Kierkegaard Blog Number Two

Kierkegaard believes that what you love defines what being you are. There are ultimately three different things one can love; loving oneself, loving others, and loving God. We love ourselves for pleasure. For example, when we struggle with the world for what we are trying to get comes from the need of a sense of pleasure or a desire one has. When we love others we struggle by sacrificing everything we have for our loved ones. Last but not least we love God because we believe and have faith in God. Kierkegaard proclaims that having faith is trusting in God. It can take a whole life time to develop faith. Is is definitely not an easy task. For example, in a movie called, A Walk To Remember. Landon, a high school student, was into all the wrong things: partying, fighting, breaking all kinds of laws, etc. He did not realize how bad things had gotten until someone he knew almost died due to his sinful actions. After getting into deep trouble, he realized that enough was enough. He had to pay a lot of consequences after almost killing his friend. He was ordered to be a part of the school play, he had to help tutor the young, and he had to help out around the community. Through all of this, he met a girl named Jamie Sullivan. Jamie was not like any other girl at school. She was extremely religious and lived her life vicariously through God’s will. After falling in love with her, Landon comes to realize that she has Leukemia. However, that did not get in the way of his love for her. Jaimie was such a faithful Christian and lived her life the proper way. She felt that although she was dying, she had no reason to be angry with God. This made Landon fall even more in love with her. They eventually got married because she didn’t have that much time left. After she died, Landon got his act together, became a doctor, and a faithful Christian. He realized that this was what God had planned for him all along. Through Jaimie and through God, Landon found God’s will. He was finally set free from his sinful ways. He fully trusted in God to take care of Jaimie and to help guide him with the rest of his life. Although it took a while and it was not an easy task, in the end, he fully had faith and trust in God.

 

Yes Man vs Nietzsche

In Friedrich Nietzsche’s, Twilight of the Idols and the Anti-Christ, he argues that in every age wise people think that life is worthless. He calls these people nihilists. Nihilists believe that life is meaningless and worthless. Nietzsche calls nihilists, decadents; one who suffers from the decay of the spirit and morality. All philosophers understand that philosophy helps one find the true meaning of life. However, Nietzsche believes that if one has to think that theres is a problem with the meaning of his or her life, then that individual is sick. If one wonders or doubts his or her purpose in life then something is wrong. Ultimately, he believes that the examined life is not worth living. One should just live every moment of their lives with passion; without reason or doubt. If one has to sit there and examine life, like many other philosophers, then one is not happy or satisfied with his or her life. If one has to prove life with reason, then that individuals life is not worth living. Nietzsche’s philosophical views reminds me of a movie called, Yes Man. In the movie Yes Man, Carl Allen, the main character, fell off the face of earth after his divorce from his ex-wife Stephanie. Instead of hanging out with his friends like he did in the past, Carl would just sit at home alone and think about his life and how sorry he feels for himself. One of his good friends Pete shows up at his house and tells him he will end up completely lonely and miserable if he does not change his life around. Then, one day, his best friend from college, Nick, convinced Carl to go to a “Yes!” seminar. After the life changing seminar, Carl began to say, “Yes!” to everything and everyone without even thinking. From then on Carl got into the habit of seizing every opportunity that came his way. He renewed his friendships with all his past friends, built up a stronger and more respectful relationship with his boss, threw Pete’s bride to be a bridal shower, took flying/plane lessons, decided to learn Korean, learned how to play the guitar, takes part in charitable work, and he also joined a dating website. As we can see, saying, “yes” worked to Carl’s advantage. He eventually ended up benefiting so much from his experiences. For example, he got a promotion at work from building that strong relationship with his boss, and he used his guitar lessons to prevent a man from jumping off a ledge and killing himself. Not only that, because of Carl’s change in attitude, he met the love of his life Allison. Without thinking and without using reason, Carl was able to live a good and worthy life. He was able to live his life passionately by saying, “Yes!” to everything that came his way. Carl lived the ideal life in Nietzsche point of view. Carl lived his life without reason. He did exactly what he wanted to do without having to prove if his life was worth living. He lived out of love and passion and ended up benefiting so much from it.

