4.18.2013
Summer Checklist
Read
The Poisonwood Bible
The Alchemist
The Attributes of God
The God Who Weeps
The Foundation Trilogy
Naked Hike
Bike Bike Bike
Fireworks
Love
Ask
Trips to National Parks
Oregon
Grad School thoughts hashed out
Lagoon
Pass of all Passes
Ballet Class
Wes Anderson
Learn to cook something
Make a new friend
Work hard
Go to art shows
So many concerts
Paint
Piano
Discover new music at the library
Love people
Build faith
Build something
Floss
Eat more and more veggies
4.15.2013
Two Arguments For the Existence of God
Descartes has to begin with his own ideas, this in a sense, is where all rationalists have to begin, Descartes is a rationalist. Rationalists think the structure of the mind is the structure of reality and by the mind alone we can acquire knowledge. Descartes has two arguments to rationalize the existence of God. Descartes provides one of his arguments for the existence of God in Meditation III. There, Descartes claims that are only three kinds of ideas, innate, adventitious, and factitious. Ideas are effects. Because they are effects, they must have a cause. The idea of God is an effect. The effect cannot be greater than the cause. The idea of God was put into us by a greater cause, God, proving that God exists.
We are born with innate ideas, adventitious ideas come from a source outside of ourselves through sensory experiences, and factitious ideas are self-produced or made up. Once you have thought of an idea, you cannot unthink it; this is the principle of natural light that Descartes speaks of. For example, I have thought the thought of God, once I have thought it, I cannot erase it. Now that I have thought of the idea of God, where did the idea come from? What caused it?
In Descares’ principle of sufficient reason, he states there must be as much reality in the cause as in the effect to make something reasonable and true. The effect cannot be greater than the cause, if so, there must be another cause effecting the effect. To illustrate this, imagine a baby on a scale. The baby weighs 10 lbs. The scale is properly functioning and accurately reads weight. The cause is the baby being set on the scale, and the effect is the reading of 10lbs. Seconds later you put the baby on the scale again, and the baby now weighs 20lbs. At once one would assume that there is another cause or weight being set on the scale to result in an effect so great. It would be absurd to think otherwise. There must be a cause equal to or greater than the effect in order to be reasonable or true.
My ideas are the effect of any given cause; the cause of my ideas then must be greater than my ideas. Descartes proposes that the idea of God as an effect, must have a cause of equal or greater value to God. Of necessity, Descartes must define God here. God is all possible perfections; there is none greater than God. Descartes establishes God as a “He”, characterized as perfect, immutable, infinite, eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, independent, and the creator of all things. What is the cause of the idea of God?
Descartes argues that God is the cause of the idea of God. Remember the three types of ideas Descartes proposed, one being adventitious ideas; these are empirical, sensory, and finite in nature. Human beings are made up of finite material, and cannot possibly understand that of the infinite world because our mind cannot apprehend that which is infinite. Our mind cannot comprehend the concept of eternity or what it is like to participate in the 4th dimension, or beyond, for example. The idea of God is not an adventitious idea, then, it must be one of the other two types of ideas. Factitious ideas or self-produced ideas are limited in terms of apprehending or creating the idea of God, there is no possible way that one could make up the idea of a being like God, because of the nature of it. Human rationale is limited.
By process of elimination, this leaves the last type of idea, innate ideas. The idea of God is an innate idea humans were born with. God is the cause of the idea of God in all of us, because of the principle of sufficient reason. God is the cause of the idea because the effect cannot be greater than the cause. Someone or something had to put the idea of God into us, therefore, God exists, the cause of the idea.
In Descartes’ second argument for the existence of God is found in Meditation V. Descartes states the principle of clearness and distinction. The principle of clear and distinct ideas is that if I clearly apprehend something to belong to an object, it truly does. It does belong because you cannot think about one object without necessarily thinking about the characteristics of it. Meaning, the characteristics truly belong to the object. For example you cannot think of fire without necessarily thinking of its characteristics of light and heat. Fire would cease to be fire without these necessary traits. Light and heat in its most natural form are necessarily in association with fire. Therefore, while thinking clearly and distinctly about fire, one comes to realize that light and heat truly belong to fire, and vice versa.
When I am thinking of God, I’m thinking of the being with all possible perfections, including existence. Existence is a perfection, existence is better than not existing. So when you think of God, you necessarily think of an existence of God. To say that God does not exist is a contradiction in terms. How do you know God is not a deceiver? What is deception? Deception is a defect, an imperfection, and by definition God is perfect, so God cannot be a deceiver, otherwise it would be a contradictory claim.
3.19.2013
Descartes
Although the utility of a doubt so general may not be manifest at first sight, it is nevertheless of the greatest, since it delivers us from all prejudice, and affords the easiest pathway by which the mind may withdraw itself from the senses; and finally makes it impossible for us to doubt wherever we afterward discover truth.
