regurgitating the fruit of the tree of knowledge

[Demilich]

you know, i don't see anyone fucking that pair o' docks.

1 star

 

[Conspicuously Absent]

what i gain, however, is an alternate perspective or insight into how i approach the world, adding to my own and preparing me for new things, etc.

Asking questions to get a new list of questions is the basis of science.

boobs, beer, good times ... the rest is just means to attain them.

I can only ever pull of this attitude 50% of the time.

 

[einride]

knowledge is worthless if not practical? i can NOT in any way get behind such a banal notion. the knowledge and ideas i take away from the texts i do occasionally read is interesting in the sense of pure trivia. it is useless only insofar as life is defined by its pragmatic and tacticle aspects.

to me though, if it's "interesting" in the sense that it in some, however small, fashion is beneficial to your life, it's useful or "practical." i'm not saying one should learn only the things that are immediately useful for survival or some stupid shit like that -- if i was, i wouldn't believe art had any value.

what i gain, however, is an alternate perspective or insight into how i approach the world, adding to my own and preparing me for new things, etc.

this is fair enough: i just keep wondering if the price of knowledge is too high to pay (man this one sentence sounds super stupid)

Asking questions to get a new list of questions is the basis of science.

but where do you stop? the point is that i think philosophers, theologians and others who seek answers to the eternal questions have long ago ceased asking valid questions and are now just regurgitating and picking apart details of details.

It encourages thinking and learning and asking why about everything, which I can't help but say in the end, is a good thing. Rather than accepting that Zeus sends rain and thunder and Poseidon thought your brother was a dick and drowned him.

why not, though? isn't it better to believe in zeus than to have someone say "hey, you know, are you sure zeus is real though and who made the gods?" and be left trying to prove either side, neither of which is provable?

for all i care to know, zeus does send rain and thunder. or in fact, i'm going to go with thor and the gang here because i'm northernly like that.

what I find ironic is that he is always bringing these random things up himself, when he seems to be so against them.
it takes way too much energy to think of all this shit.

i'm totally not against semi-intellectual discussion, and also about 25% of the time i'm playing devil's advocate just to see where i end up

boobs, beer, good times ... the rest is just means to attain them.

i don't agree because 1) i don't have the life wisdom of this old guy here or 2) i really think there are more important and enjoyable things -- pick your alternative

 

[Conspicuously Absent]

to me though, if it's "interesting" in the sense that it in some, however small, fashion is beneficial to your life, it's useful or "practical." i'm not saying one should learn only the things that are immediately useful for survival or some stupid shit like that -- if i was, i wouldn't believe art had any value.

Anything that encourages thinking and asking questions is good. See my reply to your gods comment for why.

Furthermore, its interesting to read about what a lot of these classical old fucks were interested in. Moose probably reads originals.

but where do you stop? the point is that i think philosophers, theologians and others who seek answers to the eternal questions have long ago ceased asking valid questions and are now just regurgitating and picking apart details of details.

Well, thats just the point. They need new questions to be asking. At least in my case, I'm more interested in the classical philosphers. Not some modern wanker trying to be intellectual so that he can either earn money or get laid with "emotional intellectual" groupies.

why not, though? isn't it better to believe in zeus than to have someone say "hey, you know, are you sure zeus is real though and who made the gods?" and be left trying to prove either side, neither of which is provable?

for all i care to know, zeus does send rain and thunder. or in fact, i'm going to go with thor and the gang here because i'm northernly like that.

Because it leads you accept the "status quo", no matter how unhappy you are about it. Rather than considering the why, learning the facts and attempting to improve the general situation.

You accept that the Pharoah was designated by the gods, not by breeding and what-not. So if he tortures your family slowly to death because you tripped in front of his horse... its all good.

Throughout history you can see these "truths" being created to hold certain groupings in wealth, comfort and power. Nobody would have considered wiping them out if they simply accepted "thats how it is". Even the french revolution had a few leaders of some education behind it.

 

[lurch70]

i don't agree because 1) i don't have the life wisdom of this old guy here or 2) i really think there are more important and enjoyable things -- pick your alternative

LOL ... you missed the "good times" part

 

[einride]

i enjoy good times, they are enjoyable

 

[Dick Sirloin]

Having a pointless argument about the pointlessness of philosophical arguments. John Locke laughes at us alle.

 

[einride]

Having a pointless argument about the pointlessness of philosophical arguments. John Locke laughes at us alle.

not to mention the pointlessness of replying to said pointless argument with a pointless post days after the thread is dead

 

[Dick Sirloin]

I think you just blew my mind

 

[Demilich]

This thread is increasingly making me want to bash my head against the monitor in frustration

 

[lurch70]

enjoy!
http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/the-self-thinking-thought/