No Exit

Taking the Leap.....

2009-01-21T21:48:00.002-05:00

Kierkegaard and the leap of faith. Having racked my brain previously on Kantian ethics, it is only fair that I now discuss Kierkegaard's view. It is a painless ride, I promise.

Unlike Kant, Kierkegaard felt that ethics do depend an awful lot on what society says. According to Kierkegaard, the first part of ethics is following societal mores in a conscientious manner.

For example, if society states that drinking to excess is morally wrong, then it is morally wrong to drink too much. On the other hand, if society says that killing your son is a must in order to prevent a war or some other deed, then that action is morally right as well.

The main part is to be sure that you respond to every situation with awareness. We can all just let life happen around us and simply respond immediately to the stimulus or we can make a commitment to be ethical beings.

The key points are:

To chose inwardly and seriously
Believe that our actions for both good and evil have a truth value
Act in accordance with rules that are seen as universal to all moral agents (see above)

With that being said, there is a second ethics (if you will) that supersedes the first. This is God's will. God's will goes above societal ethics.

To illustrate, if God commands you to sacrifice your son that would break a societal norm (currently). In this case, Kierkegaard would say that we will have a “teleological suspension of the ethical”

And dear friends, as far as thinking goes, that is it for Kierkegaard's ethics. The rest he states we cannot know and must take a leap of faith.

His reasoning is thus...God told me to do this deed. No one in society can tell me if I am being rational or if I have lost my marbles. Since no one can tell me, I must take a leap of faith and simply believe it to be the truth...

And there you have it!

1...2...3... JUMP!

I just Kant..

2009-01-21T18:55:00.003-05:00

OK, it's Wednesday and I am thinking of deontological ethics. How can I not? So naturally, my mind returns to Kant. The problematic categorical imperative. Sigh. Where to start?

So, I am breaking it down now and I am going to do it in simple terms. Hearkening back to Hume's beliefs that Philosophical ideas should be made easy to understand. So here goes- with minimal jargon and a tight grip on my reality of choice.

There are two imperatives: hypothetical and categorical.

A hypothetical imperative is an action driven by circumstances. Example: If I want to get drunk, I must first drink the Pinot Noir* * you can insert your own fermented beverage of choice, of course.

A categorical imperative is an absolute, unconditional requirement that remains unchanged regardless of the circumstances. Example: well, uh, gee... that's the tricky part, isn't it? Kant summarized it as follows:

"Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law."

I, in good faith, can see that the universal demand that everyone who wishes to become inebriated must drink Pinot Noir has its faults. First, it would leave little of the stuff for me. And I am rather fond of it..but I digress.

Hold on to your hats, ladies and gentleman, the ride is about to get bumpy.

A hypothetical imperative will let me know what I need to do to achieve my desired outcome. I want to get drunk and hold onto the floor? I better have a couple glasses of wine.

Now, this decision does not tell me anything about the morality of my action. It just tells me how to reach my desired outcome. In this case, lovingly holding the toilet while setting on cold tiles. Is my action morally right?

According to Kant, the outcome of the action and any “good” that it may bring (reduction in stress and over thinking) to me or anyone else, is not relative. It doesn't matter at all in a moral sense. We cannot look at the outcome of my drinking to excess to state if the action is morally right or wrong.

No kiddies. In order to discover the morality of my action I must use pure practical reason (and I promised a jargon free explanation?).

Pure practical reason simply put means that it is not coming from my senses, the environment, any idea or hope of the outcome, my desires, my point in time, ext. taking out all subjectivity and leaving just the mind.

Oh no, with Kant morals are universal and objectively true. It doesn't matter that I think drinking is morally right, because the wine is chilled just so...

So, just how do we tell if my drinking of the wine is morally right or not?

The only way to judge the morality of this situation is to ensure that I am rationally expressing a good will and acting in recognition of a moral duty. We have to assume that I also have a free will (look I said I was keeping this simple- and Kant thought we do have a limited free will, so just go with it)

OK so my action has to be carried out with a sense of moral duty in order to be moral. By why, Lorrie, why?

