Unome
06-17-2014, 06:20 AM
This thread is inspired by Raine's (Atlantic_Islander?) recent posting: here (http://www.theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?130194-Teacher-30-told-the-mole-on-his-back-was-nothing-to-worry-about-is-dying-from-more-than-50-tumours).
Raine, pay attention, this is how a proper thread should be written instead of copy+paste, copy+paste, copy+paste, using your own ideas/thoughts/words instead of others…
HOW THE TRUE PHILOSOPHER PRACTICES FOR DEATH (FROM THE PHAEDO)
SOCRATES: Never mind him, said Socrates. Now for you, my jury. I want to explain to you how it seems to me natural that a man who has really devoted his life to philosophy should be cheerful in the face of death, and confident of finding the greatest blessing in the next world when his life is finished. I will try to make clear to you, Simmias and Cebes, how this can be so.
Ordinary people seem not to realize that those who really apply themselves in the right way to philosophy are directly and of their own accord preparing themselves for dying and death. If this is true, and they have actually been looking forward to death all their lives, it would of course be absurd to be troubled when the thing comes for which they have so long been preparing and looking forward.
SIMMIAS: Simmias laughed and said, Upon my word, Socrates, you have made me laugh, though I was not at all in the mood for it. I am sure that if they heard what you said, most people would think--and our fellow countrymen would heartily agree--that it was a very good hit at the philosophers to say that they are half dead already, and that they, the normal people, are quite aware that death would serve the philosophers right.
SOCRATES: And they would be quite correct, Simmias--except in thinking that they are 'quite aware.' They are not at all aware in what sense true philosophers are half dead, or in what sense they deserve death, or what sort of death they deserve. But let us dismiss them and talk among ourselves. Do we believe that there is such a thing as death?
SIMMIAS: Most certainly, said Simmias, taking up the role of answering.
SOCRATES: Is it simply the release of the soul from the body? Is death nothing more or less than this, the separate condition of the body by itself when it is released from the soul, and the separate condition by itself of the soul when released from the body? Is death anything else than this?
SIMMIAS: No, just that.
SOCRATES: Well then, my boy, see whether you agree with me. I fancy that this will help us to find out the answer to our problem. Do you think that it is right for a philosopher to concern himself with the so-called pleasures connected with food and drink?
SIMMIAS: Certainly not, Socrates, said Simmias.
SOCRATES: What about sexual pleasures?
SIMMIAS: No, not at all.
SOCRATES: And what about the other attentions that we pay to our bodies? Do you think that a philosopher attaches any importance to them? I mean things like providing himself with smart clothes and shoes and other bodily ornaments; do you think that he values them or despises them--in so far as there is no real necessity for him to go in for that sort of thing?
SIMMIAS: I think the true philosopher despises them, he said.
SOCRATES: Then it is your opinion in general that a man of this kind is not concerned with the body, but keeps his attention directed as much as he can away from it and toward the soul?
SIMMIAS: Yes, it is.
SOCRATES: So it is clear first of all in the case of physical pleasures that the philosopher frees his soul from association with the body, so far as is possible, to a greater extent than other men?
SIMMIAS: It seems so.
SOCRATES: And most people think, do they not, Simmias, that a man who finds no pleasure and takes no part in these things does not deserve to live, and that anyone who thinks nothing of physical pleasures has one foot in the grave?
SIMMIAS: That is perfectly true (Phaedo 63e-65a).
http://www.mesacc.edu/~davpy35701/text/plato-true-phi-er.html
Plato (channeling 'Socrates') famously wrote that a Philosopher prepares his whole life for death. This claim makes perfect sense in conjunction with another famous quote from Plato, "The unexamined life is not worth living." These two claims, taken together, could and would lead potential thinkers onto many deep insights concerning reality, life, death, and any spiritual notion of an "afterlife". However there is some immediate, practical worth to glean here.
