If you are not being 'rational' then what are you being? — I like sushi
It just appears to be reasonable to ask about a 'reason for existence'. — I like sushi
Since the existence of life is rationally meaningless, rationalism in this field always leads to existential nihilism. — Tarskian
Unlike philosophy being 'metaphysics derived by deductive / dialectical reasoning', religion consists in 'metaphysics expressed through symbolic myths' (e.g. "Platonism of the masses" according to Nietzsche)..In its essence, like philosophy, religion is metaphysics first. — ENOAH
If by "suffering" you mean folly (i.e. ignorance of one's own ignorance, unexamined living, habits of poor reasoning, magical thinking, reality-denials, etc), then I agree with you.[P]hilosophical attempts to alleviate human suffering ...
Why does that matter?None of these approaches are apodictic.
Why assume "rational reason" is applicable to "existence" especially since "existence" (a) cannot be nonexistence and (b) "rational reason" presupposes "existence"?there is no rational reason for the existence — Tarskian
This phrase doesn't make sense. "Existential nihilism" is chosen and not entailed, otherwise it wouldn't be nihilistic. "Rationalism", as you say, assumes that reality – existence – is logical (i.e. inferential, algorithmic, computable) but that logic must be learned (i.e. signals filtered from noise), that the aptitude for reasoning – orderliness / regularities ("laws") of nature – is intrinsic, or "innate", and competence with reasoning – testable modeling ("sciences") of nature – is an acquired set of skills. "Existential nihilism" is the choice to reject "rationalism" as a way of life (i.e. existential project) as well as rationality, or logic, as an epistemic method/criterion of judgment, and therefore, not the inevitable consequence of "rationalism". Spinozism, for instance, does not entail "existential nihilism".always leads to existential nihilism — Tarskian
Framing the line questioning as a reasonable one is faulty. The mistake is believing it is a rational question. — I like sushi
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. "Existential nihilism" is the choice to reject "rationalism" as a way of life — 180 Proof
Nonsense. If "existential rationalism", then there can be no "rational answers" for an existential nihilist. :roll:Since there is no rational reason for the existence of life, existential nihilism is the rational answer. — Tarskian
Such as?There are only spiritual reasons ...
"Salvation" from what?There is no salvation ...
No. If "existential ratiinalism", then there can be no "rational answer" for the existential nihilist. — 180 Proof
https://afsp.org/story/president-biden-reaffirms-commitment-to-mental-health-and-suicide-prevention
$602 million for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, an increase of $100 million over enacted levels in FY 2023.
origins of religion, would that be relevant here? — I like sushi
religion consists in 'metaphysics expressed through symbolic myths' (e.g. "Platonism of the masses" according to Nietzsche).. — 180 Proof
:roll: :sweat: — 180 Proof
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_China
More recently, a 2015 Gallup poll found the number of convinced atheists in China to be 61%, with a further 29% saying that they are not religious compared to just 7% who are religious.
By "essence" of religion, what structures my thinking has led me to this: religion is a mechanism by which we might, at least, "recognize" that the ego is secondary; at best, turn away from ego, if only for a glimpse of the being emancipated from a world of constructions; the ego/Subject/I among such constructions. — ENOAH
As an aside which will not be explained for the sake of space here, Husserl went far but at the end remained as confused as the rest of his Western Age and identified the "goal" of his exercise as the (transcendental) Subject. It is not. His method seems sound, but the goal is no different than that of this essence of religion: a glimpse into our (you won't like this) "true consciousness," reduced from all constructions. — ENOAH
How do I know religion does this? Where in religion is this essence found? Briefly three examples but one could provide pages, and I'm simplifying and paraphrasing
Jesus--love god with all your might love your neighbor as yourself; that sums up the scriptures--read abandon ego
Vedanta--Moksa is freedom from ego
Zazen--a glimpse into true nature/no mind — ENOAH
I think today the power of religiosity has been reduced to a shadow of its former self. — I like sushi
The sense in which I am using 'religiosity' has nothing much to do with theism. My perspective is anthropological/psychological in the sense I use that term. — I like sushi
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I am not keen on religious doctrines posing as a philosophy of consciousness, nor am I inclined to side with mysticism as anything other than a pacifier of sorts (albeit somewhat essential in its role on mental stability).
The path to woo woo is the way. The destination of woo woo is delusion/madness. — I like sushi
But really. Signifier only of the inherent meaninglessness of all signifiers until meaning has been assigned. — ENOAH
Being too shares that origin. Inherently meaningless. That I know is ultimately what you are saying. It is implied that in uttering being, I have already accepted that my utterance is only as good as how far I can throw it; and, I can't ever throw it outside of Mind's reaches.
And yet, I use the tool to point at the moon, knowing it's not the moon, but the finger. — ENOAH
Well, not assigned, but appearing historically and producing signification. — Constance
I would argue that it is the assumption of inside/outside talk that makes the very barrier in question a problem. — Constance
I am still not really getting a clear idea of what is being pointed at by the phrase 'essence of religion'. Are you just saying that Ethics is the essence of religion? Are you saying the unconscious is the essence of religion? What do you really mean by using the term 'essence' and what reason do you have to do so? — I like sushi
Here, I ask, what is ethics? and also discover apriority. — Constance
Here, I ask, what is ethics? and also discover apriority. But ethics is NOT vacuous logical form. It's essence is value, that is, entanglements in the world that deal with pain and pleasure and this is really a dimension of everything: the very event of this trivial occasion to write is saturated with value. Pull me away and I care that I am being pulled away. A glance at the time is implicit interest and meanings subtlety in play. — Constance
You discover judgement before ethics? Sorry, the more I look closely at what you have written the less it makes sense. — I like sushi
ethics is about analysis of moral positions — I like sushi
And the analysis of ethics is the analysis that is about the analysis of moral positions. This is metaethics, and religion is about just this metaethical analysis. — Constance
Take a judgment about ethics, not about reason and logic, and give analysis. What is there that makes ethics what it is? — Constance
This is, again, logically prior to all of this. It is a question of ontology: the question of the being of ethics, a question that is begged in all subsequent thinking about how to think about ethics. — Constance
This is, and Wittgenstein uses this term and it seems to work very well, value, the value dimension of our world. — Constance
. He talks like this because "the good" is not an empirical or analytical concept. It is not among "states of affairs." — Constance
This is to ask, What is the good and the bad in ethics? It is a metaethical question. — Constance
The "sense" of it lies in the simplicity of discovery. Put a lighted match under your finger and observe. Now ask the ontological question. Religion is ALL about this. — Constance
The OP introduces the idea that ethics is, in its foundational analytic, impossible. It is a transcendental term, and Wittgenstein knew this. How? Ask: What IS ethics? Not anything beyond the simplicity of the apriori "observation". This is to ask, What is the good and the bad in ethics? It is a metaethical question. — Constance
We live together as community and this means holding values. It's impossible not to. Ethics emerges from the resulting conversation just as surely as poo comes from eating. — Tom Storm
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