 

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Twilight of the Idols and The Anti-Christ

In Friedrich Nietzsche’s, Twilight of the Idols and The Anti-Christ, Nietzsche uses genealogy, the study of one’s past, to question the meaning of one’s mortality. He proclaims that one’s morality is generally produced out of the displeasure that is felt toward anything that was once powerful, vigorous, and healthy. Nietzsche’s argues that one’s belief in something is a search for absolute truth, just as many philosophers believe. It allows oneself to be able to have a strong and reliable guide of will. This type of will is seen through many perspectives. This is ultimately known as the study of philosophy; the search of absolute truth through different perspectives and through different ways of thinking. Therefore, Nietzsche believes that one should stop trying to assume the truth of reasoning. In his point of view, we are attracted to see things as having significant values. For example, a person may become very upset due to someone else’s actions. Therefore, they decide to make matters worse and yell at that person instead of just talking to them in a mature manner. At first, the reason behind yelling was anger and frustration. Although it did not solve anything, the celebration of one’s power, being able to yell at someone in order to feel superior, was tempting at the time. As humans, we do not understand a thing and we do not understand where this thing is coming from. However, we just assume that the reasoning behind everything turns out to be the same in the end. This leads Nietzsche to the idea of morality. Morality is valued because we assume that there is a complex base for our morals; whether that it is God, reason, and traditions that have been made in the past. Nietzsche looks through the different concepts that we create for ourselves, in order to see what motivates the different meanings that have become developed over time. He comes to the conclusion that anything that exists is faced with different wills for the feeling of superiority. Human beings are constantly competing with one another for no other reason than to feel powerful toward those whom they have defeated. In conclusion, Nietzsche believes that nothing is cherished, nothing is absolute, and nothing is true. Our morality is not rules that have been given to us by God to follow, morality was simply derived from our past. The only thing humans ultimately seek for and want is power. I completely agree with Nietzsche’s philosophical views. As humans, we naturally want to be better than everyone else. Whether one’s morals are corrupt or not, one strives to be the best in everything he or she does. We naturally let pride get in the way. Therefore, one’s search for absolute truth may be overpowered by one’s will of superiority. Also, one does not always have a reason behind what he or she does. Most of the time the reason behind our actions, whether they are goof or bad, is ultimately for one purpose: power or superiority.

 

George Berkeley’s Three Dialogues

In the book, Principle of Human Knowledge and Three Dialogues, the philosopher, George Berkeley illustrates how materialism is baseless, therefore, that leads to doubt as he proclaims in the first dialogue. Also, makes up his own view of the world in the second and third dialogue where morality is his main focus. In his point of view, everything that exists in the world are just ideas and that is how the mind understand it. The mind with that has no limits is known as only God. Berkeley points out his ideas in the first two dialogues and then he uses the third dialogue to stand up for his true beliefs as a philosopher. His beliefs or ideas mainly consist of an argument against materialism. For example, Berkeley believes that through our senses, we can distinguish something immediately. Berkeley trusts that all of our knowledge comes from our senses. In conclusion, since the only way one has of getting knowledge is through his or her senses, he then believes that there are only two options for coming to know about mind independent material objects. First, one does not quickly understand the mind independent material objects. Second, one has no reason to believe in the actuality of mind independent material objects. Therefore, Berkeley ultimately trusts that its not that mind independent objects that do not exist, it is the fact that one has no reason to believe that it truly does exist. Cleverly, he sort of uses irony to show that he does believe that mind independent material objects do exist through our senses, by saying that mind independent material objects do not or cannot exist. Berkeley’s three dialogue argues the idea of how an object is able to exist outside of the mind is beyond reason. I completely agree with Berkeley’s way of understanding as a philosopher. Our minds allow us to grasp what is real through our God given senses. It is not an illusion, it is not a dream, and it is not being altered by a demon or by God as other philosophers believe. It is our senses and our minds that help us understand what truly exists. In my point of view, it is impossible to try to understand or see if an object exists without using one’s mind. If one tries to understand something without uses his or her mind, then it is irrelevant because the object or mind independent material object is already implanted in our minds. The reason why one is able to argue about the existence of an object is because it is already in his or her mind to begin with. For example, if I am able to doubt the existence of an object, like a cell phone, an apple, or any other object, then it exists because that cell phone, apple, or any other object is already placed in my mind. That is the reason why I was able to doubt the existence of a mind independent material object in the first place.