Consider Raine's most recent copy+paste article, a man missed being diagnosed with Cancer. So instead of prevention and treatment, he developed the case of most severe cancer that leads to a guaranteed death sentence. And this idea of a death sentence is most apt and relevant to philosophy. Because… for a "common man", or woman, these people neither think of nor consider death in daily life and activities. There are many reasons behind this truth (which will save for another day). People generally avoid thinking of death; because seriously thinking about it leads to emotions of fear and other 'negativity'. People generally keep these "negative" thoughts & feelings to themselves. And such things are not talked about in publik.
However Cancer is different, along with many other medical diagnoses and symptoms. Some people are given that death sentence by a doctor. And people generally trust doctors in this without doubt or second-thought. If your doctor tells you that you will die… then you will die. And it is not until this death sentence is passed (could be passed by the gallows for a crime committed as well) that the commoner suddenly lights that fire of philosophical foresight and vision. You finally realize:
"I will die, and soon."
But this realization is all too familiar with the "philosophical" mindset as quoted above. Those who are deep thinkers, probably "far too serious", philosophers, etc. have already considered this fact and attempted to come to terms with it, if only barely. Yes it's true that all life will die; death balances life and vice-versa. That what lives, dies. And that what dies, lives again. These reflect biological, natural laws.
However the point of this message is as follows (TLDR version):
Most people do not encounter such a death sentence in life until death approaches very soon. Maybe your doctor passes the sentence. Or maybe a criminal judge passes the sentence. But it is most rare that you pass the sentence upon yourself first, far in advance. And you have not! Unless you are a philosopher… you have not truly accepted the idea that "I will die, and soon." Because if a large portion of the human population did accept this… then what would be the consequences? People would live as-if it were your final days. Because who knows when death approaches? Today could be your last… maybe you have 100 years remaining, maybe 100 seconds. Can you see Death coming?
To pass the sentence upon yourself, to truly understand and realize this, is the philosophical endeavor with a history of over MM years.
Because once you do pass the sentence upon yourself, as rare as it maybe, is to enter the philosophical arena of thinkers. You will die, as all life dies. But now you finally begin to understand it… is there an afterlife or not??? Do you receive some mystical, spiritual "second chance"? And how much time does an individual have? And what is the true worth and value of this limited time?
Do you value it? Did you ever even begin to think about it?
Raine, pay attention, this is how a proper thread should be written instead of copy+paste, copy+paste, copy+paste, using your own ideas/thoughts/words instead of others…
HOW THE TRUE PHILOSOPHER PRACTICES FOR DEATH (FROM THE PHAEDO)
SOCRATES: Never mind him, said Socrates. Now for you, my jury. I want to explain to you how it seems to me natural that a man who has really devoted his life to philosophy should be cheerful in the face of death, and confident of finding the greatest blessing in the next world when his life is finished. I will try to make clear to you, Simmias and Cebes, how this can be so.
Ordinary people seem not to realize that those who really apply themselves in the right way to philosophy are directly and of their own accord preparing themselves for dying and death. If this is true, and they have actually been looking forward to death all their lives, it would of course be absurd to be troubled when the thing comes for which they have so long been preparing and looking forward.
SIMMIAS: Simmias laughed and said, Upon my word, Socrates, you have made me laugh, though I was not at all in the mood for it. I am sure that if they heard what you said, most people would think--and our fellow countrymen would heartily agree--that it was a very good hit at the philosophers to say that they are half dead already, and that they, the normal people, are quite aware that death would serve the philosophers right.
SOCRATES: And they would be quite correct, Simmias--except in thinking that they are 'quite aware.' They are not at all aware in what sense true philosophers are half dead, or in what sense they deserve death, or what sort of death they deserve. But let us dismiss them and talk among ourselves. Do we believe that there is such a thing as death?
SIMMIAS: Most certainly, said Simmias, taking up the role of answering.
SOCRATES: Is it simply the release of the soul from the body? Is death nothing more or less than this, the separate condition of the body by itself when it is released from the soul, and the separate condition by itself of the soul when released from the body? Is death anything else than this?
SIMMIAS: No, just that.