Well, because being human, we tend to be slightly subjective. Being as such, it is natural to assume at times that what is best is what is best for US at that time.....

OK- but what is this maxim? What is the duty? And if it is consistent with the duty- does it count?

NO! This is Kant for crying out loud. It is not enough to be consistent with the duty! Remember, it must be carried out with the will. It must be carried out BECAUSE of the duty and nothing else.

The ends do not justify the means...

Now the maxims... (Deep Breath)

“Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. “

OK. Universal law? (Lorrie scratches her head and looks dazed) No cheating now! Remember that our particular outcome does not matter. What does matter is that we cannot have a maxim that contradicts itself. So I cannot will A and ~A at the same time. That is using reason alone

Quick illustration. Lets change examples. I have drank all of the Ponit Noir. The wine rack is empty. I am broke. It is Wednesday, I still have two days before I get paid. I am stressed and thinking way too much. I need money badly. My husband's wallet sets innocently enough on the table. I could just take the twenty dollars and not mention it to him. Right? (OK so it's cheap wine, better than nothing!) Right? According to this maxim is my action moral?

NO! It is a contradiction. If I universally will the stealing of money, then money would come to have no meaning at all. It would lose its value, wouldn't it? Money presupposes ownership but if everyone can steal money universally, the money itself would lose its meaning. Therefore, according to this first maxim- stealing would be morally wrong.

Maxim 2

Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means to an end.

We all know what this means, right? We should always see people as having free will and as such they can never be a means to some other end. This would be a violation of the categorical imperative. If we want the good for ourselves, we must be willing to extend this to all others universally. This cannot be our will if we are using someone.

Example, Slavery. If someone “owns” another human being, then he/she is denying the liberty of all people. All of our wills are free or the first maxim (or the entire categorical imperative) inherently contradicts itself.

Last one..I promise.
Therefore, every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends.

OK this one is easy. All Kant is saying here is that we cannot live by maxims that we cannot universalize. We cannot will something universally that would cause an unnatural or unstable state of being.

So, you made it this far! Congrats! My apologies if I skipped a step or two but I think I have made it clear.

If not- you can try out Kant yourself. Here is his argument against theft:

“Kant argued that any action taken against another person to which he or she could not possibly consent is a violation of perfect duty interpreted through the second formulation. If a thief were to steal a book from an unknowing victim, it may have been that the victim would have agreed, had the thief simply asked. However, no person can consent to theft, because the presence of consent would mean that the transfer was not a theft. Since the victim could not have consented to the action, it could not be instituted as a universal law of nature, and theft contradicts perfect duty. “

AHHHHH cold red wine....just right!

True..Sad..but...True

2008-12-11T21:37:00.002-05:00

Very interesting question...any ideas? Right now, I work at an insurance company, just happy to have a job...I would have answered this one with something like, Ummm a think tank in DC? Ah younger days... actually what I would have answered back in college to this one would be, would you like fries with that?

Christmas

2008-12-10T20:39:00.002-05:00

OK, so Christmas is coming too soon. I have done no shopping yet. I don't like shopping. It's true, I really despise it. I must say that I enjoy shopping at book stores- but everything else, well, to me it is a waste of time. So anyway, I am not asking for anything for Christmas this year. No military history books, no magazines subscriptions, nothing. I am sure I will get loads of stuff and perhaps I am being a scrooge. I don't know. I am not ready for Christmas- but it is going to be here soon so Friday I will start shopping. Say a prayer for me in the religion of your choice- it can't hurt after all. In the mean time, enjoy this video from J.C. Pennys.

