Plato: Philosophical Shaman of the West

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.

Plato was a great many things; teacher to Aristotle, student of Socrates, and he is even written about in some remote blog on the edges of the commercially dominated ethosphere some 2400 years later. Plato was influenced by the best philosophy the world had to offer up until this point; Pythagoras, Parmenides, Heraclitus and, Socrates (the 'Wisest Man'). Plato continued their similar lineage. He, in turn, influenced Philosophy for generations. His philosophy is full of mysticism and has a religious aura. This is a beautiful hark back towards our origins and forwards to the Catholic Church. On many things, people still agree with Plato, reality itself is eternal and made up of only that which can be observed with the senses. This last part is illusory and non-permanent. There is a multitude of strangeness as well, as is known to come with such a wild path.

Less agreed upon is his operation of 'the Good' which like reality, is eternal, overshadowing the senses. 'The Good' is like the Oort cloud, existing somewhere just outside our observation. To be good, you must know 'The Good'. While that makes perfect logical sense, Plato states that it is only found through the intellect (if you are lucky enough to be born with such) or moral discipline (if you are a dullard by birth). That does not include that fact that no matter what, you must be constantly educated in order to distill what Plato calls 'wisdom' and 'good' from the everyday phenomenal world. This seems quite difficult for both the common person and the rich, for in our century the common man has not the money, and the rich has not the time. Where could one find the time for such vigorous study for moral aptitude, let alone in the tumultuous era that Plato lived. Most of our society now does not grasp how to be moral (see here, here, or here), and becoming a gentleman is a full time job when cultivating gravity, decorum, and courage. I think this view is a bit extreme. Education in schools is required in tandem with a more natural, outside education involving physical activity and survival (camping). I would never learn how to create a fire in a school classroom, or if I did they probably did not like it all that much.

This leads Plato to discussing 'Utopia', specifically Plato's version (his own form of schoolboy fires). This version is horrific, rigidly censored, and full of practices that humans today find very immoral (ironically). Plato starts by discussing how to treat children. It goes horribly, as you can imagine. You must never show children evil or death, like that in Homeric poetry (doh). If they are eventually to serve, they must not be afraid of death (they must be ignorant of it). True, but inhumane. They must never been shown weakness or vice, no mourning, no weeping. Plato even goes so far as to claim Utopia shouldn't have 'loud laughing' and it therefore should be forbidden. No gratuitous display of emotion is something I totally understand but these reactions are involuntary in social life. They would probably give me shackles on day one, it makes me laugh to think of my more dramatic friends. There is much more that is forbidden, but just these facts outline a Utopia with which we are far too familiar in the political climate of the modern world.

This Utopia of Plato appears to me only as an incubation, a tyrannical cocoon to protect from extreme feelings. To create a dependence on these wide spread lies, a truth that is completely removed from 'Truth'. This wolf in nationalist clothing can be seen in most modern nations; U.S., Russia, China, and North Korea, just to name a few. All they request is you sing the national anthem, conform to societal norms, and teach these 'alternative facts'. It truly disgusts me and stagnates new thought, progressive action, and the very dreams our forefathers had for this great nation.

There are some, admittedly, more communist portions of Utopia. It is most likely that Marx pulled some of his ideas from these very passages. This includes the use of communal goods, training both boys and girls (together), common houses and meal halls, even wives are communal. The last was thought to help free the children of knowledge regarding their parentage thus creating in them unlimited potential. This also allowed for the creation of simple eugenics (the leaders could pick people to mate for specific qualities or attributes). While alone, some of these ideas are great, together they combine into a totalitarian government so complete it would frighten the Nazi's. But, they studied Plato, and it is possible that this idea intrigued them.

They even got rid or poets:

"We must inform [the poet]...the law will not allow them. We shall send him away to another city."

While considered on the Platonic side to be a kindness, it is a bit fantastic to restrict thought so directly. No one would feel it towards this poet in their society. If poets are outlawed, they would be dealt much harsher treatment.

There are many reasons that I don't consider myself a Platonist, but here is the base reason.

'No one is to eat fish, or meat otherwise than roasted.' (Plus no sauces!) 

After the removal of such things, fun is removed. There is a power-gap that is mischievously (or maliciously) filled with communal lies and 'alternative facts'. Grilled meat is far superior than any ideas that Plato outlines in his Utopia.

In conclusion, this Utopia is a great idea. It is well thought out and full of new insight for the developing world. But, it is stuck in the mud with everyone else. The idea that everyone together can create something was bestowed upon his student Aristotle, of him I will speak of next. 

  

Socrates - Wisest Man Around

"All I know is that I know not."

