Alan Watts

Engine · 08-26-2009, 03:01 PM

I've been meaning to read this one..

..because I want to know.

SATCHMO · 08-26-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

I've been meaning to read this one..

..because I want to know.

It's very good. I definitely recommend it.

cardboard adolescent · 08-26-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inuzuka Skysword

I haven't read any Alan Watts. I have read a lot of Ayn Rand. I don't think of Ayn Rand as the greatest philosopher of all time. I consider the greatest organizer is philosophy. She took Nietzsche's egoism and made it rational. She gave it a political stance. She gave it a stance on art. I think Ayn Rand's philosophy misses ideas, or rather, she just doesn't explain some important things. Her philosophy is like a skeleton and you have to go and find the meat and the muscle if you want to live it yourself and enjoy it.

Read that essay I posted. Please.

Schizotypic · 08-27-2009, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SATCHMO

It's very good. I definitely recommend it.

Downloading the audio book version right now.

Inuzuka Skysword · 08-27-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardboard adolescent

Read that essay I posted. Please.

And what does Alan Watts propose when he attacks logical positivism? Nothing. He proposes that we give the same system up which created the Seven Wonders of this World.

cardboard adolescent · 08-27-2009, 07:42 PM

I don't understand how you could read that essay and get that out of it. He only 'attacks' logical positivism insofar as he points out its fundamental limit, that it doesn't give us a complete, profound understanding of reality. He actually affirms its usefulness. Quite ironically, logical positivism had nothing to do with the seven wonders of the world (hello, it's a 20th century movement), in fact, most of them were the result of religious inspiration (for instance, the Egyptian pharaohs were considered divine incarnations, similar to what Alan Watts believes). Mathematics was probably involved as well, but Plato would consider that a form of divine inspiration as well.

In a sense though, you're right, since he does refer to 'it' as no-thing.

Inuzuka Skysword · 08-27-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardboard adolescent

I don't understand how you could read that essay and get that out of it. He only 'attacks' logical positivism insofar as he points out its fundamental limit, that it doesn't give us a complete, profound understanding of reality. He actually affirms its usefulness. Quite ironically, logical positivism had nothing to do with the seven wonders of the world (hello, it's a 20th century movement), in fact, most of them were the result of religious inspiration (for instance, the Egyptian pharaohs were considered divine incarnations, similar to what Alan Watts believes). Mathematics was probably involved as well, but Plato would consider that a form of divine inspiration as well.

In a sense though, you're right, since he does refer to 'it' as no-thing.

I understand he points out the limits of it and the fact that it is destroying itself. However, what is his view on epistemology and what will it give us?

cardboard adolescent · 08-27-2009, 08:28 PM

see for yourself. this is just a short excerpt from some book but i think it has what you're looking for (although i think that other essay probably had it as well)

The Tao of Philosophy - Google Books

Neapolitan · 08-27-2009, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardboard adolescent

I don't understand how you could read that essay and get that out of it. He only 'attacks' logical positivism insofar as he points out its fundamental limit, that it doesn't give us a complete, profound understanding of reality. He actually affirms its usefulness. Quite ironically, logical positivism had nothing to do with the seven wonders of the world (hello, it's a 20th century movement), in fact, most of them were the result of religious inspiration (for instance, the Egyptian pharaohs were considered divine incarnations, similar to what Alan Watts believes). Mathematics was probably involved as well, but Plato would consider that a form of divine inspiration as well.

In a sense though, you're right, since he does refer to 'it' as no-thing.

It might be a movement in the 20th century but it started in the 19th century with people like Comte and other positivism thinkers.

Not all Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were religious, (a religious light house for religious boats?) Even though in the ancient time some of them were religious in nature, it was during the Englightenment that they were redifine as scientific acheivements. The knowlegde that the ancients possess the technology to build the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World became a mallet were Secularist beat their drums with saying the Church stopped scientific thought & progress during the Dark Ages. Which isn't the case.

cardboard adolescent · 08-27-2009, 08:32 PM

i said most and okay 19th century and... what's your point? i mean, it was a monk who started german idealism. the Church did some good and some bad, that seems to be the case with most institutions.

08-26-2009, 03:01 PM	#31 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	I've been meaning to read this one.. ..because I want to know.

08-27-2009, 07:42 PM	#36 (permalink)
cardboard adolescent ;) Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Posts: 3,503	I don't understand how you could read that essay and get that out of it. He only 'attacks' logical positivism insofar as he points out its fundamental limit, that it doesn't give us a complete, profound understanding of reality. He actually affirms its usefulness. Quite ironically, logical positivism had nothing to do with the seven wonders of the world (hello, it's a 20th century movement), in fact, most of them were the result of religious inspiration (for instance, the Egyptian pharaohs were considered divine incarnations, similar to what Alan Watts believes). Mathematics was probably involved as well, but Plato would consider that a form of divine inspiration as well. In a sense though, you're right, since he does refer to 'it' as no-thing.

08-27-2009, 08:28 PM	#38 (permalink)
cardboard adolescent ;) Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Posts: 3,503	see for yourself. this is just a short excerpt from some book but i think it has what you're looking for (although i think that other essay probably had it as well) The Tao of Philosophy - Google Books

08-27-2009, 08:32 PM	#40 (permalink)
cardboard adolescent ;) Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Posts: 3,503	i said most and okay 19th century and... what's your point? i mean, it was a monk who started german idealism. the Church did some good and some bad, that seems to be the case with most institutions.