31–40 of 123 posts
"Let instinct trump logic" - bad advice. Instinct is simply pattern matching current conditions against memory. Without experience, instinct is a poor criteria and logic should be employed. Read Kahneman for the supporting research into that.
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It's just a subjective take on the age-old question that doesn't add anything to what you already know from philosophy classes.
"Let instinct trump logic" - bad advice. Instinct is simply pattern matching current conditions against memory. Without experience, instinct is a poor criteria and logic should be employed. Read Kahneman for the supporting research into that.
However, as he states in the article, instinct is the result of experience. He is saying the mechanism of instinct is older in humans than logic, so the process is more refined/trustworthy when comparing the two. Seems right to me..
"You must have worked really hard at it"
Just want to correct the line 'Life is Suffering' when you brought up Buddhism. That sounds sadistic. Buddhist's idea is suffering exists. Which is presented as a fact that can be seen with a rational mind. And life is to be lived in pursuit of eliminating suffering for yourself and others. Just thought, I point this out.
For me life is producing output when presented with some kind of input. If we are alive and that's pretty much what we do, life must be it. (not only man, but every animal I can think about)
Now, how are we alive and a computer problem isn't, I don't know. Maybe because our input comes directly from the natural world?
What is the meaning of life? As others said here, it's a question that seems illogical to be asked.
I went to a debate about the existence of God a few months ago. Dan Barker, an atheist who has contributed to the Daily Show, had the winning quote: "There is no meaning of life -- and that's a great thing: it means that there's meaning in life." The quote is poignant regardless of your religious affiliation. Barker was saying that the meaning of life is intensely personal. Each of us invents it through our own exper…
Do I understand you correctly: - "meaning" or "purpose" in life is whatever we feel "meaningful" or "purposeful". - those feelings are derived through our upbringing, culture, biochemical quirks, etc. Therefore if we could find whichever set of chemicals or brainwashing techniques made us feel 'meaningful', then that sense would allow just as valid and 'meaningful' an existence as any other? Isn't that merely hedonis…
If it brings you joy to help others then it becomes a bit of a semantic and meaningless debate as to whether your intentions are noble or not.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Do I understand you correctly: - "meaning" or "purpose" in life is whatever we feel "meaningful" or "purposeful". - those feelings are derived through our upbringing, culture, biochemical quirks, etc. Therefore if we could find whichever set of chemicals or brainwashing techniques made us feel 'meaningful', then that sense would allow just as valid and 'meaningful' an existence as any other? Isn't that merely hedonis…
Arent we already doing that? Isnt 'meaning' just a word, a product of the human brain? Plus many people under hallucinogenics report experiences with various intensities of 'meaning'
I do believe in God, I do believe there is more to life than keeping the chemical state of my body such that I feel happy and fulfilled. I do believe that my life can have a purpose. I've tried, and failed, to find a reason to without a deity who gives a metaphysical meaning to it all. I stand in awe of atheists - I simply don't have the strength to live without the faith and relationship with God that I believe I have.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Do I understand you correctly: - "meaning" or "purpose" in life is whatever we feel "meaningful" or "purposeful". - those feelings are derived through our upbringing, culture, biochemical quirks, etc. Therefore if we could find whichever set of chemicals or brainwashing techniques made us feel 'meaningful', then that sense would allow just as valid and 'meaningful' an existence as any other? Isn't that merely hedonis…
Arent we already doing that? Isnt 'meaning' just a word, a product of the human brain? Plus many people under hallucinogenics report experiences with various intensities of 'meaning'
I saw a program some years back, I can't remember the name of it, but it discussed how meaning or significance is given biologically. Apparently there is a "significance" filter in "normal" people. Upon looking at a picture of their mothers face for instance, normal people have a reaction. Autistic people do not. There are other conditions somewhat related to epilepsy in which everything sets off the "significant" trigger. The program speculated this is the source of the religious-epileptic connection. Sorry for the rough paraphrase... I can't remember the details.
