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Ken Robinson, the Element & the Iron Cage - 0 views

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    Reading Ken Robinson's The Element and Finding Your Element from the viewpoint of Max Weber's Iron Cage. Welcome to the Machine!
Brian Earley

Rene Descartes perceptions of philosophy - 0 views

  • As Descartes said, “Those who set about giving precepts must esteem themselves more skilful than those to whom they advance them”
  • In other words, someone might alter the truth solely so they could come up with something to say, while the real truth might not be capable of being expressed so easily, it can only be observed. Some things in life are too complicated to express, but however there are going to be people who believe they can express those things, even though they cannot accurately do so.
    • Brian Earley
       
      I have read scientific journals wherein the author reports on complex interactions or relationships on the molecular level. Often I believe that they really cannot accurately do so. Perhaps scientific journals would be better if they were accompanied by videos. That would make them more like blog posts.
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  • are the emotions which are based off of your opinions even real, since they are based off of opinions?
  • Your perception is going to determine what it is that you feel, that is, your conscious and unconscious perception of what is going on is
  • For it seemed to me that I might meet with much more truth in the reasonings that each man makes on the matters that specially concern him, and the issue of which would very soon punish him if he made a wrong judgment, than in the case of those made by a man of letters in his study touching speculations that lead to no result, and that bring about no other consequences to himself excepting that he will be all the more vain the more they are removed from common sense, since in this case proves to him to have employed so much more ingenuity and skill trying to make them seem probable.
  • More especially did I reflect in each matter that came before me as to anything that could make it subject to suspicion of doubt, and give occasion for mistake, and I rooted out of my mind all the errors that might have formerly crept in. Not that indeed I imitated the skeptics, who only doubt for the sake of doubting, and pretend to by always uncertain; for, on the contrary, my design was only to provide myself with good ground for assurance, and to reject the quicksand and mud in order to find the rock or clay.”
  • since emotional intelligence is not completely concrete, it can be subject to skeptics
  • “how do I know that anything is even real”
  • Accordingly I shall now suppose, not that a true God, who as such must be supremely good and the fountain of truth, but that some malignant genius exceedingly powerful and cunning has devoted all his powers in the deceiving of me; I shall suppose that the sky, the earth, colors, shapes, sounds and all external things are illusions and impostures of which this evil genius has availed himself for the abuse of my credulity…”
  • I am, I exist. This is certain. How often? As often as I think. For it might indeed be that if I entirely ceased to think, I should thereupon altogether cease to exist. I am not at present admitting anything which is not necessarily true; and, accurately speaking, I am therefore [taking myself to be] only a thinking thing, that is to say, a mind, an understanding or reason-terms the significance of which has hitherto been unknown to me. I am, then a real thing, and really existent. What thing? I have said it, a thinking thing
  • So it really is thought that makes him who he is, since he is thinking about himself all of the time, in addition to thinking about and in regular life.
  • Thought determines who someone is because your thoughts are controlled, and all your thoughts over your lifetime caused your emotional development, which causes you to be who you are.
  • So it is easy to say that your thoughts understand and/or control who you are, but it is much harder to say that your emotions understand and/or control who you are.
  • I recognize it is impossible that He should ever deceive me, since in all fraud and deception there is some element of imperfection. The power of deception may indeed seem to be evidence of subtlety or power; yet unquestionably the will to deceive testifies to malice and feebleness, and accordingly cannot be found in God.
    • Brian Earley
       
      I think people in "The Matrix" would love Descartes
  • “To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded”
  • conclusive as to whether or not pleasing other people infinitely is going to be self-beneficial, it could be considered a perfect thing to do since it is positively contributing to life.
    • Brian Earley
       
      The conclusion for me from this commentary is that thoughts are what make us who we are. Therefore, we must put a lot of our energy into controlling our thoughts so we can become what we want to be.
    • Brian Earley
       
      On my mission, I taught a lady that was offended to the point of tears when a member called the Prophet, the 'mouthpiece' of the Lord. She thought it as a very degrading term to call such a respectable man. Perceptions determine feelings.
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    This commentary explains the unique observations that Rene Descartes made of observations. I feel like I have had similar thoughts at times. I feel comforted knowing a dead French guy thought the same way that I think.
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