Having only a small amount of information on the historical Socrates, I have used Socrates from 'The Apology' as the most accurate description. 

Socrates is such a mythical character, and if it weren't for his multitude of writings and reviews by his peers he would have his place in the Pantheon of Grecian demi-gods. He was intelligent, without a doubt. He was also described as ugly 'with a crooked nose' usually 'ill-clad and barefoot', a true sage. But his inquiring nature alone is something remarkable, unending and as most viewed bull-headed. 

 Of Athenian origin he traveled abroad to teach the youth of general inquiry. He strangely would take no monetary recompense. This is a direct correlation with the Sophists, whom he despised. He was notorious for asking hard questions. Most of which he didn't know the answer. 

'Who should mend the Ship of State?'

Socrates, in The Apology, is accused as being 'an evil-doer and a curious person, searching into the things under the earth and above the heavens; making the worse appear the better cause, and teaching all this to others'. Sounds like an honorable man to me. His eventual conviction was of 'not worshiping the Gods of the State' and 'inventing new gods and teaching them to the young and corrupting them'. In modern time we would call it a witch hunt.

His first defense is stating that he is not a scientist, for he does not make 'physical speculations'. Thusly, he does not 'search into things under the earth'. He also, as I mentioned earlier, does not take drachma for his teachings. So he states,

'Why am I called wise and have such an evil fame?'

He then goes on to tell a (slightly) fantastic story of his life. This story paints him as a forefather and a hero of philosophy. 

The Oracle of Delphi was once asked if there was a man wiser than Socrates. She said there was not, and left the philosopher puzzled. He was sure that he knew nothing, but even more secure in his belief that a God could not tell a lie. From then on he began his philosophical venture to examine this prophetic truth while hoping to relieve himself of this perceived paradox. 

A politician was first, thought 'wise by many'. After his inquiry into the knowledge of this politician he found the man not to be wise and kindly told him so. The politician was understandably upset and hated Socrates for it. Next he went to a poet and an artisan. He didn't find their intellectual guide to be wisdom but inspiration or 'genius'. You can see how going around and telling people they are not wise could make enemies quickly. After exhausting his efforts he eventually came to a conclusion. 

'All men are wise if they understand that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing.'

This truth he, only unintentionally, spread to the youth. Ideas spread like dragonfire. So, intellectually grasping at straws, his accuser Meletus names him an atheist. Socrates refutes this with explaining his story, that he was in fact lead by a divine spirit (from the Oracle). This spirit supposedly come to him as a 'kind of voice'.

This only lead him to death, of course. As I am sure he saw coming. 

'In another world they do not put a man to death for asking questions.'

More to come!

Empedocles & the Modern Human

Alright, so this is going to go a little bit differently this time. Usually I write these little entries with more of a expository quality to them, but the combination of ideas created in my mind is so fresh that its' want to be written was strong enough to stave off the sands of sleep. I found this comparison to be a useful tool in time of turmoil, such as the one we currently seem to be living nationally, if not globally.

First, facts. But this time instead of facts we are working with ideas. Read further only with a slight suspension of ordinary person biases, and the concrete logistics of the modern world.

There once lived a man in Acragas, a city on the southern coast of the island of Sicily. He was a bright man, and enjoyed both science and politics. This, as it usually did in those days, led to a rival political faction exiling him, starting his life as a wandering sage. He is said to have performed miracles. His mysticism hiding whether by science or magic. I'll let you decided which. He eventually met his end, by choice, inside a volcano. Or so it is said. Nevertheless, in his wanderings he mused and thought. He taught that air was a separate substance by holding a bucket upside down in water, and even extrapolated this to explain respiration.

This man believed in the four elements; earth, air, fire, and water, and that each of these things was everlasting and could be combines in different mixtures to produce the phenomenal world, that which humans observe. This mixtures, 'governed by chance and necessity' (B.Russell; History of Western Philosophy : p.55), were constantly combined and separated by the forces of love and strife. In this cycle, love combined while strife separated.

While I hope a sharpened mind, without bias would find this to be [phenomenologically] outrageous. It is sometimes important in times of great chaos and fear-mongering to allow some belief in what is outrageous.

As cliche and soft as it sounds we must find this love in ourselves to combine, to lose sight of the separating strife and honor this love by finding the similarity. By uniting our common aspirations and spreading this anti-poison to reverse the effects of bigotry and small-minded selfishness.

Seeing the news and observing the act that we put on the worlds stage, I know that we must do it soon if we are going to fulfill the oath of our forefathers and foremothers. To honor our fallen, those who gave everything to fight against subversion and for liberty. We must do this if we are to make a world that our children can, or will want to, live in. A place where all humans are created equal.

