, and see? How far and wide and deep can my mind/head go? Not how much time have I wasted, and will I waste. Not how much have I not thought of, and will I not think of. --- 11/20/1993
Philosophy. --- How to get free of shit prisons of school, work, and social system, that are run by and filled with many assholes, without ending up accepting it like an idiot. I was depressed not to be able to figure out an answer. I gave up to a degree. --- 11/08/1993
Philosophy. --- Hypothetical. (1) A world in which only good things happen. Win the lottery. Win the Nobel prize. Geniuses. World peace. (2) A world in which only bad things happen. War. Poverty. Illness. Misfortune. Death. --- 5/29/2002
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. I look forward to the existence of a talking animal that becomes famous for arguing for animal rights. --- 8/9/1999
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. If we only lived five years, spending one year developing, and one year in old age decay, and three years in our prime, how would we choose to live? --- 6/27/1998
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. Imagine a world and your life (1) Without sex. Sex makes life so much more complex and interesting. (2) Without ability to make moral decisions (i.e. always doing the right thing). (3) Without scarcity (money grows on trees). (4) Without power. (5) Without freewill. --- 06/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. Imagine if everyday you woke up it was a totally new world. --- 01/01/1993
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. Leaving day. Once a year there is a day when anyone who wants to die is taken out and shot. --- 11/10/1998
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. Physical size hypotheticals. (1) If humans were ten times smaller, then we would use ten times less resources, which is good. But if humans were ten times smaller, then our brains would be ten times smaller, which is bad because we would become pea-brained. Although, they might be very smart, tiny brains. (2) If we grew ten times as big, our brains would be ten times as big, but that would not necessarily make us ten times as smart, because the human brain evolved its complicated circuitry over millions of years. A quick increase in size would not guarantee an increase in functionality. We are not like plants. Also, if we were ten times bigger then we would use ten times the natural resources which is bad. --- 1/1/2000
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. Possible worlds (science fiction). (1) One in which good is bad and bad is good. (2) One in which thinking makes it happen. (3) One in which actions have no effects. (4) One in which you can think but not communicate or act (paralyzed and deaf, dumb, blind). (5) One in which you can think and communicate but not act (paralyzed but talking). --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. Possible worlds. (1) What if apples came in different flavors (orange, grape, melon). (2) What if the sun circled just above the horizon, in a 24 hr continual sunset. --- 05/12/1994
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. Possible worlds. (1) What if time existed, but space did not exist? (2) What if space existed, but time did not exist? (3) What if something other than time and space existed? --- 5/27/1999
Philosophy. --- Hypotheticals. Retirees running out of money? Send them back in time. They will all be millionaires, and they will all being living in a time that they can relate to. The two main questions in such a project are: (1) How rich do you want to be? Because the further in time you go back, the more your gold will be worth. (2) How much technology would you like to have? Because the further back in time you go, the less technology you will have access to. In this hypothetical, one is forced to balance money and technology. --- 4/17/1999
Philosophy. --- I am a firm believer in rationalism. (1) The great climbers who achieved were not lunatics, they were rationalists. (2) The great race car drivers who achieved were not lunatics, they were rationalists. (3) The great boxers who achieved were not lunatics, they were rationalists. (4) Brave rationalists achieve. They are the ones who back up thought with action. --- 11/10/1988
Philosophy. --- I could die tomorrow. Or I may live to age 200. The world may end tomorrow. Or the world may last 100,000 more years. --- 11/17/1999
Philosophy. --- I want a lifestyle that is not so stressful that it lowers my productivity. But I do not want to live so easy that I get soft. --- 10/11/1998
Philosophy. --- Idealism, romanticism, and dionysianism vs. pragmatism, realism, and apollonianism. --- 09/27/1993
Philosophy. --- Idealism. As an idealist, I need to live in an ideal (mental) world. The actual real physical world will bring me down and depress me. How to do this? --- 5/30/1998
Philosophy. --- Idealists (philosophers and artists) vs. realists (businessmen and politicians). --- 02/04/1994
