06 Nov 10
Have you ever noticed how human beings spend their whole lives *asserting* things? Morning, noon, and night, they claim this, that, and the other thing.
Ironically, some of the most strident assertions pertain to the metaphysical realm, whose nature is--to put the matter mildly--obscure, and which possibly accounts for the--to put the matter mildly--inconsistency between those assertions.
I had a revelation some months ago. It was that the dumb beasts with which we share this planet--the claims of sentimentalists aside--never assert anything. That is, no non-human animal ever states that such-and-such is, or is not, the case. They abide in a void we cannot properly imagine without ceasing to be our semantic selves.
Perhaps that is why I find the company of animals so refreshingly endearing change from time to time. There are no theses to be argued or defended, no points to be clarified, no errors to be fixed. One abides with them, absorbed in the world, but not interrogating it.
Maybe these beloved brutes possess the Buddha nature. Here, I am disposed neither to assert nor deny this metaphysical proposition. And when I spending time with them, I do not disposed even to consider it.
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by IshDaGeggI love animals. They're delicious.
Have you ever noticed how human beings spend their whole lives *asserting* things? Morning, noon, and night, they claim this, that, and the other thing.
Ironically, some of the most strident assertions pertain to the metaphysical realm, whose nature is--to put the matter mildly--obscure, and which possibly accounts for the--to put the matter mildly--inc ...[text shortened]... physical proposition. And when I spending time with them, I do not disposed even to consider it.
Just kidding. You're right about them though. I dairy farmed for about 8 years. I still own horses. Useless things. Great to look at, but useless. Unless you like to ride them. I don't. They're way too unpredictable. Maybe I think that because I never tried to really get to know them. My cows on the other hand I got to know. I milked Holsteins. Wonderful creatures. Peaceful if you don't try to push them around too much.
There was this one occasion I'll never forget as long as I live. It was early in the morning about 4:30. I went out to the pasture about a quarter of a mile away to bring them in. It was early spring and it was foggy. When I entered the paddock the cows were in, I found myself within a donut of fog. About 20 acres was clear of fog and the sky above was blue. It was light out. It was as if I were in another time zone. It could have been a thousand years in the past. I just sat down for awhile and soaked it in.
I loved my cows.
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by IshDaGeggYou never know, maybe they know something we forgot, or have something
Have you ever noticed how human beings spend their whole lives *asserting* things? Morning, noon, and night, they claim this, that, and the other thing.
Ironically, some of the most strident assertions pertain to the metaphysical realm, whose nature is--to put the matter mildly--obscure, and which possibly accounts for the--to put the matter mildly--inc ...[text shortened]... physical proposition. And when I spending time with them, I do not disposed even to consider it.
we lack.
Kelly
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by IshDaGeggThats just because you don't speak their language. My cat is always making assertions - mostly regarding play time and food.
It was that the dumb beasts with which we share this planet--the claims of sentimentalists aside--never assert anything.
Maybe you should make friends with foreigners who don't share a language with you then you would get along just fine.
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by IshDaGegg=========================================
Have you ever noticed how human beings spend their whole lives *asserting* things? Morning, noon, and night, they claim this, that, and the other thing.
Ironically, some of the most strident assertions pertain to the metaphysical realm, whose nature is--to put the matter mildly--obscure, and which possibly accounts for the--to put the matter mildly--inc ...[text shortened]... physical proposition. And when I spending time with them, I do not disposed even to consider it.
Have you ever noticed how human beings spend their whole lives *asserting* things? Morning, noon, and night, they claim this, that, and the other thing.
=============================================
I would say that the greatest of all "asserters" was without question, Jesus Christ. His assertions seem stronger then any others ever uttered.
The interesting thing to me is that He did not spend His "whole life" asserting. For the first 30 years He simply mingled with everyone else relatively obscure, not particularly noticed. He lived a normal life amoung the townspeople of Nazareth as a "carpenter's son" - just the rather good kid in the neighborhood.
He did not "rock the boat" much apparently. But then at the age of 30 when a Hebrew man could officially be initiated into the priesthood, He began to assert things. And the cataclysmic impact of those things still shake to world.
I think this demonstrates that before He asserted, He lived Himself, everything that He taught. He spoke fully out of what he had quietly lived for the greater proportion of His life. It was real. It was Himself that He was talking about.
That's what I think.
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by IshDaGeggThe happy life is thought to be one of excellence; now an excellent life requires exertion, and does not consist in amusement. If Eudaimonia, or happiness, is activity in accordance with excellence, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest excellence; and this will be that of the best thing in us.
Have you ever noticed how human beings spend their whole lives *asserting* things? Morning, noon, and night, they claim this, that, and the other thing.
Ironically, some of the most strident assertions pertain to the metaphysical realm, whose nature is--to put the matter mildly--obscure, and which possibly accounts for the--to put the matter mildly--inc ...[text shortened]... physical proposition. And when I spending time with them, I do not disposed even to consider it.
Aristotle
"Nichomachean Ethics"
there is no exertion to be had with animals. it is only soothing calm. soothing calm can be refreshing from time to time. in small dosage. but happiness comes from exactly "asserting" things. passively absorbing the world is impossible for sentient beings without them becoming something else. and again, doesn't lead to happiness. happiness requires actively asserting, comparing with other states to register it.
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by twhiteheadit can be argued your cat doesn't do assertions. it is merely reacting on input. it is debatable how much, even the more intelligent animals can be capable of higher intellectual output.
Thats just because you don't speak their language. My cat is always making assertions - mostly regarding play time and food.
Maybe you should make friends with foreigners who don't share a language with you then you would get along just fine.
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by ZahlanziNo, it is not debatable. My cat is perfectly capable of conscious thought and is not acting purely on instinct as my Religious Education course tried to tell me in school.
it can be argued your cat doesn't do assertions. it is merely reacting on input. it is debatable how much, even the more intelligent animals can be capable of higher intellectual output.
I guess I could argue that you are 'merely reacting to input', but I would be playing with words rather than making the claim you were aiming for.
Many people do not give animals enough credit and assume (without reason) that they are incapable of thought. Yet anyone who has spent much time with animals knows otherwise.
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by twhiteheadGood point, I was thinking this to last night, but you beat me to it. 🙂
Thats just because you don't speak their language. My cat is always making assertions - mostly regarding play time and food.
Maybe you should make friends with foreigners who don't share a language with you then you would get along just fine.
I was thinking about the Alpha dog in a pack, at some point another dog
will make an assertion and replace the older one if it can.
Kelly
07 Nov 10
Originally posted by twhiteheadi say it "could" be argued, you say "definetely cannot be argued". you are making a definitive assertion, i am skeptical. until the cat cannot prove one way or the other, the matter is open.
No, it is not debatable. My cat is perfectly capable of conscious thought and is not acting purely on instinct as my Religious Education course tried to tell me in school.
I guess I could argue that you are 'merely reacting to input', but I would be playing with words rather than making the claim you were aiming for.
Many people do not give animals enou ...[text shortened]... hey are incapable of thought. Yet anyone who has spent much time with animals knows otherwise.
you cannot make definitive claims based on nothing but deny joseph or robbie the same privilige when they make assertions about god.