The Not So Rational Beings

It is true that philosophers still spend much time on questions unresolved since the time of the ancient Greeks - questions usually summed up in that grand phrase, ``The meaning of Life.`` Questions like, ``Does God exist? What is a Right? What is Art? What is Right and Wrong? How do we know?`` It`s true that many people find such questions disturbing rather than stimulating. However, I find it difficult to see how philosophy is supposed to be at fault, just because some people don`t like asking certain questions. It is not compulsory to ask such questions, even if they are unavoidable considerations to anyone with curiosity.

In fact, even if you don`t think that you hold any particular philosophical viewpoint or philosophical opinions, it can be argued that we all have a philosophy of some sort. Even the denial of philosophy is a philosophical assertion. The philosophy we adhere to may be ill-defined and never put into words, perhaps, but still, there will always be some set of assumptions and ideas which each of us depend on in dealing with life. These assumptions and ideas may be the unexamined mental furniture we have picked up along the way as we have progressed through life. A study of philosophy subjects such unexamined assumptions and ideas to a close and critical scrutiny. Even if such an examination does not finally change our assumptions, it at least makes us aware of their existence and nature. Socrates claimed that an unexamined life is not worth living. Whether or not this is so, an examined life certainly promotes self-awareness, and thus, one could argue, a better quality of life.

Philosophy tends to promote the attitude that it is more important to enquire and examine, than it is to find definitive answers. The assumption behind philosophy is, that it is better to think than not to think, better to examine and discuss than to passively accept, even when the problems under scrutiny have no single, definitive solution. From this standpoint, philosophy is good mental exercise. Just as we may employ various devices to exercise our bodies, so we may apply our minds to exercising problems, which stretch us to our limits. To say that this is pointless because it gets us nowhere, is rather like saying an exercise treadmill gets us nowhere: a treadmill develops well-exercised legs; the practice of philosophy develops a well-exercised mind. The acquired fitness can then be applied elsewhere to good effect.

Another defence to this particular criticism can also be made. Philosophy never appears to make progress, because it no sooner discovers something, than a new subject is born and splits off from the parent body. Psychology, sociology, psychiatry, the list goes on. It`s often forgotten that the pioneers in almost every science began as philosophers. However, philosophy is primarily concerned with the cutting edge, so to speak - those grey areas at the limits of knowledge, where opinion, speculative reasoning, analytical examination and logic, are the only options for dealing with matters where proof is currently lacking, or of a permanently doubtful nature. If this activity does cast light into the shadows, then the torch becomes the burden of the scientist. As science has progressed, many of the dark old hunting grounds of the philosophers have been cleared and planted, so to speak. Those that remain have been listed above.

#39

In theory you may be right. Why not! If the US Supreme Court can turn 180° around on the ``separate but equal`` ideology [Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 & Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas 1954] and, in more recent times, take a stand on the capital punishment issue [``Finding the Death Penalty Constitutional; Not `Cruel & Unusual Punishment` ... .`` THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT; GREGG V. GEORGIA 1976] and may soon reverse itself on the Roe v Wade
[abortion; ``SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES; ROE, ET AL. v WADE, 1973``], then I see no reason why you couldn`t resuscitate relativism.

My suspicion, however, is that you will not succeed, not on the Capital punishment issue -- the last thread by which the relativists may be hanging themselves by -- since you shall not have me in your camp. I am ferociously pro-Roe v Wade, and lethally anti Capital punishment!

Of course it goes without saying that I am most savagely pro- Brown v Board... . too!

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Granted that relativism was killed after WWII [in particular], it doesn`t mean that the anthropologists and other social philosophers of the time were infallible and that the idea cannot be rejuvenated again even -- and you will agree with me here, I know you well -- if it is the acceptance of capital punishment though not of murder and head-hunting in such societies.

The title read piquant, I looked forward to some self-entertainment.

This thought has been discarded since the mid-20th century. I wonder how, and by whom, was the author kept innocent of that definitive agreement?

I am really sorry to see it on Chowk since this kind of presentation/communication goes through the ``sieve`` of the editors to determine the survival of the fittest!! Its appearance has been a disservece to the author.

#33

Congratulations. You are now one of the people!

#30

Same way you and I did!

#34 by ali87 on January 28, 2003 2:40pm PT



I think the chowk people hired him themselves..... as a joker.



