618.

Philosophy

'All against all'

At a lady's friends home, who I was once helpful to,  I found myself in the middle of an argument between she and her boyfriend.  She had been drinking too much and he became justifiably angry but went too far and demeaned her and physically intimidated her right in front of me along with  a worker/friend who was also present.  He even said to me, 'how can you be her friend when she is like this?'  Caught in the middle I said she should apologize for drinking but then added he had no right to demean her dignity so ruthlessly and totally.  It is not for one person to undermine another person's  right to exist.  I added no matter what she had a good heart.

Some banter went back and forth and his anger and hostility was dissipated but still felt.

Wanting to checkmate this exchange, I brought up a 19th or 18th century philosopher, 'Or or Oz' or some brief such name, who succinctly stated 'All is against all.'

I added, let's be honest, we all want to dominate any way we can and terminate all opposition to this dominance.  We compete to eliminate.  This is our starting point.  We can stay there or rise above it and become civilized.

His rage had become handcuffed and he faced a moral choice, not a predetermined fate.

602.  Past

Principles

Philosophy
  
Looking farther

If everything in the world seems like random happenings with no intrinsic purpose accept what we consciously attach to them, what hope is there?  The emptiness of it all should make us seek more.  We might feel alone and seek help from and with others.  A random universe is a scary universe.  In such a predicament holding hands is understandable, but is that enough?

587.

Principles

Philosophy


This is for that

In a world where
this is for that
how do I receive
without having to give
and how do I give
without having to receive?

390.  Past

Principles

Philosophy

Proof and acceptance

In this plane of existence the truth can be approached, reasonably ascertained, even known but it cannot be proven.  While the truth in its absolute state is pure and consistent, on this plane, it can only be a reasonably sure thing but not an absolute.  Whatever we do here is tainted, so all we can do is suspect there is a truth, but we can't prove it.    Nothing can be absolutely proven.  We can arrive at truth beyond a reasonable doubt, but it is not written in stone.

Even the equation one equals one can't be proven.  We have to accept it on faith and proceed and build upon it.  Nothing in the universe totally equals something else.  There is no such thing.  We accept equality because it is convenient, and in good faith use it as a premise, but we can't prove it.

381.  Past

The question

And again the question
“Is life one big school,
full of lessons,”
or is it closer to
what “happens happens?”

341.  Past

Principles

Philosophy

Flaws with self-correction 

Men tend to self-correct.  If they try something and it stops working they refine or correct or alter it.  At any point on this continuum they have a philosophy, opinion on the process.  Often, these opinions and actions are only partially correct. Their reasoning followed a logical sequence but they ended up out on a limb somewhere.  Their corrections haven't worked fully.

The reason is the building process of reason itself is flawed.  Logic will only take you so far and then disappoint.  When it works, it works for a time and that’s all, for it is too narrow.   When it doesn’t work it doesn’t work.  Only when sequential building on logic and decision making is defeated can one get close to any answers.   This applies after a time to the practical as well as our inner self. What they are after can’t be obtained but has to be given and if not given it can’t be compensated for.  This is humbling.