 

Descartes Versus Inception

In Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes believes that one cannot dream about something unless he or she has experienced it before. For example, in the movie Inception, the main character Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, struggles with determining wether he is dreaming or awake. When in doubt, Cobb uses a spinning top, which originally belonged to his deceased wife Mal, to justify what is real or not. Unfortunately, he has a hard time achieving his goal because his wife haunts Cobb’s mind and disrupts his missions. His main goal is to use a team of scientists to use dreams to implant an idea in Robert Fischer’s mind. They are trying to convince Robert Fischer to break up his father’s empire to save Cobb from going to jail. During the dream, Mal tries to convince Cobb to stay in a demilitarized zone with her. This makes him question reality by bringing back events that happened while he was awake. Cobb then admits that he had originally implanted the idea in Mal’s mind to wake up from her dreams, which makes him responsible for her suicide. Therefore, she tries to attack him but is then shot by one of his scientists. Cobb not knowing the difference between what is real or not, takes her death, for the second time, to heart. As this was going on, Fischer is confronted by his father. His father wanted him to be his own man from the start, which is why he was always so hard on him growing up. After they were done with their mission, Cobb eventually relocates everyone and tells them they all need to return to reality before it is too late. Then they would all be stuck in the dream world and would not know the difference between what is real or fake, just like Mal. Suddenly, he wakes up to find everyone up and well. His arrangements were honored and finally returns home to his children. In the end, Cobb spins his spinning top to test reality. However, he is distracted by his family’s reunion to see whether he is still dreaming or not. Sometimes the dream world can be real. Everything Cobb dreams about he has experienced before. “However, pain is felt in his dreams, but death results in awakening.” (Inception). Descartes makes a valid point when he is explaining how one’s senses can be deceived. In the movie Inception, the sensory experiences or beliefs are false. For example, when Descartes compares a house to one’s beliefs and senses, he symbolizes the boards of the house to one’s beliefs and the foundation of the house to one’s senses. When one wants new beliefs, or to start over, they would need to tear down the house and build a new one. In order to do so, one must tear the foundation down. Unfortunately, that would take a long time. However, it is the most effective process when wanting to start over in life. The foundation equals our senses. Therefore, one needs to get rid of our senses, the foundation, because it is extremely deceiving. That would easily help bring Cobb back to reality.

 

Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy

In Descartes’ Mediations on First Philosophy, Descartes uses doubt to figure out the truth about human understandings. He believes that trusting your senses is a shady way to figure out the truth because, one’s senses can be deceived by either God or something demonic. How can he be certain of anything and then create all sorts of creative reasons as to why he has to mistrust his senses? Eventually, he comes to realize that he cannot doubt his own existence. For he is a thing that thinks, and in order to think, doubt himself, or meditate, one would have to exist in the first place. Also, he believes that in order to stop doubting himself, he needs to be convinced that God truly does exist. To Descartes, God cannot be created in his mind because God is too perfect, and he is not. “For although God’s will is incomparably greater than mine, both virtue of the knowledge and power that accompany it and make it more firm and efficacious, and also in virtue of its object, in that it ranges over a greater number of items, nevertheless it does not seem any greater than mine when considered as will in the essential and strict sense” (40). In conclusion, Descartes does believe that God exists. God has given him senses to help him get around in the world but not to know the truth. Ever since the beginning, philosophy has been revolved around doubting ones knowledgable claims. How one comes to know anything and is certain about it is controversial. Furthermore, Descartes also presumes that he is more familiar with the mind than the body. Skepticism, or doubt, helps one understand our minds better. However, it is harder to understand the body using doubt. “The mind is essentially thinking and the body is extended.” The two have noting in common. Ever since, philosophers have been trying to understand how the mind and body connect to each other. Skepticism creates an understanding of the mind as being trapped inside one’s body and is separated from the world. On the other hand, I believe that through one’s senses one can find the truth. Although our minds can be deceived by God or by something demonic, I know that I have my conscience and my mind to guide me toward the right path, which is God’s path. I feel that I am that way because I know for sure that God truly does exist. Since day one, philosophy has been created to find out the truth in life. In my point of view, the truth in life is to be grateful for the life God has given me, to live life to the fullest because we are not guaranteed a tomorrow, and to fully commit to God for he is our lord and savior. That is what my senses tell me. My senses allow my body to fulfill what I believe the truth is in life. My mind and body are fully connected.

