What's your philosophy?

[Druweid]

Greetings!

I was wondering, what are some of your own personal philosophies?

And I don't necessarily a scripture or quote that inspires you. More along the lines of something in your own words that expresses what you believe or how you choose to live. 'Course, if a scripture or quote is all you have, then so be it.

Respectfuly,
Druweid

 

[jayem]

Philosphically, I'm a naturalist. I believe everything in the universe is a function of matter, and energy, and their natural properties.

Morally, I suppose I'm humanistic. You said not to post quotes, but Ingersoll stated a fine ethical position in 4 lines:

"Happiness is the only good.

The time to be happy is now.

The place to be happy is here.

The way to be happy is to make others so."

 

[nadroj1985]

Metaphysically, I'm a monist, more or less. With that package comes a denial of concepts like the self, free will, moral responsibility, etc.

However, I'd say that I'm very close to existentialism in a practical sense, with a more Nietzschean bent. I find it very useful to view my life as a project for which I am fully responsible, and to see life as something to be affirmed.

The tricky part is where these two interact.

 

[elman]

I think we exist for the purpose of loving our neighbor. Helping others with their needs. If we do I think we will be more happy than if we don't, but we should live as we are designed to live wheather it makes us more happy or not..

 

[Eudaimonist]

I'm a virtue ethicist that sees personal flourishing as the ultimate good for every individual, and as the meaning of their lives. I see people as "diamonds in the rough" who have a need to mature, and grow in virtue, and self-actualize. I don't see the finality of death as any firm barrier against feeling happy, or fulfilled, or having meaning or purpose in life.

Virtue involves using reason to be aware of the issues that affect one's life, and to learn how to live wisely given those issues, and to develop one's awareness, will, and habits in order to act wisely even when one's momentary desires, emotions, or impulses are tugging one in unwise directions. The good life is a rational and wise life.

I'm perhaps a little unusual as a metaphysical naturalist, since I think that human beings really do have a limited form of free will.

I view self-esteem as an important spiritual need. (I often use the word "spiritual" in a non-supernatural sense.)

There's much more that I could say, but I'll leave it at this for now.

 

[Abbadon]

A short version of my philosophy: Screw it all, I'm going to die anyway, so I might as well enjoy myself now. I must use moderation, or I will suffer more than if I hadn't enjoyed myself at all. I don't know what happens after I die, or if there is a God. I choose to believe, so really there's even less reason to fret about life: if it's not the end, I don't need to worry about some little things.

And white gentiles gentiles shouldn't be allowed to grow afros, even if they think they are capable of doing so. Mullets should only be worn by the lower socio-economic classes, which we must eliminate along with the upper socio-economic classes in favor of fairness and everyone having the capacity to enjoy themselves (whether they use it or not).

And David Bowie, no matter what else he does (or doesn't) with his music or acting careers, is at least "all right" for kicking muppets in Labyrinth.

 

[Brimshack]

I often wonder at the notion that one has, or ought to have a philosophy. It would seems to confuse intellectual work with a fashion statement.

 

[Abbadon]

I often wonder at the notion that one has, or ought to have a philosophy. It would seems to confuse intellectual work with a fashion statement.

Ever see an irishman with an afro? It looks like Bozo the clown, I'm telling you! I'm particularly fashion-centric (actually, I'm just happy as long as people are wearing clothes), but it's sort of like "do or do not, there is no try."

As for mullets, it because I don't give a hoot otherwise about fashion that I avoid the mullet at all costs: I'm middle class, everyone else already associates the mullet with rednecks, and it's easier for me to get by without everyone hassling me for supposedly owning a confederate flag, despite the fact that I despise those stars and bars almost as much as the swastika.

And the David Bowie bit was a joke. I do consider him at least "all right" for those reasons, but it was a joke.

 

[Brimshack]

What do you have against Thin Lizzy?

 

[Moros]

I do not follow philosophical lines of definition, nor do I actively try to model my worldview based on said defintions, but my personality and attitude contain elements of the following:

Hedonism
Misanthropy
Moral subjectivism
Existentialism
Apathy
Nihilism

 

[Kaonashi]

I tend to follow a blend of Stoicism and Cynicism.

 

[FSTDT]

I dont know how to put my personal philosophies into a single statement, so here's a list instead:

Metaphysics: Scientific Materialist. That means everything that we observe in the universe is reducable down to the laws of physics, compliant with the accepted axioms of science, valid within the laws of inference. I'm down with the science.

Morality: Preference utilitarian. This is a kind of utilitarianism that takes into account physical pain and suffering, but also considers the satisfaction and frustration of the preferences a person has (i.e. things that people seek to obtain or avoid) as morally relevant.

Politics: A weird cross between Libertarian and Green. Basically, my moral values compell me to be socially very liberal, but economically I'm favor free market and free trade unless there are moral reasons that compell me otherwise.

Aesthetics: Cultural neaderthal.

 

[Druweid]

I dont know how to put my personal philosophies into a single statement, so here's a list instead...

Now this is exactly what inspired me to ask. I've known so many people who seemed like they could sum up their personal philosopies in a short sentence or two. And yet, I can't always seem to pin myself down. I can be very pragmatic, but also am an idealist. Am Panentheistic, but also Agnostic. And a Relativist overall. All in all, I'm still trying to understand how it all fits in.

Aesthetics: Cultural neaderthal.

Oh! Aesthetics? I am the poster boy for "Don't Drink and Dress."

Regards,
Druweid

 

[depthdeception]

Metaphysically, I'm a monist, more or less. With that package comes a denial of concepts like the self, free will, moral responsibility, etc.

