I think therefore I am
By debrakcarey
@debrakcarey (19887)
United States
May 20, 2011 1:31pm CST
You may have seen the movie 'The Matrix'. The movie really makes you think. Like what do we really know and how do we know what we know is real.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEr8hnvzeHU
What is real?
How do you define real?
Is it only what your senses reveal to you? Is real only what we can perceive with our senses?
What about those with brain disorders who see sound and hear color? Is the world 'really' the way they see it, or the way most others see it?
Maybe you are now just dreaming and you'll wake up into what is 'real'?
It is fascinating and a bit disconserting to contemplate such things.
How do we ascertain truth or 'real'? Rational thought? Reason? How do we know our 'reason' and rationality are not controled by something over and above us? As portrayed in the movie The Matrix.
Or how do we know our senses are telling us ALL that is there, after all, insects see the world entirely different than we do. So, I have come to see that there are 'layers' to reality. I see one, the bugs see another. And we both feel that that is all there is to what is 'real'.
Descartes said we have to begin with doubt to find the truth.
Descartes famous quote:
Cogito ergo sum, I think, therefore I am.
What are the foundations of knowledge? Reason, logic, rational thought are all part of how we know what we know. What about our concept of 'perfect'? Where does this concept come from? What if it comes from a 'higher' reality? The human mind is wired for abstract thought. To ask 'what if' & to contemplate other realities.
Think about the word 'metaphysical'.
META (def) prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, with the meanings “after,” “along with,” “beyond,” “among,” “behind,”
Physical (def) 1. of or pertaining to the body: physical exercise. 2. of or pertaining to that which is material: the physical universe; the physical sciences.
3. noting or pertaining to the properties of matter and energy other than those peculiar to living matter. (and I've tried to show that the Physical world can even be perceived differently according to the eyes and brains perceiving it)
So, metaphysical can be taken to mean; after the physcial, along with the physical, beyond the physical, among the physical, behind the physical.
And if we only accept that which our senses can experience (empirical evidence) then we are saying that we should not doubt what our senses tell us and we should not accept the meta-physical as being possible. Descartes says our ability to doubt was the beginning of finding the truth.
As we know, things are not always as they seem. I am saddened by those who insist that faith or belief in God is not logical or rational. They contend that since their eyes cannot see, their ears cannot hear, their tongues cannot taste nor the skin feel GOD, He does not exist. They are closed minded to 'other realities' and the idea of layers of reality.
And in studying the philosophy of men like Descartes I am also learing how illogical it is to accept ONLY what your senses tell you. The human mind is capable of abstract thought, appreciation of abstract principles and of developing PHILOSOPHY in the first, it was meant for so much more than JUST what the senses reaveal to it.
So what do you 'think'
4 responses
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
23 May 11
I'm glad to see a thinking person. What you say makes a person think or they should think. There is so much more than than the physical but the physical is evidence of the invisible.
As I ended my conversation with my daughter this week I said "I love you." But can she "see" my love? Can she touch my love? Can she measure it? Can she store it in a box? Can she accurately describe the intensity? Can she show it to her husband? Does she have any doubts of my love? Not at all!
If she ever accused me of not loving her. Would she be right? Would she even exist without me?
God is love! But we have to take the time to understand him. If we are too busy to do so or so eager to accuse him, how can we know him.
God gave us each a brain. If only we would use it!
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
23 May 11
You mention love. It is a powerful force. So powerful that without as infants we could actually die. Not of neglect, because infants will survive with food and being kept clean and safe. But if we are not held or talked to or LOVED, we do not thrive. Something in us does not develope and in rare cases, we can even die.
Psychologists say that unconditional love and acceptance is vital to self esteem and proper mental development!
God said it long ago.
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
23 May 11
So true about love being powerful and yet it cannot be seen or touched just like God. We who have been in love know what power love can exert over us. When we get to know God, we have no doubt of his existence and love for us. Just like we can't show the love we have, we can't show the God we love.