AT&T Commercial Parody

2008-11-23T08:52:00.000-05:00

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Ahhh Away too long..Happy Alex Bashing

2008-11-11T21:15:00.001-05:00

Ok People, I have been away for awhile. I had to do some business travel. But I am happy to say that while I was away there have been some wonderful videos on YouTube posted by my usual favorite, 911Truthteller. I love this guy's videos! Alex Jones deserves this constant mocking. It is not just that he is unstable, it is that he exploits others by provoking their fears. Would someone please just sit down with this man and clue him in on the fact that without our military he would not have the right to spew forth his vulgar insanity daily? He would have no right to collect money from all of his sheeple to support his family? Well, thanks to the Military for giving the freedom to continually mock him and support others who do so as well.

Fuzzy Logic

2008-09-29T11:22:00.003-04:00

This has got to be what it is like to question things with certain people at times. I just love it! Happy Monday jokes..

"l'enfer, c'est les autres”

2008-09-28T12:00:00.002-04:00

In Sartre's 1944 play, No Exit, we are introduced to three people (four including the valet, who is not an essential character) two women and a man, who find themselves in a hotel room with no windows, no mirrors, and only one door. As it turns out all three characters are actually in Hell. As they are wondering what tortures await them they have time to reflect on their sins, desires, and hurtful memories. You know the main suspects of course, cowardice, callousness, manipulation, deceit, and murder. Actually, as it turns out, the only torture that the characters receive is from each other. They must prove their rightness to themselves as well as to each other. Great pain is taken in this effort. For example, consider their desires:

Garcin -attempts to prove his manliness by having Estelle fall in love with him. Because surely she can make him feel like a REAL man. However, he realizes that he needs Ines to truly alleviate his feelings of wickedness and cowardice because she truly understands these conceptions- or at least he believes this to be the case.

Ines- constantly manipulates the other two characters' opinions of themselves as well as of each other. Constantly playing the game but owning up to her wickedness at least.

Estelle- attempts to gain the affection of Garcin in an attempt to define herself through a man as this is all she has ever known.

And hence the eternal struggle continues for all. At the end of the play, the door is actually opened and the characters are therefore provided with the option of leaving. None do.
Sure you can argue that it is the fear of the unknown that keeps them all inside that room. More content to struggle blindly with themselves and each other instead of risking the awfulness of freedom and all it entails.
Think about that. None of the characters leave. Is that not somewhat like our normal daily lives? Isn't the door standing open for us all? Yet, we stay. Reliving our own sins. Having others stoke the fire as we stir the pot....
Hell is other people, indeed.

Existentialism & Lost Friends

2008-09-28T10:10:00.006-04:00

What is the Existentialism movement all about anyway?
1. Action
2. Freedom
3. Decision
4. Personal Responsibility

What are some of the beliefs of the Existentialist movement?
1. Existence precedes Essence (this is a fancy way to just say that we are not “born” with our attitudes. Rather the experiences that we have on our paths throughout our lives determine who we are and who we are constantly becoming).
2. That there are no absolutes in morality or ethics. A thing is judged either good or bad based solely on our own conceptions and not on any particular deity, authority, or society
3. We often try to escape the absurdity of life and the concept of death by using reason. Reasoning allows us to “escape” the personal elements and our anxiety
4. Having complete freewill is not without some despair as decisions can often be hard to make and the responsibility of the consequences high.
5. The most individual freedom for the people in a society is encouraged.

So, clearly this is an attractive Philosophy to embrace although there are many legitimate criticism. One being that the philosophy denies all metaphysical absolutes but at the same time, embraces a metaphysical absolute itself. You know what I mean. The fact that there is no good or bad without thinking making it so. Is that an absolute? Anyway, the point of this posting is twofold. 1. Tony, you will debate this, I am sure of it and in my geeky way that will be the most fun for me. We do so love to debate. Where have you been? I am worried about you. Not lost in Seattle are you? 2. To give me an excuse to post this Waking Life clip..

Meet the 911 "Truth" Movement

2008-09-16T22:28:00.003-04:00

Ok- with much thanks to many people on You Tube who are defending the truth, like me, I present the following 9-11 "truther" movement materials. Soon, when I am not to lazy, I will post the links to all of the actual REAL reports on the 911 investigations from actual scientists. And now for your viewing pleasure..