Philosophy. --- Ideas versus material things. (1) Ideas. Ideas are good. Ideas are useful. Ideas are important. Anti-intellectualism is bad. (2) Material things. Over consumption is bad. Over production is bad. Americans currently over consume and over produce. The earth is an ecosystem that humans are destroying. --- 1/1/2006
Philosophy. --- Ideas. Words. Sentences. Thoughts. The tools of the trade. --- 4/15/2005
Philosophy. --- In a sense, we are all existential prisoners. In a sense, we are all doing time. The only freedom that exists is mental. It does not matter where you live, it only matters what ideas go (on) in your head. So much of life involves sitting around. You might as well think and talk. Think and talk well. No b.s. --- 4/10/2000
Philosophy. --- Individual. How much philosophical knowledge should various areas and levels of the population have? How much should an individual think, write, and read philosophy? So many people say "not me", or "not me now". --- 09/15/1993
Philosophy. --- Intellectuals. (1) What can an intellectual life accomplish? An intellectual life is a life of thinking, writing, reading, talking. It is the life I am currently living. What are its strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons? Is it the best thing for me to do? (2) Am I good at it? Yes. (3) Do I enjoy it? Yes. (4) Can I make a living at it? Or will it just be a leisure activity? (5) What else could I do that is better or preferable? (6) How can I be most productive, useful, helpful? How can I avoid wasting my life? --- 8/1/2006
Philosophy. --- Isms. Many people have either/or views when it comes to ism's. They either think the theory (ideology) is 100% right in all its views, and that all the world can be explained by these views as well. Or else they believe the all the views of the theory are 100% wrong, and that nothing in the world can be explained by them. The truth is usually that various isms raise various good points, applicable in a few areas, and that they are neither all gold nor all garbage. --- 11/30/1996
Philosophy. --- It is possible to find truth and understanding, peace and nirvana, bliss and happiness anywhere, even in the worst jobs. But it is also possible to find their opposites anywhere. And you are more likely to find the former in a good job, good relationship and good environment, and the latter in a bad job, bad relationship, and bad environment. --- 06/12/1994
Philosophy. --- Its difficult to tell the worth of an idea at first glance. Come back later. --- 8/21/2000
Philosophy. --- Levels of being. A creature that can think, "I am alive.", is greater than one that can't. A creature that can ask, "Where did I come from?", "Where am I going?", "Why am I here?", "What is this place?", and "What should I do?", is greater than one that can't. Every time you consciously and earnestly confront for the first time (and every time thereafter) one of these basic, important questions, you become a higher form of life. Truly. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Lying and honesty are ethical matters. Truth and falsity are epistemological matters. --- 5/6/1999
Philosophy. --- Major illness and extended unemployment are two events that can cause you to re-evaluate your life. --- 3/29/2001
Philosophy. --- Make up a history, a story, a myth. Sometimes bull shit fiction can turn into reality. And sometimes reality can turn into bullshit fiction. (1) A personal history, or myth. (2) A social myth. Example, the "myth" or story of America that kids learn in grade school. (A) Picking out selected bits to tell them. Not telling them the whole truth. (B) Also, telling them what we want to be, rather than what we are. (3) A story about yourself that you tell others. People are forever telling themselves and others stories, or concocting their version of events. For public relations reasons. Or to create yourself like an artist. --- 04/12/1994
Philosophy. --- Many people claim to be "realists". Being a realist eventually leads to being "practial". "Practical" being another word for "selling out". Thus, "realism" is not the way to go. --- 9/5/2005
Philosophy. --- Moving from (1) logic, to (2) decision theory and game theory, to (3) ethics. --- 07/27/1993
Philosophy. --- MPU. Mobile Philosophy Unit. Name emblazoned on side of my car. --- 1/22/2005
Philosophy. --- Murphy's Law corollaries. Say it will happen and it won't. Say it won't happen and it will. --- 11/27/1999
Philosophy. --- New subjects. New questions. New views. --- 8/9/2005
Philosophy. --- Nobody deserves this. Everyone deserves better. (Especially if we all started, individually and as a race, in ignorance). --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Not a good feeling: to wonder if or realize that all your efforts have been futile. --- 2/6/2004
Philosophy. --- Now I see how easily and how fast things can fall apart, for anyone, at anytime, and how many ways it can. It is a miracle we have this much. Many people do not see this. --- 04/24/1997