:)

#33 by PaagalInsaan on January 28, 2003 1:35pm PT

Had a 3 day holiday came back on monday. Monday blues. Just looking to needle someone. Keshto provides an easy outlet!

Its strange people actually have time to reply to this keshto dude!

Abu Huraira reported Allah`s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: THE BELL IS THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OF THE SATAN.

Book 34, Number 4218:

Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab:

Ibn az-Zubayr told that a woman client of theirs took az-Zubayr`s daughter to Umar ibn al-Khattab wearing bells on her legs. Umar cut them off and said that he had heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: THERE IS A DEVIL ALONG WITH EACH BELL.


If this hadith nonsense if infallibly true, why are bells used in Arabic, Iranian and Pakistani music?
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Well the literate.......... keshto

you read but cant understand...

Bells in legs (ie tinkling of chains) is considered a sexual attraction being broadcast(which incidently is what it is. As is exemplified by the ghungroos of nachene walis in india) That is why they are refered to as devils incitements.

Bells used for other puropses are not, say of sufi music.


Give up keshto....

#6 by khansahib on January 23, 2003 5:40pm PT

er.. there was a person called Mohammed and a relevation called Quran...

Where did the Wahabbis come into it.

#26 by keshto on January 26, 2003 3:07pm PT

Reason... LoL....

that is rich coming from you....

#21 by Naqshbandi on January 24, 2003 6:30pm PT

Music which tiltates or which has sexual over tones is not allowed. Earlier it this is what music was used for exlusively for.

The Daff in arabia has survived.

so have the dances by men in celebration.

also dancing by women without the presence of men is allowed in Islam..

Now the Wahabhis.. they are diffrent... Not to difficult to make the distinction..

#28 by keshto on January 27, 2003 12:59pm PT

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The only words I know for a person who massacres his prisoners of war indiscriminately is a criminal and a mass murderer.
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So traitors become prisoners of war. How does any Nation treat Traitors? ones who sell sectets to the enemy? ones who work against the nation to help the enemy?

Prisoners of War are the defeated enemy.

Nice Truths....

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The only word I know for someone who at the age of 53 becomes aroused by a 9-year-old child is pedophile.
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In India it was the norm to marry children at early age usually a girl was considered of marriageable at puberty just a generation back..

Aishas age is not recorded at time of marriage. Only alluded to in a record which was written many decades after the death. It was a happy marriage and Aisha was a confident lady and had conidrebale influence on the people both men as well as women during Prophets life and later as well.


Truth......hmmm...


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The only word I know that describes a person who raids merchant caravans and steals their goods is highway robber.
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So getting back your on people who betrays agreed contracts is Highway robbery..


Truth...hmm..

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The only words that I know for someone who captures human beings and sells them or asks for ransom to release them is a slave merchant and a terrorist
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But.. just earlier you said that you did not like PoW to be killed.. So I suppose that dessert tribes should build jails and feed prisoners when they them self find sustance difficult.


Truth... Hmmm..

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The only word that I know for someone who forces himself on a captured woman in the same day that he kills her father, husband and many of her relatives is a rapist
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Same as above..

Many slavewomen were also given protection and married if they conveted and their children would be legitimate hiers no matter what their marital status.

Releasing a slave was considered a act of High peity. Similary the command was to treat a slave as you would treat kindly in terms of food, clothing punishment etc. Usually but for some excetpion treat them on the same level as you would treat family.


Truth... Hmmm....
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The only word that I know that describes a person who sends his men to kill his opponents in the middle of the night traitorously is an assassin.
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Er what exactly is a traitor?? to kill an enemy is traitorously act?

and why then are the people who assinated the british view as national heroes in India?

Truth.... Hmmm...

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Now would this apostle of truth reflect on some other characters which he otensibly belives in.. The gods raping each others wives...

the goddesses lusting for others....

The gods killing each other...

The one whose lingam (now what is that..) is worshiped I recall when I last saw doordarshan was lusting after a child while his wife frets at his display of lust. The god who goes into trance on seeing this girl and ultimately admits to being totally besotted with her and finally conssumating his lust with her..

Now where did I last hear these stories....

Or do you want me to elobrate....

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keshto,

it was your abuse of the Beloved Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) that I was referring to not the fact that there are hadiths which prohibit music.