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Jack Cummins

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Non-dualism is a fairly difficult perspective because it involves going beyond splits, or binary divisions. It is a bit like the title of the Waterboy...
July 06, 2024 at 14:11
I have been reading about Spinoza's philosophy and as far as I can see there is a lot of ambiguity over how his ideas are interpreted, especially the ...
July 06, 2024 at 09:50
The idea of a 'neutral theory' is an interesting one as being seen as objective. Kant thought that he was able to establish it by a priori logic. It d...
July 05, 2024 at 20:40
Thank you for reminding me of Lao Tzu's writings, because they do capture the descriptive issues of Tao. Sometimes, even though the concepts of theism...
July 05, 2024 at 20:21
I do see the query as to whether materialism is a form of non-dualism, especially as that was my first thought when I became aware of more 'spiritual'...
July 04, 2024 at 09:25
It does seem that materialism arose as a consequence of atheism rather than the other way around. Personally, I see both materialism and idealism as b...
July 03, 2024 at 10:00
To have no hope can be to be at the end of one's tether and suicidality. I have known people who have committed suicide or attempted it in the face of...
July 03, 2024 at 09:26
It is a good question whether it is necessary to have theism or atheism before one gets to non-dualism. It may be possible in secular society, which i...
July 03, 2024 at 07:19
In connection with Swami Ahhanyananda as a figure, my first approach in reading his book, 'The Supreme Self: The Way to Enlightenment', as he describe...
July 03, 2024 at 06:53
The way in which you describe religion points to the way in which, in its extreme, religion can give comfort of salvation and atheism to nihilism. At ...
July 03, 2024 at 06:04
I think that you wrote a post to me some time ago about non-dualism. It is interesting that it can be an approach for approaching all metaphysics but ...
July 01, 2024 at 19:53
I didn't come across the idea of non-dualism until a few years ago. Nevertheless, even when I was going to Christian Union as a student the Brahman-At...
July 01, 2024 at 19:04
I have started looking at your links but will read them further before making a full reply. My current approach to your post is that you see the issue...
July 01, 2024 at 18:58
It is debatable how much the issue of materialism vs idealism matters; for some it can be pure academic philosophy. In a way, it may matter more to th...
July 01, 2024 at 18:48
It would be hard to defend idealism in the face of science and quantum physics demonstrates duality, such as in particle as a particle and wave. It pr...
July 01, 2024 at 07:41
Paradox is a useful way of seeing opposites. It is like looking at both sides of a coin and realising that they are both aspects of the same coin. Tao...
July 01, 2024 at 07:25
To some extent it comes down to the use of various labels to try to explain the metaphysics of 'reality'. In thinking about whether theism depends on ...
June 30, 2024 at 18:54
I have edited the title and added a poll, to see if people see a link between idealism and belief in God. I wonder are the two connected as philosophi...
June 30, 2024 at 15:28
I haven't gone away, just been a bit busy doing other things. I am glad that you thought my threads were 'interesting'. If anything, I was probably a ...
June 17, 2024 at 08:35
I wonder to what extent democracy is increasing or decreasing in the digital age. We have so much access to ideas and of means of expression. It is in...
May 09, 2024 at 07:03
The idea of being objective or subjective is often approached from the perspective of rationality. However, it may come down to core values, which may...
May 07, 2024 at 02:56
I also wonder about the possibility of 'no origins' as such, with cycles in the earth and the wider cosmic sense, including other worlds and universes...
May 02, 2024 at 18:57
It is interesting to think about the way in which ideas of religion may hinder ideas of morality and ethics Some of this may come down to the way in w...
May 01, 2024 at 23:01
The problem may be with religious fundamentalism and its various forms. The subjective ans objective aspects of thinking may be important, especially ...
May 01, 2024 at 22:53
My understanding of McCarthy's words, 'historical law' is referring to the laws which were developed in various forms of civilisation. In connection w...
