Practical Consequences (Humans)

by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Friday, October 30, 2009, 01:41 (5502 days ago) @ dhw

dhw,
> As for the "pointlessness" of abstract philosophising, it all depends on why people join this forum. My own motive for setting it up was simply a desire to find out how other people fill the colossal gaps that I can't fill myself. I've learned an enormous amount from the discussions, but it's inevitable that the inadequacy of language leads us into problems of understanding. These do sometimes take us away from the actual substance of a topic into discussion of terms and their implications, but I find this interesting too. The very process of formulating ideas, communicating them, and then trying to put right the errors that have arisen is an education in itself. It can also be fun, as we spark off each other, but that depends on people entering into a friendly spirit of give-and-take, without resorting to the personal vituperation that I've seen on some other sites. For the most part, I'm delighted to say that this is what has happened. To sum up, I don't think the philosophizing is pointless if it leads us to a better understanding of one another's viewpoints.-I'd like to ask what any great philosopher would say to George's same question... I think only a very few would agree that abstract thought is pointless or serves no purpose. Nietzsche and Emerson fill two great differences in philosophical opinion, yet both consistently celebrate that our capacity for abstract thought is something that is... insanely beautiful and part of what makes a good philosophy great. -As for Humanism... I'll be honest in saying that every person I've formally met that called themselves a "humanist" also had very... pacifistic ideas on war. But then, I'm also in college and war is unpopular among the college crowd... and the only ones who it IS popular with tend towards the "For God and Country!" crowd that I just don't belong with.

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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"

\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"