I want to reiterate the popular thought experiment which has been used in almost every branch of philosophy, particularly eastern ones, that is the nature of existence and change. The most common way this is proposed as a mental experiment is to imagine a hand in the shape of a fist and then imagine the hand unclenching the fist and it becoming a simple hand. Where does the fist go? The properties of the hand have not changed only the general shape, is this worthy of a distinction? Also, as a fist is it still a hand, and as a hand does it contain some properties of a fist?
Perhaps this is only a silly game parents play on children but start to consider the ways this can be applied: philosophy of mind and neuroscience - if the particles in a brain and body change how is it the mind and body stay the same? Metaphysics - to what extent does everything exist because of the existence of another? Observational science - is the observation of change a real observation or does change negate observing?
The Nature of Happiness, link. -
Thanks Rick for showing me this.
“Things only become complicated when we think about them.” — Alan Watts
First off an explanation of this site. I had the domain bakerr.com for quite some time and today finally decided to make it a tumblr blog as a way to share ideas and allow group conversation without the constrictions of Facebook or Wordpress. It is just going to be a collection of thoughts I have and perhaps interesting links or content which I think people might be interested in. I believe other people can add post as well so feel free just look at the bottom of the page.
Anyway, an idea which has been on my mind particularly after GSE and watching Alan Watts “A Conversation with Myself” is the reality of an undefinable world. Or as Watts describes a circular world with humans trying to make it straight. For example we cannot truly and universally define anything we just have symbols, language, mathematics, pictures, art, etc. But we live our life trying to define the undefinable, the straighten the curvatures of the world instead of letting go.
So try and imagine what a society or a person would look like by letting go and what exactly does letting go mean? Are all of our attempts to define reality a waste of time and is there any value in human life when lived this way?
Here is Watts video for those interested.