From RKOwens4

and from Orwellsspectre

And last of all for tonight, from CSPANJUNKIEdotORG

Gas Lines, Any One?

2008-09-14T10:53:00.004-04:00

This is what every single gas station that I passed looked like on the way home from work on Friday. What is up with this? Today, all stations in my area are out of Regular petro. Not only that, but the prices increased a dollar! Lucky for me, I didn't need petro at the time. But, seriously, what is the deal? Yes, I know there was a Hurricane in TX but we import our petro, so again, what is the deal? Did I miss some kind of memo that went out on this? I also know that Venezuela made our Diplomat leave- but what are the chances that they will suddenly stop selling us petro? I think those chances are very small. They won't give up their cash cow. So- end the nonsense already!

Just Wondering

2008-09-14T01:48:00.002-04:00

So, this isn't earth shattering or anything but I have a secret. You know one of those secrets that kind of drive you crazy only because you can't tell anyone. How do you deal with that anyway? When every ounce of your being wants to say it to be able to spill it to the first sympathetic ear.
Would you post it on one of those anonymous confessions sites? Like this one?
http://www.experienceproject.com/
Or just shut up, put on your big girl britches and deal with it?
As for me, I think I will go post it..wish me luck.

Hot Off The Wire- Ten Greatest Moments from TVs Greatest Most Underated Series

2008-09-13T14:04:00.009-04:00

The Wire is my favorite television series. In my opinion, there is no other show that comes remotely close to depicting real life situations in a particular city as well. If you have never seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it now! Don’t be put off by the fact that the story takes its time in the telling or that there are several characters and mini plots throughout. This all gives the show its authenticity. Many Baltimoreans swear to the shows reality. It has even been reported that the murder rate in Baltimore dropped significantly on airing nights as all the dealers were watching the show! I can’t swear to the truth of that but I know that I stayed at home glued to the television and would not turn it off even if Jonny Depp was standing naked in front of me armed with a whip and chocolates.

Seriously, the time that you spend in watching the show will be time very well spent. I can’t lie and say that the show is happy or that it ends well but I can say that the show is realistic and ends as how you would expect. So, what are you waiting for? Go rent it now!

And now without further ado..Hot Off the Wire.

10. Season One- Playing Chess

I especially like this clip as it foreshadows the entire series up until the very end. It is especially telling that D’Angelo should be the one who is teaching Bodie how to play the game. As Omar said later, “it’s all in the game!” Honestly though, all foreshadowing aside, how many times have you seen gangstas pursuing such intellectual pastimes?
Check Mate, Stringer Bell, you Beotch!

09. Bodies Final Moments

Of all the characters from the show, Bodie represented Baltimore the most to me. Bodi really thought that as long as he played by the rules everything would work out ok. Poor Bodi- the game changed. Truly the life of the solider/pawn.

08. Sen. Clay Davis

You know it and I know it. Clay Davis, just looking out for his community. Yeah right! You just gotta love the way he talks! Shiiiiiiittttttt.

07. All Due Respect

Here it is- Colvin's speech on legalizing drugs in order to free up the police to be more proactive in other areas. This has got to be one of the best speeches made for TV

06. Cutty, Avon, Slim Charles

He can't do it no more folks. Whatever Avon has in his Soul that allows him to kill and keep killing, Cutty wants no part of anymore. But that doesn't make him less of a man as Avon reminds Slim. You go, Cutty! One of the redeeming characters in the show.

05. Farewell to Baltimore

The ending scene of the finial series of The Wire. This really is a great montage of the Baltimore area. The creators of the show don't let us down as they are quick to point out the direction that all of the characters lives are going..much the same, much the same.

04. "That was for Joe."

Just call me nostalgic. It is sadistic that I enjoyed this one as much as I did. Old school, hun!

