The Examined Life

Please post all introductions in this forum. Tell us how you found the philosophy forums, what interests you about philosophy, and a little about you, such as your age, where you live, what you do for a living, etc.
User avatar
Sy Borg
Site Admin
Posts: 14992
Joined: December 16th, 2013, 9:05 pm

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Sy Borg »

Sculptor1 wrote: September 4th, 2020, 4:09 am
Greta wrote: September 3rd, 2020, 6:13 pmer.

Still, Angel, mozzies may lack charm, they do at least kill more humans than any other species, so credit where it's due ;)
Mozzies alone are completely harmless, just giving a bit of inflammation, to those that are sensitive, whilst taking a little blood.
Unless they are carrying Plasmodium.
User avatar
Sculptor1
Posts: 7091
Joined: May 16th, 2019, 5:35 am

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Sculptor1 »

Greta wrote: September 4th, 2020, 8:31 am
Sculptor1 wrote: September 4th, 2020, 4:09 am

Mozzies alone are completely harmless, just giving a bit of inflammation, to those that are sensitive, whilst taking a little blood.
Unless they are carrying Plasmodium.
OR.... Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, and dengue virus
User avatar
Angel Trismegistus
Posts: 568
Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
Favorite Philosopher: William James
Location: New York City

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

Steve3007 wrote: August 17th, 2020, 4:06 am
Angel Trismegistus wrote:I love cats. I love dogs too of course. All animals in fact. Including insects.
Do you love insects as much as you love cats and dogs? Would you say that there is a sliding scale of love from animals that are closely related to humans towards animals that are closer to the boundary with other living things, like plants? Or is the love equal for all animal species?

(I forgot to say: Welcome, by the way.)
See what you started? Much obliged. :D
Image
Steve3007
Posts: 10339
Joined: June 15th, 2011, 5:53 pm

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Steve3007 »

Angel Trismegistus wrote:See what you started? Much obliged. :D
You're welcome! I guess any time someone raises the subject of the ethical status of various forms of life it's going to provoke a lot of comment.

For my part, I don't tend to use the word "love" for any person or animal that I don't personally know in any way. I usually can't say things like "I love the human race" or "I love cats" (i.e. "I love group X") with any conviction. My love tends to be reserved for individuals and tends to be a result of knowing them personally in some way.
User avatar
Angel Trismegistus
Posts: 568
Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
Favorite Philosopher: William James
Location: New York City

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

Steve3007 wrote: September 9th, 2020, 5:58 am
Angel Trismegistus wrote:See what you started? Much obliged. :D
You're welcome! I guess any time someone raises the subject of the ethical status of various forms of life it's going to provoke a lot of comment.

For my part, I don't tend to use the word "love" for any person or animal that I don't personally know in any way. I usually can't say things like "I love the human race" or "I love cats" (i.e. "I love group X") with any conviction. My love tends to be reserved for individuals and tends to be a result of knowing them personally in some way.
Do you love your country?
Do you love wisdom?
Do you love music of a certain kind?
Do you love life?
Image
Steve3007
Posts: 10339
Joined: June 15th, 2011, 5:53 pm

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Steve3007 »

Angel Trismegistus wrote:Do you love your country?
A very American choice of first question, if you don't mind me saying so.
No. I'm fond of my cultural reference points, but that's not love. It's mostly nostalgia and humour. A nostalgia for such things as childhood TV programmes (We watched some old episodes of The Sweeney the other day. Interesting to see them in the context of their time.) isn't what I'd call love.
Do you love wisdom?
Do you love music of a certain kind?
Do you love life?
I value those things but don't love them as I love my children.
Steve3007
Posts: 10339
Joined: June 15th, 2011, 5:53 pm

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Steve3007 »

Do you love wisdom?
No
Then begone from a philosophy website! Eh?
User avatar
Angel Trismegistus
Posts: 568
Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
Favorite Philosopher: William James
Location: New York City

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

Steve3007 wrote: September 9th, 2020, 4:21 pm
Angel Trismegistus wrote:Do you love your country?
A very American choice of first question, if you don't mind me saying so....
Image

Nope. Don't mind one little bit. I understand political fashion well enough to know not to take this season's hemline to heart.
Image
User avatar
Angel Trismegistus
Posts: 568
Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
Favorite Philosopher: William James
Location: New York City

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

Steve3007 wrote: September 9th, 2020, 4:22 pm
Do you love wisdom?
No
Then begone from a philosophy website! Eh?
Glad you got it.

Image
Image
Steve3007
Posts: 10339
Joined: June 15th, 2011, 5:53 pm

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Steve3007 »

Angel Trismegistus wrote:I understand political fashion well enough to know not to take this season's hemline to heart.
I don't know what political fashion you're referring to here. Conspicuous displays of patriotism (pledges of allegiance, displaying of the flag etc) have been part of US culture for long enough for them to be more than political fashion. They're a long term part of the culture.
User avatar
Angel Trismegistus
Posts: 568
Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
Favorite Philosopher: William James
Location: New York City

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

Steve3007 wrote: September 10th, 2020, 5:33 am
Angel Trismegistus wrote:I understand political fashion well enough to know not to take this season's hemline to heart.
I don't know what political fashion you're referring to here. Conspicuous displays of patriotism (pledges of allegiance, displaying of the flag etc) have been part of US culture for long enough for them to be more than political fashion. They're a long term part of the culture.
I was referring to the fashionable European political cynicism that sneers at love of country.
Image
Steve3007
Posts: 10339
Joined: June 15th, 2011, 5:53 pm