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. (1) Objective is actual. Subjective is perceived by individual. (2) Object as concrete thing. Subject as abstract domain. --- 07/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. (1) Objective: independent of minds. (2) Subjective: dependent on minds. (A) Individual subjective: subjective view of individual. (B) Social subjective: subjective view of group. --- 11/7/2004
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. (1) The way things are. Objective reality. (2) The way we think things are. Subjective reality. --- 01/01/1993
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. Appearance vs. reality. (1) Some are more concerned with looks than reality. Never sacrifice content for looks? (2) Most people use appearances to try to determine reality. Some can see the content beneath the appearance. (3) Judging books by their covers, etc. (4) Delusions, illusions. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. Objective reality: what really is. Subjective reality: what you think is. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. Objects: physical things. Subjects: categories. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. Subject: a general group, or a class of related ideas. Object: a specific thing. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. Subjective reality: The metaphysics of the way people think things are. Objective reality: The metaphysics of the way of things actually are. --- 01/01/1993
Philosophy. --- Objective and subjective. Three problems of subjectivity. (1) Other minds problem. How do we know what others are thinking. (2) Private language problem. How do humans communicate if we all have our own private language of meanings. (3) Qualia problem. How does one person know that what they percieve as red is the same as what another person perceives as red. --- 9/8/2005
Philosophy. --- Optimism and pessimism. See: Psychology, emotion, specific, optimism and pessimism. --- 12/30/2000
Philosophy. --- Order and chaos. (1) Conservatives suffer from this view. Order as stasis in space (structure) and time (flow). Disorder as change. (2) Liberals have this view. Order as logic? Disorder as randomness, entropy. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Order and chaos. Chaos is not the same as nothing. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Order and chaos. Chaos, entropy, randomness, disorder, inconsistency, random variables vs. known variables, constants, order. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Order and chaos. Consistency, order, same, unchanging, constants in universe makes it comprehensible. If it was new and different everyday it would be tougher to understand? --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Order and chaos. Sameness as boring, and change as interesting vs. sameness as reassuring, and change as scary. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Order and chaos. Some people conflate the three concept pairs: order and disorder; stasis and change; and justice and injustice. These concept pairs do not mean the same thing. (1) Order and disorder is different from stasis and change. Disorder is not the same as change. For example, some people mistakenly conflate change as disorder and then they mistakenly fear change because they think it represents disorder or chaos. (2) Order and disorder is different from justice and injustice. For example, the random movement (disorder) of molecules in a gas is not an injustice. (3) Stasis and change is different from justice and injustice. This is the easiest of the three distinctions for most people to see. However some people conflate the two pairs and mistake stasis for justice. --- 11/7/2004
Philosophy. --- Outside, among the people, is where you will find the questions and the answers. Do not hide. --- 7/15/1999
Philosophy. --- Philosophers Without Borders. --- 3/3/2007
Philosophy. --- Philosophical advantage is the advantage you gain over another person by adhering to a philosophy that is different from theirs. --- 9/15/1998
Philosophy. --- Philosophical counselor. (1) Is he just like a traditional philosophy teacher? You pay him just like you pay tuition. Why not then just take a philosophy course? In order to have a one on one dialogue? (2) Is he just someone to talk to, like you would talk to a smarter neighbor, wise man, adviser, mentor? (3) Is he just someone to talk to like a shrink? (4) Is he just like the philosophy group meetings we have. Are our meetings philosophical counseling? (5) Is he a moral arbiter like religious people? Is he an arbiter of rationality? Is not everyone an arbiter of rationality and a moral arbiter, both shrink and priest included? (6) He's gone commercial. Seeking media attention. Gaining large corporate accounts for money. (7) What kind of problems will he handle? What kind of subjects will he talk on? (8) What can he discuss with people off the street? Not high-level philosophical concepts, but rather simple concepts. (9) Is he just a friend to listen to your problems? Is that all anyone can do, just listen? --- 3/30/1998
