The Examined Life

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Angel Trismegistus
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The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

So I'm here to see if the Socratic mandate may not be carried forward to a degree by way of anonymous virtual repartee, or failing that, at least to pass time in a harmless enough fashion while waiting for the world to end.

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.
Steve3007
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by Steve3007 »

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.)
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Angel Trismegistus
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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.)
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?

"A sliding scale of love"? Hmm. Let me think on this a bit before replying.
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Steve3007
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by Steve3007 »

Angel Trismegistus wrote:What does that say about the soi-disant philosopher and the social graces?
Don't be too hard on them. :D . 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.
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Angel Trismegistus
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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?
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.
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LuckyR
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by LuckyR »

Angel Trismegistus wrote: August 17th, 2020, 1:26 pm
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?
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.
So where would you rank roaches, houseflies and mosquitoes?
"As usual... it depends."
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Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

LuckyR wrote: August 23rd, 2020, 1:55 am
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.
So where would you rank roaches, houseflies and mosquitoes?
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.
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LuckyR
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by LuckyR »

Angel Trismegistus wrote: August 23rd, 2020, 3:09 am
LuckyR wrote: August 23rd, 2020, 1:55 am

So where would you rank roaches, houseflies and mosquitoes?
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.
If no one should care about humanity, who cares if mosquitoes transmit disease?
"As usual... it depends."
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Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

LuckyR wrote: August 24th, 2020, 1:41 am
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.
If no one should care about humanity, who cares if mosquitoes transmit disease?
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.
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by LuckyR »

Angel Trismegistus wrote: August 24th, 2020, 3:35 am
LuckyR wrote: August 24th, 2020, 1:41 am

If no one should care about humanity, who cares if mosquitoes transmit disease?
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.
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.
"As usual... it depends."
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Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

LuckyR wrote: August 28th, 2020, 1:05 am
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.
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.
Well 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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LuckyR
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by LuckyR »

Angel Trismegistus wrote: August 28th, 2020, 2:56 am
LuckyR wrote: August 28th, 2020, 1:05 am

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.
Well 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!
No need, you started a good list while making breakfast.
"As usual... it depends."
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Angel Trismegistus
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by Angel Trismegistus »

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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
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LuckyR
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by LuckyR »

Angel Trismegistus wrote: August 29th, 2020, 3:17 am Image

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
"As usual... it depends."
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Sculptor1
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Re: The Examined Life

Post by Sculptor1 »

Angel Trismegistus wrote: August 28th, 2020, 2:56 am
LuckyR wrote: August 28th, 2020, 1:05 am

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.
Well 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!
.... as you started to shave?
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