03. Bubbles Distraught over Sherrod's Death

This is one of those great examples of shared humanity. Bubbles punishing himself for his negligence and the authorities recognizing that they can't do anything worse to him than what he is doing to himself. Although, Bubbles is an addict, he is one those characters that you really care about and understand. Bubbles, the one happy ending!

02. Omar and Mouzone take out Stringer Bell

The good, the bad, and the ugly. Stringer just wasn't smart enough

01. Brother Mouzone/Omar confrontation

A true meeting of the minds. How could you not love Omar? He never cursed, never hit anyone who was not in the game, and respected his grandmother along with Sundays in general. Omar, real old school.

One more thing, just for fun. Here is a recap of the first four season of the show.

THE WIRE catch-up. 4 seasons in 4 minutes
Uploaded by Hornerjmacky

Alex Jones The Real Truth Rising- The Illuminati

2008-09-13T03:35:00.002-04:00

OK OK this is really my last attack on Alex Jones. At least for tonight. Giant owls? What are these people thinking?

Alex Jones insults 911 heroes By: 911truthteller

2008-09-13T01:41:00.005-04:00

Enough said...

Australian Politician Interviewed about oil spill

2008-09-13T00:07:00.003-04:00

Ok this is clearly a fake production meant to be humorous. While I think it succeeds in this purpose think about how many times we have really witnessed an interview much like this one. If you have been watching the news lately, I am sure you will find more real life examples. Is this proof positive that we should all carefully question our reality and listen closely to the spin in order to obtain the “truth” or just another example of how obvious the truth happens to be?

Rules of the Road in the Washington D.C. Metro Area

2008-09-12T21:49:00.003-04:00

Ok I just have to post this! It is not philosophical, but it is so true!

First, you must learn to call it by its rightful name. It is D.C., or "the District", only tourists call it Washington.

Next, if your road map of Montgomery County is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and buy a new one. It's obsolete.

If in Loudoun or Fairfax County and your map is one day old, it's already obsolete.

There is no such thing as a dangerous high speed chase in D.C. It's just another chase, usually on the BW Parkway.

All directions start with "The Beltway"...which has no beginning and no end, just one continuous loop that locals believe is somehow clarified by an "inner" and "outer loop" designation. This makes no sense to ANYONE outside the Beltway.

The morning rush hour is from 5 to 11 AM. The evening rush hour is from 1 to 8 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning, especially during the summer on Route 50 eastbound.

If there is a ball game at the Redskins stadium, there is no point in driving anywhere near PG County.

Tip: Never say PG County to anyone from Mitchellville, Upper Marlboro or Fort Washington. They'll blow a vessel in their neck and go into a seizure.

If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended and shot at. If you run the red light, be sure to smile for the $100 "picture" you will receive courtesy of MVA. (However, if you don't go as soon as the light turns green, you will get cussed out in 382 languages, none of them English.)

Rain causes an immediate 50 point drop of IQ in drivers.

Snow causes an immediate 100 point drop in IQ and a rush to the Giant for toilet paper and milk.

Construction on I-270 is a way of life and a permanent source of scorn and cynical entertainment. It's ironic that it's called an "Interstate," but runs only from Bethesda to Frederick. (Unless you consider Montgomery County another state, which some do). Opening in the 60's, it has been torn up and under reconstruction ever since. Also, it has a "Spur" section which is even more confusing.

All unexplained sights are explained by the phrase, "Oh, we're in Takoma Park".

If someone actually has their turn signal on, they are by definition, a tourist.

Car horns are actually "Road Rage" indicators. Heed the warning.

All old ladies in Buicks have the right of way in the area of Leisure World.

Many roads mysteriously change their names as you cross intersections. Don't ask why, no one knows.

If asking directions in Arlington, Langley Park, Wheaton or Adams Morgan, you must know how to speak Spanish. If in PG County, Ebonics will be your best bet. In Annandale, a Cambodian or Vietnamese dialect will come in handy.