However, I'd say that I'm very close to existentialism in a practical sense, with a more Nietzschean bent. I find it very useful to view my life as a project for which I am fully responsible, and to see life as something to be affirmed.

The tricky part is where these two interact.

Yes indeed.

 

[Latreia]

Mine is very complex, but I can be brief. Actually, the source of the simplest way to describe mine comes from when I took a course to qualify for a job as a real estate agent. The course was quite an ethical idea of the field, actually, and one of those things, about the way to approach the sale of a property, was to choose the best and highest use for that site or property.

That struck a chord within me, "Choose the highest and best use" seems to me to be a very good ruler to measure my own actions and intentions in life. And I tend to admire those who also seem to reach for that ideal, no matter who or where they may be. The word, "use", in that phrase can mean application, or observation, or devotion. It also has to do with an idea of personal honor.

 

[meebs]

Greetings!

I was wondering, what are some of your own personal philosophies?

And I don't necessarily a scripture or quote that inspires you. More along the lines of something in your own words that expresses what you believe or how you choose to live. 'Course, if a scripture or quote is all you have, then so be it.

Respectfuly,
Druweid

ooh! this is hard! well its hard to describe, but in a nutshell:

Enjoy life but not at the expense of others. Treat other people with respect whether you like them or not and also help people when they need it.

i also like to see balance in life too. well i try - i dont always follow it but id love to acheive balance in all things. Like there is time for agressive activities and a time for relaxing, a time for work and a time for play - time for others and time for me (which will be harder when i have kids) .

i must seem crazy to other people.


Oh - i didnt say - im a realist. To me a tree is a tree, it has certain qualitites that makes it a tree (ie - its Xylem, leaves, its roots). but in the end it is simply a tree (ie it has no soul or special qualities that make it more than a tree).. You know what i mean? I told you its hard to explain.

 

[Moros]

Philosphically, I'm a naturalist. I believe everything in the universe is a function of matter, and energy, and their natural properties.

Morally, I suppose I'm humanistic. You said not to post quotes, but Ingersoll stated a fine ethical position in 4 lines:

"Happiness is the only good.

The time to be happy is now.

The place to be happy is here.

The way to be happy is to make others so."

I agree wholeheartedly with the first two but not the second.

 

[Multi-Elis]

I might have to modify it as I think a little more about it:

I pretty much accept the post modern view of the world and in some ways of truth, yet believe that in the end what is important is the sense that humans make of the world. In this way I differ strongly from the post modernists.

Center. In politics or what ever, I always see both sides. Yet I usually tend to sympathize with one of the sides. (Usually leftists--looking after your fellow homo-sapients-sapients as a declared policy)

Metaphysics: I have experienced and found logical reason to believe in a being called God, who is Love. For me God by definition Love. Any oppression, or fear or judgementalism can't come from Him. I have read evidence for there being a Jesus, though I don't know in what other forms He can appear to non-christians. He seems to be the person who shows the way to Love (to God). THe people who have provided me with this evidence seem to point to the purpose in life being to learn to love. I accept this.

Morality: I can't decide if what is moral is what doens't harm others, if it is what doesn't harm anybody, or if it is simply any act of love. I think that each situation is specific and the morally right thing to do is specific to the situation.
Some situations are so bad that both options are bad ones.
Even if I think that morality in the strictest sense means not harming anyone, I FEEL that morality in the larger sense means looking after your fellow homo-sapients-sapients.

Truth: It seems to me that our way of talking about, relating to and understanding the truth and the world, is very limitated. I have know idea how much of what we believe and claim as true is just metaphore, true as the metaphore may be.

Art: is the language of the soul. It is more than just showing in a new way that which already exists, inventing something creative and new, or amazing craftsmanship. All good art will, on some unconsious level, "speak" to people. It's worthless to humans if it only "speaks" to aliens. (I dreampt about that) Because of changes in perception, culture, conventions, etc, art tends to loose or gain its meaningfullness. That is why there needs to be a constant renewal.

Happiness is an attitude, not a state of having everything you want or the possibility to have everything you want. Yet evidence suggests that certain basic principles help make people statistically more happy--human rights for example. Joy is a higher goal to attain, and it comes from loving.

The attitude is more important than the final result. Humans are an end, not a means. This makes it difficult for me to condemn certain people--because I believe that somewhere they had the right attitude, maybe just not the knowlege or awaremess to act upon it correctly.

 

[Eudaimonist]

I agree wholeheartedly with the first two but not the second.

I agreed with the first three, but not the last.

The last is contradictory, anyway. How can one be made happy if making other people happy is the way to be happy oneself?

While I agree that helping to pick up someone else's mood is one way to pick up one's own mood, there are plenty of other ways one can achieve that goal. It's not like we are totally dependent on making other people happy to be happy ourselves.

 

[gwenmead]

Hmm. I probably have some conflicting philosophies I live by. But a few are:

Get real. Look around at what is and work with that. No faking. No lying. No deception. I guess I have a pragmatic streak. Maybe because I don't have time for BS.

Minimize harm. Good philosophy for relating to other living beings. Works fine for me, anyway. A guideline for relating to people, animals, and the environment, at least as much as possible.

Moderation is good. Extremism bad, moderation good!

Life is short. Do what you can to enjoy it. I believe in having a happy and pleasureable life, as much as possible. Lame stuff happens, yeah, it's part of life (see "Get real"). Good stuff happens too tho', and I'm not one to deny good stuff to myself or others.

I also think it's really important not to spend (waste?) your life living according to everyone else's wishes and desires. I.e., I have no intention of structuring my life the way other people think I "should" be structuring it. Life is too short to be the vessel for someone else's dreams.

I don't know if those count as philosophies, but they're some things I live by anyway.