Current state of the World!

Discussion of the nature of Ultimate Reality and the path to Enlightenment.
SeekerOfWisdom
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by SeekerOfWisdom »

It's hard to talk about the self and our daily lives without stepping into error. It's not an easily expressed situation we find we are in, luckily it doesn't require expression and meaning-making to be, it is what it is.
Leyla Shen
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Leyla Shen »

Of course "it is what it is"! I don't see anybody suggesting that meaning-making and expression causes anyone to find themselves in a situation not easily expressed.
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Leyla Shen
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Leyla Shen »

Not sure why you think that has anything to do with luck.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Death sentences for all using the words "it is what it is"! Such a common non-sentence. And during execution I'd prefer the executioner to whisper in their left ears: it is what it is.
Seeker wrote:luckily it doesn't require expression and meaning-making to be
To be is nothing but expression and meaning-making. Desiring not to be is the unwill to confess or profess this ongoing expression and meaning exploration.

But it's always too late already, everything coming after the fact of being expressed and meaning made up. Feel free to examine the traces left and call it life.
Bobo
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Bobo »

Diebert van Rhijn wrote:To be is nothing but expression and meaning-making.
It is what it is.

A=A.
Nietzsche wrote:— Descartes ist mir nicht radikal genug. Bei seinem Verlangen, Sicheres zu haben und „ich will nicht betrogen werden“ that es Noth <zu> fragen „warum nicht?“ Kurz, moralische Vorurtheile (oder Nützlichkeits-Gründe) zu Gunsten der Gewißheit gegen Schein und Ungewißheit. Darauf sehe ich die Philosophen an, von der Vedantaphilos<ophie> bis jetzt: warum dieser Haß auf das Unwahre, Böse, Schmerzhafte usw.? — Zur Vorrede. Erst die moral<ischen> Werthschätzungen erledigt!

— Zum „kategorischen Imperativ“ gehört ein Imperator!

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Die Logik ist geknüpft an die Bedingung: gesetzt, es giebt identische Fälle. Thatsächlich, damit logisch gedacht und geschlossen werde, muß diese Bedingung erst als erfüllt fingirt werden. Das heißt: der Wille zur logischen Wahrheit kann erst sich vollziehen, nachdem eine grundsätzliche Fälschung alles Geschehens vorgenommen ist. Woraus sich ergiebt, daß hier ein Trieb waltet, der beider Mittel fähig ist, zuerst der Fälschung und dann der Durchführung Eines Gesichtspunktes: die Logik stammt nicht aus dem Willen zur Wahrheit.

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Der Glaube an die unmittelbare Gewißheit des Denkens ist ein Glaube mehr, und keine Gewißheit! Wir Neueren sind Alle Gegner des Descartes und wehren uns gegen seine dogmatische Leichtfertigkeit im Zweifel. „Es muß besser gezweifelt werden als Descartes!“ Wir finden das Umgekehrte, die Gegenbewegung gegen die absolute Autorität der Göttin „Vernunft“ überall, wo es tiefere Menschen giebt. Fanatische Logiker brachten es zu Wege, daß die Welt eine Täuschung ist; und daß nur im Denken der Weg zum „Sein“, zum „Unbedingten“ gegeben sei. Dagegen habe ich Vergnügen an der Welt, wenn sie Täuschung sein sollte; und über den Verstand der Verständigsten hat man sich immer unter vollständigeren M<enschen> lustig gemacht.

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... Meine Grundvorstellungen: „das Unbedingte“ ist eine regulative Fiction, der keine Existenz zugeschrieben werden darf, die Existenz gehört nicht zu den nothwendigen Eigenschaften des Unbedingten. Ebenso „das Sein“, die „Substanz“ — alles Dinge, die nicht aus der Erfahrung geschöpft sein sollten, aber thatsächlich durch eine irrthümliche Auslegung der Erfahrung aus ihr gewonnen sind. ...

