The Philosophical Debate Thread

[Oriphiel]

From what I remember, it's a popular metaphor. The universe endlessly takes in matter and spits it out, like cosmic billows or lungs. It happens on a massive scale, with cosmic events (Big Bang, etc.), and on a smaller and more observable scale, with the cycle of life and death.

[Mr. Charlie]

Tibetan Book of the Dead

Documentary:



Audiobook of the full book:



I've been making my way through the audiobook over the last few nights and it's pretty interesting. No wonder Timothy Leary kept harping on about it when he got into magic mushrooms and LSD as it's all to do with mystical states of consciousness.

[Mr. Charlie]

Should we tolerate intolerance? This famous philosophical question, oft called the paradox of tolerance, has been on my mind recently following an experience at work.

I don't think we should tolerate intolerance personally, but would like to hear any opposing views.

[Stephen]

As the great western philosopher Llebpmac Nelg once said "If you try a little kindness, then you'll overlook the blindness of the narrow minded people on the narrow minded streets."

[Chula Vista]

Originally Posted by Stephen

"If you try a little kindness, then you'll overlook the blindness of the narrow minded people on the narrow minded streets."

Or, I'd rather have a drink in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy.

(Ted Cruz won Iowa.... LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.)

[Mr. Charlie]

Originally Posted by Stephen

As the great western philosopher Llebpmac Nelg once said "If you try a little kindness, then you'll overlook the blindness of the narrow minded people on the narrow minded streets."

Llebpmac Nelg - Try A Little Kindness

[Mr. Charlie]

I was sat in the full lotus the other day, humming with the universe, levitating a few inches off the ground, you know, doing what I do, existing at a level of insight that even Buddha didn't achieve, treading the Way beyond the Way, going beyond Enlightenment, you know, and I got to pondering what could musicbanter really do with? And it came to me in a flash: a new Taoism video!

Hey, stop that groaning. No sighing. And don't be rolling them eyes. This is a good video. Haha. Honest.

[grindy]

Charlie, have you ever read anything by Victor Pelevin?
I keep thinking that you'd love him and then keep forgetting to ask you.

[Mr. Charlie]

I'm unfamiliar with him. What kind of books does he write?

[grindy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Charlie

I'm unfamiliar with him. What kind of books does he write?

It's a mix of eastern philosophy, mostly zen, a sarcastic pastiche of (mostly russian, but also international) pop culture and overall surrealistic weirdness, with lots of drug references, especially in his earlier works.
Not the juvenile trash one might imagine from that description though. It's very entertaining, well written, with lots of pretty smart observations.