What is your favorite philosophy question?
Mine: Is the world we are experiencing even real?
Discussion
Should a good life be attained by reforming the world around us for the better or by accepting it as it is?
Wow, nice question.
I would think that we should definitely chose our battles. We don’t have infinite energy to fight everything.
But what is a life spent without fighting for what you believe in?
Fight what you can
Accept what you should
Keep figuring out the rest.
Great response.
The dichotomy of control is on what is within one's control vs what is not (TLDR - your character is the only thing). Our sphere of influence is not directly in our control but is affected by our actions. Lastly, attempting to change that which is out of our control will lead to a morose life.
Therefore, current stance is being one with nature, having a virtuous character, and controlling or influencing what you can is good enough for a good life.
Agree but I’m currently doing my job as a soldier fighting the FIAT regime for control over money 😂
This is largely out of my control, but I still want to play my part as much as I can.
And I feel fulfilled having at-least tried.
It’s always better to try and fail than having not tried at all.
If we are floating on this space globe, how can anyone say with certainty that we are in fact the only ones?
What if we are being avoided by galactic powers until we get our shit together as THE HUMAN RACE, not skin color race, as any civilization is doomed to eventually die if its fighting itself and not working together.
Imagine of the molecules in your body didn't work together...
I agree largely, but just want to add the caveat: It’s okay to be different, it’s okay to have differences, we cannot/will not be agreeing on everything but it’s imperative that we respect each other and try to recognize where they’re coming from even when we disagree with what they’re saying.
Should we attempt to stop human suffering, or is it a natural part of the human condition?
IMO
It’s the pyramid of needs, we can never be rid of suffering, we can only try to minimize the obvious.
But,
Even if we know that suffering as whole cannot be stopped, shouldn’t we keep trying to make Human Lives better? Try to solve the types of suffering we know are solvable?
To suffer is to live. Without it, life would have no purpose. Think about childbirth. We can use drugs to numb the pain, and not many women die anymore during birth, but there is still a chance they may. Women take a risk with their lives every time they give birth. They may miscarry, or have a stillbirth. Without all these risks, would giving birth still have such a significance? Yes, but not as much. Take away all suffering, and all risks, and then what becomes of life?
Human beings will find new ways to suffer and new risks to take
Just because childbirth has always been painful and always been risky doesn’t mean it should always remain so?
Birthing a child is not as much about that one event, than it is about how it changes the rest of the parents lives. So I guess it would still be significant?
Everything doesn’t have to be suffering or risky to be significant?
When your child learns to walk, when they learn to talk, it’s not significant because there was a lot of suffering? It was significant just on its own, just as the first words that may one day become many, will have so many beautiful stories to tell.
If we care so much about freedom, why don’t we live like animals? Are they not more free than us?
IMO they are captives of their own minds limitations.
We are captives of our minds capacity.
I would love to live a life in my own independent way, if I could figure out how to have the convenience and security of modern life without trading it for freedom. Maybe one day we’ll get there.
I don’t think it’s possible.
I would have to disagree people already do it, you have to trade some convenience and some security.
But you can still have the freedom without leaving all of it.
Something like this:
I think we have different definitions of freedom. They pay property taxes. Where did they buy their solar panels and wood from? They are protected by their country’s property laws and police force?
I’m not sure they do.
But this was just one example. There are more extreme examples than these.
Also just because you are trading from other people doesn’t necessarily lower your freedom? Sound money is not a lack of freedom.
Trade is the definition of freedom in my book. A voluntary exchange in which both parties end up being better off.
On the other hand, paying protection money to the state mafia is quite literally the definition of slavery.
When I said I didn’t think it was possible, I meant that you cant truly be “free” without giving up security, comfort, and convenience. Buying land, growing a garden, hunting for some of your food doesn’t make them any more free than you, or I. They are not free in the true sense of the word. They are more self sufficient but they are still beholden to the laws and customs of their country. They have traded some of their “freedom” for the protection these laws afford them.
Ohh when I said there are more extreme examples this is what I meant, there are people living in forests (with starlink for internet) solar arrays, that don’t pay property tax, don’t have police security, have their own fencing, I even heard some Russians are doing this to avoid conscription.
These people are not beholden to the law of their land(atleast until they get caught)
I don’t think they are living like animals though.
What is the nature of our reality and how should we live our lives?
That’s something that we are all figuring it out😛
I sometimes think, it would be better to not have answer to this. It should be a perpetual forever question.
As in how should we live our lives today? What is the nature of reality today?
Right but what if you get it wrong and, supposing Christians are right, you're sent to hell or are otherwise damned for eternity? The stakes seem quite high
That’s just one of the many theories out there in the world? What if being right according to Christianity means being wrong according to religion X? Then you’re doomed regardless.
I don’t think we should live our lives according to what some book tells us to do. We should find our own morals and principals and live according to them.
However this is just my opinion and I totally respect and love people that chose otherwise.
I agree with you and that's what I try to do when doing through life but I can't shake off that feeling of "what if I'm wrong?" Because if I am wrong, I'm fucked for ever
It's like I'm having to make the most important decision of my life (and potentially, afterlife) based on very little information. And whatever information there is, it's conflicting and confusing
Oh well, the beauty and the tragedy of being human
Enjoy your weekend
I would say just fuck the afterlife 😂 who cares what the space daddy really thinks.
If he/she’s reasonable they’ll understand your reasons.
If they’re not, you’re fucked anyway.