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Gesetzt, die Welt wäre falsch, Leben nur auf dem Boden des Wahns, unter dem Schirme des Wahns, an dem Leitfaden des Wahns zu begreifen: was bedeutete dann „der Natur gemäß leben“? Könnte die Vorschrift nicht gerade die sein: „sei ein Betrüger“? Ja sogar, wie wollte man es verhüten zu täuschen? Wir irren uns über uns selber und sind uns unfaßbar: wie viel mehr sind wir es für die „Nächsten“! Aber sie glauben sich nicht getäuscht durch uns — und darauf hin beruht aller Verkehr mit gegenseitigen Rechten und Pflichten. — Daß das Täuschen nicht in meiner Absicht liegt, zugegeben! Aber feiner zugesehn: ich thue auch nichts dazu, meine Nächsten aufzuklären, darüber, daß sie sich über mich täuschen. Ich verhindere nicht ihren Irrthum, ich bekämpfe ihn nicht, ich lasse ihn geschehn — : in so fern bin ich zuletzt doch der Betrügende mit Willen. Genau so verfahre ich aber auch gegen mich selber: die Selbsterkenntniß gehört nicht unter die Gefühle der Verpflichtung; selbst wenn ich mich zu erkennen suche, so geschieht es aus Gründen der Nützlichkeit oder einer feineren Neugierde, — nicht aber aus dem Willen der Wahrhaftigkeit. — Daß der Wahrhaftige mehr werth sei als der Lügner, im Haushalte der Menschheit, wäre immer noch erst zu erweisen. Die ganz Großen und Mächtigen waren bisher Betrüger: ihre Aufgabe wollte es von ihnen. Vorausgesetzt, daß es sich ergäbe, Leben und Vorwärtskommen sei nur möglich auf einem consequenten und langen Getäuscht-werden: so könnten die consequenten Betrüger zu den höchsten Ehren kommen, als Lebensbedinger und Förderer des Lebens. Daß man schädigt, indem man nicht die Wahrheit sagt, ist der Glaube der Naiven, eine Art Frosch-Perspektive der Moral. Wenn das Leben und der Werth des Lebens auf gut geglaubten Irrthümern ruht, so könnte gerade der Wahrheit-Redende, Wahrheit-Wollende der Schädigende sein (als der Aufdröseler der Illusionen).

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Die Physiker sind jetzt mit allen Metaphysikern darüber einmüthig, daß wir in einer Welt der Täuschung leben: glücklich, daß man nicht mehr nöthig hat, darüber mit einem Gotte abzurechnen, über dessen „Wahrhaftigkeit“ man zu seltsamen Gedanken kommen könnte. Das Perspektivische der Welt geht so tief als heute unser „Verständniß“ der Welt reicht; und ich würde es wagen, es noch dort anzusetzen, wo der Mensch billigerweise überhaupt von Verstehen absehn darf — ich meine dort, wo die Metaphysiker das Reich des anscheinend Sich-selbst-Gewissen, Sich-selber-Verständlichen <ansetzen>, u<nd> im Denken. Daß die Zahl eine perspektivische Form ist, so gut als Zeit und Raum, daß wir so wenig „Eine Seele“ als „zwei Seelen“ in einer Brust beherbergen, daß die „Individuen“ sich wie die materiellen „Atome“ nicht mehr halten lassen, außer für den Hand-Hausgebrauch des Denkens, und sich in ein Nichts verflüchtigt <haben> (oder in eine „Formel“), daß Nichts Lebendiges und Todtes zusammenaddirt werden kann, daß beide Begriffe falsch sind, daß es nicht drei Vermögen der Seele giebt, daß „Subjekt“ und „Objekt“ „Aktivum und Passivum“ „Ursache und Wirkung“ „Mittel und Zweck“ immer nur perspektivische Formen sind, in summa daß die Seele, die Substanz, die Zahl, die Zeit, der Raum, der Grund, der Zweck, — miteinander stehen und fallen. Gesetzt aber nun, daß wir nicht so thöricht sind die Wahrheit, in diesem Falle das x, höher zu schätzen, als den Schein, gesetzt daß wir entschlossen sind zu leben — so wollen wir mit dieser Scheinbarkeit der Dinge nicht unzufrieden sein und nur daran festhalten, daß Niemand zu irgend welchen Hintergedanken in der Darstellung dieser Perspektivität stehen bleibt: — was in der That fast allen Philosophen bisher begegnet ist, denn sie hatten alle Hintergedanken und liebten ihre „Wahrheiten“ — Freilich: wir müssen hier das Problem der Wahrhaftigkeit aufwerfen: gesetzt, wir leben in Folge des Irrthums, was kann denn da der „Wille zur Wahrheit“ sein? Sollte er nicht ein „Wille zum Tode“ sein müssen? — Wäre das Bestreben der Philosophen und wissenschaftlichen Menschen vielleicht ein Symptom entartenden absterbenden Lebens, eine Art Lebens-Überdruß des Lebens selber? Quaeritur: und man könnte hier wirklich nachdenklich werden.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Bobo wrote:
Diebert van Rhijn wrote:To be is nothing but expression and meaning-making.
It is what it is.