Philosophy. --- Philosophical practice. Purpose. (1) Teach the uneducated by lecture. (2) Teach the uneducated by Socratic dialogue method. (3) (A) Reveal user's assumptions and underlying philosophy. (B) Show counter arguments to the philosophy held by user. (C) Show alternate philosophies to the user in order to broaden the users mind. (4) Allay the confused. (5) Heal the mentally ill? No. Only inasmuch as number four. --- 8/21/1998
Philosophy. --- Philosophy of life. Can a person form a coherent philosophy of life through a collection of bumper stickers? --- 2/27/2007
Philosophy. --- Polar positions in philosophy. (1) Metaphysics: things exist or don't. This is the way it is. (2) Epistemology: we can know them or not. This is how I know (types and no#s of reasons and proofs). (3) Ethics: we can act and effect things or we can't. There is good and bad or there is not. This is the way it should be, and this is how we should get it. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Post-modernism. The change in attitude that became prevalent after the sixties revolution? --- 09/20/1993
Philosophy. --- Postmodernism provides interesting and useful counterarguments to check and balance modernism. Life is complex, with many issues that have many sides and no "one right answer" (Ex. technology can be used for good or evil). This simple idea is tough for scientists and monists to accept. They want the one right simple answer. --- 12/30/1995
Philosophy. --- Postmodernism. (1) Different views of the traits of modern and post-modern societies (political, economic, social areas). (2) Different views of the traits of modern and post-modern thought (what they believed, and what we believe about them). --- 07/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Postmodernism. (1) Modernism: belief in rationalism (epistemology), progress (history), industrialization (technology), nationalism (politics). (2) Postmodernism (in thought and practice (behavior, society, culture)): Limits of rationalism and empiricism (epistemology). Post-industrial emphasis on environment and computers (tech). Global village through hi-tech communication. Political globalism, post-nationalism. Nietzsche and Freud are post-modernist? (3) Structuralism focused on binary opposite pairs. (4) Post-structuralism challenges binary opposites. --- 01/01/1993
Philosophy. --- Postmodernism. (1) Relativist schools and figures: Deconstruction, Foucault, Derrida, Lacan, Lyotard, French feminists (Cicioux, Irigaray), New Historicism, Postmodernism, Literary criticism theory, Social theorists from Frankfurt School (Critical theory). What some of them believe (extreme to center): They are relativists and nihilists. (A) Science: objectivity and certainty are impossible. Truth depends on context. Science cannot be value free. Power holders create truth. (B) History: all written histories are fictions from biased viewpoint of authors who make value judgments as to what is important and not, and what to leave in and leave out. Contributions by non-pale males have not been recognized sufficiently. (C) Literary theory: Everything is text, and text must be interpreted. Literary theory has ideas and methods that should be used to study other disciplines. (2) Non-relativist schools and figures: Hard science, Objective History. What some of them believe (extreme to center): We can find truth (empiricism, logic). (A) Science: Physical and social sciences do help us progress. (B) History is not just a fiction. Pale males have made the biggest contributions and so should get the most attention. Non-pale males have done little and so deserve little attention. (C) Literary theory: the study of literature and literary theory is not that important. (3) My view: Both sides have valid points, the correct position is to recognize the good points of both, and discredit the extreme views of both. The extreme views are "we can know everything" vs. "we can not know anything". (A) The non-relativists feel threatened. They feel the relativists are getting too much attention, and too much power. (B) The relativists feel the non-relativists are hoarding power, and get more than enough attention. They feel the points they have to make have not been given enough attention. --- 03/01/1997
Philosophy. --- Postmodernism. Premodern, modern, and postmodern views of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics. (1) Central tenets of modernism. (A) Knowledge as truth. Absolute, universal truth. (B) Western civilization and cannon of classics. Fixed meaning in language. (2) Central tenets of post modernism. (A) Knowledge as power (Foucault). Sociology of knowledge. Relative truth. (B) Multiculturalism and political correctness. (C) No subject (viewer, self) object (viewed, other) distinction (Lacan). (D) Meaning in language changes (Derrida). Post modern literary theory of author, text, and reader. --- 12/30/1995