1.28.2013
Something
No one who has not studied philosophy and who is not entirely pure at the time of his departure is allowed to enter the company of the Gods, but the lover of knowledge only.
For after death, as they say, the genius of each individual, to whom he belonged in life, leads him to a certain place in which the dead are gathered together, whence after judgement has been given they pass into the world below, following the guide, who is appointed to conduct them from this world to the other; and when they have there received their due and remained their time, another guide brings them back again after many revolutions of ages. Now this way to the other world is not, as Aeschylus says in the Telephus, a single and straight path-if that were so no guide would be needed, for no one could miss it; but there are many partings of the road, and windings, as I infer from the rites and sacrifices which are offered to the gods below in places where there ways meet on earth. The wise and orderly soul follows in the straight path and is conscious of her surroundings; but the soul which desires the body, and which, as I was relating before, has long been fluttering about the lifeless frame and the world of sight, is after many struggles and many sufferings hardly and with violence carried away by her attendant genius, and when she arrives at the place where the other souls are fathered, if she be impure and have done impure deeds, whether foul murders or other crimes which are the brothers of these, and the works of brothers in crime- from that soul every one flees and turns away; no one will be her companion, no one her guide, but alone she wanders in extremity of evil until certain times are fulfilled, and when the are fulfilled, she is borne irresistibly to her own fitting habitation; as every pure and just soul which has passed through life in the company and under the guidance of the gods has also her own proper home.
Now the earth has divers wonderful regions, and is indeed in nature and extent very unlike the notions of the geographers, as I believe on the authority of one who shall be nameless.
Plato 424-348 B.C.
For after death, as they say, the genius of each individual, to whom he belonged in life, leads him to a certain place in which the dead are gathered together, whence after judgement has been given they pass into the world below, following the guide, who is appointed to conduct them from this world to the other; and when they have there received their due and remained their time, another guide brings them back again after many revolutions of ages. Now this way to the other world is not, as Aeschylus says in the Telephus, a single and straight path-if that were so no guide would be needed, for no one could miss it; but there are many partings of the road, and windings, as I infer from the rites and sacrifices which are offered to the gods below in places where there ways meet on earth. The wise and orderly soul follows in the straight path and is conscious of her surroundings; but the soul which desires the body, and which, as I was relating before, has long been fluttering about the lifeless frame and the world of sight, is after many struggles and many sufferings hardly and with violence carried away by her attendant genius, and when she arrives at the place where the other souls are fathered, if she be impure and have done impure deeds, whether foul murders or other crimes which are the brothers of these, and the works of brothers in crime- from that soul every one flees and turns away; no one will be her companion, no one her guide, but alone she wanders in extremity of evil until certain times are fulfilled, and when the are fulfilled, she is borne irresistibly to her own fitting habitation; as every pure and just soul which has passed through life in the company and under the guidance of the gods has also her own proper home.
Now the earth has divers wonderful regions, and is indeed in nature and extent very unlike the notions of the geographers, as I believe on the authority of one who shall be nameless.
Plato 424-348 B.C.
1.07.2013
Truth Seeker, I Choose to be Inspired.
I give birth to the educated me.
We don't have to ask questions, but we have to live as though we have answered them.
The prisoner doesn't want to see the light. He sees it as painful and as sufferage.
As we come to know God and to unveil our minds from the tunnel vision this life has to offer, we begin to see truth and reality as it really is. As we think of this and see it, we have to accept the ugly parts as well as the good. The ugly parts bring pain.
The more focused we are on God and fixated on Deity, the easier it is to cope with pain and suffering.
Once we get used to this light, an inevitable low comes. The ebb and flow of life. As we see Deity and then move towards progression we of course are most familiar with the tunnel vision that came with our childhood, the easy, the comfortable, the ignorant bliss. Yet once you've searched and sought out the light you search for more, you see more in the stars, the moon, and the heaven, not only in him the sun.
This process eventuates in acceptance of reality and perfection happens when we choose to see things as they really are.
When this change happens we move into a more compassionate being. We acquire benevolence for our fellow ignorantly bliss-filled men. You pity them because they have not yet seen the perfection in accepting the uglies of reality.
Once we have reached a certain point in the process of progression, the fall is that much further. It hurts more, its worse to go back to ignorance. It's spiritual death.
Socrates believes his explanation of the world is that man need be fixed upon this light, this intellectual light, which is good. Yet he says God is the one that knows whether or not this opinion is true or false.
It's natural for us as humans to want to dwell in light and bask in truth.
The process of going from the cave of darkness to the light of the Lord is much too pleasant, laughable. The reverse unsavory.
