The Examined Life
- Angel Trismegistus
- Posts: 568
- Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: William James
- Location: New York City
The Examined Life
I was born, raised, and still reside in New York City. I've been interested in the philosophy of things since I was five years old though I did not understand my interest in these terms until I was a teenager.
I'm a vegetarian.
I love cats. I love dogs too of course. All animals in fact. Including insects.
About human beings I have mixed feelings.
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- Posts: 10339
- Joined: June 15th, 2011, 5:53 pm
Re: The Examined Life
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?Angel Trismegistus wrote:I love cats. I love dogs too of course. All animals in fact. Including insects.
(I forgot to say: Welcome, by the way.)
- Angel Trismegistus
- Posts: 568
- Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: William James
- Location: New York City
Re: The Examined Life
Much obliged for the welcome, Steve. I mean, 280 views of an introduction without a single welcome until yours! What does that say about the soi-disant philosopher and the social graces?Steve3007 wrote: ↑August 17th, 2020, 4:06 amDo 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?Angel Trismegistus wrote:I love cats. I love dogs too of course. All animals in fact. Including insects.
(I forgot to say: Welcome, by the way.)
"A sliding scale of love"? Hmm. Let me think on this a bit before replying.
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- Posts: 10339
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Re: The Examined Life
Don't be too hard on them. . I think one of the differences between conversations in places like this and face-to-face conversations is that replies here are a much more well-defined, positive act than replies and acknowledgements in what we might call real life. So they tend to only happen when people have something relatively substantial to say. So small, relatively casual acknowledgement-style replies often tend to be missed out here, whereas in real life they would take the form of something like a nod, a smile or a raise of the eyebrows. I guess that's what emojis are supposed to try to replicate. But they don't.Angel Trismegistus wrote:What does that say about the soi-disant philosopher and the social graces?
- Angel Trismegistus
- Posts: 568
- Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: William James
- Location: New York City
Re: The Examined Life
If by love we mean a strong feeling of affection, then I suppose my love for cats and dogs is the strongest, on account of my more intimate relationship to them, as they are in a sense members of the Family of Man, our companions. In the case of the rest it is a more formal affection not unmixed with wonder and awe. There is, I should mention, one exception to this love of animal kind, and that is the mosquito.Steve3007 wrote: ↑August 17th, 2020, 4:06 amDo 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?Angel Trismegistus wrote:I love cats. I love dogs too of course. All animals in fact. Including insects.
- LuckyR
- Moderator
- Posts: 7932
- Joined: January 18th, 2015, 1:16 am
Re: The Examined Life
So where would you rank roaches, houseflies and mosquitoes?Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 17th, 2020, 1:26 pmIf by love we mean a strong feeling of affection, then I suppose my love for cats and dogs is the strongest, on account of my more intimate relationship to them, as they are in a sense members of the Family of Man, our companions. In the case of the rest it is a more formal affection not unmixed with wonder and awe. There is, I should mention, one exception to this love of animal kind, and that is the mosquito.Steve3007 wrote: ↑August 17th, 2020, 4:06 am
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?
- Angel Trismegistus
- Posts: 568
- Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: William James
- Location: New York City
Re: The Examined Life
In Angel's Great Chain of Being roaches and houseflies rank just above Man at the bottom of the chain. Mosquitoes, as already stated, are anima non grata.LuckyR wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2020, 1:55 amSo where would you rank roaches, houseflies and mosquitoes?Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 17th, 2020, 1:26 pm
If by love we mean a strong feeling of affection, then I suppose my love for cats and dogs is the strongest, on account of my more intimate relationship to them, as they are in a sense members of the Family of Man, our companions. In the case of the rest it is a more formal affection not unmixed with wonder and awe. There is, I should mention, one exception to this love of animal kind, and that is the mosquito.
- LuckyR
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Re: The Examined Life
If no one should care about humanity, who cares if mosquitoes transmit disease?Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2020, 3:09 amIn Angel's Great Chain of Being roaches and houseflies rank just above Man at the bottom of the chain. Mosquitoes, as already stated, are anima non grata.
- Angel Trismegistus
- Posts: 568
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- Location: New York City
Re: The Examined Life
Every human being should care about humanity, Lucky. It's because I care about humanity that I dislike humanity.LuckyR wrote: ↑August 24th, 2020, 1:41 amIf no one should care about humanity, who cares if mosquitoes transmit disease?Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 23rd, 2020, 3:09 am
In Angel's Great Chain of Being roaches and houseflies rank just above Man at the bottom of the chain. Mosquitoes, as already stated, are anima non grata.
I don't dislike mosquitoes because they transmit disease; after all, what animal transmits disease better than the human animal?
