Monday, September 3, 2018

Philosophy 101 - Essay Block Ch. 1+2


Lao-tzu: “No one really has control.  There is always Something Beyond, Some Process, Something that seems to have its own purposes (if we can use such a word).  And that Something… is Tao (the Way).” (page 32)
                This quote stood out to me as I am always trying to control my world. Though the world of Lao-tzu was one of constant strife and turmoil, and mine is not nearly as tragic, it’s important for me to remember that the way of the world is constant change and lack of control.  The only thing we can control is ourselves, but there will always be “Something” in the world that I cannot control and that is the “Something Beyond” referenced in this idea.  To relinquish control and follow Tao - The Way - is important in today’s culture because remembering to “go with the flow” allows us the ability to adjust to changes and adapt to the ways of the world in constant turmoil.

Siddhartha: “The Way cannot be found by either indulgence or denial.  We must walk a Middle Path… We must stop worrying about what others think of us and quit trying to impress people if we are ever to find wisdom.” (page 43)
                This quote is especially important to me because in this day and age, with social media, especially, we are prone to concerning ourselves with what others think of us rather than what we think of ourselves.  When we focus on our own lives, instead of everyone else’s, we are better able to seek wisdom within ourselves and the world.   When we compare our lives to others, we can easily be left feeling want.  But when we walk “a Middle Path,” we can find our own joy and wisdom, separate from keeping up with the Jones’. We find a happiness that is solely our own.

Buddah: “No one can escape the wheel of suffering who does not understand the causes of suffering.” (page 48)
                In today’s society, we see suffering and human indifference almost every day and we pass judgement on other people’s suffering without discovering the root cause of their suffering.  We make assumptions about people without learning why they are suffering.  We see a homeless person and assume they are an addict of some form or that they do not try hard enough to not be homeless.  Until we discover the root cause of their suffering, we will never be able to solve the individual problems.  This is especially important when dealing with issues of famine, poverty, and addiction.  First, we need to gain a human perspective of the suffering before we can exit the wheel of suffering.

Heraclitus: “Ignorance occurs when people do not comprehend the basic structure of the human psyche (soul) and its relationship to the universal principle through which all things come to exist (logos).” (page 63)
                This quote is important because it acknowledges that there needs to be a connection between the mind (or soul) and the logical processes of a human being.  When one ignores the psyche versus logos connection, they are not truly investigating the questions of philosophy with any depth and are thus, ignorant.  We can gain a deeper understanding of philosophical questions by attaching what is known (logos) with what is unknown (psyche).  When we address the connections of soul and logic together, we are better able to understand the more abstract questions of humanity, rather than sit in our own ignorance.

Parmenides: “Being must be eternal because to come from something other than being would be to come from not-being – which would be to come from nothing and nothing can come from nothing.  Being cannot change into something else because to do so would require being to be not-being – a clear impossibility.” (page 68)
                I am especially enamored with this quote because it speaks to the question of does God exist or not and allows for some thought on the matter, a question I have struggled with a lot in my life.  Since energy cannot be created or destroyed, it is, in essence, a form of being.  And that form of being, that energy that people associate with a higher power, can easily be applied to the question of does a higher power exist or not.  I believe that this quote states the simple aspect of energy and matter.  Things cannot come from nothing; only nothing comes from nothing. 

Democritus: “Not-being cannot even exist since it ‘is not.’  Further… the absence of not-being is not the same thing as the absence of empty space.  Space is empty when it does not contain ‘things’ or ‘bodies.’ Space can be empty of bodies without being empty of being.” (page 71)
                Though it seems to be circular reasoning, I find this quote to be especially poignant to the scientific study of energy, and potentially to the existence of a Higher Power.  When we see nothing in space, it doesn’t always mean there is literally nothing there.  There is always the potential to have energy present in the void.  Microorganisms and viruses can be present in the air, but do not need to be there for energy to be present.  We can’t see energy but that does not mean that energy isn’t present.  Energy exists, whether we believe in it or not.


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Grade: 10/10
Professor Comments: Your essays are on track with the goals set in place for learning. Please note that in our online class, the quantity and the quality of the information you learn is linked to the effort you place into the course of study. I urge you to go beyond the essays and the quiz answers. Read, then re-read, then review your understanding of the content of each chapter. Do you grasp all the textbook author is offering you as a student?

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