Janus

That, even if true, is not the point. Is it the senses that tell you that minds require and are completely dependent on sensory input simply to exist,...

I don't understand it that way. I think it's possible to feel care, love, grief, pain, whatever to the fullest and yet be unattached to the feeling.

I imagine it's a state of equanimity in which thoughts and feelings arise and are clearly seen and felt but are not indulged in. Think about pain; as ...

What makes you think that non-attachment would make you "an uncaring zombie"?

Is it the senses that tell you that?

I wouldn't claim that. I also wouldn't claim it is not possible for me, and even less would I be inclined to claim it is impossible per se.

I think the idea is that it should be a living non-attachment. You've tried and found it impossible?

I don't see why not if nirvana is though of in a deflationary way as being nothing more than realizing the state of non-attachment. Soto Zen conceives...

Philosophy consists in different ways of thinking about many different things; it is not merely "fancy ways of talking", not if that is taken to indic...

And yet man being thought as in some sense divine, the philosophic life being thought of as consisting in understanding this divinity and restoring it...

The common thread defining the state of consciousness referred to in the various traditions as enlightenment, seeing the truth, becoming the real self...

The request is that you provide some textual evidence which is not equivocal, if you are arguing that there is such. If the goal is non-attachment the...

Maybe, but I don't see that as being necessarily so, according to my own experience. It also depends very much on what is meant by "materialist"; for ...

You're still imputing implications that I didn't intend. Anyway I have no interest in discussing this further, since my only purpose was to encourage ...

I sometimes get annoyed if people are not providing arguments to support their positions, or are being condescending or seem obviously to be projectin...

I haven't said that pessimistic posts should be deleted. What is to be deleted is up to the mods. I also haven't said they are or should be responsibl...

I agree that interpretations of what might be termed religious experiences are culturally dependent. Indeed a materialist would interpret such an expe...

I downloaded the book and his argument has nothing to do with the necessity of believing in rebirth or karma. It seems that what he targets is "Buddhi...

I admire your enthusiasm.

Oh no, I would never indulge in such doggerel; I'd rather be eliminated from the herd.

It seems you do nothing but wank in public...and no, that doesn't make you a philosopher... :wink: :rofl:

From that position it seems to follow that we cannot make any justified claims at all. Sure, but internal visual and auditory experiences, hallucinati...

No, I didn't read the context, and I imagine the conversation has been deleted.

Sorry, I missed your response earlier. If I am inclined to take your word for what's in your backyard, then I would count your explanation as a good o...

Sure, we can all only describe things as they appear to us. But, if studying, describing and analyzing those appearances do not provide any basis for ...

It might have been a perverse outburst because he was having a very bad day...or not. Was he given the chance to explain? If he was and he said he wou...

If we don't see things as they are; if things in themselves are unknowable, then how do you know "that's exactly what happens". I posed this question ...

Thanks, that seems to me a balanced review. I downloaded Thompson's book and have started reading it, and my thought so far is that Thompson's critiqu...

My point was not to ban anyone at least not on the strength of one outburst or statement. Delete offensive posts was my suggestion; reject the idea, n...

What arguments does Thompson proffer to support the contention that Buddhist modernism is philosophically unsound?

So, the person in question was given a chance to repent? That was not how it appeared to me. My point was at least they ought to be given a second cha...

I will when the evening comes. It's morning here.

:up:

I was responding to your framing of the banning as being the righteous action of a real man. I wasn't saying it was just as bad as the misogynist view...

Does Y need to "beat" X or just restrain X? I'm not arguing that, if the choice was only between banning and not banning, with no other option, that b...

They've already been seen by the time the member is banned for them. I don't think offense is the real issue; it's the actions that such views support...

Of course not; that's why I said it should be deleted.

Of course, but wider implications could be taken into account, or not... Of course moderators have to make their own call, and I'm not trying to "guil...

No, of course it's not if they don't care about it.

If they are not constantly posting offensive material, and when they do post it it is deleted it might lead them to rethink their position. Total reje...

It's not quite the same, since women are not, to the same degree, a marginalized minority. I have no truck with sexism or racism, but I would have tho...

Clear enough of course, but not justified, in my view; but you set the rules.

I just noticed it may have appeared that I was referring to your position. I have corrected the post to make it clear I was referring to Hanover's.

:up:

He seemed otherwise to be reasonable and inquiring. Why not just delete any and all posts which don't pass muster; then those who are constantly havin...

I'm sure what the implications of the "big if" are. Just to be clear I wasn't saying that people who don't think philosophically can rightly call them...

I've offered arguments to support my view. If someone presents a convincing enough argument I will change my view. I invite that, but I'm not seeking ...

Of course you would have to self-identify as a Christian. Basically, if you live according to Christian principles, think of yourself as a Christian a...

I'm not seeking to be convinced of any view.

It is you and @"Wayfarer" who say there is a problem with the secular Buddhists. I'm saying there is no problem, when it comes to matters of personal ...