Search found 4374 matches

by Greta
Tue Apr 26, 2016 1:47 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is a mystic?
Replies: 137
Views: 30858

Re: What is a mystic?

Mysticism defined as gonzo philosophy is very astute, Greta. Thanks Leo. Just riffing, as usual. Every now and then it works out. This talk contains a fair bit of what I think of as secular mysticism (non so "gonzo"): https://www.ted.com/talks/richard_dawkins_on_our_queer_universe?languag...
by Greta
Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:38 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is a mystic?
Replies: 137
Views: 30858

Re: What is a mystic?

My impressions: • A mystic is someone who has direct experience of God. So they have to be a theist? Just expressed in theistic terms IMO. I interpreted it as being able to freely move into the state that people enjoy when they have peak experiences. Lucky them. • A mystic is someone who considers p...
by Greta
Mon Apr 25, 2016 5:36 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is a mystic?
Replies: 137
Views: 30858

Re: What is a mystic?

Trance is more shaman. But that is the heritage of mysticism; it started with frenzied women dancing and chanting. That's the shortcoming of many thinkers today, valuing the subjective less than the objective. It seems utterly foolish to me. I do like the third and forth particularly. Mystics can u...
by Greta
Sun Apr 24, 2016 12:09 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is a mystic?
Replies: 137
Views: 30858

Re: What is a mystic?

Nice ideas of a mystic, JS. Definitely more intuitive than intellectual, trying to tap into efficacious primal instincts normally suppressed by the intellect. The Abrahamic path has always been emotional while the eastern religions took a more analytical and technical approach. Most seem to utilise ...
by Greta
Sat Apr 23, 2016 11:51 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is wisdom?
Replies: 301
Views: 59665

Re: What is wisdom?

Most people fail this, because people can't shut up, given any even slight opportunity to say something. Hence the popularity of Internet forums. Exponential mea culpa :) I would also add that wisdom is a transient quality, for most people; and wisdom is not absolute, but relative. Furthermore, it ...
by Greta
Sat Apr 23, 2016 12:40 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is wisdom?
Replies: 301
Views: 59665

Re: What is wisdom?

I'm an agnostic so I have no claim at all. Not quite wise either, so it seems. I did an online wisdom test last night :lol: and I scored 3.8, while people who are actually wise apparently would score between 4 and 5. I wonder if an online Turing tests exists. And secondly, how many people would act...
by Greta
Fri Apr 22, 2016 5:09 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is wisdom?
Replies: 301
Views: 59665

Re: What is wisdom?

Whereas we, atheists are a "school of atheists", or "an academy of atheists", or an "obviously-smarter-than-a-stupid-fundamentalist of atheists". Fundamentalists have the right to their claim of righteousness; we have the right to our claim of being right. I'm an agnos...
by Greta
Wed Apr 20, 2016 2:22 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is wisdom?
Replies: 301
Views: 59665

Re: What is wisdom?

Oops, "hate mail", not "hate main".

Here's the Dawkins letters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhYT4vE1gvM
by Greta
Wed Apr 20, 2016 9:45 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is wisdom?
Replies: 301
Views: 59665

Re: What is wisdom?

Of course. A common problem in philosophy forums. The fools! Why can't they understand!!?

When I wrote it I was thinking of Richard Dawkins reading his hate main from a gaggle of fundamentalist Christians :)
by Greta
Wed Apr 20, 2016 9:30 am
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: Why go through Spiritual Stress?
Replies: 32
Views: 7232

Re: Why go through Spiritual Stress?

the almost unbelievable good fortune of our existence. It's a good thing Dalek's not here to argue the point with you, Greta. He regards the fact of his own existence as an egregious violation of his human rights. Heh. I should speak for myself. No doubt there's plenty in African and the middle eas...
by Greta
Wed Apr 20, 2016 7:55 am
Forum: Political Philosophy
Topic: The Fanon Scenario
Replies: 4
Views: 1617

Re: The Fanon Scenario

I think sticking up for the underdog is related to protective parental instincts. We instinctively want to help the weak. Besides, the strong don't need our help (and have probably screwed us as well). If we are to make ourselves useful then we usually do best by standing up for underdogs rather tha...
by Greta
Wed Apr 20, 2016 7:44 am
Forum: Philosophy of Religion
Topic: Why go through Spiritual Stress?
Replies: 32
Views: 7232

Re: Why go through Spiritual Stress?

Let's make it easy. If God exists then each of us an expression of God. If God doesn't exist then each of us is an expression of nature. What label do you prefer? Spinoza might have chosen either. There would seem to be many more stressful things than considering the wonders of nature and life and t...
by Greta
Wed Apr 20, 2016 7:37 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is wisdom?
Replies: 301
Views: 59665

Re: What is wisdom?

@ Jaded Sage Do you need equivalent wisdom to perceive it in others? I can recognise when others are being more calm, centred, smart, patient and understanding (ergo wise) than I am. With the Dunning-Kruger Effect people can be unintelligent enough to not realise their limitations. So, while a very ...
by Greta
Wed Apr 20, 2016 6:54 am
Forum: Articles in Philosophy Now
Topic: On Moral Arguments Against Recreational Drug Use
Replies: 73
Views: 17118

Re: On Moral Arguments Against Recreational Drug Use

There's no such thing as a free lunch in biology. A human body is the product of 4 billion years years of molecular evolution and any interference in its homeostatic balance comes with a price tag, which is always altered protein synthesis as well as imprecise cellular mitosis. That means we're all...
by Greta
Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:08 am
Forum: Metaphysics
Topic: Does the past exist ?
Replies: 59
Views: 15541

Re: Does the past exist ?

... the observer of physical reality can only observe a reality which no longer exists ... So, ironically, the past - which does not have an actual current ontic existence - is all that matters to us. Reality comes to us only in the faulty moments we manage to briefly grasp as myriad changes pass u...