Nonsense. For instance, we seek "territory and food" in order to sustain ourselves biologically (like all other non-human animals do) and not because of "imaginary stories". And I don't see the relevance here of tychism (though I've always agreed with 'the principle' ... from the perspective of classical atomsm / philosophical daoism (i.e. necessary non-necessity)).

Nonsense. For instance, we seek "territory and food" in order to sustain ourselves biologically (like all other non-human animals do) and not because of "imaginary stories". And I don't see the relevance here of tychism (though I've always agreed with the principle ... from the perspective of classical atomsm). — 180 Proof

Nonsense. We, and all the other animals, seek territory and food to address hunger and security, basic animal impulses, i.e. instincts. Humans and perhaps a few other animals tell ourselves stories while we do that - explain to ourselves what we're doing and why.

Retrospectively, not prospectively or "instinctively".

I thought this was one for the collection :-)

If I knew what that meant, perhaps I would feel insulted. — T Clark

I'm so proud.

"If it be Inquired how it comes to pass, that sentiments and notions, which really are not in the things that are without us, do yet appear as if they were, and consequently that they seem to be Objects? It must be Answered, that this arises from the very nature of cogitation it self, and of the cogitative faculties; and that both Reason and Experience do evidence, it must be so.

...Reason sheweth that it must be so; for as we are conscious that we have a perceivance of Objects under certain Images, and Notions, so we are not conscious of any Action by which our faculties should make those Images and Notions; and therefore being sensible that we are Affected with such Images, and Notions, so long as, and no longer than we do attend to things without is (which things are therefore called Objects) and not being sensible that we are so by any Action from within our selves it cannot but appear that we are Affected only from the things without us, and so, what really is only in our selves, must seem to come from those things, and consequently to be really in them."

- Richard Burthogge

If any philosopher had been asked for a definition of infinity, he might have produced some unintelligible rigmarole, but he would certainly not have been able to give a definition that had any meaning at all. — Bertrand Russell

Possibly out of context, but I can't bother to check.

The only obsession everyone wants: 'love'. People think that in falling in love they make themselves whole? The Platonic union of souls? I think otherwise. I think you're whole before you begin. And the love fractures you. You're whole and then you're cracked open.

Only when you fuck is everything that you dislike in life and everythiing by which you are defeated in life purely, if momentarily, revenged. Only then are you most cleanly alive and most cleanly yourself. It's not the sex that's the corruption – it's the rest. Sex isn't just friction and shallow fun.

Sex is also the revenge on death.

Don't forget death. Don't ever forget it. Yes, sex too is limited in its power. I know very well how limited. But tell me, what power is greater? — Philip Roth

Yes, sex too is limited in its power. I know very well how limited. But tell me, what power is greater? — Philip Roth

The upholding of duty. Definitely not sex, as it may seem.

It is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how Nature is. Physics concerns what we can say about Nature. — Niels Bohr

Adiós, Padre. :fire:

Contemporary man has begun to lose his naiveté as ... the deep causes of the situation in which he finds himself are becoming clearer. He realizes that to attack these deep causes is the indispensable prerequisite for radical change. And so he has gradually abandoned a simple reformist attitude regarding the existing social order, for, by its very shallowness this reformism perpetuates the existing system.

*

It has become ever clearer that underdevelopment is the end result of a process. Therefore, it must be studied from a historical perspective, that is, in relationship to the development and expansion of the great capitalist countries. The underdevelopment of the poor countries, as an overall social fact, appears in its true light: as the historical by-product of the development of other countries. The dynamics of the capitalist economy lead to the establishment of a center and a periphery, simultaneously generating progress and growing wealth for the few and social imbalances, political tensions, and poverty for the many. — Fr. Gustavo Gutiérrez, founder of liberation theology, d. 2024

A couple of quotes from Catch-22.

From now on I'm thinking only of me."

Major Danby replied indulgently with a superior smile: "But, Yossarian, suppose everyone felt that way."

"Then," said Yossarian, "I'd certainly be a damned fool to feel any other way, wouldn't I?

What a lousy earth! He wondered how many people were destitute that same night even in his own prosperous country, how many homes were shanties, how many husbands were drunk and wives socked, and how many children were bullied, abused, or abandoned. How many families hungered for food they could not afford to buy? How many hearts were broken? How many suicides would take place that same night, how many people would go insane? How many cockroaches and landlords would triumph? How many winners were losers, successes failures, and rich men poor men? How many wise guys were stupid? How many happy endings were unhappy endings? How many honest men were liars, brave men cowards, loyal men traitors, how many sainted men were corrupt, how many people in positions of trust had sold their souls to bodyguards, how many had never had souls? How many straight-and-narrow paths were crooked paths? How many best families were worst families and how many good people were bad people? When you added them all up and then subtracted, you might be left with only the children, and perhaps with Albert Einstein and an old violinist or sculptor somewhere.

The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history. — GWF Hegel

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. — Karl Marx

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. — George Santayana

Trump Reelected.

Sure, but we do everything based on imaginary stories in our minds. — T Clark

And sometimes even the territory and food are imaginary.

And sometimes even the territory and food are imaginary. — Tom Storm

Thus natural science is not a way of knowing the real world; its value lies not in its truth but in its utility; by scientific thought we do not know nature, we dismember it in order to master it. — R.G. Collingwood, The Idea of History

I'm saving this. I'm sure I'll find use for it later.

The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt. — Bertrand Russell

As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron. — H.L. Mencken

In politics, stupidity is not a handicap. — Napoleon Bonaparte

What a terrible era in which idiots govern the blind. — William Shakespeare

addendum to
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/945412

Addendum to
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/851181

Bemusings 2 ...

Death merely randomizes memories & awareness.

All that we are and have ever built are, at most (and forever!), sand castles in the surf.

Since existence is the sky, universes are nothing but the weather.

Origin of the universe? = Edge of the Earth?

What question is not begged (is not fallaciously answered) by "a mystery"?

How is anything explained by or justified with "a mystery"?

If 'God is the ultimate mystery', then a godly (i.e. inexplicable and unjustified)
world is indistinguishable from a godless world, no?

You escape from reality via fantasy but we can escape from fantasy via ecstasy.

Pray to the presence ...
meditate on the nonsense ...
or contemplate the absence.

As a life-commitment, you can only love the world (group think) or only love god (that thinks for you) or only love wisdom (learning to think for yourself even against yourself).

Not meeting the burden of proof only means the claim at issue remains unproven and not that it is false. For this reason alone a thinker ought to accept the burden of proving that theism is not true.

There is no god but Death and Sleep is her prophet.

... And therefore we have metaphysics ('order, cosmos') in order not to howl in despair at the real (disorder, chaos).

... Branes to Black Holes to Brains to Brains to Black Holes to Branes ...

There are no antirealists in foxholes.

Usually the beautiful tend to be boring, the flawed on occasion more interesting, and yet the beautifully flawed are always irresistible.

Every professional liar knows that facts are never as persuasive as stories.

Astronauts went where all religions call 'the heavens' and discovered two things which had impressed me as a child: (1) they saw no God, no gods, no angels, no souls and (2) they saw that the Earth is round, not flat. What's impressed me even more ever since is that not one of the world's great religions have ever sent their own astronaut-priests into 'the heavens' to find out the truth for themselves.

As weak as gravity that orders the universe, reason orders minds which dis/order our world.

Sophia says ...
'Your god isn't even a providential being who can do anything for you. He's nothing but that hole in your bucket – nonbeing.'

I'm not religious or a trumper, so I don't discuss American politics any more – I'm too literate historically, culturally and scientifically for that.

(To be continued ...)