So, show love. Even in the most insignificant ways, you can cultivate a combination. Hold doors. Say please and thank you. Use your blinkers. Listen more than talk. Help a neighbor. Look for the similarity, and allow your love to bring the world forward out of chaos and just maybe others will follow.

Anaximander, "The Boundless"

"What is infinite is something other than the elements, and from it the elements arise." 

-Anaximander on arche

Living in Miletus, as a possible student of Thales, Anaximander was the first to deeply study geography as well as his teacher. He also is honored as one of the first metaphysicians in his creation of 'the Boundless' or 'the Unlimited'. This was an entity without origin, it's lack of a limit lead Anaximader to believe it was a thing unborn and immortal. This is a strange and wonderful new idea for the Greeks. 

He also brought forth many ideas in the realm of astronomy;

1. The celestial bodies pass under the earth in full circles.
2. The Earth floats free and unsupported
3. The celestial bodies lie behind one another.

While these ideas are something that one may teach a child, it is all thanks to Anaximander that we even have such a broad view. In his time it was revolutionary. The focus shifts to a cosmological view, an impression that the universe (not just the Earth) is an unbound and impersonal cause. This idea stays in philosophy for generations, spoiler alert, and even is analogous to current Buddhist belief, (see: my previous post).

Anaximader's 'boundless' is revolutionary in that it postulates something outside, something always greater out there, limitless, immortal, and completely unsupported. Not only is it all of these combined, but it also supports everything in turn. This principle reminds me of simultaneously current (quantum) physics and the Christian 'God'.

Anaximander was also the first one to create a sort of map of the world, heavily simplified. You can see that below, bonus points if you can guess what city is closest to the center.

Thoughts:

Is the 'arche', in your mind, immortal? Boundless?

Would you consider Anaximander a founding Metaphysician?

Thales of Miletus, First Scientist/Philosopher

Μέγιστον τόπος· ἅπαντα γὰρ χωρεῖ 

 "Place is the greatest thing, as it contains all things."

-Thales of Miletus 

 

Thales is a great place to start when discussing philosophy in general, for many reasons. He was inquisitive, intelligent, and purposeful and overall Thales is an amazing historical figure. He studied politics, engineering, astronomy, and delved into the very nature (physis) of the phenomenal world. He measured the height of the pyramids in Egypt. He was even the first to describe the world and it's phenomena in purely cosmological terms instead of the commonplace explanation, Gods and Goddesses. 

Aristotle called Thales the first philosopher and the founder of natural philosophy (Metaph. 983 621-622). This may be due to Aristotle's attempt to draw this philosophical lineage to himself. Thales was in search of the archê, the originating principle, which after through investigation he declared to be water. While in current terms this may not seem like much, Thales is marked as the creator of the scientific method and a foundation of our philosophical tradition. 

It is not all glamorous, Thales also reportedly realized the idea of the immortal soul, if you can believe Diogenes the Cynic. Thales also has some amazing quotes attributed to him;

"The past is certain, the future obscure."

"A multitude of words is no proof of a prudent mind."

Points of Thought:

• Is there, in fact, an archê? What is it? Where can you find it?
• Do you agree with this phrase? "What is the divine? That which had no origin and no end."

 

Re-Union

"It's judging things correctly without being able to give a reason. Surely you can see that this is not the same as knowing -- for how could knowledge be unreasoning? And it's not ignorance either -- for how could what hits the truth be ignorance? Correct judgement, of course, has this character: it is in between understanding and ignorance.

-- Diotima in 'Plato's Symposium'

In order to attempt to stimulate my mind and fashion new ideas, I have been researching the Prajñāpāramitā, specifically the Japanese [般若波羅蜜多]. 'The Heart Sutra' focuses explaining one of the most important Buddhist beliefs and one that I hold strongly. It is something that helps my mind to expand, and a way to create more compassion for the ones around us.

"When Avalokiteśvara, deep in meditation, observed the five skandhas
[He/She] saw that the skandhas were all empty of suffering." 

There is a lot of information here, and the Japanese translation only contains a few characters! 

Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion (reincarnated in our lifetime into His Holiness) was deep in meditation on the Diamond Sutra when he came across the five heaps, or skandhas. These skandhas are the phenomenological world as we see it. His Holiness likens them to the strings of String Theory, and the original Buddhists described them as five-fold; form, sensations, perception, mental-activity, consciousness. Avalo is saying that these five phenomena (the building blocks of our world) are void, filled with emptiness. In other words, they do not contain the suffering of the First Noble Truth. 