SOCRATES: Well then, my boy, see whether you agree with me. I fancy that this will help us to find out the answer to our problem. Do you think that it is right for a philosopher to concern himself with the so-called pleasures connected with food and drink?
SIMMIAS: Certainly not, Socrates, said Simmias.
SOCRATES: What about sexual pleasures?
SIMMIAS: No, not at all.
SOCRATES: And what about the other attentions that we pay to our bodies? Do you think that a philosopher attaches any importance to them? I mean things like providing himself with smart clothes and shoes and other bodily ornaments; do you think that he values them or despises them--in so far as there is no real necessity for him to go in for that sort of thing?
SIMMIAS: I think the true philosopher despises them, he said.
SOCRATES: Then it is your opinion in general that a man of this kind is not concerned with the body, but keeps his attention directed as much as he can away from it and toward the soul?
SIMMIAS: Yes, it is.
SOCRATES: So it is clear first of all in the case of physical pleasures that the philosopher frees his soul from association with the body, so far as is possible, to a greater extent than other men?
SIMMIAS: It seems so.
SOCRATES: And most people think, do they not, Simmias, that a man who finds no pleasure and takes no part in these things does not deserve to live, and that anyone who thinks nothing of physical pleasures has one foot in the grave?
SIMMIAS: That is perfectly true (Phaedo 63e-65a).
http://www.mesacc.edu/~davpy35701/text/plato-true-phi-er.html
Plato (channeling 'Socrates') famously wrote that a Philosopher prepares his whole life for death. This claim makes perfect sense in conjunction with another famous quote from Plato, "The unexamined life is not worth living." These two claims, taken together, could and would lead potential thinkers onto many deep insights concerning reality, life, death, and any spiritual notion of an "afterlife". However there is some immediate, practical worth to glean here.
Consider Raine's most recent copy+paste article, a man missed being diagnosed with Cancer. So instead of prevention and treatment, he developed the case of most severe cancer that leads to a guaranteed death sentence. And this idea of a death sentence is most apt and relevant to philosophy. Because… for a "common man", or woman, these people neither think of nor consider death in daily life and activities. There are many reasons behind this truth (which will save for another day). People generally avoid thinking of death; because seriously thinking about it leads to emotions of fear and other 'negativity'. People generally keep these "negative" thoughts & feelings to themselves. And such things are not talked about in publik.
However Cancer is different, along with many other medical diagnoses and symptoms. Some people are given that death sentence by a doctor. And people generally trust doctors in this without doubt or second-thought. If your doctor tells you that you will die… then you will die. And it is not until this death sentence is passed (could be passed by the gallows for a crime committed as well) that the commoner suddenly lights that fire of philosophical foresight and vision. You finally realize:
"I will die, and soon."
But this realization is all too familiar with the "philosophical" mindset as quoted above. Those who are deep thinkers, probably "far too serious", philosophers, etc. have already considered this fact and attempted to come to terms with it, if only barely. Yes it's true that all life will die; death balances life and vice-versa. That what lives, dies. And that what dies, lives again. These reflect biological, natural laws.
However the point of this message is as follows (TLDR version):
Most people do not encounter such a death sentence in life until death approaches very soon. Maybe your doctor passes the sentence. Or maybe a criminal judge passes the sentence. But it is most rare that you pass the sentence upon yourself first, far in advance. And you have not! Unless you are a philosopher… you have not truly accepted the idea that "I will die, and soon." Because if a large portion of the human population did accept this… then what would be the consequences? People would live as-if it were your final days. Because who knows when death approaches? Today could be your last… maybe you have 100 years remaining, maybe 100 seconds. Can you see Death coming?
To pass the sentence upon yourself, to truly understand and realize this, is the philosophical endeavor with a history of over MM years.
Because once you do pass the sentence upon yourself, as rare as it maybe, is to enter the philosophical arena of thinkers. You will die, as all life dies. But now you finally begin to understand it… is there an afterlife or not??? Do you receive some mystical, spiritual "second chance"? And how much time does an individual have? And what is the true worth and value of this limited time?
Do you value it? Did you ever even begin to think about it?