If on Dupont Circle, Capital Hill or U Street, a gay dialect helps.

If you stop to ask directions in Southeast...well, just don't.

A taxi ride across town will cost you $12.50. A taxi ride two blocks will cost you 16.75. (It's a zone thing, you wouldn't understand)

Traveling south out of DC on Interstate 395/95 is the most dangerous, scariest thing you will ever do. There is nothing more comforting then seven lanes of traffic cruising along at 85 mph, BUMPER TO BUMPER!!!

The minimum acceptable speed on the Beltway is 85. Anything less is considered downright sissy. The Beltway is our daily version of a NASCAR reality show. Strap up and collect points as you go.

The open lane for passing on all Maryland interstates is the far right lane because no self-respecting Marylander would ever be caught driving in the "slow" lane. Unofficially, both shoulders are fair game also.

The far left lanes on all Maryland interstates are official "chat" lanes reserved for drivers who wish to talk on their cell phones. Note: All mini-vans have priority clearance to use the far left at whatever speed the driver feels most comfortable multi-tasking in.

If it's 10 degrees, it's Orioles' opening day. If it's 110 degrees, it's the Skins opening day.

If the humidity is 90+ and the temperature is 90+, then it's May, June, July, August and sometimes September.

If you go to a Skins football game, pay the $75.00 to park in the stadium lot. It's cheaper then getting towed or a citation.

By law, you're not allowed to walk on the "public" roads around the stadium during game days.

Thanks Mimi!

Waking Life

2008-09-11T23:36:00.005-04:00

In Waking Life, the masterpiece from Richard Linklater, a group of students are in a room viewing a film with a Chimp narrating. Here is what he says:

"Our critique began as all critiques begin, with doubt. Doubt became our narrative. Ours was a quest for a new story: our own. And we grasped towards this new history driven by the suspicion that ordinary language couldn't tell it. Our past appeared frozen in the distance, and our every gesture and accent signified the negation of the Old World, and the reach for a new one. The way we lived created a new situation, one of exuberance and friendship; That of a subversive micro-society in the heart of a society which ignored it. Art was not the goal, but the occasion and the method for locating our specific rhythm and varied possibilities of our time. The discovery of a true communication was what it was about, or at least the quest for such a communication: the adventure of finding it and losing it. We, the unappeased, the unaccepting, continued looking, filling in the silences with our own wishes, fears, and fantasies, driven forward by the fact that no matter how empty the world seemed, no matter how degraded and used up the world appeared to us, we knew that anything was still possible, and, given the right circumstances, a new world was just as likely as an old one." [Here, the projector displays: To begin again....from the beginning]

Isn't it funny how every generation has felt the same way? Every generation at some point in time has experienced these emotions. This universal recurrence of the same situations, the same emotions, the same isolation. Is this art? Is this what is driving art???? Art- the universal language. The new world that every generation has strived to create?

Dancing...

2008-09-11T22:31:00.004-04:00

Shiva's dance brings destruction and from this destruction a regeneration is started. Shiva holds time and shakes it until nothing is left but the true complete void. It is said that Shiva also stomps out ignorance destroying it in his dancing path. I want to dance along with Shiva and that is the purpose of this blog. I want to embrace the chaos and spin wildly letting out the creativity that is always hidden in the depths. Mostly, I want to recognize the destruction around me for what it is, a beautiful beginning. A chance to capture the breeze as it whips my face as I spin out of control. Enough already! I have always read personal blogs with a certain amount of scepticism. Somehow, they can seem so egocentric. However, I am willing to give it a try. I can't promise anything, dear reader, as I am new to this and dancing can leave one so exhausted in the end. It is my intention to start this blog as a way to understand the dance a little more. My vain attempt to stomp out some of the ignorance in my life and also to embrace the many small destructions that happen on a daily basis. A chance, at least, to recognize the dance of life for what it is and what it can teach me. Join me for a mad dance of Philosophy, Religion, Science, and a little of everything else...