Philosophy. --- Pro and contra. (1) Belief vs. reason. (A) Belief. "I need something to believe in.", can be a statement that says, "I need a goal to work toward and to hope for.", or it can be as statement that says, "I need a list of orders to obey". (B) Reason. Growth development, maturity, enlightenment. No matter what you call it, it requires an active mind that is actively exploring and pursuing. If you wall yourself off from the world, if you keep your head in the sand, you will not grow. I advocate active enlightenment, not passive enlightenment. The answers come to you faster if you actively look for them. Awareness (insight) is not automatic or irreversible. (2) Obedience vs. freedom. Obedience to national laws, ethical laws, etc. vs. freedom to act, freedom to think, etc. Some argue that it is unjust to let people do whatever they want. But the opposite extreme is just as bad. If we regiment people's actions, if we raise them to believe and obey rather than to think for themselves, then they will be less psychologically healthy and their development will be stunted. --- 9/12/1999
Philosophy. --- Progress. It is easy to go off track. It is easy to stand still. It is easy to go backwards. --- 12/30/1996
Philosophy. --- Progressivism and philosophy. Progressivism has philosophical underpinnings. Develop the philosophical foundation of Progressivism. When a Progressive person understands the basic philosophical underpinnings of their thoughts and actions, then they become better Progressives. --- 5/5/2007
Philosophy. --- Questions I ask myself. (1) How do I justify my existence? (2) How do I make sense of my life? (3) How do I explain my actions? --- 2/10/2002
Philosophy. --- Roads to destruction many, roads to survival few, roads to growth fewer still. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Sartre was wrong, the big issue is not alienation (loneliness and anxiety) the big problem is boredom. --- 02/04/1994
Philosophy. --- Self-identity. See: Psychology, personality, self. --- 12/30/2000
Philosophy. --- So easy to be lulled asleep by same old shit environment and actions, and by the ad-mans songs. When you become dead, numb, zombified, you stop living. Till your emotions and thoughts and senses become jolted awake and alive by new environments and actions (ex. the outdoors) or by danger (ex. near death experiences). --- 12/06/1993
Philosophy. --- Solitude is one thing. Silence is another thing. Stillness is another thing. When you are alone. When everything around you is silent. When everything around you is still. You are facing the triple threat. --- 7/26/2000
Philosophy. --- Some big questions. How did the universe begin? How did life begin? How does consciousness work? What does it mean to be human? --- 5/2/2002
Philosophy. --- Some people have the consciously or unconsciously held assumption that if they just do what their teachers, parents, bosses, president, god or bible tells them to do, then they will be (1) Doing the right thing. (2) Doing the easy thing. (3) Doing what they need to do to survive and prosper. (4) This view is held by, and works for, 95% of the population. But if you are a thinking person, and if you think for yourself, it won't work. And it don't work for me. --- 11/20/1993
Philosophy. --- Some people think they are so good and healthy (and they are not) it makes me sick. Some people actually are so good and healthy, that makes me sick too. --- 11/10/1993
Philosophy. --- Sports, Religion, and the Military are baloney because they promote the formation of mindless followers. --- 4/12/2006
Philosophy. --- Stay motivated. Stay positive. Keep working. --- 7/2/2001
Philosophy. --- Surrounded by lunatics, morons, losers, and maniacs. Get into the sunlight and out of the wind. --- 11/08/1993
Philosophy. --- Survey: (1) What do you like to do in you leisure time? (2) What are the ten most important words? (3) What are the ten most important questions? (4) What is the meaning of life? (5) What are the most important problems? --- 04/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Survey. (1) What are the ten most important issues in the world, and in your life? (A metaphysical and ethical question). (2) How do you know? (An epistemological question). --- 3/9/2001
Philosophy. --- Survey. Ask 100 people to take the survey. Ask each person to take the survey every year from age 15 to 55. Print up a survey questionnaire. Post the survey online. --- 12/21/2006
Philosophy. --- Survey. How should we live? How should a person, any person, live their life? What to do? What should we do? --- 1/1/2007
Philosophy. --- Survey. Philosophy survey. The philosophy survey should be taken by an individual every year to see if and how answers change over the course of a life. Questions on the philosophy survey: (1) What is the meaning of life? (2) Who are you? (3) What does it mean to be human? (4) What is a good life? (5) How do you know? (6) What is reality? --- 9/2/2004
Philosophy. --- Survey. Questions about the survey itself. Can you trust the experts? Can you trust the masses? If not, then why bother with a survey? --- 12/21/2006