 

Thomas Aquinas Blog 1

In Thomas Aquinas, Aquinas’ beliefs differ from Augustines’. Augustine, The Great Philosopher, believes that one is born knowing about God and loving him. On the other hand, Aquinas believes that one cannot love God without understanding him first. He explains that if a person is truly smart and is able to understand properly, then that person has the best mind. The best mind understand the best thing. Therefore, the best thing is God. When one understands something they become like it. For example, if one understands God, then they become like God. “All creatures, even those lacking intelligence, are ordered to God as to their ultimate end, and they achieve this end insofar as they share some similarity with him” (264). Aquinas proclaims that we have the ability to understand God because we are made in the image of him. The understanding of God leads to what everyone ultimately aims for; happiness. True happiness comes when one is able to unite with God. Although, Aquinas and Augustine have strict differences, they also have some similarities. For example, both philosophers believe that to have the right relationship with God means loving God more than anything else. Making God the highest good. For loving a lesser good more than a higher good is considered a sin. God is higher than all physical things. I personally agree with Aquinas’ way of thought. One has to understand something before they can love it. For instance, one has to truly understand God to truly love him. When one knows all the sacrifices God has made for us, everything God has given us, and everything God has planned for us, then one can truly love God. Love has to be what one wills. God made us for himself. Therefore, we are united with God through understanding him. For our end is in God. “To know God is the end of every intellectual substance” (264). Thoughtfully observing God is also true happiness. Aquinas affirms that contemplation of God is true happiness. “If man’s ultimate happiness does not lie in those external things which are called the goods of fortune, nor the goods of the body, nor the goods of soul whether of the sensitive part or, in the intellectual part, in the acts of moral virtue, nor in any intellectual activities pertaining to action, namely, art and prudence, it remains that man’s ultimate happiness lies in the contemplation of truth” (280). I completely agree with Aquinas. When one constantly reflects on God, then they become closer to fully understanding him. This explains why philosophers are so knowledgable on this certain subject. When one constantly questions and meditates on God they eventually begin to understand him. Eventually, this will lead to happiness. When one contemplates on the greatest thing and then fully understands it, their reward is happiness. Not only does one gain happiness, they also receive wisdom and knowledge. Being able to understand God is truly beautiful and uplifting. Loving him will lead us in the right direction.

Saint Augustine Blog #2

In St. Augustine The Confessions, Augustine intentionally stole pears as a child. Of course, theft is considered a sin. He thought that going against God’s will would fulfill his own desires; being his own God.  Ultimately, all he was looking for was his own freedom. He loved his own will more than he loved God. We are God’s creation, therefore, we are precious in his eyes. God does not want us to sin because in the end we are just hurting ourselves. Sinning is its own punishment because when one sins, they are just harming themselves. “For I, so small a boy and yet so great a sinner, was not unworthy of punishment. Thus by means of men who did not do well you did well for me, and out of my sinning you justly imposed punishment on me. You have ordered it, and so it is, that every disordered mind should be its own punishment.” (55). Fortunately, as he got older and wiser, he realized that his actions were wrong. Therefore, he became a faithful Christian. He then believed that God had created us to be a good example of himself; to perform godly habits. When we do not do what is meant for us to do, then we are fighting against our own creator. Obviously, no one is more powerful than God. Therefore, when Augustine is doing what he is meant to do, that is when he will find true freedom. That true freedom comes through fate and God. Augustine finding himself through God reminds me of a character named Landon Carter in a movie called, A Walk To Remember. Landon, a high school student, was into all the wrong things: partying, fighting, breaking all kinds of laws, etc. He did not realize how bad things had gotten until someone he knew almost died due to his sinful actions. After getting into deep trouble, he realized that enough was enough. He had to pay a lot of consequences after almost killing his friend. He was ordered to be a part of the school play, he had to help tutor the young, and he had to help out around the community. Through all of this, he met a girl named Jamie Sullivan. Jamie was not like any other girl at school. She was extremely religious and lived her life vicariously through God’s will. After falling in love with her, Landon comes to realize that she has Leukemia. However, that did not get in the way of his love for her. Jaimie was such a faithful Christian and lived her life the proper way. She felt that although she was dying, she had no reason to be angry with God. This made Landon fall even more in love with her. They eventually got married because she didn’t have that much time left. After she died, Landon got his act together, became a doctor, and a faithful Christian. He realized that this was what God had planned for him all along. Through Jaimie and through God, Landon found God’s will. He was finally set free from his sinful ways. Just like Augustine was set free when he commit himself to God.