This, to put it lightly, is something that is remarkable to contemplate today, let alone to state it thousands of years ago. It means, that the First Noble Truth does not apply to the phenomena of the world. It makes the human mind the sole responsible entity, like a lantern fueled by one's thoughts, casting alternately light and shade. They fill the void with this 'energy', though I hesitate to use that word. It reminds me of the American proverb about being grease, instead of sand. Help lubricate (enlighten) situations, instead of causing friction (shade).

This also means that the world is therefore mixed in the mire of intellectual graffiti, one lantern shining alone giving only a specific appearance from a certain vantage point. It will, most assuredly, not be the item as a whole, just as color is hard to discern at night. While you are alone, there is no way to compare aside from two objects directly observed (this one is white, this one is not white, etc). It is as though you are always walking through the forest, flashlight in hand. No matter which way you shine it, there is still darkness around it. So, interacting is the only way to shine two lanterns onto one object of intention and this helps create a clearer picture of what one is trying to discover. What if even more 'lanterns' where to shine upon an object?

"Being in the middle of the two, they round out the whole and bind fast the all to all." - Diotima Symposium 

I will continue to use this in my meditation as often as possible. Light or shade can be cast without differentiation. The only change one can make is by using actions with proper attention and intention. This does not mean that you must at every point shine bright light. Some situations call for more shade, 'They round out the whole and bind fast the all to all.' If it is done to relieve suffering, a Buddhist uses both shade and light.

"Be Kind; Everyone You Meet is Fighting a Hard Battle." - John Watson

I hope this has given you a little to think on, as is my only goal with this humble blog. In conclusion, the 'Heart Sutra' is, in my opinion, the heart of Buddhist literature. It shows, like modern philosophers believe, that the world is inherently empty and void of meaning. However, with proper knowledge of one's own mind, it is a world worth exploring, lantern in hand without judgement. 

'Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate  Bodhi Svaha.' [Gone, gone, gone beyond. Gone totally beyond enlightenment, praise.]

So It Goes

"So it goes." - Kurt Vonnegut Slaughterhouse Five

It has been a full year since my last post. It has flown the flight of a hawk's feathers over a warm air current. 

"What has happened?" One might ask. 

Life happened, and it has been glorious. 

I have had a change of jobs, and while it has seemed it is for the better, it has become a bit stagnant. The mire that all humans trudge through, a world that never quite meets expectation. A life where what you want, is not what you think you want. I am a Key Badge (renewed for another two years), a manager and yet still mostly a budtender. Managing a shop on my own is truly what I love. However, it does not come with the responsibilities I love, such as; understanding and manipulating stock orders, making prices, setting sales, general marketing. It does still include those I thought I was above; cleaning toliets, cleaning up after other people (physically and regarding stock). But, I am never above anything, a brother of the Middle Way. So it goes.

My relationship has blossomed into a beautifully fragrant flower. A lingering scent of progress and affection in the truest variety that fills me with the warmth of a thousand summers. Eep and I have moved in with each other. I was unsure I would ever be able to muster the courage to do more in honor of this love, but I have grown into the role quickly while still allotting time to refresh and reinvigorate myself. Our schedules are a bit awkward though. She, a night nurse, gets home at in the morning at eight thirty. I leave for work at nine. This is a truly short period of time. If you have ever been in love, you know the feeling. I am drawn away from the campfire in the dead of night for watch. I am left wishing with all my heart that there was more. Even given that, it is the best twenty minutes of my day. So it goes.

My life is still full of philosophy. My life-blood, producing something within me that is thought provoking and creative. The use of several different points of view, to paint the vivacity of living. A Wittgenstein-esque logic forming a picture of the world. A picture that is sadly always just moments outdated, and getting older. Still we move on, using these pictures as tools for a future, as reflections of our selves past. I spoke with my father, as I frequently do, regarding the Stoicism of Ancient Greece and Rome. A propensity towards the theory that we share. The Stoic's Truth, a pinball in the great machine of life. Bouncing off experience and event, solace only to be found in one's own mind. Calm and aloof one can see the deterministic world for what it is, unflinchingly out of our control. The skill is explained in many ways; The "Heart of Stone", Yoda, the Buddha's Four Truths, Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, Zen Masters Koans, Jesus of Nazareth's Parables. The theme spans cultures, societies, and time. If you are in control of your mind, the world is beautiful and terrible, and that has never changed, but you can conjure a level head to see past it. It is something I think we lose in modernity. The fast pace reflections of interactions arriving instantly through handheld screens. Prestige syphoned down into a readable number surrounded in red. You will see more images today than your elders saw in a lifetime, and you will only crave for more. So it goes.