@ladyphoenix (145)
• Philippines
21 May 11
studying philosophy as an undergraduate course is much easier than taking it as an elective, because as you go along the way, you are given the opportunity to appreciate the subject. the subject itself is hard to handle, both by the teacher and the student. it is hard to handle because, both the learner and the teacher undergoes the same learning experience. yes, the teacher already have the strategies on how to teach the subject. but it is expected that the learner must response to the instructions given. learning cannot take place in a philosophy classroom with out the interaction of the learner and the teacher. at the end of the day both learned something.
in philosophy, you have to choose one theme: logic, ethics, metaphysics or epistemology. and start the study with the ancient periods specifically socrates, plato and aristotle. if you're done with this three, the rest is easy for you like understanding the cogito of descartes, empiricism of hume and synthetic a priori of kant.
bottom line is: philosophy is excercising our reason and intellect and free will. in short senses is still involved here..
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
21 May 11
Welcome to myLot ladyphoenix.
I'm not doing anything so formal as you describe here. Just reading and listening and thinking.
I agree, its a great way to exercise the mind.
1 person likes this
@urbandekay (18278)
•
21 May 11
Briefly
Cogito ergo sum, I think, therefore I am.
Except, that there is a thought does not imply a thinker.
More seriously, too pose such a conceptually sophisticated question presupposes being part of language using community.
Actually the term METAPHYSICS came about for the trivial reason that in Aristotle's work it was a book that came after his book on Physics!
Those who insist that faith or belief in God is not logical or rational, suffer a dilemma.
Since their objection to the existence of God also applies to the belief in consciousness they must either be inconsistent and accept belief in consciousness as logical yet deny belief in God is rational or they must deny that it is logical to believe they are themselves conscious.
all the best urban
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
21 May 11
Bear with me, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the First Meditation of Descartes.
I'm enjoying this endeavour. Good workout for the mind as well as the brain. wait, maybe it's my heart that is working hard.
The idea that we can contemplate such things is consistant with beings who are conscious of something higher than the material world. Our very ability to think of such things and wonder about them is a good indication we are not merely animals. Connection to the GodHead, the source- is how it is often put.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
23 May 11
I wonder why you are starting with Descartes? Aristotle is a better place to start, thinks I
all the best urban
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
23 May 11
I guess it's because I've heard so much about Descartes in my other reading.
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
21 May 11
OK, lots of good thinking here. Since we are in a physical world, we tend to rely on our physical senses for everything. There is much more than physical senses to deal with. We Choose our view. Example: We can choose to see the good in everything or the bad in everything. We limit ourselves with our choices and narrow view more than any other thing. Perhaps you should ask the question the matrix movie asked. Do you want reality or do you want a story? What if you deem the story more to your liking?? Do you still want reality whether you agree with it or not?? Religion does have a wonderful story. Eternal bliss forever with no problems is a pretty great idea and all you have to do is follow a few rules to get there. As we all know, reality is always a much more complex thing. There is much to learn. All the secrets of the universe stare us in the face. How can so many choose not to even look? Ah yes, won't it be great, eternal bliss with never a problem. Why take the effort to see anything else??? Why indeed? But there is so much else to discover. I choose not to live in the matrix. I Must have reality. So far reality is much more interesting than stories. The wider and more open your view;the more you will be able to see. I work on mine everyday.
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
21 May 11
There is much more than physical senses to deal with. Did you catch the part about metaphysical ?
We limit ourselves with our choices and narrow view more than any other thing.
And did you miss the part about Descartes throwing everything out that could be doubted?
And I guess my belief is a little different than most religions. I read that it takes more than 'good works' to have eternal life. (not bliss, LIFE) It is a matter of seeking truth, finding truth, accepting truth. In that search for truth we encounter those who say only what can be perceived with the senses can be accepted as truth. Descarte blows them out of the water by showing anything we think we know from our senses can be doubted.
I feel that once you have a truly OPEN MIND, when learn to doubt what you've 'learned' by your senses can you really appreciate the universe and all it has to show you.
You seem to have the preconceived notion that if a person has 'religion' that they've stopped asking questions, that they've closed their minds to answers. I contend that if a person allows that they cannot 'know' anything their senses have told them, they've truly got an open mind to learn about the truth, even if it's within the metaphysical.
1 person likes this