[MD] Some Abiding Beliefs

[Gene M]

On 7/31/06, Platt Holden <pholden at davtv.com> wrote:
>
> Hi All:
>
> Reality is the ceaseless flow of my experience.


Sure.

Reality is what is happening while I am trying to understand the nature
> of reality.


I could see that. I kinda like it. If a corrolary could be: "While I am
trying to understand the nature of Reality, I am missing Reality." Then we
are definately in agreement.

My life is a series of moral choices between the no choices of birth
> and death.


I can readily agree with this as well.

My thoughts relate perceptions into patterns of meaning so I can act to
> enhance life, to make, as it were, a silk purse out of a sow's ear.


Indeed. We make patterns out of the Chaos of our perceptions, and use those
to act in the way that has the highest probability of increasing Quality.

I'm absolutely certain about metaphysical givens like gravity, air,
> water and death.


Well, there's no way we can dissuade you of that. Enjoy it! But don't try
and convince me of it.

I go by the following criterion in judging what is true: "Does it
> harmonize with the assumptions I use to create my map of reality?"


Your truth would seem to be very limited then. Sometimes a new truth should
destroy our old assumptions. If your assumptions remain inviolate, then you
will forever have certain things hidden behind them.

It's a matter of faith to believe that the human mind emerged from the
> mindless shuffling of swamp slime. If evidence is the criterion, it's
> equally believable that J.C. rose from the dead.


Sure! I am fully prepared to accept that Jesus rose from the dead, and
performed all his miracles! I think the test shouldn't be evidence, so much
as usefulness. Which idea has serves us better? For a while, the latter did,
it also caused an immense amount of suffering around the world. I honestly
feel christianity pretty much broke even between the good they caused and
the harm they caused. Hopefully science can do a bit better.

How does a universe emerge from nothing at all? How does life emerge
> from nonlife? How does consciousness emerge from a lump of meat?
> Science hasn't a clue.


They've got lots of clues! And not just clues, but theories made up out of
those clues. some of them are pretty clever, you should check em out!

Every attempt I make to deny a single truth evokes a single truth.
> Every attempt I make to deny a moral judgment invokes a moral judgment.


Every action has a re-action.

Idealism says it's all in my mind. So I ask of the Idealist, "What's my
> mind in?"


Good call.

The thought of an elephant is not an elephant. The thought of
> committing murder is not murder. Maps made by thoughts are not the
> territory. I cannot take a breath or a walk in a map. So I reject
> Idealism.


Agreed entirely.

The great paradox I face as an individual is that I'm eternally
> separate from other individuals, but never apart. I'll never know what
> it is like to be kissed by me.


True indeed.

To a materialist what is most real about a sunset is a bunch of
> particles arising out of a quantum soup. To me what is most real about
> a sunset is its beauty. I believe I have a better grip on reality than
> the materialist..


As long as they see as much beuty in their quantum soup as you do in your
sunset, I don't see that anyone is winning that one. A physicist who sees
the sunset as a perfect harmony of light refraction and atmospheric effects
and is awed by it, is doing as well if not better then the person next to
him who thinks it is pretty and red. As long as they both appreciate it, the
method seems irrelevant.

To assert "Nothing is certain" is as self-refuting as asserting
> "Language doesn't exist."


Paradox is a  good time. You should give it more shrift. Contradictions are
the guardians of enlightment I hear.

People believe what they feel good believing, including me.


Assuredly so.

In the end the only thing that will live on after I'm gone will be
> whatever bit of aesthetic value I created and passed on during my
> lifetime.


Assuredly so as well.

As always, I could be wrong.


But we both know you don't really believe that!

Regards,
> Platt


All around, a very good post Platt! I knew we agreed on most things, it's
just the specifics that trip us up.

-Gene