Bedrock & Paradox

I dream of a hard and brutal mysticism in which the naked self merges with a non-human world and yet somehow survives still intact, individual, separate. Paradox and bedrock.

Belief

That is what it’s all about.

I’m in the midst of a rather exhaustive listing of various beliefs and traits of mine for a class assignment. I think I’ve narrowed beliefs (in the sense of universal axioms) down to a mere four things:

-One should follow the categorical imperative[1] in all things
-People are good
-Human knowledge is finite
-Human potential is infinite

Thoughts?

1: This meaning my own particular, quasi-Buddhist interpretation of Kant’s principle that the maxim of our actions out to be universalizable without limit or hesitation.

DaveC

5 responses to “Belief”

  1. Enel Avatar
    Enel

    I like that you have done this and fine the list very interesting. It prompts me to try to do the same, but that will require more thought.Can you further explain the first as it is going above my head a bit?

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  2. Enel Avatar
    Enel

    I figured out #1 with a little research. Thanks for the educational prompting.#1 is a great way to live, sort of a generally universalized “Golden Rule.” “Do unto others…” I like it as a philosophical grounding for atheistic, moral decision making.#2 I just have to disagree. Everyone has good potential, but evil is real, demonstrating its presence through people’s actions. This is true in “big” evil things (ie genocide), as well as small evil things such as rebellion to parents, selfish thoughts and actions, lies, etc. Parenting has confirmed my feeling that we are born self centered, and only with consistent training and spiritual regeneration are we able bring self control/selflessness/altruism to bear on our inherent selfishness.#3 Agreed.#4 Our potential is far from infinite. I think this is self evident. This is a much more anthropocentric view than I would have expected from you (given the little I know).Just my thoughts.

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  3. Dave Avatar
    Dave

    I’m glad you commented Eric. 2 is indeed very contestable, and right now I don’t have much in the way of a defense. 4 I thought of more in terms of individuals, though that certainly begs the question of extrapolating it to people writ large.

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  4. Bill Avatar
    Bill

    Um, pretty fancy whatabout philosophy or what ever. I grew up in a trailer so I may not understand sum big words. Words I may be confused about :(1) universal axioms – my guess is that this could be a stem that one could use for road, cross or mtb.(2) mere – is that a horse?(3) categorical imperative … etc etc – Holy Crap! I am chocking to death on this as if I just swallowed a clump of dirt on a fast downhill. Sure Ill make it down the hill but I am still worried that I just swallowed something dangerous.In conclusion and making inferences on what I think this all means I am thinking you are just living by the rule that if you hear of a group ride to join it. You believe that a group that gathers to ride can not fail.

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  5. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    i also like the cat imp.People are good. What is good? “Good” decisions can lead to having to make “bad” choices as in stripping a pacific island of all its resources and having to make some tough desisions with the remaining survivors or refusing starving visitors to prevent such a thing. I think people inherently want good but staying they are good is interpretation.What is potential? Preventing bad? Correcting wrongs? Maximizing good?Cool post. You might check out http://www.authentichappiness.com for some really good psych stuff from the former pres of the APA.

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