Erik

Agree 100%. I'm not at all sympathetic towards Trump and am thoroughly enjoying the beating his psyche must be taking through these non-stop (and dese...

I will make the concession that Trump has been treated unfairly by the media vis-a-vis Hillary. Not suggesting he should be treated better, but rather...

Heh, I'm about as far from an American nationalist or advocate of American interests (being the sole consideration of foreign policy) as one could be....

Agustino, Well I'm thinking more of a grassroots movement than you are, perhaps. Whatever the political and economic elites have in mind need not domi...

He'll admit it when forced to (when indisputable evidence is involved), but he'll justify and explain away his actions. He specifically tends to justi...

I'd laugh at the assertion that Donald Trump is honest. Just because he's apparently mastered the 'art of the deal' and may initially come across as s...

Based upon my experience I'm inclined towards the view that plenty of women (not all or even close to all) have no qualms about using their sexuality ...

I'd like to comment more but haven't had much time lately, nor the energy to do it properly. Let me just say that I think people who hold socially con...

Thank you all for the contributions.

Come on Agustino! You have no bias in this?! Sure you're not a US citizen, but that doesn't mean your vehement dislike (hatred?) of Clinton - as the r...

It is interesting that we generally see what we want to see, and that our personal stake in an issue largely determines our perception of it. We fit f...

That was actually a fairly convincing defense of Trump's crude sexual remarks, specifically regarding the fringe benefits celebrities (and people with...

I agree with you on most of that, other than the idea that it's perceived as cool to cheat on your spouse. Again the key qualification here is it's no...

I personally didn't like Trump's boasting about going after a married woman. And wasn't he married at the time? I guess I'm a bit old-fashioned on thi...

Well, Trump may actually strengthen liberal progressives by discrediting conservatives of whatever sort entirely. I think social conservatives should ...

Yeah it is a little odd that you, Agustino, can continue to support this clown when he embodies almost everything you (rightfully IMO) hate about mode...

What do you understand by thinking, by being aware, by existing, by being self-conscious? Sound common sense - the nemesis of serious philosophy - wou...

Sounds like a life well-lived, Wayfarer. Most definitely nothing to regret IMO -- you answered your calling and preserved a sense of freedom from the ...

Great stuff guys. I'll try to respond in more detail later, but it's given me a lot to think about and there are a few contributions here that I can m...

And by the way, I don't mean to imply that the death of a friend and the harsh diagnosis of a loved one were events that were somehow concocted for my...

Thank you for your thoughtful response(s). Do you feel there's any significant difference between our death and our own nothingness? This may sound co...

"I'm really not sure that that's what Heidegger is advocating. Constant anxiety does not strike me as in the least bit compatible with an 'authentic' ...

Thanks for the informative response and practical advice on how to manage stress, Agustino. I've taken the necessary steps to educate myself about the...

Good question. I'm not exactly sure what the answer is other than the fact that reverence for the 'founding fathers' - within the wider narrative of t...

Not sure why anyone would feel insulted. That feeling, to me, would speak more about their own egos than about the aspiring ascetic's. While I may lac...

With the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the financial crisis of 2008, the continuation of global terrorism through ISIS and other radical Islamic groups, ...

Well I'm in perfect agreement with you on almost everything it seems. My next question is: which party or person represents this position we share? Or...

"For example this. This is textbook domination of an opponent in rhetorics - regardless of the content. Look how he is (1) not afraid to be who he is ...

I'm actually surprised there aren't more people who embrace this combination of social conservatism and leftist(ish) economics. That's become my posit...

I understand what you're saying, and largely agree with it, but my point in bringing up BLM was not to dispute the disproportionate level of violence ...

I agree with TGW that what you outlined seems a very plausible (at least partial) explanation of what's motivating this horde of angry white working c...

Not sure I agree with Slater, at least not without serious qualification, but these are definitely thought-provoking points, especially the second. I ...

Good point. I just find it strange that BLM makes a concerted effort to dissociate itself from ALL white people, regardless of class, educational back...

I think the solution to the problem of Islamic terrorism, if there is any, needs a multi-faceted approach involving separate issues. First, an acknowl...

I'm starting to think at least part of this negative portrayal of the average Trump supporter - or Alt-Right - is a calculated attempt by 'elites' to ...

I like the first post, and the topic generally resonates a great deal with my experience. But couldn't there be another way to interpret this scenario...

I think Willow articulated the basic position much better than I could have.

I agree with you. He seems to move in that direction - writing Being under erasure, be-ing, Beyn, etc. - but cannot entirely extricate himself from th...

Ad hominem. Disagree. Then please disabuse me of my ignorance and point out pre-modern examples. Look, if you want to have a discussion regarding the ...

But even if he does work within the dualistic framework (Schopenhauer that is) he makes many important contributions to our understanding of human exi...

Well I think Heidegger would argue that modern philosophy is flawed in that it sees consciousness as something that occurs in my head as opposed to be...

First off, I respect your willingness to look into Heidegger in detail to get a better understanding of him. It amazes me that people will criticize w...

I'm not trying to persuade you of any position, just calling your lazy dismissal of Heidegger unwarranted. I can't speak for others you may have had i...

Also, I think the main reason Heidegger didn't hold Schopenhauer in very high regard as a thinker (unjustly IMO) was the latter's apparent belief in a...

Heidegger made outstanding contributions to our understanding of the human condition. Not sure why he comes in for so much hate on this matter. Even p...

darthbarracuda, Overall I agree with much of what you've written, but I think there may be other motivating forces than those you mentioned. For examp...

Interesting contributions from all here. I don't have too much to add other than the counter-intuitive observation that, contrary to the view that the...

Thanks for the quick clarification on Schopenhauer's holistic philosophy. Interesting and insightful views on art and ethics -- I'll have to go back a...

I would also add that I have a respect for the place where the AN position comes from, i.e. a genuine concern to eliminate future suffering of other p...

This is one possible interpretation. It's been pointed out that there are many people - not all benighted fools mind you - who do not agree with it an...