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Steve3007 »

Angel Trismegistus wrote:I was referring to the fashionable European political cynicism that sneers at love of country.
I wasn't sneering at love of country; just noting an interesting cultural difference. I think cultural differences are particularly interesting when they exist between societies that have similar cultural roots.
User avatar
Sculptor1
Posts: 7091
Joined: May 16th, 2019, 5:35 am

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Sculptor1 »

Angel Trismegistus wrote: September 10th, 2020, 5:37 am
Steve3007 wrote: September 10th, 2020, 5:33 am

I don't know what political fashion you're referring to here. Conspicuous displays of patriotism (pledges of allegiance, displaying of the flag etc) have been part of US culture for long enough for them to be more than political fashion. They're a long term part of the culture.
I was referring to the fashionable European political cynicism that sneers at love of country.
A "cynicism" that has, since 1945, and for the first time in history saved Europe from the usual Bellum omnium contra omnes that has plagued it since the dawn of the concept of the nation state.
Thank F for that healthy cynicism.
User avatar
Sculptor1
Posts: 7091
Joined: May 16th, 2019, 5:35 am

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Sculptor1 »

Love of country is the gross urge of the football hooligan
User avatar
Angel Trismegistus
Posts: 568
Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
Favorite Philosopher: William James
Location: New York City

Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

Sculptor1 wrote: September 10th, 2020, 6:45 pm
Angel Trismegistus wrote: September 10th, 2020, 5:37 am
I was referring to the fashionable European political cynicism that sneers at love of country.
A "cynicism" that has, since 1945, and for the first time in history saved Europe from the usual Bellum omnium contra omnes that has plagued it since the dawn of the concept of the nation state.
Thank F for that healthy cynicism.
Patriotism, as I'm sure you know, is older than nationalism, and has deeper roots in the human spirit. Now, the moral incontinence of the modern European state may indeed make as compelling a case for "that healthy cynicism" as you suggest in your perfervid post, and like the recovering alcoholic Europe cannot afford to fall off the wagon again, so let's hear an "Amen!" for the EU. But, to carry the conceit a little further, it is humility and not self-righteousness that the modern European needs to show for Europe's disastrous role on the world stage over the last few centuries, and to denounce patriotism in the United States of America or patriotism tout court on account of the past sins of European nationalism is simply the foolish conflation of the addict with a troubled conscience who troubles not with fine distinctions.
Image
Post Reply

Return to “Introductions”

2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise
by John K Danenbarger
January 2023

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
February 2023

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023

The Unfakeable Code®

The Unfakeable Code®
by Tony Jeton Selimi
April 2023

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
by Alan Watts
May 2023

Killing Abel

Killing Abel
by Michael Tieman
June 2023

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead
by E. Alan Fleischauer
July 2023

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough
by Mark Unger
August 2023

Predictably Irrational

Predictably Irrational
by Dan Ariely
September 2023

Artwords

Artwords
by Beatriz M. Robles
November 2023

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope
by Dr. Randy Ross
December 2023

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes
by Ali Master
February 2024

2022 Philosophy Books of the Month

Emotional Intelligence At Work

Emotional Intelligence At Work
by Richard M Contino & Penelope J Holt
January 2022

Free Will, Do You Have It?

Free Will, Do You Have It?
by Albertus Kral
February 2022

My Enemy in Vietnam

My Enemy in Vietnam
by Billy Springer
March 2022

2X2 on the Ark

2X2 on the Ark
by Mary J Giuffra, PhD
April 2022

The Maestro Monologue

The Maestro Monologue
by Rob White
May 2022

What Makes America Great

What Makes America Great
by Bob Dowell
June 2022

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!
by Jerry Durr
July 2022

Living in Color

Living in Color
by Mike Murphy
August 2022 (tentative)

The Not So Great American Novel

The Not So Great American Novel
by James E Doucette
September 2022

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches
by John N. (Jake) Ferris
October 2022

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All
by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
November 2022

The Smartest Person in the Room: The Root Cause and New Solution for Cybersecurity

The Smartest Person in the Room
by Christian Espinosa
December 2022

2021 Philosophy Books of the Month

The Biblical Clock: The Untold Secrets Linking the Universe and Humanity with God's Plan

The Biblical Clock
by Daniel Friedmann
March 2021

Wilderness Cry: A Scientific and Philosophical Approach to Understanding God and the Universe

Wilderness Cry
by Dr. Hilary L Hunt M.D.
April 2021

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute: Tools To Spark Your Dream And Ignite Your Follow-Through

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute
by Jeff Meyer
May 2021

Surviving the Business of Healthcare: Knowledge is Power

Surviving the Business of Healthcare
by Barbara Galutia Regis M.S. PA-C
June 2021

Winning the War on Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure

Winning the War on Cancer
by Sylvie Beljanski
July 2021

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
by Dr Frank L Douglas
August 2021

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts
by Mark L. Wdowiak
September 2021

The Preppers Medical Handbook

The Preppers Medical Handbook
by Dr. William W Forgey M.D.
October 2021

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress: A Practical Guide

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress
by Dr. Gustavo Kinrys, MD
November 2021

Dream For Peace: An Ambassador Memoir

Dream For Peace
by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
December 2021