A=A.
Then you have misunderstood. A=A is the purest of logical abstracts. But self-equality does not actually exist in how we perceive "things" because they always will be in motion, relative and ambivalent. Self-similarity at best: A=A' and this is why the "world" can be called illusion or seeming. All expression and meaning-making is fluid and moves with the rest, for ever approaching. Common folks don't say "A=A" after their sigh of acceptance but actually make a cowering sound: mooooo or translated: it is what it is.

Think about it! Please spare me the German cut and paste. Translate it for us if you think you understand it. At least you'd be forced to digest the words.
Bobo
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Bobo »

What about deception, meaning-making that make other meanings (somehow expressed). Here you are expressing expression, making meaning-making. If expression requires a subject or a body, and then meaning, the unwill can be as well the cause of all expression and meaning. (Otherwise, it is what it is, maybe it would depend on the meaning of 'it')

To be is nothing but expression and meaning making. We have an equality here. Is it A=A or mooo?

More or less those are quotes that do not build up to something, yet.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Bobo wrote:What about deception, meaning-making that make other meanings (somehow expressed).
Deception exists in the same way as truthfulness, I suppose? Why is it a special case for you? I mean, something is being expressed and interpreted, either way.
Here you are expressing expression, making meaning-making.
Lets just not ponder expressing expression or making the making. This is just carbon copying, one can do it endlessly if enough supplies are there.
If expression requires a subject or a body, and then meaning, the unwill can be as well the cause of all expression and meaning.
The idea with the phrase "nothing but" was to include subject and body as forms of expression and meaning. While scientifically this might seem odd, when thinking about the "self" as some form of knowledge (knowing there's a body, a tax bill, a stream of impressions) we need first this knowledge to be expressed as comprehension. But this doesn't happen in isolation although to empirically determine this, one has to grow a human inside an isolated tube and ask it after 18 years in the dark if it has some idea of self. It probably has little brain development so this is hard to prove. But I think it can still be reasoned out by examining the nature of our relations with the world. But one doesn't examine independently and in isolation, not in terms of historical consciousness. So who is expressing then? Call it whatever you like as long as you're careful with the word "I" which is reflexivity, identity but as well quick to carbon copy (ego).
To be is nothing but expression and meaning making. We have an equality here. Is it A=A or mooo?
Do you know the difference between equivalence relations (reflexivity, identity) and qualities, characteristics, consistence, etc? For example: this table is nothing but wood and real craftsmanship. The ambiguity of informal language!
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Bobo »

Some considerations:

Meaning and expression doesn't require a self. Then, it is what it is.
The desire to be (expression and meaning) comes from a lack of being.
The expression of expression, and then expression itself, begins with deceit.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Bobo wrote:Meaning and expression doesn't require a self. Then, it is what it is.
Like wood and real craftsmanship don't require a table. But does that make anything "what it is"?
The desire to be (expression and meaning) comes from a lack of being.
The expression of expression, and then expression itself, begins with deceit.
Deceit as moral notion or as a blockade to understanding? Understanding only arises out the ongoing skilfull expression and meanings. So even if it would start with "deceit", there would be no other way for development and finally wisdom, experiences being understood. But at what point can we call it ignorance really? When it's the time to let go but it's not.
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Bobo »