Conventional views of education involve a teacher giving the knowledge to the student, as if it's a tangible object shared from one to another. Socrates differs than that of conventional, that our knowledge is built-in. He says that it is a combining of mind and body, soul. It's in this acquiration of knowledge that the brightest and the best of our being exists.
Even if you naturally aren't wise, through exercise, and good habit this can be achieved.
Black has to have its opposite. White. You don't know the glory, purity, victory of white until you have become well acquainted with Black.
Proportion.
2 options must exist.
Balance
Yin and Yang
Moderation in all things.
Those who have reached the upper world are called to reach out and untie the blindfolds tied on those prisoners dwelling in the shadows of the cave.
It is an idea of universalism. Everyone is saved. Everyone in the same State, made by the legislator, the law maker, God. What is natural for man is to need/want/love fellow-men. I am a piece to a puzzle. A valuable one, an essential part.
Glaucon's concern is that the process is unfair. That its unfair for the ones desiring to see the light, to intellectually excel the seekers to go back, down, to a prisoners cell where darkness and shadows rule.
Socrates explains beautifully the intention of the plan, universalism.
You train yourself to choose how you see the world, and how you react to adversity and trial and pain and suffering.
Beautifully crazy.
Lindsey
We don't have to ask questions, but we have to live as though we have answered them.
The prisoner doesn't want to see the light. He sees it as painful and as sufferage.
As we come to know God and to unveil our minds from the tunnel vision this life has to offer, we begin to see truth and reality as it really is. As we think of this and see it, we have to accept the ugly parts as well as the good. The ugly parts bring pain.
The more focused we are on God and fixated on Deity, the easier it is to cope with pain and suffering.
Once we get used to this light, an inevitable low comes. The ebb and flow of life. As we see Deity and then move towards progression we of course are most familiar with the tunnel vision that came with our childhood, the easy, the comfortable, the ignorant bliss. Yet once you've searched and sought out the light you search for more, you see more in the stars, the moon, and the heaven, not only in him the sun.
This process eventuates in acceptance of reality and perfection happens when we choose to see things as they really are.
When this change happens we move into a more compassionate being. We acquire benevolence for our fellow ignorantly bliss-filled men. You pity them because they have not yet seen the perfection in accepting the uglies of reality.
Once we have reached a certain point in the process of progression, the fall is that much further. It hurts more, its worse to go back to ignorance. It's spiritual death.
Socrates believes his explanation of the world is that man need be fixed upon this light, this intellectual light, which is good. Yet he says God is the one that knows whether or not this opinion is true or false.
It's natural for us as humans to want to dwell in light and bask in truth.
The process of going from the cave of darkness to the light of the Lord is much too pleasant, laughable. The reverse unsavory.
Conventional views of education involve a teacher giving the knowledge to the student, as if it's a tangible object shared from one to another. Socrates differs than that of conventional, that our knowledge is built-in. He says that it is a combining of mind and body, soul. It's in this acquiration of knowledge that the brightest and the best of our being exists.
Even if you naturally aren't wise, through exercise, and good habit this can be achieved.
Black has to have its opposite. White. You don't know the glory, purity, victory of white until you have become well acquainted with Black.
Proportion.
2 options must exist.
Balance
Yin and Yang
Moderation in all things.
Those who have reached the upper world are called to reach out and untie the blindfolds tied on those prisoners dwelling in the shadows of the cave.
It is an idea of universalism. Everyone is saved. Everyone in the same State, made by the legislator, the law maker, God. What is natural for man is to need/want/love fellow-men. I am a piece to a puzzle. A valuable one, an essential part.
Glaucon's concern is that the process is unfair. That its unfair for the ones desiring to see the light, to intellectually excel the seekers to go back, down, to a prisoners cell where darkness and shadows rule.
Socrates explains beautifully the intention of the plan, universalism.
You train yourself to choose how you see the world, and how you react to adversity and trial and pain and suffering.
Beautifully crazy.
Lindsey
12.07.2012
I took a quiz. I am a Thinker
Thinkers are people who naturally connect with the Holy One through the use of their intellect. They want to clearly understand their faith and appreciate having logical explanations for what they are asked to believe. They will read and study, alone or with others, in order to better grasp the truth of their faith. They believe that God wants them to discover the order that may seem hidden in the more abstract aspects of religious faith. They seek to relate to the Holy One through thinking, study, and discussion. They tend to be more formal in their prayer. If they were to meet God face to face, they would want to discuss with God how they have come to understand their faith.
A good Scriptural example of a thinker was Paul. He had a keen and well-trained intellect and was able not only to understand the many layers of faith and spiritual development, but was able to skillfully teach them to others. He was fearless in confronting his enemies and persecutors because he was so confident that he could persuade others of the truth through well-reasoned thought.
If you are a thinker, you will ordinarily find your soul fed through spiritual practices that encourage faith through intellectual development.
12.06.2012
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