Philosophy. --- Survey. Questions for people. (1) Do you think at all? About what? (2) Do you care or feel strongly about anything? About what? --- 11/30/1996
Philosophy. --- Survey. Questions for philosophical survey. What are your goals? --- 4/24/1997
Philosophy. --- Survey. Questions for philosophy survey. (1) Do you ever wonder about x? (2) How often? (3) What do you think about most often? (4) What do you do most often? (5) What is the purpose of life? --- 04/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Survey. Related to the Philosophy Survey is Philosophy Q & A. Make a list of questions that everyone can answer. Put all the answers on the Internet. Let the answers be viewable by question, by individual respondent, etc. --- 8/10/1999
Philosophy. --- Survey. Ten most important words: survival, health, truth, justice, communication, love. --- 04/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Survey. Think of philosophical questions to ask friends and strangers when you really want to communicate about important things, and not waste time or life. Make a questionnaire people can pick up, fill out, and mail in anonymously. (1) What is life? (2) What is the meaning of life? (3) What does it mean to be human? (4) What is the purpose of life? (5) What are the most important things in life, and why? More questions to ask people instead of small talk. (1) What is the wisest thing you ever heard? (2) What do you care about? (3) What do you do with your free time? --- 12/30/1995
Philosophy. --- Survey. Undertake an extensive philosophical survey of individuals and society to determine their views and arguments. Use a tape recorder and question list. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Survey. What are the 10 biggest problems in the world? --- 9/15/1998
Philosophy. --- Survey. What are the most important questions for any human? What are the most important answers to these questions? (1) What is justice? How to get justice? How to stay sane or psychologically healthy? How to stay physically healthy? How to keep the environment healthy? How to stay alive? --- 10/28/1999
Philosophy. --- Survey. What percent of world population hold what philosophical views? --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Survey. What should a person do for work? What should a person do in leisure time? What is your view of life and the world? How should a person live? --- 12/21/2006
Philosophy. --- Survival. In any situation, what is the survival point? Psychological abilities needed. Actions one must perform. Technology needed. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Technophobia is about fear of changing one's environment, tools and techniques, and behavior and habits. Ideaphobia is fear of changing one's ideas, or comfortable thought habits. Both are about fear of learning. Both are based in inertia, conservatism, and fear of the new and unfamiliar. This is why self-learning individuals are rare, because self learning means pursuing the new and unfamiliar. --- 3/30/1998
Philosophy. --- That there should be this world. That there should be humans. That there should be me here now, at the dawn of the 21st century. That there should be the Internet. It never ceases to amaze me. --- 3/29/2001
Philosophy. --- The Body. PART ONE. "The body" does not seem to merit much philosophical discussion, certainly not as much as "the mind". However, if we say "the naked body", things get more interesting. What is the deal with nudity? Why are we so obsessed about how much clothes people wear and how much skin they show? From the topic of nudity, it is a short jump to the topics of gender (males, females), love and sex. PART TWO. Another way to look at the body is as a layer in the environment around you. You are always in your body, or with your body. Your body surrounds you, or you are your body. And the body is always in a place or a setting. We are situated in time and space. You gotta be somewhere. PART THREE. Two weird types of people. (A) Those who see only a bunch of minds. They deny the body. For example, some intellectuals. (B) Those who see only a bunch of bodies. They deny the mind. They see people as mindless things. For example, some fitness freaks. You have to hand it to the fitness freaks and athletes though. They grok the body. --- 6/5/2000
Philosophy. --- The good things in life: no on gets them all, at once, forever. Too bad. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- The most important idea, the most true idea, the most complicated idea, and the most ethical idea are four different things. --- 10/19/2000
Philosophy. --- The next step, the next move, like a lilypad in the fog, where is it? Consult your homemade map. Find it and jump to it quick and don't miss. Avoid pitfalls, sidetracks, and regressive jumps backwards. --- 09/15/1993
