tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post1871827610141782770..comments2024-03-25T11:49:21.281-07:00Comments on The Splintered Mind: Birthday Cake and a ChapelEric Schwitzgebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-62299884833481978182018-04-26T07:29:53.919-07:002018-04-26T07:29:53.919-07:00Thanks for the thoughtful comments, Randy and Bob!...Thanks for the thoughtful comments, Randy and Bob! Yes, Randy, I agree with all that. See, we 50-somethings are wise after all! ;-)<br /><br />Bob, this sounds like the kind of intellectual laziness that is sometimes called "sophomore relativism". I don't think students really accept such relativism deep down, but it's a convenient classroom strategy.Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16274774112862434865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-37415590104297101082018-04-24T07:00:13.934-07:002018-04-24T07:00:13.934-07:00Eric,
The discussion was more along the lines of ...Eric,<br /><br />The discussion was more along the lines of daily beliefs since we avoid discussing the more contentious topics of religion and politics.<br /><br />You mentioned right vs wrong which was another topic I led titled "Man's idea of right and wrong changes from place to place and over time" which as you might surmise discussed the idea of moral and ethical relativism.<br /><br />Still it is interesting that most folks believe the way they do without benefit of justification, even to themselves. As one of the discussion participants said "it just is" in referring to beliefs.<br /><br />BobBobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03453372242782525636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-5792210509768879212018-04-23T11:23:40.080-07:002018-04-23T11:23:40.080-07:00Hi Eric, Happy 50th and I'm sorry to learn abo...Hi Eric, Happy 50th and I'm sorry to learn about your personal tragedy. <br /><br />"Don't sweat the small stuff," always sounds like sage advice, and it is, if by 'stuff,' we mean inconveniences. But I think what you point out nicely is that virtually all of the small, ordinary features of our lives are miracles of human cooperation. We have to take them for granted just to be reasonably functional human beings, but taking a moment now and then to appreciate them in the manner that you describe can be a spiritual experience. As it happens, I was having such a moment before reading your post, while looking at a grocery list my wife made for me: Yogurt, English cukes, eggs, coffee, whole grain bagels, chicken thighs, toilet paper. Are you kidding me? I can just go to a store and get these things? <br /><br />I'm almost 59, but my best advice for youngish people also relates to small things, viz., that they add up to big things. My kids got tired of me saying: The tads accrue. It's one of the oldest pieces of wisdom in the book, but the inability to live it still seems to me to account for so much harm and, specifically, so much lost opportunity. Large projects are just series of very small projects and, guess what?, during all that time you can be living, experiencing the beautiful, the sordid and the mundane for all they are worth. Your life, in other words, is not somehow on layaway until your project is complete.<br /><br />As I get older, though, large projects do become less attractive and appreciating the small things seems like a better use of my time.G. Randolph Mayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285281186698499962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-55825454844002427302018-04-23T09:52:43.625-07:002018-04-23T09:52:43.625-07:00Was the discussion framed in a way that emphasizes...Was the discussion framed in a way that emphasizes the religious or political associations of "belief"? My sense is that people tend to me much more stand-offish about right vs wrong than regarding more mundane daily beliefs.Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-60335561322260443112018-04-23T08:49:38.332-07:002018-04-23T08:49:38.332-07:00Eric,
I came to your blog site to find out more ab...Eric,<br />I came to your blog site to find out more about you in preparation for a Cafe Philo discussion this Wednesday. I'm particularly interested in questions on the nature of belief.<br /><br />Several weeks ago I led a Cafe Philo discussion on the Origins of Belief. In my intro to the discussion I noted that Plato talked about the idea of justified true belief before he turned his attention to forms. I also talked about William Clifford who argued that anytime people believe anything without sufficient evidence, they are risking harm to others. Obviously, if what they believe is false, by believing it, they are promoting it—and believing false things is bad for individuals and society. But even if what you believe without evidence just happens to be true, you’re still promoting an attitude that evidence doesn’t matter and, in turn. Promoting credulity—which hinders the progress of humankind.<br /><br />Anyway it was somewhat disturbing that during the discussion it seems that the general consensus is that for most people belief regarding anything is relative and the participants did not buy into either Plato's or Clifford's views. Is this what you are finding?<br /><br />Bob<br />Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03453372242782525636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-51799579226709554372018-04-21T10:11:38.423-07:002018-04-21T10:11:38.423-07:00Eric - This is a marvelous essay, thank you. I ho...Eric - This is a marvelous essay, thank you. I hope you don't mind if I like it and share it from www.spiralinquiry.org. You've captured many threads in a few short paragraphs and brought them together in a succinct and marvelous conclusion. I agree - we should pay the universe back by embracing and enjoying its gifts. Most of the time we let them pass by.<br /><br />Your passage about the organ player reminded be of the chapter on organs in Mathew Crawford's wonderful book The <br />World Beyond Your Head, and the idea that craft, well practiced and well lived, is one of those gifts. The book is worth reading, if you are not familiar with it.<br /><br />I offer a prayer for your friend, and sincere thanks to you for what you have brought to the page. And happy birthday!George Gantzhttp://www.spiralinquiry.orgnoreply@blogger.com