JohnnyWishbone Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 (The concept I put forward here today is completely observational) It seems to me that the idea of good & evil are constructed when a person looks at something in a positive way, or a negative way. So. A positive view of a thing = Believing that thing is good A negative view of a thing = Believing that thing is evil (Or simply bad) Now, it seems to me that forming opinions in the (+ or -) is creating most of our problems today. Because as I have observed, when a person forms a belief about a thing under these conditions they are doomed to create a polarised view of themselves & other people. If I take this a step further, I could say that a positive view or negative view can both be as equally destructive. That if a person holds a strong belief in any of these two conditions, and or accepts any of these two conditions as an absolute truth. Then the positive thing they think becomes absolute good, and the negative thing they think becomes absolute evil. I problem I see here is once a person think's that way, they will intimidate, force or pressure other people with their (+ or -) Which only serves to create the opposite reaction. So. When a positive is forced onto someone, then a negative reaction occurs. When a negative is forced onto someone, then a positive solution occurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted May 17, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 17, 2019 People don't behave by the numbers. Humanity is not an exact science; we're squishy and fuzzy, not at all like mathematics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disillusioned Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I'm not sure this is the correct subforum for this topic. Not my call, but all things being equal, I'd prefer to maintain the "sanctity" of the Science section. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted May 17, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 17, 2019 20 minutes ago, disillusioned said: I'm not sure this is the correct subforum for this topic. Not my call, but all things being equal, I'd prefer to maintain the "sanctity" of the Science section. Agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 18, 2019 Author Share Posted May 18, 2019 2 hours ago, disillusioned said: I'm not sure this is the correct subforum for this topic. Not my call, but all things being equal, I'd prefer to maintain the "sanctity" of the Science section. Umm, if I remember correctly I did post this in the science & religion forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 18, 2019 Author Share Posted May 18, 2019 2 hours ago, florduh said: People don't behave by the numbers. Humanity is not an exact science; we're squishy and fuzzy, not at all like mathematics. There's no real numbers here florduh. People approximate their moral values by accepting a (+ or -) on the bases of what those fuzzy feelings tell them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted May 18, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 18, 2019 4 minutes ago, hyperholiday said: There's no real numbers here florduh. People approximate their moral values by accepting a (+ or -) on the bases of what those fuzzy feelings tell them. Just saying the + or - is malleable and indistinct in most cases. Almost nothing is ever deemed 100% good or bad, and any such judgment call gets modified over time due to various causes. Even our core moral values aren't black and white, 0 or 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 18, 2019 Author Share Posted May 18, 2019 7 hours ago, florduh said: Just saying the + or - is malleable and indistinct in most cases. Almost nothing is ever deemed 100% good or bad, and any such judgment call gets modified over time due to various causes. Even our core moral values aren't black and white, 0 or 1. Very true matey, but the core factor that convinces a person they know good or evil, is belief itself. That can only happen if they estimate the thing they're believing in as a true positive or negative. Basically it's like biting into a rotten apple and then viewing that experience as a negative, then from there accepting that the apple is bad (Evil) in totality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted May 18, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 18, 2019 Eastern philosophy points out, quite correctly, that good and bad are both necessary if either is to exist. Are we ever in a position to really know what is "good" and what is "bad?" Make of that what you will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 18, 2019 Author Share Posted May 18, 2019 19 minutes ago, florduh said: Eastern philosophy points out, quite correctly, that good and bad are both necessary if either is to exist. Are we ever in a position to really know what is "good" and what is "bad?" Make of that what you will. I could say that our positive affirmations, or our negative affirmations are all an illusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 It's not specifically about good and evil but the book "The Honest Truth about Dishonesty" by Dan Ariely gives some good insights into this area. mwc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wertbag Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 8 hours ago, florduh said: Eastern philosophy points out, quite correctly, that good and bad are both necessary if either is to exist. I would argue that is only true in a binary state system, if your system is tri-state, that is you have a neutral as well as either positive and negative then you can tell either change without the opposite being required. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 18, 2019 Author Share Posted May 18, 2019 6 minutes ago, Wertbag said: I would argue that is only true in a binary state system, if your system is tri-state, that is you have a neutral as well as either positive and negative then you can tell either change without the opposite being required. Supposedly there's only 1's & 0's, but people have created a belief system of (+ & - 1's & 0's) Zero being the neutral state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted May 20, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 20, 2019 On 5/17/2019 at 10:05 PM, hyperholiday said: I could say that our positive affirmations, or our negative affirmations are all an illusion. Everything is an illusion, per the Buddha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 20, 2019 Author Share Posted May 20, 2019 40 minutes ago, TheRedneckProfessor said: Everything is an illusion, per the Buddha. The core doctrine of Buddhism is. Life is suffering Suffering is caused by desire Cut off your desires Incorrect Formula. Corrected Formula. Life is not suffering Suffering is caused by want Cut off your want's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 20, 2019 Author Share Posted May 20, 2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted May 20, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 20, 2019 40 minutes ago, JohnnyWishbone said: The core doctrine of Buddhism is. Life is suffering Suffering is caused by desire Cut off your desires Incorrect Formula. Corrected Formula. Life is not suffering Suffering is caused by want Cut off your want's Not entirely accurate, as I understand it. There is suffering Suffering comes from attachment and desire There is an end to suffering The end of suffering is the 8-fold path But, probably close enough for gubment work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 20, 2019 Author Share Posted May 20, 2019 2 minutes ago, TheRedneckProfessor said: Not entirely accurate, as I understand it. There is suffering Suffering comes from attachment and desire There is an end to suffering The end of suffering is the 8-fold path But, probably close enough for gubment work. There's no path matey, just stop wanting shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted May 20, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 20, 2019 1 hour ago, JohnnyWishbone said: There's no path matey, just stop wanting shit. The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 22, 2019 Author Share Posted May 22, 2019 On 5/21/2019 at 1:25 AM, TheRedneckProfessor said: The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Well, that counts me out from escaping rebirth. (That's Buddhism right?) Because I just can't swallow most of the stuff these people say, when I've got to put down a Redback spider before it bites my baby girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted May 22, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 22, 2019 1 hour ago, JohnnyWishbone said: Well, that counts me out from escaping rebirth. (That's Buddhism right?) Because I just can't swallow most of the stuff these people say, when I've got to put down a Redback spider before it bites my baby girl. Well, now you're talking about the 1st of the 5 precepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 22, 2019 Author Share Posted May 22, 2019 1 hour ago, TheRedneckProfessor said: Well, now you're talking about the 1st of the 5 precepts. Are you an avid Buddhist TRP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted May 22, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 22, 2019 2 minutes ago, JohnnyWishbone said: Are you an avid Buddhist TRP? No. But I have studied the philosophy at some length and try to adhere to the more practical of the principles. Once they start talking about hungry ghosts in hell, though, I generally beat a hasty retreat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyWishbone Posted May 22, 2019 Author Share Posted May 22, 2019 Just now, TheRedneckProfessor said: No. But I have studied the philosophy at some length and try to adhere to the more practical of the principles. Once they start talking about hungry ghosts in hell, though, I generally beat a hasty retreat. Hungry ghost's hey, what makes them hungry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted May 22, 2019 Super Moderator Share Posted May 22, 2019 4 minutes ago, JohnnyWishbone said: Hungry ghost's hey, what makes them hungry? They were insatiably greedy in their past lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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