April 30, 2024 at 15:49
I admit that I use the term PC with some ambiguity but it is such an area ot ambiguity in itself. Yes, I could see no moral imperative for the shop to...
April 30, 2024 at 14:36
It is true that all aspects of life, including aesthetics are based in historical and political contexts. This applies to the arts so much and the int...
April 30, 2024 at 07:26
I would agree with your summary of 'Blood Meridian' and its idea of First World expansion. It seems prophetic, as if we are living in a 'post-apocalyp...
April 30, 2024 at 07:14
Adolescence is such an important time for thinking about values and rebelling. Some are more inclined to write and, as adults writing on philosophy si...
April 29, 2024 at 18:21
I agree with your idea or ideal of morality as being based on empathy. However, achievement of this may not be simple because it involves compassion w...
April 29, 2024 at 18:11
In thinking of the concept of authenticity, I read the writing of a twentieth literary critic, Lionel Trilling, 'Authenticity and Sincerity'. He saw t...
April 29, 2024 at 17:51
You are correct to place McCarthy's ideas in America and the quote was in a discussion of war. Nihilism is a position which can be slipped into easily...
April 29, 2024 at 15:26
Thanks for your recent post, which makes many interesting and critical points. It is indeed a good question as to who are the 'weak' and on what basis...
April 29, 2024 at 15:16
The nature of politics as 'the application of ethics to monopoly and power' is the basis of the dialogues and debates of social ethics, and is probabl...
April 29, 2024 at 14:58
The basis for my partial agreement with Cormac McCarthy is a fairly negative view of human nature, based on reading of history and so much which is go...
April 29, 2024 at 09:26
My quoting of Cormac McCarthy was on the basis of it being a point worthy of reflection. I would say that I think that it makes a fair point but it ma...
April 28, 2024 at 19:11
It is true that Cormac McCarthy's statement is an overgeneralisation, and I don't wish to make too much of an issue of this, but your post's quote of ...
April 28, 2024 at 15:12
I do agree with your distinction between ethics and politics, or their underlying foundation. Nevertheless, the two may be blurred so much in the expe...
April 28, 2024 at 13:44
I admit that I juxtaposed a strange combination of sources in writing the thread. As far as the charity shop worker's comment goes, I was left wonderi...
April 28, 2024 at 13:28
I don't see why Cormac McCarthy's ideas should be dismissed as simply 'a novel'. That seems to involve compartmentalism, as if academic philosophy is ...
April 28, 2024 at 10:21
With photos, there is possibly the most 'clinically objective' image representation of visual reality possible. However, there are some variables, suc...
April 08, 2024 at 08:32
There is the question of the innate differences of biology, which may involve thinking, as noted by @"Hanover", and the role of cultural assumptions a...
April 08, 2024 at 06:46
The addition of the poll about shifts the focus of the thread, to the issues of relationships between women and men. Also, I only just saw the link to...
April 06, 2024 at 06:57
It may be about 'containment' of the body and the environment. My own understanding with my room, and the nature of 'clutter' may be as important as t...
April 06, 2024 at 01:09
The idea of carrying ' another person in the body' relates to the philosophy of transgenerism, and gender dysphoria, although this may be a little dif...
April 06, 2024 at 00:46
To some extent, science may have taken such a stronghold, that philosophy is seen as of less importance. However, the ideas of science and scientific ...
April 05, 2024 at 19:51
The distinction between belief and knowledge may involve the epistemological basis of ideas. It may embrace the evidence of the senses, cultural ideas...
April 05, 2024 at 19:43
I have looked at your link and it may reveal aspects of human understanding and the complexities of gender in this. Adolescence is a particularly diff...
April 05, 2024 at 19:29
I notice that you highlight the word 'decide' between the idea of 'natural' and 'supernatural' and this dichotomy may be ab important area for debate....
March 29, 2024 at 00:11
The question as to whether 'mind' is 'natural' or 'supernatural' may be of significance but the division between natural and supernatural may not be c...
March 28, 2024 at 22:31