Philosophical Answers to Questions about Wisdom
In an attempt to be 'wise,' I thought of answers to the following questions:
What is the best thing that could happen to someone?
My first conclusion was that someone simply experiences general good fortune. However, I would now say that all of a person's dreams come true. What could be better than this, really? How many times have you seen even a single person's dream come true? Now, how about all of their dreams? That would be a true storybook life.
What is the worst thing that could happen to someone?
All of one's worst nightmares come true; akin to my answer to the first question.
What is justice?
I think it is when someone does/experiences something right/wrong, and the favour is returned to them in a way that is 100% equivalent. It is therefore something akin to 'karma,' but does not invoke reincarnation. The rights and/or wrongs should be in this life. (Maybe exceptions could be made for people who are devout Buddhists, Hindus, etc.) It is not simply somebody seeking a pound of flesh either, as the person must deserve what is being done to them.
What is poetic justice?
I think it is when something just happens that completely catches you by surprise. i.e., there is an element of irony to it. Maybe the bad guys are the ones who save the day. Maybe people do something mildly unjust to right an even bigger wrong. Really, anything along the lines of paradox, irony, etc. that is true justice that catches you by surprise.
What is the best thing that could happen to two people in a relationship?
I would say that they part on good terms. In reality, people don't have good relationships and so they don't last forever. Two people who mutually separate after a long time being together who are happy with what they had is probably the best someone could hope for.
What is true evil?
I think it is when people commit acts that are truly vile without any real rhyme or reason. Think of the movie "Seven." That is the darkest movie I have ever seen, and the character commits those crimes for reasons that are absurd. It always makes one (at least me) feel better when there is a real reason why someone commits a serious crime. That character couldn't morally justify what he is doing if his life depended on it, and it just makes me cringe.
What is the best thing that could happen between two enemies?
If they simply let each other go. They will probably never see eye-to-eye, so if they simply part ways with each other, it is better for both of them.
What are your answers?
What is the best thing that could happen to someone?
My first conclusion was that someone simply experiences general good fortune. However, I would now say that all of a person's dreams come true. What could be better than this, really? How many times have you seen even a single person's dream come true? Now, how about all of their dreams? That would be a true storybook life.
What is the worst thing that could happen to someone?
All of one's worst nightmares come true; akin to my answer to the first question.
What is justice?
I think it is when someone does/experiences something right/wrong, and the favour is returned to them in a way that is 100% equivalent. It is therefore something akin to 'karma,' but does not invoke reincarnation. The rights and/or wrongs should be in this life. (Maybe exceptions could be made for people who are devout Buddhists, Hindus, etc.) It is not simply somebody seeking a pound of flesh either, as the person must deserve what is being done to them.
What is poetic justice?
I think it is when something just happens that completely catches you by surprise. i.e., there is an element of irony to it. Maybe the bad guys are the ones who save the day. Maybe people do something mildly unjust to right an even bigger wrong. Really, anything along the lines of paradox, irony, etc. that is true justice that catches you by surprise.
What is the best thing that could happen to two people in a relationship?
I would say that they part on good terms. In reality, people don't have good relationships and so they don't last forever. Two people who mutually separate after a long time being together who are happy with what they had is probably the best someone could hope for.
What is true evil?
I think it is when people commit acts that are truly vile without any real rhyme or reason. Think of the movie "Seven." That is the darkest movie I have ever seen, and the character commits those crimes for reasons that are absurd. It always makes one (at least me) feel better when there is a real reason why someone commits a serious crime. That character couldn't morally justify what he is doing if his life depended on it, and it just makes me cringe.
What is the best thing that could happen between two enemies?
If they simply let each other go. They will probably never see eye-to-eye, so if they simply part ways with each other, it is better for both of them.
What are your answers?
Comments (13)
Quoting jasonm
Quoting jasonm
Quoting jasonm
For me these sorts of questions are not very useful. They lack specificity and while anyone can free associate to them until the cows come home, what would this achieve?
Let's just take number one - best thing that could happen? For some people it might be giving up smoking so they don't die of cancer at 45. (Success is meaningless if you are dead.) Or it might be not catching a plane which happens to crash on landing. Or it might be getting a guitar for a birthday and discovering a talent for music and decades of aesthetic pleasure.
Is the 'best thing' assessed by the person or by society? The best thing that could happen to Rupert Murdoch right now would be a fatal heart attack. But that would be what's best for society rather than Rupert.
The best thing that could happen might be something more like taking a moral position in the face of evil choices? For instance, it's Germany in 1933 - do you support the Nazis or do you oppose them?
A person who achieves all their dreams (let's say these are vulgar materialistic ones) may well end up being a worse person for this experience - it could make them narcissistic, spoilt and indifferent to others. It can see them damage relationships and bring division into their family. So success, 'achieving one's dreams' is not always the 'best thing'. There are just too many variables in this kind of question to have a clear answers.
What is the best thing that could happen to someone?
What is the worst thing that could happen to someone?
What is poetic justice?
What is the best thing that could happen to two friends?
What are your answers?
For instance, consider the question with respect to what the best thing is that could happen to a person:
Practically, it could mean something like having "good luck" or having your "big dream" come true.
Hypothetically, it could mean having great, great fortune - e.g. all of your dreams come true.
In absolute terms, it could mean that every moment of every day of a person's existence is maximized for happiness - i.e., "infinite happiness."
I now realize that there is something deceptive about the questions, but I suppose that you can answer as you wish...
I don't know...Tough question. In my opinion the best thing you could do for something is give them something they'll need, and for worst, probably ignore them. I think mental/physical isolation is responsible for a lot more pain than we give it credit for.
Although this is pretty relative as well I would think. This is just what I would do, had I been confronted with the situation.
What's the best thing that can happen to someone?
- Be happy. Some need a palace. There was a time when I was very happy and poor.
What's the worst that can happen to someone?
- The ancient Chinese said it. The worst that can happen to you is that you live interesting times, that your wishes are fulfilled and that important people know your name.
What is justice?
- An aspiration. The desire for the good of others. Justice applied to one is happiness.
What is poetic justice?
- The just punishment of a bastard. Benito Mussolini in the Loreto square in Milan.
What's the best thing that can happen to two people in a relationship?
- To love and to be loved. When you love someone who loves you, you truly love yourself.
What is true evil?
- Neither hear nor see nor speak of evil.
What's the best thing that can happen between two enemies?
- Forgive.
Thanks for the kind intention of trying to get to know other people.
-Realizing one will inevitably die, and making peace with this fact.
What is the worst thing that could happen to someone?
-Profound regret at the end of one's life.
What is justice?
-Natural law
What is poetic justice?
-When one gets what one deserves, good or bad, at just the right timing.
What is the best thing that could happen to two people in a relationship?
-They realize they don't need a relationship to be happy.
What is true evil?
-Wasting time.
What is the best thing that could happen between two enemies?
-They become frenemies.
The young need wisdom, they don't have it.
The old have wisdom, they don't need it.
We need to put the young and old in the same room and let the magic begin!
Maybe wisdom isn't a need.
I hope so too...failures are the pillars of success.
I mean maybe wisdom is something else other than a need.
Possible...In my universe it's a sine qua non - a must have in the survival kit for the young.