I dislike mosquitoes because there's nothing aesthetic about them and to boot they bite.
- LuckyR
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Re: The Examined Life
The list of biting, nonaesthetic animals is quite long and mosquitoes are not notable within those ranks. In the list of transmission of human infectious diseases they are king.Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 24th, 2020, 3:35 amEvery human being should care about humanity, Lucky. It's because I care about humanity that I dislike humanity.
I don't dislike mosquitoes because they transmit disease; after all, what animal transmits disease better than the human animal?
I dislike mosquitoes because there's nothing aesthetic about them and to boot they bite.
- Angel Trismegistus
- Posts: 568
- Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: William James
- Location: New York City
Re: The Examined Life
Well then, Angel's Great Chain of Being may have to be edited. Are you willing to name names?LuckyR wrote: ↑August 28th, 2020, 1:05 amThe list of biting, nonaesthetic animals is quite long and mosquitoes are not notable within those ranks. In the list of transmission of human infectious diseases they are king.Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 24th, 2020, 3:35 am
Every human being should care about humanity, Lucky. It's because I care about humanity that I dislike humanity.
I don't dislike mosquitoes because they transmit disease; after all, what animal transmits disease better than the human animal?
I dislike mosquitoes because there's nothing aesthetic about them and to boot they bite.
After reading your post today, I put up the morning coffee and fed the cat in a state of brooding consternation. Had I missed so many "biting, nonaesthetic animals"? Almost instantly to mind came the flea. Then the louse! The bedbug! The tick! Were these some of the entomological villains Lucky had in mind, I wondered? Were these or such as these more "notable" than the mosquito? Would E.O. Wilson take my call?
As I buttered the toast below knitted brow I made a mental note to run down my snitch at the CDC first thing after morning laxation.
"Deadliest animal in the world" my beloved Buridan's ass!
- LuckyR
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Re: The Examined Life
No need, you started a good list while making breakfast.Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 28th, 2020, 2:56 amWell then, Angel's Great Chain of Being may have to be edited. Are you willing to name names?
After reading your post today, I put up the morning coffee and fed the cat in a state of brooding consternation. Had I missed so many "biting, nonaesthetic animals"? Almost instantly to mind came the flea. Then the louse! The bedbug! The tick! Were these some of the entomological villains Lucky had in mind, I wondered? Were these or such as these more "notable" than the mosquito? Would E.O. Wilson take my call?
As I buttered the toast below knitted brow I made a mental note to run down my snitch at the CDC first thing after morning laxation.
"Deadliest animal in the world" my beloved Buridan's ass!
- Angel Trismegistus
- Posts: 568
- Joined: July 25th, 2020, 1:19 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: William James
- Location: New York City
Re: The Examined Life
The Deadliest Animal in the World
Sharks are wimps, compared to this beast.
What would you say is the most dangerous animal on Earth? Sharks? Snakes? Humans?
Of course the answer depends on how you define dangerous. Personally I’ve had a thing about sharks since the first time I saw Jaws. But if you’re judging by how many people are killed by an animal every year, then the answer isn’t any of the above. It’s mosquitoes.
When it comes to killing humans, no other animal even comes close. Take a look:
https://www.gatesnotes.com/health/most- ... quito-week
- LuckyR
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Re: The Examined Life
Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 29th, 2020, 3:17 am
The Deadliest Animal in the World
Sharks are wimps, compared to this beast.
What would you say is the most dangerous animal on Earth? Sharks? Snakes? Humans?
Of course the answer depends on how you define dangerous. Personally I’ve had a thing about sharks since the first time I saw Jaws. But if you’re judging by how many people are killed by an animal every year, then the answer isn’t any of the above. It’s mosquitoes.
When it comes to killing humans, no other animal even comes close. Take a look:
https://www.gatesnotes.com/health/most- ... quito-week
Yeah, I know that. That's what I meant by their being the king of infectious diseases
- Sculptor1
- Posts: 7086
- Joined: May 16th, 2019, 5:35 am
Re: The Examined Life
.... as you started to shave?Angel Trismegistus wrote: ↑August 28th, 2020, 2:56 amWell then, Angel's Great Chain of Being may have to be edited. Are you willing to name names?
After reading your post today, I put up the morning coffee and fed the cat in a state of brooding consternation. Had I missed so many "biting, nonaesthetic animals"? Almost instantly to mind came the flea. Then the louse! The bedbug! The tick! Were these some of the entomological villains Lucky had in mind, I wondered? Were these or such as these more "notable" than the mosquito? Would E.O. Wilson take my call?
As I buttered the toast below knitted brow I made a mental note to run down my snitch at the CDC first thing after morning laxation.
"Deadliest animal in the world" my beloved Buridan's ass!
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