Philosophy. --- The problem bugging me was not seeing the enormous variety and amount of shit, and getting caught up in it and taking part in it. The problems was I wasn't thinking (and writing) hard enough as to why it was that way, and trying to figure out a way out of it. --- 06/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Theories on the death of science, death of economics, death of sociology, death of art, death of the novel, etc. Nothing is dead. Nothing ever dies. --- 12/24/2003
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. (1) Ideally theory should guide practice, and practice should make theory a reality. (2) Theory without practice is impotent. Practice without theory is blind. --- 9/15/1998
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. (1) Theoretical developments often occur as a response to practical problems. Theory develops as practical solutions are needed. (2) Practice is often an application of theory. Practical solutions are often derived from an accumulation of theoretical knowledge. --- 1/20/2005
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. (1) Theory is about ideas organized by logical relations. (2) Practice is about problem solving. Practice is about ideas organized by importance and priority (next steps). --- 1/28/2005
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. Definitions. (1) Theory is about the world of ideas. The world of subjects and concepts. (2) Practice is about the world of objects and events. Actions by people. Events by non humans. Practices of people. Practical matters. Combinations of human actions and nonhuman events. --- 1/28/2005
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. If you spend all your time being practical, you get no theoretical work done. If you spend all your time being theoretical, you quickly die, or slowly suffer. There must be a balance of theoretical and practical thinking in my life. 50/50? Being practical means thinking, learning, and doing things to stay mentally, physically, and financially healthy. Thinking about work, diet, and exercise. Living right. --- 12/30/1995
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. It seems like a brick wall separates (1) The world of ideas, theory, and academia, and (2) The world of practice and practicality. Politics, law, business, technology, medicine. (3) The second is where the big issues are: environment, health, computers, communication, transportation. The 20th century's biggest theorists rarely have had an effect on the world of practice. --- 02/05/1998
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. Life requires theory and practice. Life requires thought and action. --- 5/15/2005
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. One problem of trying to separate theory from practice, and one criticism of the mistake of trying to live in a world of theory alone, occurs when a situation exists where everyone knows something is wrong, everyone knows why something is wrong, everyone knows how to fix what is wrong, but no one does anything to stop what is wrong. --- 5/29/2007
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. Some would argue there is no distinction between theory and practice because to think is to take an action. --- 1/28/2005
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. The opposite of practical is not always theoretical. If practical means concerned with survival and succeeding in your situation (useful), then doing something that does not relate to your situation, like imagining or dreaming, or thinking how others live in other places, is impractical (useless). Yet so very important. Art helps us live. Poets know it. Where to balance the two (practical vs. impractical)? It is like real vs. normative politics. --- 05/30/1993
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. Theory as distinct from fact. Theory as distinct from action. Practice as action. Practice as practical. --- 11/19/2005
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. Thought and action. How to live? (1) Spend all day reading? Or teaching? Or writing? Or talking? Spend all day with my head in the books? (2) Or have some real experiences? Like what? (3) Or do some physical work? Like what? --- 5/9/2007
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. Two problems: (1) The problem of when theory is lacking, or when practice is lacking, or when both are lacking. (2) The problem of when theory is disconnected from practice. --- 6/24/2007
Philosophy. --- Theory and practice. X concept or phrase. How useful is it in the academic realm? How useful is it in the practical realm? --- 10/09/1993
Philosophy. --- There is an explorer in each of us. It helps us survive. We are attracted to the unknown. The unknown produces emotions in us. Unfamiliar things often produce a weird, eerie feeling. We are attracted to the weird and eerie feeling. Its a thrill. You see it today in scary movies and amusement parks. --- 4/6/2001
Philosophy. --- There is no magic. --- 07/29/1988
Philosophy. --- Things are never as bad as they appear. Don't lose hope. Don't give up. Keep at it. Don't stop. --- 8/1/2005