Let go of understanding. And what is left? The difference between equivalence and characteristics.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Bobo wrote:Let go of understanding. And what is left?
That's never possible, all understanding continues flowing out of existence like streaming blood being pushed out of the beating heart. It's just part of whatever we are, psychically or mentally. Letting go of understanding is like holding ones breath. To become successful in the eyes of the beholder, such stage magician has to employ tricks like breathing secretly and unnoticeable or using hidden reeds, flasks and other make belief a.k.a. the religious spectacle. But it's done out of sight and cloaked. Here, in that darkness of knowing, ignorance will be born.
Pam Seeback
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Pam Seeback »

SeekerOfWisdom wrote:It's hard to talk about the self and our daily lives without stepping into error. It's not an easily expressed situation we find we are in, luckily it doesn't require expression and meaning-making to be, it is what it is.
Seeker, you make meaning every time you open your mouth or put your fingers to the keyboard. You are not a rock, you are a man. As a man thinkest, so is he. What is so difficult about this most obvious of observations about unconsciousness vs. consciousness? Is this why you believe suffering can never be overcome? That it is not clinging to meaning that causes suffering, but meaning itself?

Yours and Dennis' false notion that meaning-making is independent from the Tao cannot help but be causing both of you psychological pain despite Dennis' claim to be the energizer bunny of bliss. For God's sake man, wake up! The Tao is not separate from any of its things, least of all its moment-by-moment understandings of itself via the consciousness of man. Expressions-R-U, be joyful of these glad tiding!
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Dennis Mahar »

In that case:
Yours and Dennis' false notion that meaning-making is independent from the Tao cannot help but be causing both of you psychological pain despite Dennis' claim to be the energizer bunny of bliss. For God's sake man, wake up! The Tao is not separate from any of its things, least of all its moment-by-moment understandings of itself via the consciousness of man. Expressions-R-U, be joyful of these glad tiding!
equals
Yours and Dennis' false notion that meaning-making is independent from the Tao cannot help but be causing both of you psychological pain despite Dennis' claim to be the energizer bunny of bliss. For God's sake man, wake up! The Tao is not separate from any of its things, least of all its moment-by-moment understandings of itself via the consciousness of man. Expressions-R-U, be joyful of these glad tiding!
so what?

emptiness/bliss.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »


But they don't equal. Different position on the screen to start with. And the second time I read it, I understand it slightly different and notice something I didn't see before!

They are only equal because of violent equalization. A wonderful act of power by Dennis! If only he'd see this power and own it. But he has to admit to this "dark" willing first.
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Dennis Mahar »

It is what it is.
you're making it is what it is dangerous which isn't what it is.
It is what it is.
it isn't what it isn't (dangerous)

your disposition for 'dangerous world' has you freaked out for supply and catches your hands in the cookie jar.
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Bobo »

Knowledge, being finite, is tied to ignorance. And 'existence' flow out of understanding too.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Dennis Mahar wrote:your disposition for 'dangerous world' has you freaked out for supply and catches your hands in the cookie jar.
Said the one packed inside two feet of cotton candy.... "fairy floss".
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Bobo wrote:Knowledge, being finite, is tied to ignorance. And 'existence' flow out of understanding too.
And all ignorance, being lack of fundamental understanding of the nature of reality, is tied to not fully understanding the meaning and implications of truths of existence, thought and being. Although this statement is using the Buddhist framework of thought. Each sentence we write is according to a body of thought or as opposition to it, affirming yet another body.

Existence might flow out of mentation but all understanding is just natural development like the idea of non-existence countering existence. At least, once the blocks toward this understandings are being dissolved by unwinding and introspection, following the long, winding path of wisdom.
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Bobo »

Something you'll n'ever know.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »


Something which is already known by everyone unless actively, laboriously blocked from view. This particular hate and spite usually is called "ignorance". The mark of Cain.
Bobo
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Bobo »

Both are male.
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Bobo wrote:Both are male.
Hate is the masculine expression of ignorance: at least as ejection it could lead.
Spite is the feminine expression of ignorance: going nowhere but gaining weight.
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Bobo »

Does ignorance have meaning? And the thing in itself?
If so where does it comes from?
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Current state of the World!

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

Bobo wrote:Does ignorance have meaning? And the thing in itself? If so where does it comes from?
The existential is nothing but assigning meanings, which arise like everything else, as dependents. This doesn't inform much but certain understanding unwinds confusion.
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