I've been around. Just never had the time to drop by.
Thunderbird has a philosophy class, it can truly be enlightening at times, not all the time, but sometimes.
Anyways, the last assignment is to write a personal philosophy.
You can see where I might come in right?
There was a short section before the real writing, multiple choice.
Here are my answers.
1. I believe that, ultimately, everything that exists is:
Spiritual or Physical
Material or Physical
Both Material and Spiritual
Neither Material nor Spiritual
I went with the fourth. Obviously a chair is a material object, but it does not exist. What distinguishes myself from a chair, why do I exist? I think. But thinking is no spiritual process, it's something else.
2. God, spirits and the afterlife:
Exist
Do not exist
May or may not exist
I went with three. The story of God is so amazing and whimsical, it's hard to believe. But so is life. There are so many questions, so little answers. Religion is a toss-up.
3. What is true, is what:
Corresponds with reality
Is coherent
Is useful
Is so
I went with the last again. There is no way to really justify that. Truth just is.
4. We:
Do or can not know anything
Do or can know anything
Do or can know many things
Do or can know some things
Number one is my answer. Nothing can be certain, nothing 100 percent.
5. Whether an action is right or wrong, depends primarily on:
How it affects me
How it affects the happiness of the majority
The reason or motive for the action, regardless of the consequences
Whether it pleases God
How we feel
I went with how we feel. I will explain after
6. For example, sexism, apartheid, murder or rape is:
Right
Wrong
Both right and wrong
Neither right nor wrong
The last. For myself, those are all wrong. But since I believe right and wrong off feelings then "Right" and "Wrong" will always be majority rules. Everyone feels different, some people think killing is okay sometimes, that's fine for them. But a true right and wrong cannot exist.
7. Given my:
African experience
American experience
Asian experience
European experience
International experience
Human experience
Went with the last.
8. I think that one should live a life of:
Whatever they wish. Do what you want, live your life. Should you stumble, find a better footing. Always listen.
9. The most basic principle I hold dearly and wish to recommend to others is:
Listen
My reasoning being, you can have your opinions, I'll have mine, but there are so many sides to each story and only when you hear them all do you see clearly.
10. Because of the following considerations, I believe that life has:
Meaning
No meaning
Life has meaning. Perhaps not inherently, but it's there. Somewhere.
11. To summarize my philosophy of life in one profound statement or sentence, I would say that life is: just this. It's living.
My reason being, with all the views on life it can't be defined and boxed up, packed neatly in a sentence that explains all. It's simply living.
That's that then. Hope you enjoy part of my philosophy of life.
Interesting. Our philosophies are very similar. I'm putting off studying, so I shall go through those questions as well.
ReplyDeleteFor question 1, I don't completely agree with any of the given options. I believe there is both physical and abstract existence, because while I believe the chair is here and "exists" (I understand it's not possible to know it is), thoughts are insubstantial but equally they "exist". I suppose that "abstract" could be what is suggested by the word "spiritual", but I feel "spiritual" has too much of an association with religion. If I had to choose, I would select the third option.
For 2, I also choose the third option. I personally believe the second option, but my answer to question 4 will elaborate on why I would answer the third option.
For 4, I would choose the last option. There is one certainty: one's own thought. There is the argument: what if it's not my own, or my reality is distorted? But one still has thought that brings forth their own perception of reality; that is a truth, whether the perceptions are "valid", or "exist", or not. Of course, one can't validate that someone else has thought, so there can't be more than one truth from any person's perspective. Thus there is and can only be one known thing.
7 throws me off. I suppose "human experience" envelops everyone, however should culture be taken into account a factor? Is the question about culture, or about one's own consideration of their culture? Ideally I would choose the same as you, however ultimately I cannot change the fact that I have a view influenced by my American upbringing, travel, and Asian influences.
For 8: Live and let live. You don't have to listen if you don't want, but likewise do not judge and meddle in others' affairs if they aren't getting into yours. Help and coexist, enjoy other people's company, or don't. Cause no harm.
For 9: Live life to its fullest, the way that gives you the most pleasure, but at the same time do minimal harm to others. It is inevitable you will cause stress to many people over your lifetime, but control your own impulses enough to not wantonly cause stress or harm - to others OR yourself. Enjoy your life!
10. I answer the same, I just want to add: Life has what meaning you give it.
11: **** happens. Not that all **** is bad, just that things happen with no "higher meaning" behind them.
BTW, in all of that I left questions unanswered because you already did so either how I would or in a more eloquent way than I would have.
~Mystery
O___O
ReplyDeleteThat was a loooot longer than I anticipated... Sorry for the wall of text...
~Mystery