May 2, 2012

On Love & Knowing

Try to frame arguments for the following two quotes (previous IPO topics).
Will discuss them online today evening (2 May, at 5 IST) at the tinychat chat room (link on the right side bar)

1) To know a thing we must love it, and to love a thing we must know it.
(Kitaro Nishida)


How I would Define Love
All kinds of love have a common cause, i.e. they are a form of achieving something for one-self - whether physical pleasures, mental satisfaction or spiritual peace of mind; and thus are a manifestation of loving oneself. Nishida's "Love" has two distinct meanings - First clause) Passion to know, Second clause) Considering one-self worthy of achieving and acquiring.






1 comment:

  1. “There are two things, that fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe… – the starry sky above me and the moral law within me.”

    Kant’s Argument

    S1) Starry skies imply vastness of the world and human inability to completely perceive + understand the world

    S2) Individual’s ability to make moral judgments is the only certainty

    S3) Morality has basis in ability to make moral judgments

    S4) Each human has an inherent ability to arrive at moral judgments

    S5) An intuitive process is something that does not follow a logical thought process (of deduction)

    S6) Intuitive process implies a – priori ability to make moral judgments

    K -> (S2 + S3 + S4 + S5 + S6 + S7) -> Morality (Moral Law) is an intuitive process

    Implication 1: X decides which action is r/w, on the basis of an intuitive capability within X

    Counter Argument:

    A) If K, all men must follow K in making moral judgments
    B) Thus for coherent system, there must be connection amongst all individual’s intuitive process
    C) A + B implies need for explanation of intuitive morality
    D) A process of thought is use of observable facts and logical deduction to arrive at conclusion
    E) Ability to follow process of thought for any decision is inherent in humans or it is genetically
    F) Some process of thought is involved in arriving at a moral decision because:
    a. A decision, made by characterization of right/wrong, implies choices. Humans make choices involving right or wrong. Some experience is involved in this process. To characterize r/w from observations made during experience, D is necessary.
    b. Morality is a developmental process (P1).
    i. If not P1, then no actions which human might “regret” may occur.
    ii. Human regrets.
    iii. Therefore P1. (Not circular reasoning. Its Proof by contradiction)
    c. Developmental process requires process of thought.
    G) Individual (not to be mistaken for philosophical self) makes decisions of morality
    H) Individual is most fundamental in morality
    I) A decision on the basis of what is moral must be in a coherent system where the choices made lead to long term survival of individual (Objectivist)

    Therefore choices made, must be evaluated using reasoning based on observable facts (outcomes of choices), and valued in its contribution to long term survival of self (G1).

    R1 -> B + C + E + F + G -> Therefore it is insufficient to say morality is merely an intuitive process

    ReplyDelete

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