Philosophy. --- Things interconnect. The thing is to see how things interconnect. --- 07/28/1988
Philosophy. --- Thought, word, and action. --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Three big dichotomies. Theory vs. empiricism. Nature vs. human. Metaphysics vs. ethics. --- 10/15/1993
Philosophy. --- Took me a while to realize (1) Things were real. (2) Things done could not be undone, only done over. (3) You only get one chance. (4) You have limited time and resources. (5) Nothing would be given to you on a silver platter. --- 09/15/1993
Philosophy. --- Trivia and novelty. The novelty store. I just don't get it. (1) It is about nostalgia, and the safe feeling of being a child. (2) It is about pure entertainment, trivia, fluff, the inconsequential, the unimportant, and the ease of not having to use one's mind. No thought. (3) The "cute" philosophy. Just look pretty. (4) Material possessions. Stuff. Trinkets and baubles. --- 05/18/1997
Philosophy. --- Trivia. Why people love trivia (and nostalgia). Trivia about Hollywood, sports, pop music, and mindless hobbies. (1) Trivia is friendly, safe, innocent, comforting, non-threatening, comfortable, fun, enjoyable, and pleasurable. The real world is often hostile, dangerous, and hard work. (2) Trivia is like a drug. (3) Trivia is pop. Stop pop. (4) People argue that they need a break from survival work. (5) Trivia it is deadly, not innocent. Trivia does not satisfy. Trivia does not provide a meaningful life, and people die looking for meaning. Trivia kills. --- 1/6/1998
Philosophy. --- Two questions. (1) What can one do with ideas? What is the power of an idea? (2) What can one do with language, words, text, etc.? Other people explore the possibilities of images, music, software code, etc. I am interested in the possibilities of text. --- 8/31/2005
Philosophy. --- Two strange views. (1) A person is a society. (A) A person has many distinct selves. (B) A person has many distinct parts of their mind. (2) Society is a person. (A) people put their heads together. (B) People put their work together. (C) People cooperate to act like a giant organism. --- 12/16/2004
Philosophy. --- Two things I hate to see. (1) Dolts crawling on the right path. (2) Geniuses speeding down the wrong path. --- 03/26/1994
Philosophy. --- Two types of people. (1) People to whom things are more important than ideas. They are attuned to clothes, cars and their senses. (2) People to whom ideas are more important than things. They are oblivious to clothes, cars, senses. --- 6/10/2000
Philosophy. --- Two views: Local, short term vs. Global, long term. The phrase, "Be here, now.", is a version of the former. --- 10/19/1999
Philosophy. --- Ways of understanding life. Understanding life in terms of art, or love, or power and politics, or time and history. Some people develop a primary approach to understanding life. For example, philosophy, literature and history are three subjects that let people discuss just about anything in life. --- 12/1/2006
Philosophy. --- We cannot always tell the exact effects of our actions. Do your best. Go full bore. Go all out. Give 100%. --- 7/31/2005
Philosophy. --- We discover truths. (Epistemology). We invent goodness? (Ethics). --- 12/20/1998
Philosophy. --- Weird stuff, fascinating, intriguing, mysterious, and curious. Stuff I can not figure out. Stuff I know nothing about. Stuff that bugs me. --- 08/17/1997
Philosophy. --- What makes me wonder, intrigues me, and bugs me? What don't I understand? How to investigate it (experience vs. research). Killer method. --- 04/30/1993
Philosophy. --- When are you going to stop wasting your life? Gravitas. Part of nobility is solemnity? --- 8/20/1999
Philosophy. --- Why am I alive, and what do I live for? --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- Why are we here? (1) Causal answer: big bang, evolution. (2) Functional answer: to do what? What is our purpose? (3) My question: what was god thinking when he created the world? --- 12/30/1992
Philosophy. --- World of ideas. (1) There is a world of ideas. (2) The world of ideas is infinitely large, because there are an infinite number of ideas. (3) Ideas matter. Ideas are important. Ideas have an effect on our lives. (4) Those people who ignore the above three points are anti-intellectuals at their peril. --- 9/7/2005
Philosophy. --- You are not wrong, and you are not alone. --- 08/17/1997
Philosophy. --- You can show the way by showing all the paths that are not the way. --- 4/4/2001
Philosophy. --- You sleep everyday and you think nothing of it till one day you cannot sleep. You breathe everyday and you think nothing of it till one day you cannot breathe. You walk everyday and you think nothing of it till one day you cannot walk. You eat everyday and you think nothing of it till one day you cannot eat. You excrete everyday and you think nothing of it till one day you cannot excrete. There are a lot of amazing things we take for granted. Not to mention running water and electric lights. --- 4/17/2005