I don’t think there could be, no. I was just trying to grasp N’s perspective on this.Could there really be a 'great society' made up of thousands of unhappy and unfulfilled individuals?
Well, often our emotions direct us as much as, or, realistically, more than, our rational arguments do, so I will still stick with my view that empathy increases our understanding of others. Most opinions also rely on certain emotional perspectives too (e.g. how we felt while doing X), so I think by having this sort of empathy we can also check the rationality of our views too.Does empathy pick up on the nuances of thought, or does it rather pick up on the feelings of emotion?
So your ideal you would remain flexible, so you therefore choose not to plan ahead too much?when we remain flexible and responsive to everything as it comes about, we are more able to respond to circumstances
If we can turn something negative into something positive I’m all for it, but I reckon there are still some emotions that we would be best to overcome, for example hatred.Is it by putting ourselves in denial that these parts of ourselves go away? Or is it rather by embracing our anger, for instance, and resurrecting it as passion or even as creativity, that we use all of our selves
We don’t have to hold tightly to our concept of the ideal. It can change, but while we have it it’s a useful point of reference.Wouldn’t this holding on so tightly to any idea be a form of dogmatism?
I don’t see why the present moment should deserve more consideration than all those coming future moments put together. However, I do think we need to try and make the present worth living in, in itself, or life becomes pretty pointless. I’ve found it can be quite a let down when you follow the general view that life has an eventual purpose, other than the present realities of it. The present realities are all we’re ever going to get, aren’t they?Isn’t this present moment quite complicated enough to deserve our full attention?
Good point… I think what I want to say is that when judging what is the best course of action for the moment, it’s worth bearing in mind what we want to achieve/ be like in the longer-term too.Even the choice of an 'ideal image' must ultimately be a function of our instinct and inclination, no?
But even when you consider what to eat, aren’t you taking into account ethical issues (e.g. vegetarianism/ battery farming), and how healthy you’d like to be (is there mayonnaise on that egg?), and what you think is the best distribution of your finances (would that money have been better spent on a bus fare to the park, or given to charity etc), and how you in general want to live (momentary sensory satisfaction –egg salad- or planning more for the future –perhaps ham is cheaper and you’re trying to be frugal). Whenever you’re making a judgement your applying your values.Most of my decisions are of the nature of, 'ham or egg salad'
Thanks for your insights!
Your thoughts (we should probably try and turn this more towards Nietzsche... )