Despite how I may appear (or try to appear) as some sort of philosopher, I have very little formal training in philosophy. Actually, I have zero formal training in philosophy. But one doesn't need formal training (though it can certainly help!) to develop in an area and I think my lack of training has the benefit of rooting my philosophizing in simpler terms, more predisposed to being accessible to others who, like myself, lack any formal training in the subject.
If you think my writing is not so accessible, just try to imagine how much more complicated it would be if I used even more academic language and then be grateful. Having said that, I'm always interested in trying to present things more understandably so any comments or suggestions are appreciated! (probably)
I say this because I want to be clear that I'm not an expert on the subject and that there are, no doubt, all kinds of subtle and gross logical inconsistencies to my thoughts and reasoning that I'm totally unaware of. I'm okay with this. While I seldom get excited to have inconsistencies or limitations in my thinking pointed out, if one is interested in the search for truth then this kind of humble approach (however reluctant) is of significant importance, I believe.
When I share in this space I may be trying to argue certain things as being true and others false, or some things as being more important than others. I think this is valuable in the process of 'truth-questing' and while I do make arguments at times, I also recognize they might be wrong or at least only partially right. I need other voices and sources of information to help shape my perspective in a direction of 'more true.'
In this sense, I am growing to love debate and discussion more and more because of how valuable it can be to reveal perspectives that we just can't see from our limited point of view. None of us has all of the truth. It seems unlikely that could ever be the case. But the more we engage with one another and share our perspectives, the greater our potential for understanding more truth becomes.
But why does truth matter? Why is this important? Because if there is no truth then
Exactly.
That wasn't a typo, if there exists no truth of any kind then there can be no distinction between what does or does not represent reality more than anything else, therefore communication becomes essentially irrelevant and impossible. But, ironically, even this very conclusion is meaningless if there is no truth. So to do any real inquiry I think we need to accept that truth exists, that some things describe reality more than others.
Beyond this, we need to distinguish between relative and absolute truth and one way to do so would be to say that whatever is limited, conditional and changeable is relative and whatever is unlimited, unconditional, and unchangeable is absolute.
And now for a profound revelation:
The only thing that is absolute is that which is absolute.
Wow, profound, isn't it?!? I know it seems painfully obvious but bear with me.
Everything that isn't absolute is relative. And, guess what? That which is not relative is absolute.
So how do we know what's relative and what's absolute? This is the easy part. All you need to do is imagine anything at all, anything your heart desires. Got it? Okay. And now the secret formula: it's relative. Ta da!
Every idea you can conjure is relative. "Surely there are some ideas that are absolute!" you say. Not so. The very fact that ideas can change means they're not absolute. However, even though they're relative doesn't mean they're irrelevant or worthless. It just means they're relative; they're not that which is absolute.
Why is any of this important? I think there are even more practical answers than this but I found this quote inspiring:
Good question.
If you think my writing is not so accessible, just try to imagine how much more complicated it would be if I used even more academic language and then be grateful. Having said that, I'm always interested in trying to present things more understandably so any comments or suggestions are appreciated! (probably)
I say this because I want to be clear that I'm not an expert on the subject and that there are, no doubt, all kinds of subtle and gross logical inconsistencies to my thoughts and reasoning that I'm totally unaware of. I'm okay with this. While I seldom get excited to have inconsistencies or limitations in my thinking pointed out, if one is interested in the search for truth then this kind of humble approach (however reluctant) is of significant importance, I believe.
When I share in this space I may be trying to argue certain things as being true and others false, or some things as being more important than others. I think this is valuable in the process of 'truth-questing' and while I do make arguments at times, I also recognize they might be wrong or at least only partially right. I need other voices and sources of information to help shape my perspective in a direction of 'more true.'
In this sense, I am growing to love debate and discussion more and more because of how valuable it can be to reveal perspectives that we just can't see from our limited point of view. None of us has all of the truth. It seems unlikely that could ever be the case. But the more we engage with one another and share our perspectives, the greater our potential for understanding more truth becomes.
But why does truth matter? Why is this important? Because if there is no truth then
Exactly.
That wasn't a typo, if there exists no truth of any kind then there can be no distinction between what does or does not represent reality more than anything else, therefore communication becomes essentially irrelevant and impossible. But, ironically, even this very conclusion is meaningless if there is no truth. So to do any real inquiry I think we need to accept that truth exists, that some things describe reality more than others.
Beyond this, we need to distinguish between relative and absolute truth and one way to do so would be to say that whatever is limited, conditional and changeable is relative and whatever is unlimited, unconditional, and unchangeable is absolute.
And now for a profound revelation:
The only thing that is absolute is that which is absolute.
Wow, profound, isn't it?!? I know it seems painfully obvious but bear with me.
Everything that isn't absolute is relative. And, guess what? That which is not relative is absolute.
So how do we know what's relative and what's absolute? This is the easy part. All you need to do is imagine anything at all, anything your heart desires. Got it? Okay. And now the secret formula: it's relative. Ta da!
Every idea you can conjure is relative. "Surely there are some ideas that are absolute!" you say. Not so. The very fact that ideas can change means they're not absolute. However, even though they're relative doesn't mean they're irrelevant or worthless. It just means they're relative; they're not that which is absolute.
Why is any of this important? I think there are even more practical answers than this but I found this quote inspiring:
"Although the Absolute is sometimes referred to by such epithets as the Void, Ever-Darkness etc. and is beyond intellectual comprehension, still, from the intellectual point of view it is the most profound concept in the whole realm of philosophy. The fact that it is called 'Unknowable' does not mean that it is beyond the range of philosophical or religious thought and something on which thinking is impossible or undesirable. The very fact that it is the heart and the basis of the universe should make it the most intriguing object of enquiry within the realms of the intellect."
But what about truth?~I.K. Taimni, 'Man, God and the Universe'
Good question.
2 comments:
If you are always asking questions, than you are a philosopher.
I agree with you, though I think the nature of the questions makes a difference, too;)
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