The Confessions of Saint Augustine

In St. Augustine The Confessions, Augustine recapitulates a childhood memory where he stole some pears. As an intellectual philosopher, he tries to analyze his motives for committing the sin of theft “for I pilfered something which I already had in sufficient measure, and of much better quality. I did not desire to enjoy what I stole, but only the theft itself”(69). Augustine was not in need of anymore pears. The only reason he stole was for the sake of stealing. Augustine admits that as a child, he enjoyed being sinful. Although stealing is disgraceful, every intentional action is good and desirable. Vices, bad habits, are masked as good things. Ultimately, one can only find the right motives through God. Augustine came to the conclusion that, if one loves anything more than God, then that persons is committing a sin. For loving a lesser good more than a higher good is a sin “sin is committed because we have an inordinate preference for these good of a lower order and neglect the better and the high good– neglecting thee, O our Lord God, and thy truth and thy law”(71). Augustine did not commit these sins for no reason, he did it because he wanted his own freedom. He loved his own will more than God. Therefore, he wanted to be his own God. After growing up to realize that humans were created by God to do godly things, he gave himself to God and fully trusted him. That is when Augustine finally found true freedom. It took Augustine a good amount of time to fully understand and be in a relationship with God. In my point of view, that is a good thing. For one has to know God to be able to call upon him and pray to him. Although it is always better to have a good relationship with God from the start, Augustine was luckily able to put his other desires aside and desire Gods will. Seeking God is an act of faith and the desire to seek him is a gift and a power given by God. A feeling for something bigger than us, like God, is a gift. The fact that he was able to realize that after being that sinful, is enlightening. It shows the readers that there is always a chance to better oneself. Life is tough and one has all these chances to go down the wrong path. However, being able to resist those chances and to overcome those obstacles is good.  We are ourselves when we are doing what is meant to be. That is when we are truly free. I think as Augustine became wiser through out the years, he realized that he could not fight what God had planned for him. He also realized that he will never be as powerful as God. Therefore, he just fully commit himself to God. For God is the form of all good.

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Blog #1

In the lecture notes, Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle brings up many valid points toward the philosophical outlooks on life. In the beginning, he explains how individuals aim for the “good life.” Aristotle believes that everything we do on a daily basis is for a reason, for the good life, and for the future. Apparently, the good life amounts to happiness. Aristotle defines happiness as both living well and doing well “both ordinary people and people of quality say ‘happiness’, and suppose that living well and doing well are the same thing as being happy” (97). Happiness and the good life are close to the same thing. In my perspective, the good life consists of having safety, nourishment, friendship, love, and having a good understanding toward life. Last but not least, being connected with God also defines the good life. God ables us to have the power and positive energy to strive for the best in life. However, the subject is more intellectual in Aristotle’s lecture notes. Aristotle believes that ones actions can determine the amount of happiness one has in his or her life. In his point of view, one could not inquire happiness without virtue. In the lecture notes, virtue has one simple meaning and that is excellence “since happiness is some activity of soul in accordance with complete excellence, we should discuss the subject of excellence, for perhaps in this way we shall get a better view of happiness too” (109). Excellence means performing good habits more often than not. One should perform good deeds for its own sake, not for something in return or for a reward. Although one does not physically get rewarded for their good deeds, ironically that over powering feeling of good is a reward itself. Also, Aristotle truly believes that one should not struggle to do the right thing, it should come naturally and periodically. Just because it is harder does not make it morally better.  Doing the right thing must be intentional, for its own sake, and habitual “first he does them knowingly, secondly if he decides to do them, and decides to do them for themselves, and thirdly if he does them from a firm and unchanging disposition” (115). For example, if I were a bad person and thought by randomly giving a homeless man food that I would gain bonus points with God, then that would be morally wrong and incontinent. In my point of view, true happiness, virtue, and the good life come from being actively oriented with God, my family and friends, school, and the community. When I think about what brings me joy in life it is the smallest things that satisfy me the most. Things like, achieving some of my hardest goals, making good grades, being there for my friends and family when I am needed, and serving to the community. Also, God is what brings everyone true happiness. He is the reason why we all have a conscience to want to perform virtuous deeds to help make us a better person.