Between Epigrams and Essays
I think of an aphorism as between an epigram and an essay. In this, I am influenced by Nietzsche. As an angry young man, I devoured his books.
While I enjoy his attacks upon Christianity, I rejected Nietzsche when I realized that in his utopia, I would not be educated in philosophy. In the 19th century, Americans democritized public education through high school. In the 20th century, Americans democritized college education, even through the Ph.D. In Nietzsche's utopia, only the elite would be educated -- he rejects anything that elevates common people (Christianity, socialism, labor unions, democracy, etc.). My family would have had to remain farmers.
So, I rejected Nietzsche from self-defense. You may dismiss this rejection as "mere" self-defense, but isn't self-defense a rational thing to do?
While I enjoy his attacks upon Christianity, I rejected Nietzsche when I realized that in his utopia, I would not be educated in philosophy. In the 19th century, Americans democritized public education through high school. In the 20th century, Americans democritized college education, even through the Ph.D. In Nietzsche's utopia, only the elite would be educated -- he rejects anything that elevates common people (Christianity, socialism, labor unions, democracy, etc.). My family would have had to remain farmers.
So, I rejected Nietzsche from self-defense. You may dismiss this rejection as "mere" self-defense, but isn't self-defense a rational thing to do?
The Circle of Life
We have a nice symbiotic relationship with plants -- a cycle of energy that keeps us both alive. People who believe that they are not of this world basically deny this relationship. This denial allows for widescale destruction of plant habitat.
I don't know how this relationship got started, I only acknowledge that its continuation is the continuation of human life. Why are we collectively expanding our own numbers and destroying what makes those numbers possible?
I don't know how this relationship got started, I only acknowledge that its continuation is the continuation of human life. Why are we collectively expanding our own numbers and destroying what makes those numbers possible?
Make Love Not War
Biologists are beginning to demonstrate that certain parts of the human body are just poorly designed -- such as a knee joint that doesn't support our weight very well. (Compare how long a horse can stand.) We are this way as a result of our evolutionary history -- what Dawkins calls "The Blind Watchmaker."
Our memes can be poorly designed, too. They can be relics of a time when they were more useful. For example, a hatred of homosexuality is often manifested as a hatred of sex for pleasure. They believe that sex is for procreation, not recreation. (No abortions, no birth control, no homosexuality, no masturbation, etc.) This meme may have been useful when the human population was very low. But with over 6 billion people on the planet, things are different.
Let us jettison the sexual meme "sex is for procreation, not recreation." Today we need more happiness and fewer babies. Unlike our knee joints, we can chose to change our beliefs.
Our memes can be poorly designed, too. They can be relics of a time when they were more useful. For example, a hatred of homosexuality is often manifested as a hatred of sex for pleasure. They believe that sex is for procreation, not recreation. (No abortions, no birth control, no homosexuality, no masturbation, etc.) This meme may have been useful when the human population was very low. But with over 6 billion people on the planet, things are different.
Let us jettison the sexual meme "sex is for procreation, not recreation." Today we need more happiness and fewer babies. Unlike our knee joints, we can chose to change our beliefs.
Metaphyics and Confidence
At some point you should realize that you disagree with most people in the world on the major metaphysical issues -- such as the existence and nature of God. Even if you belong to the largest church in the world -- the Roman Catholic -- still the majority of the people in the world are not Roman Catholic.
I am an atheist, which means that I believe that the vast majority of people who have ever lived on this planet are wrong on this fundamental question. What does that mean?
William James did not want to be arrogant, and so his metaphysical pluralism is a way of claiming finally to get the truth but really the truth is that everyone really has the truth. It is the metaphysical version of that old cliche -- having your cake and eating it too.
Why not rather have the confidence to embrace your own metaphysics? Yes, I believe that most people are wrong. But, my beliefs do not require having other people agree. And many people seem do derive good things from their wrong beliefs. So, who am I to complain? Perhaps it is an example of Vonnegut's "foma."
I am an atheist, which means that I believe that the vast majority of people who have ever lived on this planet are wrong on this fundamental question. What does that mean?
William James did not want to be arrogant, and so his metaphysical pluralism is a way of claiming finally to get the truth but really the truth is that everyone really has the truth. It is the metaphysical version of that old cliche -- having your cake and eating it too.
Why not rather have the confidence to embrace your own metaphysics? Yes, I believe that most people are wrong. But, my beliefs do not require having other people agree. And many people seem do derive good things from their wrong beliefs. So, who am I to complain? Perhaps it is an example of Vonnegut's "foma."
A Diet of Irony
Many Americans strive to live long miserable lives. They diet so that they can live as long as possible, and yet they are miserable as they diet. It is as if they wanted the root canal to last just a little longer.
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