Life is benevolent, do you agree?

[Sushan]

This topic is about the May 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, The Maestro Monologue: Discover your Genius, Defeat your intruder, Design your destiny by Rob White

Life is benevolent. Life never blinks. Life is always responding to what you think.

(Location 157 - Kindle version)

This author implies that life always watch upon us and responds to what we think. So, as per my understanding, then the life should go on as we wish. But life is not like that. It has many ups, which we like, and many downs, which we do not like or wish to have.

Can we really say life is benevolent?

[LuckyR]

This topic is about the May 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, The Maestro Monologue: Discover your Genius, Defeat your intruder, Design your destiny by Rob White

Life is benevolent. Life never blinks. Life is always responding to what you think.

(Location 157 - Kindle version)

This author implies that life always watch upon us and responds to what we think. So, as per my understanding, then the life should go on as we wish. But life is not like that. It has many ups, which we like, and many downs, which we do not like or wish to have.

Can we really say life is benevolent?

It sounds like you guys are using the word "life" to mean "life experiences". I don't believe life experiences have volition. That is, they don't have an agenda to fulfill.

[GrayArea]

To us, or to the Universe?

When it comes to us, I can say this:

Good / Benevolence is what we approve. Bad is what we don't approve. Life is not what we "approve", it's just literally equivalent to the word "we". It's what approves or disapproves, what contains all good and bad events. Like a jar that contains good things and bad things. The jar itself is not good or bad.

On the other hand, when it comes to life being a force of benevolence from the perspective of the Universe, I can say this:

The existence or the nonexistence of life does not each affect the Universe in a good or a bad way, because whether life exists or it doesn't, the Universe will be itself. It does not matter.

[Pattern-chaser]

Can we really say life is benevolent?

No, we can't. The question can be easily rephrased into a more common one: can we really say life is good? This is, I think (?), another good vs. evil topic. Such questions rarely seem to lead anywhere useful; perhaps this topic will be the exception?

[CIN]

Can we really say life is benevolent?

My wife has a defect in her DNA that has so far caused her to have three life-threatening and disfiguring cancers.

No, life is not benevolent.

[stevie]

Can we really say life is benevolent?

"Life" is merely an idea produced by brain's conceptual capacity.

[Sushan]

This topic is about the May 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, The Maestro Monologue: Discover your Genius, Defeat your intruder, Design your destiny by Rob White

Life is benevolent. Life never blinks. Life is always responding to what you think.

(Location 157 - Kindle version)

This author implies that life always watch upon us and responds to what we think. So, as per my understanding, then the life should go on as we wish. But life is not like that. It has many ups, which we like, and many downs, which we do not like or wish to have.

Can we really say life is benevolent?

It sounds like you guys are using the word "life" to mean "life experiences". I don't believe life experiences have volition. That is, they don't have an agenda to fulfill.

Well, I took it as 'fate'. If we are always subjected to good a fate then all our dreams should come true. But in the real world no one experiences such an ideal condition. If it is taken as 'life experiences', then I think it is completely upto individual selves to mould them, rather than any volition happening from the side of life experiences.

[Sushan]

To us, or to the Universe?

When it comes to us, I can say this:

Good / Benevolence is what we approve. Bad is what we don't approve. Life is not what we "approve", it's just literally equivalent to the word "we". It's what approves or disapproves, what contains all good and bad events. Like a jar that contains good things and bad things. The jar itself is not good or bad.

On the other hand, when it comes to life being a force of benevolence from the perspective of the Universe, I can say this:

The existence or the nonexistence of life does not each affect the Universe in a good or a bad way, because whether life exists or it doesn't, the Universe will be itself. It does not matter.

We expect our lives to go on in a certain way. When everything goes as per our liking, we say it is good, and the life becomes benevolent. If life is the 'jar', then where are ourselves located? Is it within the jar, totally outside the jar, or some other existence?

As per the universe, yes, it does not matter whether we exist or not for the existence of the universe. But humans are capable of destroying anything, and I am doubtful whether the universe can be excluded from that fate.

[Sushan]

Can we really say life is benevolent?

No, we can't. The question can be easily rephrased into a more common one: can we really say life is good? This is, I think (?), another good vs. evil topic. Such questions rarely seem to lead anywhere useful; perhaps this topic will be the exception?

It is hard to see white or black aspects in many things. Usually it is grey. And I think life has the same quality. So, yes, I think you are correct, we simply cannot say life is benevolent. But then what might the author wanted to tell us? To be optimistic? To take everything as good?

[Sushan]

Can we really say life is benevolent?

My wife has a defect in her DNA that has so far caused her to have three life-threatening and disfiguring cancers.

No, life is not benevolent.

