Examples of Wisdom..

[davidpbrown]

Bertrand Russell

g3jnEqXhDNI


So, what other answers to that question might there be?..

"What wisdom would you consider worth passing on to a future generation?"

[Barefoot Bree]

Moisturize daily.

And stretch - your muscles, your mind, and your horizons.

Heh - with that expansion, the second line turned from flippant to somewhat pseudo-profound. Not bad.

[Ozymandias]

What a wonderful irony that his first message contradicted his second.

[Rie]

I heard no contradiction. Fact is fact as one lecturer used to say. (He had a European accent so you can imagine how we all chose to hear it). What Russell is saying. Believe only what you see is fact, wjhat works.... unflinchingly. As for getting on with others he made a definite warning there. Also he mentioned how difficult it might be to accept. Even so it needs to be our approach to people.

[Ozymandias]

I heard no contradiction. Fact is fact as one lecturer used to say.

I have no problem with his first point. I just find it ironic that his second point had no basis in fact and no evidence to support it.

[Jobar]

Life and consciousness are inescapeable properties of nature, of biology and chemistry and physics.

Our bodies and our minds are powered by release of nuclear energy from the sun; converted to, and played out as, enormously subtle electromagnetic 'music'; self-organizing, self-conducting.

Thus, completely and inescapably, we are part of the fundamental fabric of reality- the waveforms of our lives, superpositions of vast numbers of electromagnetic vibrations; notes played on superstrings.

We are each a tiny riff, near-instantaneous bursts of rythym and meaning, momentary chords in a symphony of light-giga-years.

Given the prosaic reality of cosmology and quantum mechanics, the echoes of vastness which are our awarenesses, the enchanted looms which are our brains- how are we to contemplate these things without breath-taking awe, and deep appreciation of the miracle that is everyday reality?

Just because we see no gods guiding nature like puppets on strings, it's ridiculous for anyone to think that skeptics and scientists and atheists don't revere anything. Existence itself is more majestic than any imaginary overlord, and far more deserving of our reverence and even worship. We offer our prayers not just in words, but in our deeds, and our very lives.

I wrote that. I've been told it qualifies as wise. I admit I'm rather proud of it.

[davidpbrown]

Life and consciousness are inescapeable properties of nature, of biology and chemistry and physics.

Our bodies and our minds are powered by release of nuclear energy from the sun; converted to, and played out as, enormously subtle electromagnetic 'music'; self-organizing, self-conducting.

Thus, completely and inescapably, we are part of the fundamental fabric of reality- the waveforms of our lives, superpositions of vast numbers of electromagnetic vibrations; notes played on superstrings.

We are each a tiny riff, near-instantaneous bursts of rythym and meaning, momentary chords in a symphony of light-giga-years.

...

Inspired at Woodstock!? :D

[munnki]

I think the Golden Rule to be one of the pieces of wisdom I'd hope my children would pick up - wisdom because, in the end, without it we fall apart...

I'd also like to hope that they learn to be mistrustful of all sources of power - whether they be knowledge-based power (the academies, the experts, the....), politically-based ... or, worst of all, ideological and religious power... otherwise they will be used by others to nefarious ends...

I would hope that they learn to see the flaws in others in themselves and to be self-critical - a faculty I have consistently failed to develop in myself...

And in a dark world I'd hope that they could experience love, happiness and take pleasure in the small...

Those things are a lot to ask for... but I'd like them for myself - so why not for my children (or 'future generations' if one wants to be more arrogance about it....)

[Roehm]

Life and consciousness are inescapeable properties of nature, of biology and chemistry and physics.

Our bodies and our minds are powered by release of nuclear energy from the sun; converted to, and played out as, enormously subtle electromagnetic 'music'; self-organizing, self-conducting.

Thus, completely and inescapably, we are part of the fundamental fabric of reality- the waveforms of our lives, superpositions of vast numbers of electromagnetic vibrations; notes played on superstrings.

We are each a tiny riff, near-instantaneous bursts of rythym and meaning, momentary chords in a symphony of light-giga-years.

Given the prosaic reality of cosmology and quantum mechanics, the echoes of vastness which are our awarenesses, the enchanted looms which are our brains- how are we to contemplate these things without breath-taking awe, and deep appreciation of the miracle that is everyday reality?

Just because we see no gods guiding nature like puppets on strings, it's ridiculous for anyone to think that skeptics and scientists and atheists don't revere anything. Existence itself is more majestic than any imaginary overlord, and far more deserving of our reverence and even worship. We offer our prayers not just in words, but in our deeds, and our very lives.



i enjoyed that, thank you.

[davidpbrown]

the Golden Rule

I was going ask which Golden Rule.. expecting there would be more than one but it's apparently well defined..

The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a maxim, an ethical code, or a morality, that essentially states either of the following:

1. One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself (positive form)
2. One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated (negative/prohibitive form, also called the Silver Rule)

and that is a good one.

It's always struck me odd that some seem willing to inflict on others what they wouldn't tolerate for themselves. If life is worth anything, then inflicting the inverse on others seems to be like becoming death and evil - something which itself should discourage such behaviour where it is considered action. Which then is what encourages me that by forcing debate, we can move forward and reduce the stupidity.