Category: Philosophy

is there life “out there”?

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I am watching the X-Files. Yes, a little late but better than never.

One of the themes, of course, is the question of life outside of our understanding of “this world”. BTW: I am always amazed when aliens look like us!

Sully’s answer is normally something like, “That is outside of the laws of physics/science.” I wish she would add, “As we understand them.”

And that, for me, is the question: Are the laws of science/physics absolute and necessary? Or are these laws based on our small perspective, and could they be different in another context? In essence (see what I did there!), the question is. are these absolute within all contexts?

Perhaps it is a form of cultural narcissism to assume the experience of the world could not be different from my experience. And, maybe, to assume the laws of science apply to all contexts – even alien ones. And, worst of all, to assume that all aliens look like us. (Unless the alien is Species 8472.)

Anyway ….

the task?

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We are born biological beings but we must become existential individuals by accepting responsibility for our actions. This is an application of Nietzsche’s advice to ‘become what you are’. Many people never do acknowledge such responsibility but rather flee their existential individuality into the comfort of the faceless crowd.

Flynn, Thomas.
Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

comformist

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No post – sorry. I have not spoken with anyone since the beginning of the year. So, maybe that helps?

I am reading. Lots of different books. I am trying for a book a week – non-theological and non-philosophical. I would like to read more literature. The first one is Never Let Me Go. A little slow at the start but gets a lot better. It has been banned in some states in the US.

Yesterday was a Desert Christian day. The following intrigues me:

We live in a society that is at once deeply individualist and deeply conformist; the desert fathers and mothers manage to be neither, and they suggest to us that the church’s calling likewise is to avoid both these pitfalls.

Williams, Rowan. Silence and Honey Cakes: The Wisdom of the Desert

The analysis is good. Yes, conformity is the only virtue. Perhaps it goes a little deeper:

Conformity is the tendency to change our perceptions, opinions, or behaviors in ways that are consistent with group norms. Norms are implicit, specific rules shared by a group of individuals on how they should behave. People may be susceptible to conform to group norms because they want to gain acceptance from their group.

Conformity

The modern tendency is to think, “If we can measure it, we can build it”. Perhaps Kierkegaard’s leveling?

Anyway, back to solitude and silence.

Day 6 – recovery?

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Day 6, and I think I am back to normal – whatever that may mean. I am unsure what I did yesterday – did I read or dance? Anyway, here is a thought for the day.

During this version of a COVID lockdown, I learned that I have an issue with “the church” as a whole and not individuals. Yes, that sounds like Kierkegaard and maybe he is the driving force in my thinking. And the problem is not the institution but rather the emphasis people place on the institution. The modern church has replaced the individual before God with a collection of congregational members called to follow a faceless organisation. There is no accountability to God for my actions but rather an urging to conform. In more philosophical terms, I wonder if the modern world, post-scientific revolution, is stuck in actuality. And the institution of the “church” is living without hope.

Anyway! Maybe a fever-induced hallucination?

do you believe in aliens?

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Completely random question! The first thing that hits me is “believe”. What does it mean in this context? Perhaps I will leave that question for another post.

Absolutely. I think there is intelligent life outside of Earth. All the theological questions aside, why would God only create humans here? And, to paraphrase Bill & Ted, why would movies lie to us? An encounter would raise some interesting questions concerning our assumptions.

Anyway, do you believe in aliens?

truth and facts, and all that

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Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

1 Corinthians 8:1

“Truth? What is that?” Pilate asked Jesus, The Truth (John 14:6). There is a lot of talk about facts and truth. Perhaps, there should be?! Yet, some of this talk comes from a “scientific worldview” that has simply been baptised.

So, the above verse came to mind. And, to be a Kierkegaard fanboy, there is a difference between something being “true” (whatever that may mean) and something being “upbuilding”.

Maybe I spend too much time alone. I do not understand the idea of “truth moving people to action.” Simply knowing the truth does not make my life any different. And there are a plethora of words that are used as synonyms.

It is an ugly ditch – history and knowledge.

So, anyway …

this answer is very unique

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Daily writing prompt
What is a word you feel that too many people use?
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While I have a “philosophical issue” with language, I dislike how people use the word “unique”. And especially how sometimes people say “very unique”, “extremely unique”, or some other superlative qualifying “unique”.

A word I feel people use too much is “surreal”.

words and silence

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Daily writing prompt
What are you curious about?
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My day is largely in silence. Yes, I listen to music and the radio (for the news). But there are long periods of silence. (I also read books etc but in silence.)

One thing that has made me curious about this context is how we see language. Or, how metaphor and language interact. Augustine wrote about language before he wrote about Christianity. But we seem to think that we can simply march past the problem and declare absolutely what is (and what is not) a relationship with God.

I have no answers and maybe there isn’t one. But I am curious!