I am sad to here that and feel very sorry for your wife's situation.

There are a lot of people who have gained nothing but bad and discouraging blows from life. So for people like you who have first hand experience about the bad aspects of life, life can never be said or felt as benevolent, and I agree with you.

[GrayArea]

To us, or to the Universe?

When it comes to us, I can say this:

Good / Benevolence is what we approve. Bad is what we don't approve. Life is not what we "approve", it's just literally equivalent to the word "we". It's what approves or disapproves, what contains all good and bad events. Like a jar that contains good things and bad things. The jar itself is not good or bad.

On the other hand, when it comes to life being a force of benevolence from the perspective of the Universe, I can say this:

The existence or the nonexistence of life does not each affect the Universe in a good or a bad way, because whether life exists or it doesn't, the Universe will be itself. It does not matter.

We expect our lives to go on in a certain way. When everything goes as per our liking, we say it is good, and the life becomes benevolent. If life is the 'jar', then where are ourselves located? Is it within the jar, totally outside the jar, or some other existence?

As per the universe, yes, it does not matter whether we exist or not for the existence of the universe. But humans are capable of destroying anything, and I am doubtful whether the universe can be excluded from that fate.

My view is that if life is the jar, we are.

Also my bad, I should have said "reality as a whole" instead of the universe, when I said that it does not matter whether we exist or not for the existence of the universe. As in, the entirety of existence itself beyond a single universe—all universes, all dimensions, everything. I doubt that human beings can destroy the concept of existence itself. They will only end up embracing existence as long as they exist and do things.

[Sushan]

Can we really say life is benevolent?

"Life" is merely an idea produced by brain's conceptual capacity.

Maybe you are correct. But then what about 'death'? Is it a mere concept produced by our brains? Living and dying, are these only either illustrations or conceptual ideas? Do we never really live or die, but act according to the chemical reactions of our brains and bodies?

[Sushan]

To us, or to the Universe?

When it comes to us, I can say this:

Good / Benevolence is what we approve. Bad is what we don't approve. Life is not what we "approve", it's just literally equivalent to the word "we". It's what approves or disapproves, what contains all good and bad events. Like a jar that contains good things and bad things. The jar itself is not good or bad.

On the other hand, when it comes to life being a force of benevolence from the perspective of the Universe, I can say this:

The existence or the nonexistence of life does not each affect the Universe in a good or a bad way, because whether life exists or it doesn't, the Universe will be itself. It does not matter.

We expect our lives to go on in a certain way. When everything goes as per our liking, we say it is good, and the life becomes benevolent. If life is the 'jar', then where are ourselves located? Is it within the jar, totally outside the jar, or some other existence?

As per the universe, yes, it does not matter whether we exist or not for the existence of the universe. But humans are capable of destroying anything, and I am doubtful whether the universe can be excluded from that fate.

My view is that if life is the jar, we are.

I am sorry but I did not get you. Can you please elaborate on that. Thank you

[GrayArea]

To us, or to the Universe?

When it comes to us, I can say this:

Good / Benevolence is what we approve. Bad is what we don't approve. Life is not what we "approve", it's just literally equivalent to the word "we". It's what approves or disapproves, what contains all good and bad events. Like a jar that contains good things and bad things. The jar itself is not good or bad.

On the other hand, when it comes to life being a force of benevolence from the perspective of the Universe, I can say this:

The existence or the nonexistence of life does not each affect the Universe in a good or a bad way, because whether life exists or it doesn't, the Universe will be itself. It does not matter.

We expect our lives to go on in a certain way. When everything goes as per our liking, we say it is good, and the life becomes benevolent. If life is the 'jar', then where are ourselves located? Is it within the jar, totally outside the jar, or some other existence?

As per the universe, yes, it does not matter whether we exist or not for the existence of the universe. But humans are capable of destroying anything, and I am doubtful whether the universe can be excluded from that fate.

My view is that if life is the jar, we are.

I am sorry but I did not get you. Can you please elaborate on that. Thank you

Well, I simply meant that life equals ourselves. Just two different words for the same concept. There is no other complex causality or anything. Also, I've used the edit tool to extend my previous reply, so feel free to check that one out as well.

[Pattern-chaser]

But then what might the author wanted to tell us? To be optimistic? To take everything as good?

Life happens; the universe changes and progresses. To us, at least, it is a near-infinite series of dice rolls. Is it rational, or wise, to hope for all 6s and no 1s? Are we really asking for a world where only 6s are rolled? Are we that naive? Should we not just accept that life will throw all the numbers at us, from 1 to 6? After all, whether we accept it or not, it will happen. So will we accept what is, or will we fight it, pointlessly and unsuccessfully? The Tao is the path; follow it, and enjoy the journey.