schopenhauer1

Capitalist-enthusiasts would try to say that the workers, by saving, smart investments, inventiveness, and gaining business acumen, can become capital...

I like some of the ideas here, but what is the main claim you are trying to promote here? It looks like you are saying that everyone has a fantasy vis...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenesis

The key word here is BALANCE. You are sneaking in a tricky word. Balance usually indicates some sort of tranquil flow or resolution. But, bad experien...

What are you talking about? I think you misinterpreted something along the lines. The point of the last post was that you cannot discuss this "balanci...

The problem is that you want to believe that the balance of good and bad experiences somehow make the process generally "good" because that just "is" ...

Sounds like you still don't want to answer some questions from earlier.

It's all related in this case.

Yes, any other. The assumption that the goals of the majority are the "right" goals because they are the majority, is an appeal to the majority. It's ...

We have to...is just the way.. Interesting how you combine those two. Why does anyone have to do what "is just the way".

So you defend yourself by attacking my argument? I don't think I should defend my arguments until you actually come to grips with the critiques I laid...

Good point.

Good point.

It's some form of the is-ought problem.. If this is what "nature" does, it must be good, because nature does it.. This is a circular argument. It even...

So you've reverted to full-blown childish comebacks to avoid answering any question that makes you uncomfortable or strays away from your little herme...

Here are some things that should be explained more clearly: This also has to be explained without using Romantic, or labeling, or general ad hominems....

If you didn't notice I tried interpreting your "pleonastisms" anyways, thus trying to be charitable to your content. I just thought it comes of as blo...

Honestly, do you have the ability to not use jargon? Either you are obfuscating a real argument or you do not have the ability to easily explain your ...

I was thinking about this for a bit, and I am wondering about the "salvation" theories that a Buddhist, Schopenhauer, Mainlander, et al would say abou...

Thank you for explaining- those were some good quotes. As far as what I read, I definitely agree that life itself is assumed to be "obviously" good. I...

So we aren't mincing terms, can you define affirmative narrative? I think this debate only makes sense if both sides recognize the same definitions an...

You may want to see this related thread on society, institutions, and questioning why we maintain and continue institutions. http://thephilosophyforum...

If life is forced and no one can ever sign the contract, where does the justification of being in a contract lie? In the fact that one did not commit ...

You are ridiculous yet again. Here you go with your false dichotomies and naturalistic fallacy. You've been accused of it many a time, maybe you shoul...

This is kind of full of shit.. You are not above the fray.. You betray your own Romanticism- it's just of a different kind, "the reasonableness of the...

But you keep overlooking the fact that I don't really believe there is an either or. Of course it is society and the individual- there cannot be a sep...

Non-contingent purpose? I'm not sure what that even means. Whatever your answer is going to be..jargon-laden and all, what does that matter? Are you s...

So you present a straw man? I never said that we can transcend reality- you characterized what I said that way to present your argument a certain way....

So you think I have trapped myself in a self-refuting argument.. The pessimist argument, if you want to cast it as an institution (which is contestabl...

Using Schopenhauer's metaphysics, the Will's nature is to strive for nothing- no telos. Although, I think your interpretation is that the phenomena is...

I really don't have to give a shit about whether people see it or not.. It is a catharsis more than anything. It is staring it face down.

Right, I'm just the meany pessmist over here while the sweet innocents are procreating and living without any concern. I'm the serpent tempting them t...

Ah yes, I remember that one.. He always has a fun turn of phrase.. Indeed, it's essentially the same sentiment. Yep. Well-stated.. It can go back to r...

Yes but it's the questioning that is important. Getting people to at least see beyond what we tend to do, and question why we do it. It is to see it a...

That's the question I was essentially asking in my other thread. Why does continuing being for the sake of continuing being matter? At the heart of li...

One problem I see with your argument is the false dichotomy of Romanticism and your version of systems theory. If there was a benefit of the influence...

Yet you don't address the solution to the problem of the vicious circle.

Also, the slipperiness of "nothing" gets entangled in this. When comparing existing vs. not existing at all, what do we get? Well, it is impossible to...

This is not a very relevant argument- it does not have an immanent enough impact on the current situation. If we focus on the current situation, then ...

The context of this was to ask why we perpetuate institutions. Cavacava mentioned the Protestant Work Ethic. I explained how this is not self-justifyi...

But I am not discounting it. I very much know that is a motivation factor along with survival itself. I am not sure about that last part. You don't ne...

Not really.. How is instrumentality being the core of the existential issue superficial? It may be ignored, or distracted from, but it is there. Socie...

I wasn't quite sure what you were saying here. I already stated that our complex minds crave SOMETHING to care about, so you are preaching to the choi...

But when one is forced into a negative situation due to social challenges of the existing structure, and then when one realizes that at the end of the...

To be fair, my ideal society is a non-starter. First off, I frequently bring up the concept of "instrumentality". This is an immovable existential pro...

Who is to say that this is not just one more manifestation of self-correction from the system- there to deceive me into future harm, and more future p...

I don't think you really stated a solution to the circular argument here. To rephrase harm as "a requirement for this kind of quick switching between ...

Well-stated. The idea of the individual deceiving themselves, being manipulated by the institutions to keep it going through hope and progress and sim...

Yes, I am aware of your interest in how we are going to consume the planet, especially through use of fossil fuels. The argument is not that people do...

This is also Schopenhauer's view of suicide. In order to commit suicide, you must use the Will against itself, which would still be using Will. Anyway...